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Wyoming Pathways and the Laramie Ranger District have been awarded a Wyoming Recreational Trails Program grant to fund a significant trail maintenance project on the Pole Mountain Unit, in the Medicine Bow National Forest.

The $60,000 project includes a $46,000 RTP grant, matched with approximately $14,000 in private funds and volunteer labor from the community, advocacy groups and local businesses. It will provide the resources to repair up to 9 miles of damaged system trails at Pole Mountain and make them more sustainable.

With the awarding of the grant, maintenance of the National Forest System trails on Pole Mountain will be taking place this summer, according to a Wyoming Pathways news release.

“The Pole Mountain Trail Maintenance Project is a win for trail users and the Forest Service,” said Tim Young, Wyoming Pathways Executive Director. “The project will be a big step toward a sustainable high-quality trail system on Pole Mountain along with building great partnerships with the local communities,” he said.

Laramie District Ranger Frank Romero said the project is a good start to addressing trail maintenance on Pole Mountain.

“The grant will address needs on many of our system trails and hopefully provide a starting point for long-term maintenance solutions,” Romero said. “Both short and long-term solutions will need to involve the local community and partnerships, and I want to thank all those groups who have contributed to this grant effort. I want to particularly thank Wyoming Pathways, who spear-headed this grant application.”

To accomplish the bulk of the work, the Pole Mountain Trail Project will take advantage of the close proximity to the UW Wyoming Conservation Corps (WCC) in Laramie. Wyoming Pathways plans to contract with WCC to bring four crews of eight people each for 10-day hitches.

Wyoming Pathways will be coordinating the Pole Mountain Trail project, with input from the USFS and other partners.

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