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It’s Tuesday morning in Ilium Valley along the Galloping Goose Connector Trail. Jordan Carr, trails director for the Telluride Mountain Club, cuts and clears a log across the singletrack trail. Carr has been hard at work since spring to clear local trails in the Telluride region.

“Over 100, we’ve cleared quite a few trees, probably over 100 on the local trails, and we haven’t really even gotten up high yet — so, Highline and Hope Lake,” Carr said.

The Telluride Mountain Club is a local outdoor recreation nonprofit. It, along with other regional organizations, works alongside the U.S. Forest Service to maintain public lands. Sophie Fabrizio, director of the Telluride Mountain Club, said nonprofits help fill the gaps.

“One of the major pieces of our mission is working with the Forest Service to help maintain our public recreation trails,” Fabrizio said. “Essentially, what we do is help fill the gaps — we have a ton of trails in this region and there’s only so many Forest Service staff. We work with them to find out where they need help, and then we go ahead and clear the trails. Trees that are down, rockfall or erosion — things like that. We just kind of work with them to make sure that the trails are clear and safe.”

Nonprofits allow the Forest Service to expand its reach. Megan Eno, Norwood District Ranger for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, said that without groups like the mountain club, miles of trails wouldn’t be maintained this season.

“Our nonprofit partners help get the work done that needs to get done so that the forest is open and accessible to the public, and we wouldn’t be able to do that work without them,” Eno said.

Eno also highlighted other nonprofits that help with seasonal wildlife closures and wildfire management, noting they provide more eyes and ears on the landscape.

“I think if we were to call any district or any forest in the nation, they would say nonprofit organizations and stakeholder groups are integral to the work of any public land management agency,” Eno said. “Those groups often serve as a voice for their respective communities and provide a way for land managers to build relationships and address common needs for the public and the forest. It’s not unusual for budgets and staffing to fluctuate in any given year, and having local partners invested in specific projects helps get those projects across the finish line faster than if the agency had to fund or staff them alone.”

Stephanie Weber is the executive director of the San Juan Mountains Association, a 37-year-old nonprofit working with several national forests in the San Juans. She said in a year, their forest ambassadors — who provide interpretive, educational and conservation information to visitors — cover over 3,600 miles of trails. With reductions in federal capacity, these nonprofit partnerships are essential.

“In an era where we do have leadership that is considering sale of public lands, I believe it’s more important than ever to open these lands up to everyone because they are for everyone, and help them realize how incredibly special they are — the importance of taking care of them in perpetuity,” Weber said. “We have a longtime volunteer who made up a T-shirt that said, ‘Public lands are for your children’s children, so take care of them.’ And doesn’t that really sum it up? So many of us have had wonderful experiences on these public lands, and they are precious — but they don’t just belong to you or me, Mason, they belong to all of us.”

Weber said the San Juan Mountains Association and others are doing what they can to keep trails accessible and ensure the best experience possible.

“Now is the time for everyone to get involved,” she said. “Whether it’s San Juan Mountains Association, Telluride Mountain Club — every organization can use help, whether it’s on the ground or financial assistance. There is a need that can be filled by everybody at this point, and our public lands need you.”

Both organizations have regular volunteer opportunities, which can be found by searching their names online. If you see a need for local trail maintenance, Fabrizio said the Telluride Mountain Club has an online work request form available through its social media channels and website.

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