The Paul Intemann Memorial Nature Trail

WHEN: June 16, starting at 8:30 a.m.

WHAT: This is the first project toward linking the existing sections of the Intemann Trail by way of Manitou Springs' recently purchased Red Mountain Open Space. Roughly 800 feet in length, the project will reroute the portion of the existing Intemann Trail that comes up from Crystal Park Road through Manitou Mesa Open Space. The reroute will take off several hundred feet short of the current overlook and angle up to the start of Tom McGee's old road in Iron Mountain Open Space that will become (in later projects) part of the trail as well. The short name for our June 16 project is the "Overlook Reroute."

WHO: The Overlook Reroute is being organized by the Intemann Trail Committee (ITC) in conjunction with the City of Manitou Springs and other volunteer trailbuilding groups in the region. ITC volunteers previously built and continue to maintain the existing sections of the Intemann Trail (each over 2 miles in length) between the Iron Spring in Manitou and the Section 16 trailhead off Gold Camp Road. The ITC also built and maintains two trails off the Intemann -- the Red Mountain Trail above Manitou and the Waterfall Connector Trail in Section 16.

HOW: Hand tools and sweat equity. Work June 16 will include tread building (at least 2 feet wide, under mountain-trail standards), removal of scrub oak with come-alongs and the construction of a drainage crossing involving rocks and/or timbers.

WHY/WHERE: For years, there has been a roughly half-mile gap between the two "sides" of the Intemann Trail. With the City of Manitou's purchase of Tom McGee's 97 acres of mountainside land (now called the Iron Mountain Open Space), the link between these sides has become possible. Future projects, which hopefully can occur later this year, will complete the link. Such work will include improvements as needed to the McGee road and a route across the face of Iron Mountain and down to the existing Intemann terminus at Pawnee Avenue.

WHY THIS REROUTE: Two main reasons. 1 - The current overlook is at the edge of a 40-acre tract owned by Steve Beisel. When this section was built in 1994, the expectation was that the Intemann could soon be extended north through his property. It didn't happen that way, and Beisel has shown increasing animosity toward trespassers (intentional or not) over the years. 2 - If a person hiked straight up from the current overlook (along the Beisel property edge) to the McGee road, the grade would be well over 10 percent and such a trail would be unsustainable over time. The reroute line we envision (and which was approved last month by the Manitou Open Space Committee) will be less than 10 percent grade and should stand the test of time. Also, tying back to Reason #1, we think it's a good idea to move the trail as far away from Beisel's property as reasonably possible, to limit the trespasser problem.

HOW TO VOLUNTEER: For now, plans call for volunteers to meet at Manitou City Hall, 606 Manitou Ave. This may change, as the Overlook Reroute is seen as needing about 75 people, in order to finish it in one day. A "rain date" is June 23. Advance signups are requested. The contact number is 473-4143.