We are burning slash piles along the proposed Beavers lift line. We have already burned piles on The Steep Gullies Hike Back trail and plan on burning piles on Loafer and Davis.
There were multiple phases in our trail preparation work. First the loggers dropped the trees to the ground. Second, we used a helicopter to fly the logs to the parking lot. There the logs were chipped and transported to the biomass plant in Gypsum (that is another story). Third, a contract crew traveled the trails again flush cutting stumps and piling any remaining slash. That crew should be done this week. Fourth, our crews are burning those slash piles. Next season we may have to do a little more clean up and pile burning.
Our strategy for this entire process has been to minimize ground disturbance. Through this work, we have had no tracked or wheeled vehicles on these trails. While the trees have been removed, the ground has not been substantially disturbed. This has a significant and positive impact on erosion and water quality.
We will be burning as long as conditions allow or until we are done. I suspect we will be doing this for several more weeks.
