Mountain Village: $890,000 from TMVOA for summer trails work

30 May Mountain Village: $890,000 from TMVOA for summer trails work

Telluride Mountain Village Owners Association (TMVOA) is partnering with the Town of Mountain Village and has committed up to $890,000 in grant funding to expand and improve trails within the Mountain Village community.

As the project progresses, more updates, including any impacts on the community during the construction of these trails, will be shared through Town and TMVOA channels. View map of trail work.

Go here for more on Mountain Village.

“This collaboration with the Town is a testament to our shared dedication to preserving the beauty of Mountain Village while enhancing the outdoor experience for all,” said TMVOA President Anton Benitez. “This investment in our community is aligned with TMVOA’s mission to provide and maintain a desirable community and environment for all TMVOA owners, lessees, and guests.”

TMVOA is providing grant funds to the Town for these trail initiatives; the Town will handle the planning and execution. This project will include the construction of four new trails and significant improvements to three existing trails, all planned to take place this summer. The trail work is in the Town’s Trails Master Plan; the funding will help put the Town ahead of the plan’s original timeline.

“The initiative marks a big step in the right direction for non-motorized, active transportation in Mountain Village,” said Town of Mountain Village Transit and Recreation Director Jim Loebe. “Great communities have great connections, and these new trails and trail enhancements will greatly improve how all pedestrians and bikers move around Mountain Village. A big thank you to TMVOA for making this possible.”

The four new trails are the Big Billie’s Novice Connector, the Stegosaurus Trail, The Bear Creek Trail, and the Boulevard Trail Reroute at Village Bypass [VBP] Ski Bridge.

The three trails being improved are the Boulevard Trail, the Village Court Apartments to Boulevard Trail, and an ADA sidewalk improvement near Lost Creek Lane.

“By expanding and enhancing our trails, we’re not just creating opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts; we’re stimulating economic activity by attracting visitors and enhancing the experience for residents and visitors, fostering a vibrant, sustainable community,” Benitez added.

Trail Summary:

Big Billie’s Novice Connector: a variation of NS-16 in the Trails Master Plan. It provides both a temporary detour around Meadowlark during construction and, as a permanent feature, a more manageable bicycle climb and descent on the lower portion section of the trail.

Stegosaurus Trail: a two-way hiking and eastbound-only biking trail parallel to the Jurassic Trail but higher up on the ridge and within the trees. This will provide less exposure for outdoor enthusiasts and more privacy for the homes off Country Club Drive. Once Stegosaurus is completed, Jurassic will become a westbound only for bicycles.

Bear Creek Trail (to be renamed upon completion): a natural surface trail providing a walkable and bikeable shortcut connection between the Mountain Village Boulevard / San Joaquin intersection and middle San Joaquin Road near The Lodges on Sundance. It will provide an option for trail users who prefer not to use the newly improved shoulders on Lower San Joaquin Road.

Boulevard Trail reroute at Village Bypass Ski Run: The Boulevard Trail will be rerouted under the Village Bypass Ski Run bridge, eliminating the need to cross the Village Bypass Ski Run during the winter.

Enhanced Trail Summary

The Boulevard Trail Center Section [.67 miles long, roughly from Touchdown Drive to the bridge over Galloping Goose] improvements include re-establishing the existing path to 8-foot width, adding and enhancing drainages, laying back slopes to reduce the need for retaining walls and laying new trail mix.

As a heavily used shortcut, the VCA to Boulevard Trail will formalize an existing social path across the Double Cabin ski run and divert trail users around Mountain Lodge. It will result in a wider trail with better drainages and the construction of small bridges in two locations.

The ADA sidewalk improvement near Lost Creek Lane will result in a new sidewalk section connecting the Boulevard Trail with an ADA ramp at Lost Creek Lane and new ADA ramps at Madeline frontage.