Trails and Stewardship Crew
VVMTA’s seasonal full-time Trails and Stewardship Crew (TSC) was launched in 2021. With support from our partners we are able to support a crew of 6-8 seasonal professional staff. These positions consist of two (2) crew leaders, up to six (6) crew members, and one (1) intern.
The Trails and Stewardship Crew is VVMTA’s professional field crew. The TSC partners with land managers and community organizations to care for trails and surrounding public lands by repairing tread, building bridges, clearing hazards, improving drainage, and keeping recreation areas safe and accessible. Their broader stewardship includes watershed restoration projects, garbage cleanup, campsite rehabilitation, fire restriction signage, and public contact patrols, protecting natural resources while strengthening community connections to public lands.
.The TSC works across all public lands in Eagle County, functioning as an essential resource for all land managers, agencies, and partners.
Meet and read more about this amazing crew of locals who care for our trails from May through October. To support this crew and program please consider making a donation, ensuring that this program continues for many years to come.
Read more about how the program started in the Vail Daily here.
Impact
The TSC has an impact on trails across all public lands in Eagle County. They perform critical trail maintenance and stewardship projects on lands managed by the USFS, BLM, Town of Vail, Town of Minturn, Town of Eagle, Avon, and more.
In addition to leading volunteers, performing trail maintenance, and being Trail Ambassadors, they tackle bigger projects including:
- Lost Lake Bridges
- Mill Creek trail reroute
- Salt Creek trail reestablishment
- Minturn Bike maintenance
- Eagle Bike Park construction support
- Barbed wire fence removal
- Eagle trail hub connections & reroutes
- Social trail decommissioning & restoration
- 1,500+ downed trees removed
- And many, many more…
Support the Crew
Please consider making a donation to support the Trails and Stewardship Crew program. This program requires $300,000 in annual funding to operate. Sammy, our Trail Operations Manager wants you to support the crew with:
- Crew Apparel/Uniforms: We get super dirty, wet, sweaty, you name it out there and the more funding we have for uniforms the more comfortable we are out there and ready to work for our community!
- First Aid Supplies: Many of us on the crew have certifications such as Wilderness First Aid but we definitely need to up our first-aid kits. We need two, fully stocked kits for both of our trucks with items like tourniquets, pelvic binders, etc.
- Tools: Man do we always need new tools! We give our tools a beating through the year and are constantly in need of the newest tool technology and chainsaw supplies to complete projects.
- Food & Drink: As you can imagine, digging in the dirt keeps us hungry and thirsty all day long. Food and drink supplies are greatly appreciated and keeps the moral high!
- Training: From rock work, mini excavator operation, bridge building, check-step creation, to turnpikes and mono walls…we always can learn and improve our skills through educational training opportunities.
Partners
Thank you to our partners for supporting the TCC.
