Tomichi Pass Road Repair

VOLUNTEER GROUP: CORE

DATE: 6/29/25

LOCATION: COLORADO, GMUG National Forest - Gunnison District

VOLUNTEER HOURS: 120

DONATED EQUIPMENT USED: HAND TOOLS, 4×4 VEHICLES

ESTIMATED PROJECT VOLUNTEER VALUE: $3,000

Tomichi Pass is an Alpine mountain pass that connects the old mining town of White Pine with Brittle Silver Basin. The Tomichi Pass area has a long and rich mining history, complete with a mining district and an old cemetery. The original route was built across steep talus slopes composed of highly erosive soil, and the pass has suffered several landslides over the years. One such slide in 2015 closed Tomichi Pass for several years before CORE first rebuilt the road by hand over the slide in 2019.

Each year, the volunteer group maintains that slide location by hand-digging the winter sloughing from the steep slope. The 2025 trail season was no different, and in late June, the group took 10 volunteers from their organization and cleaned up the road so it was passable for full-size 4×4 vehicles and all motorized machines.

It’s hard work digging by hand at near 12,000’ in the Rocky Mountains, but these volunteers love our trails and are willing to get up early, travel long distances, and work in extreme conditions to make sure these cherished mountain routes remain open for public use.

This landslide is on an unstable section of a narrow shelf road.