Join us in Mt. Charleston Wilderness to leave the trail better than you found it! Trailwork is one of the most fun and rewarding ways to take care of these places we all play - and we need your help! We'll be camping along the trail in the evenings and maintaining Bonanza Trail during the days. There's no better way to get to know Mt. Charleston Wilderness!
Difficulty Level: Extreme - This project involves daily hikes of up to 6 miles at elevations of 7,500 - 10,600 ft, while carrying tools and all of your gear for the day. Participants need to be of a high general fitness level to move at a pace that will allow the group to reach specific destination by a set time. These are tough trips, but also extremely rewarding.
About the Trail - Bonanza Trail follows the crest of the Spring Mountains for 16 miles - connecting Cold Creek with the Bristlecone Trail in Lee Canyon. Bonanza is forested with Ponderosa and Bristlecone Pines, White Fir, and Quaking Aspens. Spectacular views can be seen from the crest, and our camp.
About the Trailwork - We'll use our muscles and hand tools, like shovels and pick mattocks, to make vital improvements and maintain the trail. We typically head to the work site around 8 am and return to camp by 4 pm. We'll be on the trail Thursday - Sunday. We hope you can join us for the whole hitch, but you can also come for as little as two days.
What You'll Need - You're responsible for your own camping gear and snacks as well as transportation to and from the project. Be prepared to be away from camp all day by bringing at least 3 liters of water capacity and a day pack. Sturdy closed-toe shoes and long pants are required for this project.
What We'll Have - We'll provide tools for the work, gloves, and hard hats. We'll have group camp gear, including ample water and cooking gear such as stoves and tables. We'll also be making dinner for everyone at night and have breakfast and coffee in the mornings, as well as basic sandwich fixings so you can make lunch for the day.
Camp - We'll be camping along the trail, 4.5 miles and 2,600 ft. up from the Cold Creek trailhead. We strongly encourage you to make use of our pack support to get your gear up the trail. That way, more of our energy is spent improving the trail rather than hiking up it. Otherwise, you are responsible to backpack your gear up to camp.
Volunteers for this project must complete a Trailwork Volunteer Application. You only need to fill this form out once and will receive a confirmation email within 10 working days of submitting your application.