LATE SUMMER UPDATE

More news from a hot, dusty and getting excited for fall trail crew: The North Fork directional trail is now at 2.7 of its planned 5.1 miles, and we just crossed the milestone we'd been most nervous about — the underpass is complete.

I'll be honest, building something at this scale was new territory for us, and there were some stressful weeks leading up to it. Ninety-degree days standing next to that shiny metal, impacts that sounded like an F-35 flying low overhead — it was quite the experience for all of us. But every time we hit a snag, Bryce kept the crew steady with the same line: "we got this." And somehow, we always did. 698 bolts and 8,000 pounds of steel later, we've got something we're genuinely proud of — this underpass is one of the most unique features in the park, and honestly unlike anything else out there. Seeing it finished is a good reminder that this crew can take on projects we never would've attempted a few years ago.

We also owe a big thank you to the local high school mountain bike teams. They showed up almost every week this season for some of the most backbreaking work out there — cutting roots and moving rocks — and that kind of consistent effort made a real dent in the build.

The season by the numbers (so far):

• 2.7 of 5.1 miles complete on the trail

• 698 bolts, 8,000 lbs of steel — the Cinch Trail underpass is done

• 1,000+ volunteer hours logged this year

• Spork, Waterfall, Moose Tracks, Traildemic, Mules Ear, Mules Shoe, Scrub Oak, and Park View — all trimmed, plus ongoing downed-tree clearing after every big wind event

• Late fall — target for the North Fork grand opening, if all goes well

That's part of something bigger, too — we've now crossed 1,000 total volunteer hours this year. That number doesn't happen without a community that genuinely cares about this valley, and we're grateful for every hour of it. If you've ever thought about supporting EVT in another way, a donation goes a long way toward keeping projects like this moving — every bit helps us keep building and maintaining the trails you love.

One more thing we're excited about: the Pineview Loop Pathway is picking up real momentum. We'll be selecting the engineering firm to lead the feasibility study for the loop around Pineview Reservoir this September, kicking off the next phase of a project that's been years in the making. More to come as that gets underway.

We're aiming for a grand opening late this fall for the North Fork trail if all goes well. 2.7 miles down, this one-of-a-kind underpass behind us, and 1,000+ volunteer hours in the bank — that's real momentum.

Thanks for riding, hiking, volunteering, and caring about these trails — it shows.

Alan & the EVT Crew