A Busy June for Volunteers on the Big Ravine Trails

Bayfield Area Trails volunteers braved the June 2023 mosquito invasion to work on repairs and upgrades along the Gil Larsen and Pine Bluff Trails in Bayfield’s Big Ravine. Due to extremely high runoff from this year’s abundant snow, the creek in the Big Ravine deepened its channel and carried away all the steppingstones at creek crossings. This runoff also created gullying on the lower Pine Bluff Trail, putting the trail at risk of extreme erosion.

So, starting with World Trails Day on June 6th, 13 volunteers teamed up to rebuild the washed-out creek crossing near the base of the Sweeny Switchback Trail, restored and stabilized a section of the lower Pine Bluff Trail with rock armoring, and completed several improvements to the boardwalk and stairs on the lower Gil Larsen Trail. ​

Mike Kinnee, project leader for rebuilding the creek crossing and installing handrails next to the steps going up to the waterfalls viewing area, remarked “There are more people coming to Bayfield, and they’re looking for a diversity of things to do here. What we’re doing will improve the diversity—and the safety for visitors and residents who frequently use the Big Ravine Trails. Once we improved the area overlooking the waterfalls last fall, we thought we should improve the stairs. The stairs used to be a way up the bank; now they’re a way up the bank—safely! This is especially important when the stairs get wet or icy.”

Mike Kinnee placing metal caps on posts along the trail. Click to enlarge image.

As if to prove Mike’s point, visitors to Bayfield stood at the bottom of the steps, calling out, “Can we come up?” Volunteer trail-builders in Colorado themselves, they were in the area mainly to see the Apostle Islands—but also wanted to check out the trails.

“Before it was great, now it’s exceptional,” said Gene Lemmenes. Gene was on the crew that built the steps twelve years ago. “Back then we only had the Gil Larsen and the West Rim Trail. Some old, old steps had rotted away and, to get to the waterfalls, you had to crawl up a bank. Mike did the lay-out for the steps back then, and Grandon Harris led the crew that built them.

Visitors from Colorado enjoy the trail. Click to enlarge image.

Other improvements to the Gil Larsen Trail included replacing several deck boards in the boardwalk at the start of the Gil Larsen Trail and installing galvanized steel caps on the posts along the first segment of the boardwalk. The upper, rotten sections of the posts were cut off, and caps attached on top to extend the life of the posts. Materials for all these improvements were funded from carryover grant funding under the City of Bayfield Parks & Recreation Committee.

Mike Kinnee capping posts along the trail. Click to enlarge image.

Gene’s concluding thoughts? “Everyone involved is really happy to have this to do. And for anyone who’s donated to the project in any way, it’s a source of pride.” Happy Trails!

Jennifer and Jon Crump hamming it up. Click to enlarge image.

A Big Thanks to Big Ravine Project Volunteers!
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• Crew Leader: Mike Kinnee
• Jon Crump
• Jennifer Crump
• Bob Feyen
• John Ipsen
• Kate Kitchell
• Gene Lemmenes
• Tina Martin
• Ted May
• Jeff Nelson
• Anney Olson
• Stephen Vircsik
• Kris Wegerson