A $2.5 million grant to the Pikes Peak Outdoor Alliance (PPORA) will help expand camping in the Pikes Peak region, improve and add segments to the Ring the Peak trail around Pikes Peak, and create a year-round ambassador program, among other initiatives.
PPORA is a collaborative that works in El Paso, Teller, and Fremont counties to build on the outdoor recreation industry.
“We're taking from the heights of Pikes Peak to the depths of the Royal Gorge, a regional approach in investing and saying ‘This is exceptional,’ " said PPORA executive director Becky Leinweber. "The Pikes Peak region is exceptional, and it demands exceptional investment and exceptional attention.”
Some of the funds will go toward working on the Ring the Peak trail. Currently, the trail is broken into segments that don't connect to each other, and some parts of the trail are not properly established.
“We're working on some new trails and new trailheads,” Leinweber said. “And then there are parts of the trail that aren't officially recognized, and we need to make sure we go through the right steps to make sure the environment is protected, and it's in the right place.”
PPORA also plans to use the funds to put ‘ambassadors’ at parks and trailheads in the region.
“This will put boots on the ground across the landscape and really help our land managers where they need it most and help users understand, get good information so that they can steward and enjoy their experiences with information that they need,” Leinweber said.
The ambassador program is a 3 year pilot-program in partnership with Rocky Mountain Field Institute.
The grant from Great Outdoors Colorado and Colorado Parks and Wildlife funds the first part of a 4-year comprehensive project for PPORA that exceeds $6.1 million in total, with matching funds and grants.
The funds came from the state's Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnerships Initiative and Grant Program that partners with regional collaboratives to promote conservation and equitable access to outdoor recreation.
The grant for the Pikes Peak region, and another grant for conservation in Eagle County of the same amount, are the highest grants announced in this round.
