FYI for those that were unaware (I was until Monday of this week), there is
some pretty extensive trail maintenance work being done on Upper Columbine
Trail (from the shortcut to Gold Camp Road on down). Dave Dessel, a fellow
biker, has been contracted to do the work and has been up there with a mini
excavator restoring the trail bed and adding some drainage features. It
compliments the earlier hand work done on the lower sections of trail, but
your first impression will be that it's too wide. That was mine when I came
across it on Monday, but after talking to him then and going back and
looking at the trail today (and talking to him again), the trail bed isn't
much different than what currently exists where they haven't done anything.
The untouched stuff (for example, compare the trail on Upper Columbine above
the current work) shows that the back slope and down slope will erode a bit
to narrow the bed, vegetation will encroach, and a narrow preferred line
will develop. It's the change between the narrow line (that draws the eye)
and the new trail bed (without a preferred line established yet) that shocks
you a bit.

I guess some people have noticed it and been complaining (again, your first
impression will be "wow, what the hell are they doing?"), so go into it by
looking more closely at the untouched trail. If you are up there and have
any questions, feel free to ask Dave if he's up there working. He used to
work for Arrowhead Trails (cool site @ http://www.arrowheadtrails.com/),
some of the chief contributors to the new IMBA trail building book, so it
looks like the trail is in good hands.

Jim Yount
(719) 540-1505
jyount@...