THE PALISADE PLUNGE

Contracted to complete the entire length of the Palisade Plunge Trail, our crews were working in remote areas on extremely rough and exposed terrain along the 33.8-mile corridor at elevations ranging from the top of the Grand Mesa at 10,735-feet to 4,736-feet in downtown Palisade. 
 
The project was divided into two phases. Phase one included the lower 16 miles of trail and included heavy rock work requiring careful machine operation. In several spots, the crew needed to belay off of cliffs to construct retaining walls.
 
Phase two of the trail was primarily hand-built on the high tundra of the Grand Mesa. The terrain provided a collaborative opportunity to partner with the Western Colorado Conservation Corps to help knock out footage, while simultaneously preserving and restoring sections of historic trails originally built by John Otto.

The Palisade Plunge is the new case study in public and private land management cooperation. The sheer amount of trail built, through private and public lands in incredibly difficult building terrain is a testament to all parties involved from the project's inception to the completion of construction.

The Palisade Plunge has been one of our most difficult trails to construct to date. From navigating cliff bands with machines to heavy rockwork and dubious weather, everyone involved has been extremely proud to have helped to create something truly special for the Grand Valley.