The Buckskin Pass trail, which winds between the Maroon Bells and Snowmass creek, is a favorite in the Aspen area. Leading up and down spectacular divides, and across the Four Pass Loop, this trail is easily accessible to both hikers and backpackers. But its popularity has taken a toll on the terrain, as erosion nibbles away at steep and precarious parts.

To help, the Colorado Mountain Club is teaming up with USFS White River National Forest and Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers to host a trail rejuvenation trip. Anyone with backpacking experience over the age of 14 is invited to join for four days of work and play. Volunteers will camp in the Minnehaha Gulch and hike to the worksites each morning. Participants should be in good shape, but no trail maintenance experience is required. Dinner is provided, but all other methods of caloric intake are left up to you, so pack your energy chews and turkey jerky.

Guides like Lisa Cashel, Stewardship Manager for the CMC, believe that it’s opportunities like this that keep Colorado recreation available. “The volunteers are not only doing a service to the landscape but to the recreational community as a whole,” says Cashel. “While it’s not only fulfilling to get out here and get your hands dirty, volunteers are part of a culture of keeping our resources alive and well.”

Get Involved: The Colorado Mountain Club’s Four Pass Loop Trail Work Trips are occurring August 8 to 11 and August 13 to 16. Registration is free, simply visit cmc.org or call 303-996-2764 to sign up.

—Photo courtesy of Lisa Cashel