Brand New Missouri Bridge!

USFS, RMYC, and ESWA join forces to accomplish a major goal!

Congratulations to the USFS, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and ESWA for the rebuilding of a major bridge over Missouri Creek!  This was a complex project, comprising three 33ft long stringers (1800 pounds each!) resting on two 8ft sills.  The build took two weeks of labor, but one full year of planning.  Huge appreciation to USFS Rangers Clayton Burns (Project Lead) and Mike Beach (Project Supervisor) for their impeccable leadership, as well as the 10-member RMYC for their tremendous work!  ESWA contributed to the effort with 11 volunteers totaling 150 hours, and providing drinks and snacks daily to the hard-working crew! Your donations and grant support helped make this possible. Thank you to Frances and Jim A. on the grant work, and the National Forest Foundation for partial funding! See More Pictures Here!

So how do you build this bridge on a Wilderness Trail?? 

1. Deconstruct the old bridge and create a social trail for users

2. 6-person teams to move the 8-foot sills to the site

3. Use pulleys and come alongs to move the MASSIVE stringers inch-by-inch up the trail

4. Gather and crush tons of rock for the sills to sit in and bridge approaches, on either side of the creek

5. Use aerial maneuvers to ‘fly’ the stringers over the creek and in-place! 

6. Build and attach a handrail using saws, chisels, and hand drills.  Then, re-open the trail:)