Volunteer Spotlight: Craig Yonkers, OG Trail Agent
Overland volunteers know how special the lands are that we recreate on, and Craig Yonkers knows how hard you have to work to steward and protect this resource. He started volunteering with Overland Mountain Bike Association in 2018 on trail projects, joined OMBA’s Trail Committee, and is now one of our most prolific sawyers and inaugural Trail Agents.
Understand how meaningful it is for Craig to work in the National Forest and where he is stoked to ride later this fall with our Volunteer Spotlight.
Why did you decide to get involved with the Trail Agent Program?
Craig: Looking back it didn’t feel like much of a conscious decision but more of a continuation of all the corridor and hazard tree clearing I was doing during the Young Gulch rebuild. The need was there on other trails within the Canyon Lakes District so I just took it and ran with it. It quickly became something much bigger as mine and other’s efforts got formalized and became the Trail Agent Program.
What’s the most rewarding part of trail building/ maintenance?
Craig: There’s so many but I’d say it’s quality time with friends, being outside in amazing places, and helping to create a higher quality user-experience with a resource I used to take for granted.
What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on with Overland and why?
Craig: I’d have to say the Hewlett Gulch bridge and ford project. The technical rigging and tree work was (almost) always fun as was the time spent out with friends. But more than anything I felt it showed how our work benefits all user groups while also reducing negative impacts on the landscape.
If you could educate trail users on one thing in regards to trail sustainability/ building practices/ etc, what would that be?
Craig: That many of our local trails were not constructed with longevity or what I would call “modern” trail use in mind. Many trails were originally social trails, cattle trails, or built in a manner where the only thought was the shortest distance between point A and B. A lot of our efforts go into rectifying this by emphasizing sustainability while doing our best to maintain the character of that specific trail.
What off-road route are you looking forward to riding later this fall?
Craig: Definitely Roaring Creek. It’s supposed to open this fall and it will feel like a completely different trail due to all the work that’s been going into it the last couple years.
Barb’s Route!
Barb Shultz – “I use to ride it every week. On strong days I would add more climbing/miles. Best to ride upper Mill Creek early season as it tends get really loose as conditions get drier. A lot of it depends who is riding with me. But… I Like to suffer =) ”
Strava Link = Barb’s Route
Distance = 12.87mi
Vert = 2,369ft
- Starting in Blue Sky lot take the road “38E” to Horsetooth lot
- Up South Ridge service road to Wathen
- Left on Spring Creek (this section is an easy part of Spring Creek, rides like a green)
- Right on Herrington
- Left on Towers service road
- Right on Carey Springs
- Left on Loggers
- Straight onto lower Mill Creek
- Stray right at Mill Creek & Howard junction.
- Left at bottom onto West Valley Trail
- Right at Arthur’s Rock Parking Lot
- Right onto South Valley Trail
- Bear Left up to Hucka Yucca Trail
- Left to get back to Horsetooth
- Right to Nomad/ Sawmill
- Left to go down Nomad
- Right at fence to Stay on Nomad out to Towers.
- Left down Towers service road for about 150 yards
- Right on Swan Johnson to Soderberg parking lot
- Inlet Bay Trail Back to Blue sky lot