For Vail Club 50, a love of the outdoors doesn’t stop at the trailhead. It extends to maintaining the trails that make an active mountain lifestyle possible, even when that work means digging, lifting and repairing terrain.
Founded in 1988, Vail Club 50 (VC50) brings together more than 900 members age 50 and older through hiking, biking, skiing, snowshoeing and other social activities throughout the Vail Valley. The all-volunteer organization focuses on staying active, making connections and giving back. Through its Adopt A Trail partnership with the Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance, members are putting those values to work.
“Volunteers are a huge part of VVMTA”, says Natalie Neuwirth, Trail Stewardship Manager. “They help us maintain and improve trails, tackle projects we couldn’t do with staff alone and encourage others in the community to get involved.”
For the past two seasons, VC50 has earned Adopt A Trail program’s “Most Volunteer Hours.” In 2026, nearly 60 club volunteers contributed more than 200 hours of work on the Stag Gulch Trail in Edwards. Together, they cleared four miles of trail, cleared and created 26 drainage structures, repaired 1,500 feet of tread and cleared 2,500 feet of corridor.
That’s an impressive amount of work for any volunteer crew. For a group of adults 50 and older, many with the flexibility that comes with retirement, it also demonstrates what’s possible when people have the time, motivation and commitment to give back.
A Little Work Goes a Long Way
For Kaj Engberg, a Vail Club 50 member and Adopt A Trail volunteer, the impact of their collective effort became clear during a workday on an eroded trail. The crew focused its efforts on a flat 200-yard section that involved removing sections of native grass turf so water would disperse more evenly.
“Removing the turf was very slow going. Individually, I felt like there was no way I could make a difference because the pace of improvements felt glacial,” Engberg explains. But after several hours of work by a crew of 20, he stepped back and surveyed the section. What had felt like a series of small improvements had added up to a dramatically better trail. “Then a horseback rider came through from Bearcat Stables. He complimented our work and said that the trail hasn’t looked so good in 20 years.”
The moment was a reminder that trail stewardship is a team effort.
Extreme Gardening
For many VC50 members, retirement offers something incredibly valuable: time to pursue the activities they love and contribute to the community they love.
“For me, being retired has given me more time to dedicate to things I knew I needed to do, but struggled to make the time,” says Engberg. “Being older also helps with the broader perspective of the trail work we do not only benefits us, but also locals and the tourists that are the economic lifeblood of the Vail Valley.”
That perspective connects recreation with responsibility. The trails that draw people outdoors require ongoing maintenance, resources and people to pitch in.
“We all recognize we are fortunate to live in the Vail Valley and have a desire to give back to the community we love,” says Richard Saxby, VVMTA trail leader and Vail Club 50 member.
Saxby has a fitting description for the club’s approach to trail work.
“Most elderly people enjoy gardening and VC50 members view Adopt A Trail as extreme gardening,” Saxby explains. “Vigorous exercise in the great outdoors — Adopt A Trail work can be demanding — teamwork, sunshine and a beautiful natural setting lighten the load and put everyone in a good mood.”
The work can be strenuous, but the camaraderie helps keep volunteers coming back. And in true VC50 fashion, a support team welcomes the crew back with cold towels, a generous lunch spread and happy hour.
The program is so popular that participation on individual workdays sometimes has to be limited because of logistics, including trailhead parking, not a shortage of hands.
Keeping the Trails We Love
Vail Club 50 shows how a shared passion for the outdoors can become a lasting commitment to the places that make mountain life special. And that everyone can be involved.
“Taking care of our trails is something everyone can be a part of, regardless of age or ability,” Neuwirth says. “Whether you’re out volunteering, practicing good trail etiquette or simply encouraging others to do the same, you’re helping protect the places we all love.”
Giving time is one way to support our trails. Financial support is another.
The trails that make the Vail Valley such a special place to live and visit don’t maintain themselves. They depend on people willing to show up, put in the work and invest in their future.
Want to make a difference? Support the Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance with a charitable donation or by signing up for a future trail crew. Every hour and dollar helps keep the trails we love for the next generation.
