Projects
Past & Current Projects
Vail
The VVMTA advocated and provided comments for the Town of Vail’s Open Lands Plan and Trails Master Plan to guide future network planning and building efforts.
In 2019, the VVMTA, in partnership with the USFS, rerouted the final section of the North Trail coming down into the Davos trailhead. This washed out, rutted, and unsustainable trail was completely rerouted and built to new sustainable trail standards. This will allow all trail users to increase their experience on this trail for many years to come!
In 2021, in partnership with the USFS, the VVMTA’s Trail Conservation Crew along with Forest Service staff, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and volunteers built 1.25 miles of rerouted sustainable trail on Game Creek. These reroutes creates a safer and more enjoyable experience for all trail users.
Minturn
In September 2015 & October 2016, VVMTA and the USFS, with a huge helping hand from Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) performed multiple days of trail work on the final descent of Cougar Ridge between Vail Mountain and Lionshead to reduce erosion and improve the long term environmental sustainability and rideability of this great backcountry ride. In 2020, the VVMTA secured funding to hire McGill Trails to complete a final 1.75 mile reroute to create a fun and exciting singletrack experience.
In September 2016, the VVMTA partnered with Vail Resorts and their Epic Promise Program to bring over 300 volunteers to begin the construction of the 0.8 mile beginner hiking, biking, and dog walking loop named the Mini Mile. The Mini Mile was then completed throughout the summer of 2017 by VVMTA regular Wednesday night Trail Crew and the Adopt A Trail program.
The VVMTA led the planning, fundraising, outreach, and design of the Minturn Bike Park. Thanks to over $50,000 in donations from our community, Phase 1 of the bike was completed in the summer of 2020 and officially opened on August 29, 2020. Phase 2 construction which included a dual slalom course and advanced downhill line was completed and opened in the summer of 2021.
In 2021, the VVMTA, in partnership with the USFS and National Forest Foundation, oversaw reroutes and heavy maintenance of the beloved Meadow Mountain trail. The two reroutes and heavy maintenance create a new singletrack experience and are part of a larger vision for the Meadow Mountain area.
Red Cliff
In 2020, the VVMTA provided our experience, resources, and expertise to engage Red Cliff community members to help create a multi-use trail system concept plan on Iron Mountain. The parcel is owned by the Town of Red Cliff who hopes to create a fun and accessible trail system for its residents and visitors to enjoy right in their backyard.
This is a concept and final trail alignments, styles, parking areas, etc. are not approved and will require significant community input. Further environmental review, community input, and significant funding is needed to move this project forward. To provide your input please contact the Town of Red Cliff.
EagleVail
In the summer of 2018 the VVMTA began the construction of the Everkrisp Trail. This was the first new trail built on the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District in over 10 years in Eagle County. The VVMTA launched the Eagle County Trail Fund and was able to purchase a new mini-excavator to build this trail and many more in the future. The Everkrisp Trail is 4 miles long with 1,000′ of climbing and descending. It will create many loops for all trail users to enjoy!
The Everkrisp Trail intersects Whisky Creek and connects the communities of Minturn and Eagle-Vail. Even more importantly, this new trail legally opens Whiskey Creek to mountain bikes once again!
In the future, the VVMTA hopes to work with numerous land managers (USFS, Vail/Beaver Creek, Town of Avon, & Private Property) to extend the EagleVail trail to the West to connect with Beaver Creek.
Avon
In 2014, the VVMTA partnered in planning and construction of the West Avon Preserve Stacked Loop trail system – one of the most significant trail system initiatives in the history of the Vail Valley. This diverse and sustainable network of singletrack includes the VVMTA-led, volunteer-hand-built singletrack trails of Saddle Ridge and Wyse Way. Momentum Trail Concepts was hired to build machine-built trails of PB&J, Our Backyard, Wild West, Lee’s Way Down, Carrol’s Cutoff, and BLT. Partners in this transformative project included the Town of Avon, Eagle County Open Space, Eagle Valley Land Trust, and Momentum Trail Concepts. Together, over 10 miles of singletrack was constructed in a single season, creating an incredible new network of trails in the mid valley that are accessible earlier in the season than most others.
In 2020, Holy Cross Energy replaced overhead power lines in the West Avon Preserve and had a significant impact on the trails. The VVMTA advocated strongly for Holy Cross Energy to fund the re-construction of singletrack trail to avoid the new doubletrack roads that had been created. The new reroutes were funded and built by Momentum Trail Concepts in the fall of 2020, once again creating a continual singletrack trail experience.
Edwards
Additional improvements to the Berry Creek trail system were completed in 2016. These upgrades included re-routes in the upper section and restoration of eroded double track in the Endo Alley area.
The VVMTA continues to advocate for recreation improvements and access in the Berry Creek trail system. The trail system is a backyard, beloved area for tens of thousands of mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers, and dog walkers on a yearly basis. To learn more about our vision for Berry Creek please read our Berlaimont Estates comments here.
The VVMTA is currently working with the Arrowhead Homeowners Association to identify . In 2021, the VVMTA worked with the Arrowhead Trails Committee to create a Master Trails Plan that identifies trail opportunities on Arrowhead, connecting to neighboring communities and existing trails. These are concepts and final trail alignments, styles, uses, etc. are not approved and will require significant Arrowhead homeowner input. Further environmental review, HOA input, and significant funding is needed to move any parts of this project forward. This is also private property owned by Vail Resorts and the Arrowhead HOA. Any trail additions do not require public input and can be decided upon by the property owners as they see fit.
Eagle
In partnership with the Hardscrabble Trails Coalition (HTC), the VVMTA will continue to improve trail opportunities and access in the Eagle area.
In 2020, the VVMTA and HTC proposed improvements and reroutes to what was an illegal trail known as Dirt Surfer’s Love Child and is now known as Will’s Thrill. The trail proposal was approved by the BLM and VVMTA helped HTC raise enough funds to hire Momentum Trail Concepts to build and open this advanced trail in the fall of 2020.
In addition in 2019 and 2020, the VVMTA volunteer trail crew in partnership with HTC volunteers built and opened the Hillbilly trail. This connecting trails is part of a bigger picture plan to extend the East Eagle trail system.
In 2021, the VVMTA Trail Conservation Crew, HTC volunteer trail crews, and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps built Adam’s Way trail. The trail is named in honor of beloved community member and past longtime president of the HTC, Adam Palmer. The trail officially opened in September of 2021.
In 2021, the VVMTA Trail Conservation Crew (TCC) built and opened the Belly Up trail. The trail was proposed by the VVMTA and HTC in the Spring of 2021. This strategic connection creates an additional climbing trail in East Eagle that connects and creates loops from Adam’s Way, 3 Sisters, and/or Haymaker. It also allows numerous lap options off of Bellyache Rd including sessioning Will’s Thrill over and over or climbing back up to access all the other trails on Bellyache Rd. This trail will also function in the future as a climbing trail to access Bellyache Ridge for Eagle’s soon to be growing population in the Haymeadow area. A winter to settle the trail will have it nice and ready for Spring 2022.
