What Friends Do

A good friend shows they care by their actions – big and small. Friends of Mount Evans and Lost Creek Wildernesses (FOMELC) actions have a direct and meaningful impact on the Wildernesses we help protect. But that’s not the only reason we volunteer. It’s fun and rewarding, building experiences and relationships that last a lifetime. Whether you enjoy the physical labor of restoring sustainable trails, observe the revitalization of native vegetation, the comradely of socializing at a trail head or the solitude of hiking and surveying trails, there is a volunteer opportunity for you. We hope you will join us!

Most of our volunteers find trail work to be the most rewarding of our projects.  We remove trees blocking trails, repair bridges, clear  trail corridors, and respond to other trail maintenance needs.  Our objective is to improve wilderness access for visitors while minimizing negative human influence.  At the end of the day, we want all of our visitors to experience wilderness, be safe, and have FUN.  Trail work is the best way for us to ensure that happens.

Often trail projects are completed in collaboration with other organizations such as Backcountry Horsemen (help bring in materials and tools on horseback) and Volunteers of Colorado (to lend more hands and expertise).  Projects range from one to several days. 

Whether you are cross-cut saw certified or can simply manage a shovel we can use your help!

With 170 miles of trails and 194,400 acres in the Wildernesses we serve, how can we keep track of trail conditions and know where to send out trail maintenance crews?  We have an app for that!  Together with the US Forest Service, we have developed a GIS survey using a free app that allows a hiker to pinpoint the exact location that requires attention.  With a few clicks on your smart phone you can quickly note things such as an illegal campsite that needs to be reclaimed, a trail wash out, weeds or inappropriate activity.  This information allows us to direct our volunteer projects to where they will make the biggest impact and inform the Forest Service on issues occurring in the Wildernesses.

This is a super easy (and critical) volunteer opportunity.  Once you are trained on how to use the app, simply take it with you on your hikes, note trail conditions and connect to WIFI or cell service to send in your survey when in range.

Have you or someone you know camped just a little too close to a stream or trail (less than 100 feet) in the Wilderness?  Have you ever encountered a “social trail” cut by humans who want to avoid a tricky legal trail or take in a slightly different view. These are just a couple of the ways illegal campsites and trails become established.  While they are convenient for the human, they disrupt wildlife who then avoid the area – including critical water access.

Reclaiming illegal campsites and trails encourages wildlife to resume their natural activities and keeps the Wilderness pristine for future human visitors.  As we survey these campsites and trails, we are also informed on where the US Forest Service may consider building permanent, permitted access to allow humans and wild life to co-exist more easily.

Invasive weeds are a menacing threat to wilderness native vegetation and wildlife. They are there because people directly or indirectly have introduced these weeds to our area and they have spread to the wilderness.  Invasive weeds crowd out the plants and can be toxic to wildlife  that make up the natural ecosystem.

Treating these conditions requires the use of proper herbicides, at the proper time and in the proper way so as to minimize further damage.  We are one of the few organizations with volunteers that have the authority to address the problem of invasive species.

As a volunteer, you can learn how to identify invasive weeds and inventory them using our GIS survey as you hike the trails.  You can also sign up to be trained and join a weed crew to go into the field and eradicate the buggers!

The most proactive way to minimize human impact on the wilderness is through human education. Much of what our organization does is to correct an issue that could have been avoided if all people entering the wilderness were aware of Leave No Trace and were motivated to follow its guidelines. Friends of Mount Evans and Lost Creek (FOMELC) is passionate about education and advocacy.

That happens at the trail head with ambassadors to greet visitors, remind them of how they can preserve the wilderness and help them plan their time based on current trail conditions. It happens during outreach programs at community events. It also happens by introducing the youngest visitors to the wilderness. If you’ve ever wanted to see enthusiasm and energy, get a group of elementary aged kids together and take them on their first wilderness hike! To learn more about upcoming events or to volunteer, select “Educate and Advocate” on the volunteer page.