SMT Newsletter — September 2023
- September 25, 2023
Ride your bike, support our trails
The Banana Belt MTB race is next weekend! Why should you ride?
- It’s a rad ride on fun trails
- Registration includes lunch and beer from our friends at Sweetie’s Sandwich Shop and Soulcraft Brewing
- All proceeds benefit SMT and our emergency medical partner, Chaffee County Search and Rescue South
This ride is a great way to celebrate summer’s end while supporting two important local organizations. Sign up today!
Volunteers Needed Volunteers make the Banana Belt possible. We still need lots of help with this event, and with other events during Bike Fest weekend. See all available volunteer roles here.
National Public Lands Day: September 23
Speaking of volunteering: Take care of YOUR public lands with us on National Public Lands Day! We’re partnering with GARNA, Chaffee Rec Adopters, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area (AHRA) the BLM, and USFS to clean up the Burmac trailhead and dispersed camping area. We’ll work for a few hours and then gather for a “backcountry cookout.”
RSVP FOR NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY
Important survey: Outdoor rec in Chaffee County
The Chaffee Recreation Council is conducting a survey that will shape recreation management countywide. We highly encourage you to take this survey. Responses will inform implementation of the Chaffee County Outdoor Recreation Management Plan—which aims to maintain healthy public lands, quality experiences, and the economic benefits of tourism—as well as development of the countywide Trails and Conservation Plan. Among other things, you can voice support in this survey for more recreational opportunities—including more trails.
Meet the SMT team!
This summer, SMT added 8 amazing people to our Board of Directors—Hill Abell, Brian Bergeler, Rachel Finkowski, Brink Messick, Kate Noelke, Zach Ryerson, Anna Ulrich and John Witherspoon—bringing the total board to 15 members. The new additions bring a wealth of experience in all aspects of SMT’s work and organizational needs: trail planning, building and maintenance; nonprofit development; fundraising and grant writing; volunteer management; and so much more. We are ecstatic about the new members, who are already helping SMT to grow as an organization and get more results. Please join us in welcoming them aboard!
Head here to meet the full board and our two-person staff.
August trail work highlights
August was a very productive month for trail work. Among the highlights, we:
- Fixed up Pot-o-Gold with the help of ~20 volunteers
- Led 17 kids from the Salida Racing team in a day of trail maintenance on Little Rainbow and Solstice
- Met with the BLM and other partners for a site visit to plan big improvements to the Burmac trailhead
- Installed new wayfinding at the upper CR110 parking lot
If you want to see more progress like this, become an SMT member or donate today!