Our volunteers have been out in full force this summer, and June was no exception! Thanks to the dedication, sweat, and positive energy of our incredible community, we’re making meaningful strides to protect and improve the Vail Valley’s trails and wild places. Here’s a look at what we accomplished together so far this summer:
- Number of Volunteer Events: 49 (26 in June)
- Number of Volunteers: 487
- Volunteer Hours on Trails: 1392
- Miles of Trails Covered: 40.4
- Miles of Tread Repaired: 2.4
- Miles of Corridor Cleared: 10.6
- Drainages Cleared: 194
- Closed Social Trails: 21
- Pounds of Trash Removed: 16.55
Wednesday Night Trail Crew
This crew has kept their momentum rolling on the EagleVail Trail Extension. In June, 33 volunteers showed up ready to dig in — covering 1 mile of trail and establishing 450 feet of brand new tread. A special shoutout goes to Casey and Cody Wyse, two pillars of this crew who have collectively poured thousands of volunteer hours into Eagle County’s trail system. Their leadership and commitment continue to inspire everyone around them.
Ladies Trail Crew
The Ladies Trail Crew was out in force on June 16th, also working on the EagleVail Trail. With eight new faces and the theme “many hands make light work,” they tackled 650 feet of tread improvement. A big thank you to:
- Michelle Wolffe — an invaluable asset to all VVMTA events.
- Cinda Rustad — our unofficial team mom, whose support keeps everyone going.
- Anna Widerman — designer of the LTC apparel and our #1 on-site chef.
Youth Trail Stewards
Educating and empowering the next generation of trail stewards is at the heart of our mission. This month, we were proud to lead “Trail Talks” with Vail Valley Ride’s summer campers, ages 6–11. Inspired by Our Promise, these young adventurers created promise “badges” showing how they respect the trail, backcountry, wild, and adventure. They shared their creative pledges with pride and reminded us all that stewardship starts young.
The Cycle Effect’s teams also stepped up big this month, getting their hands dirty during trail work days at Arrowhead Trails and Abram’s Ridge. Nicknamed the trail fairies, lopping queens, and powerslough girls, these young women are setting an inspiring example for their community.
Adopt A Trail Teams
Our AAT program saw 20 events and 184 volunteers in June alone! Volunteers from businesses, organizations, and neighborhood groups showed up ready to pull thistles, clear drains, and keep our trails looking great. A few favorite volunteer quotes from the month:
- “DIE THISTLE!”
- “Dang, this section looks so good (after working on it).”
- “My daughter (4 years old) has been waiting for this day all week. She woke up so excited to work on trails — picked out her favorite trail outfit, got new shoes, and practiced ‘throwing sticks’ with the nanny so that she’d be ready for today.”
A huge thank you to the following AAT teams for their commitment in June:
- Alpine Bank on Half Nelson
- Sonnenalp Club on Lower West Avon Preserve
- Eagle River Water and Sanitation District on Gore Creek
- Sonnenalp Hotel on Game Creek / Cougar Ridge
- Walking Mountains Science Center on Avon Overlook
- R&H Mechanical on Bailey’s
- Altius Physical Therapy and Wellness on Saddleridge
- Vail Valley Foundation on EagleVail Extension
- Vail Club 50 on Stag Gulch
- Minturn Residents on Half Nelson
- Eagle County Department of Human Services on Three Sisters
- Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance on Deluge Lake
- Vail Valley Running Club on East Lake Creek
- RA Nelson on Son of Middle Creek
- Town of Vail on Son of Middle Creek
- Vail Valley Partnership on Brown’s Loop
- The Cycle Effect on Arrowhead & Abram’s Ridge
- Elevated Dental on Martin Creek
- Walking Mountains Science Center on Buck Creek
- AXIS Sport’s Medicine on Paulie’s Plunge
Volunteer Champions for June
- Team of the Month: Vail Valley Running Club
This energetic crew showed up in force and made an incredible impact! The club is dedicated to ensuring that runners have a strong presence in the trails community, including through volunteer projects and trail maintenance. They turned out with 23 volunteers to help clean up East Lake Creek. A special shoutout goes to their AAT team leaders, Kelly and Jimmy Daly, for recruiting volunteers — and for bringing along the youngest trail crew members, their two kids! Cheers to the trail runners! - Volunteer of the Month: Chris Southwick
Chris is a true superstar — he didn’t just volunteer at one or two events, but at three in a single week! He contributed his time with the Vail Valley Running Club at East Lake Creek, the Town of Vail on Son of Middle Creek, and the Wednesday Night Trail Crew in EagleVail. His strong work ethic, friendly demeanor, and positive attitude help foster meaningful connections with everyone working alongside him. Kudos to Chris for his outstanding contributions this month!
Make the promise: Respect the vail valley
While our volunteers work hard to protect the places we love, everyone has a role to play. We invite you to join us by making Our Promise to Respect the Vail Valley. It’s a simple commitment to recreate responsibly, respect wildlife, and care for our trails and open spaces. Together, our actions add up to a big impact.
Make the Promise here and you’ll be entered to win one of five $100 gift cards to a local Vail restaurant! Winners will be announced on October 8th and notified by email.
Thank You & See You on the Trail!
Every hour, every shovel, every conversation on the trail helps protect and sustain our outdoor spaces. We’re endlessly grateful for the passion, time, and sweat equity that our volunteers pour into the Vail Valley’s trails.
Want to join us for a future trail day? Check out our upcoming volunteer events — we’d love to see you out there!
