Thanks to a partnership between the One Track Mind Foundation, the town of Breckenridge and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, there is a new trail to explore in Breckenridge.
The three entities worked hard this summer to install 5,400 feet of new trail to connect the Chantilly Trail to the Upper Flume and the Mike’s Trail intersection. It’s called Ellie’s Features and will allow access from the Flume Trails to Mikes Trails.
A comfortable uphill-only section open to hikers and bikers wanting to avoid the downhill-only jump line section of the Barney Ford Trail, the connection effectively links the Barney Ford bypass while providing a valuable connection to the French Gulch Trail system using the existing Chantilly Trail.
Purposefully designed for mountain biking by creating safe, easy access for all users, the trail was backed by the Breckenridge Open Space Advisory Commission, with approval from the Special Use Authorization, National Environmental Policy Act and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Coming off its 30th anniversary, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps serves over 850 youth every year and strives to engage youth in the outdoors while linking community, education and environment through service. As part of the Ellie’s project, its crews, aged 16-18, removed more than 450 trees on the trail, installed treads and drainage pipes as well as assisted in grading.
“(Rocky Mountain Youth Corps) looks for any opportunity to get young people out on meaningful projects that increase community trail access,” Rocky Mountain Youth Corps’ Lauren VandenHurk said. “These types of collaborative projects in particular create a sense of pride and ownership among the youth who work on them and can be foundational to developing a deep sense of connection with public lands.”