WOW and Thank you!
This was our best Indy Give ever! 305 donors contributed $59,136 dollars to TOSC. That means we start the year on solid financial footing and staff will be able to spend more time on what we love best – projects and initiatives to improve our parks, trails and open spaces. And we have you to thank for our success. We truly are humbled by your generosity.
Be sure to use your donation rewards. You earned them! Many expire March 31st. Congratulations to all 82 non-profits for a successful Give campaign. And special thanks to the Indy Give Staff and their partners and sponsors for a wonderfully run program. Until next year….
PARK AND TRAIL News
Sinton Trail along Garden of the Gods Road reopened!
We are pleased to report that the reconstruction of the western portion of the Sinton Trail along Garden of the Gods Road has been completed. The trail has been reopened at the Citizens Service Center parking garage to Arrows West Drive. This ~900 foot rehabilitation project was provided by PPRTA2 funding and fixed multiple damaged sections that caused lifting of the concrete surface. The new pathway is smooth and the corridor has been cleared of sight line challenges, creating a safer and more enjoyable walking and pedaling pathway. We thank the teams from the City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services and Wildcat Construction for managing this project and providing the safe, off-street detour for this popular trail section during construction.
Welcome Alex!
Colorado Springs has a City Horticulturist. It’s the law – really, part of the City Charter. In November the city hired Springs native Alex Crochet for the position. Alex oversees the city’s greenhouse, medians, flower beds, managing the Springs in Bloom program and so much more. His last job was at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo where he was the Horticulture Curator in charge of “everything green.” He tells us he’s eager to make city horticulture more resilient and is collecting seeds and plants in our parks and open spaces to grow in the greenhouse and eventually replant them along our trails. A big fan of native plants, Alex would love to see our flower beds filled with more perennials and shrubs and more diversified landscaping.
Marshall FireWildfires stir strong emotions for everyone living in Colorado. In the Pikes Peak Region, we are no strangers to life altering wildfires. The Hayman Fire (2002), Waldo Canyon Fire (2012), Black Forest Fire (2013) and MM 117 Fire (2018) scorched a collective 200,000 acres and took just under 1,000 combined homes. In just one early winter day, the Marshall Fire in Boulder County destroyed or damaged 1,018 structures and burned 6,219 acres. Not only did the communities of Superior, Louisville and rural Boulder County lose homes, possessions, pets and businesses, the fire also heavily impacted popular parks and trails. The Marshall Mesa Open Space, Davidson Mesa Open Space, Harper Lake and Hillside Open Spaces took damage from heavy fire activity and dozens of community trails and neighborhood parks endured flames. In Colorado, there is a motto that “Community Doesn’t Burn Down” and when a disaster happens, everyone comes together to lend help. In the upcoming months, when volunteer workdays are announced to address wildfire related damage to trails and open spaces, TOSC will post those workdays on the Open Space Volunteer Calendar. In the meantime, visit Colorado Responds for a list of current volunteer opportunities and if you want to make a donation to help support survivors of the fire, visit the Community Foundation of Boulder County.
The Friends Groups of the Pikes Peak Region do amazing work. These passionate volunteers give their blood, sweat and tears to help support their favorite wild places and outdoor activities. The Friends of the Equestrian Skills Course went above and beyond with their support of Marshall Fire Survivors. After the nonprofit hit their fundraising goal for their Give! Campaign, they decided to donate the rest of their donations to support Equestrians that were impacted by the fire. In addition to over $3,000 being raised, they also partnered with Kit Carson Riding Club and Bingo’s D&S Saddle Shop to host a Tac Drive that resulted in sixty bales of hay, halters, brushes, blankets, pet supplies and more being donated to help fellow equestrians impacted by the fire. We applaud the efforts and generosity of the Friends of the Equestrian Skills Course and the horse lovers of the Pikes Peak Region who made a big impact.
Trail Stewardship
Mud, ice and wind! That is how trail users can describe current conditions on many westside, foothills and mountain trails right now. The recent snowstorm has kickstarted the annual “freeze-thaw” cycle that creates muddy trails. The best way to protect trails when they are muddy is to avoid them and stick to dry trails. While on muddy trails, it is best to walk/ride in the middle of the trail to prevent erosion. The same is true for icy conditions. Strap on those traction devices, grab some hiking poles and go gently down the middle of the trail. Your efforts will save fragile plants and wildlife habitats along trails.
Users are also seeing more wind damage and downed trees lately. Since the major hurricane wind event that happened in mid-December, there has been 4 more high wind warning events to hit our area. Each windstorm brings down more branches and weakened trees. Be mindful of tree damage on trails, report major wind related issues to GoCOS! and pack your patience with you on your adventures, it takes a while to clean up from historical wind events.
Jeff Hovermale – A Conservation Champion
We were sad to learn of the passing of Jeff Hovermale. Jeff was on the US Forest Service staff, Pikes Peak Ranger District and recently retired. If you appreciate the beauty and subtlety of the new Summit Complex on America’s Mountain, Jeff contributed to that. He also consulted with seven Tribes on the management of the sacred summit. Jeff intimately knew the trails on Pikes Peak because he’d hiked them. Few were more knowledgeable about the flora, fauna and stories. No one was more committed to conserving our national forest for generations to come. One of a kind, Jeff leaves a hole in our community and in many of our hearts.
TOSC
SOMETHING SPECTACULAR IS IN THE WORKS FOR 2022
TOSC staff and volunteers are putting together some preliminary plans for a spectacular event for 2022. Stay tuned for details as they unfold!!!
Community
Trail Side Bike Maintenance ClassThur. Jan 6, 6:00 PM
Come learn about proper bike maintenance practices and solutions to common trail side problems. Elevation Wheel Company will talk about basic repair and maintenance and then open things up to a question and answer session, allowing for more advanced topics.
This event is open to the public and completely free so invite your friends. Please RSVP via Facebook to help ensure there are snacks and drinks for all who attend.
Pikes Peak Greenway Cleanup with PPRRSun. Jan 9, 9:00 – 11:00 AM
Everybody is welcome! The Pikes Peak Road Runners have adopted a section of the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail (from 8th Street Wal-Mart to the Bijou Bridge). Monthly cleanups help keep the trail clean and safe for everyone in our community. Join PPRR the first Saturday of each month. Meet near America the Beautiful Park on Cimino Drive just south of Colorado Avenue. On-street parking is available. The cleanups last for about 2 hours. Please bring work gloves and water. Trash bags will be provided.
Find out more Facebook Event or PPRrun.org/Events/TrailCleanup
Platte Avenue Corridor StudyThe Platte Avenue Corridor study, part of the larger ConnectCOS effort, examines future improvements along Platte Avenue between I-25 and North Powers Boulevard. ConnectCOS is a comprehensive study that will result in a 20-year plan for citywide transportation improvements to ensure that people of all abilities have safe, accessible, reliable options to travel in and around the city by foot, motor vehicle, transit, bicycle or other preferred modes.
The public meeting scheduled to take place on December 15th, 2021, was cancelled due to extreme weather and power outages across the City of Colorado Springs. In response, a recording of the meeting content is now available for public viewing. The Platte Avenue Corridor Study project team would like your feedback on the identified “ambitions” for each of the four Character Areas along Platte Avenue and to what extent the proposed incremental and transformational alternatives address these ambitions. After viewing the meeting information, please provide your feedback via the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/9TPXTMD. Please note: this survey will remain open until January 31st.
To learn more, visit: coloradosprings.gov/project/platte-avenue-corridor-study.