2024 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Grand County Wilderness Group. The precise date of the beginning of the Wilderness Group is hazy, like the alpine mists that envelope our wondrous peaks and meadows. But according to the group’s founders, Walt and Sally Bobb, 1994 is a year that comfortably fits into their recollections and timelines. So this is where our story begins.

Walt, Sally and their son Brent had been enjoying their cabin on Shadow Mountain Lake for many years, hiking and backpacking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Crater Lake was one of their favorite places to backpack into and spend a couple of days. Walt would usually bring a large plastic bag and go around the lake picking up trash left behind by thoughtless campers.

According to Walt, an idea took root of forming an organized group to assist the U.S. Forest Service in protecting the wilderness by educating the public and helping to maintain trails and campsites. This idea was inspired by his family’s appreciation of the abundant natural beauty in wild places such as Crater Lake and our shared responsibility for its stewardship.

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Walt and Sally started thinking there probably were like-minded people in the area who might want to volunteer to assist the Forest Service. Walt was familiar with the Indian Peaks Wilderness Group from the east side of the divide. He contacted Anne Vickery who headed up that group. For several years, Walt would take out an advertisement in the local newspaper announcing an organizational meeting at the old library in Grand Lake. A few people would come, but it took a couple of years to get things off the ground.

Walt discovered that having food available would attract more people, so he soon started having breakfast gatherings at his cabin on Shadow Mountain Lake. Around 1994, four couples made up a core group – they called themselves the Grand County Wilderness Group. They were Walt and Sally, Herd and Yvonne Clark, Jim and Abby Deloach, and Ed and Sue Jackson. In addition, the roster included Jack Placchi and Roger Rood from the Forest Service, along with Anne Vickery and Jim Gluck from what is now called Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance.

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There was an option for this early group to partner with the very organized Alliance as a west side branch. However, it quickly became apparent that the Alliance’s structured, formalized approach (with uniforms and trail assignments each weekend) was not what this congenial, friendly group wanted. 

The Wilderness Group slowly grew, continuing Walt’s vision of assisting the Forest Service in the Wilderness Areas of Grand County. The group educated the public of the need to protect the wilderness by following the rules, such as keeping your dog leashed, camping in proper places with a permit and packing out all trash. 

The group received training from the Forest Service on how to tactfully speak to the public about the rules without being antagonistic or overly aggressive. Before the current registration boxes were installed, they would count the cars in the parking lot and the number of people, dogs and other animals we encountered on the Grand County wilderness trails, then provide a summary report to the Forest Service.

In addition, with the help of long-time summer wilderness ranger Roger Rood, and sometimes on our own, we would maintain some of the trails within the wilderness areas. Roger Rood’s consistent support and guidance as the Forest Service liaison at this time was pivotal to the early success of the group.

The founding years saw other developments that have remained part of the legacy. For example, the group soon realized that it needed some sort of identification when encountering the public on its outings. Charter member Herd Clark designed the original T-shirts and logo that are still used today.

Similarly, the group continued its tradition of having fun, social gatherings, a feature that the Deloaches recall with great fondness. Then on July 19, 1999, the group’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status was obtained. Walt’s son Brent, who by then was a law student at the University of Colorado, helped with the writing of the original charter and bylaws for the group.  

The official nonprofit status meant that the group could apply for grants and donations to further our mission. Charter member Ed Jackson applied for a Great Outdoors Colorado Lottery Funds grant. On August 25, 2000, a grant was approved for $4,320 to improve the Junco cabin, including the installation of outhouses.

About 20 people working approximately 80 hours fulfilled this obligation by staining the cabin, installing the wheelchair ramp and the outhouse. The outhouse was transported 75 miles from storage at the Williams Fork Campground to the Junco cabin. Fraser Crane helped by lifting the outhouse onto a dump truck from Tabernash, and then onto the site at Junco. Conroy Excavating dug the outhouse hole. 

Since the early years of the founding of the Grand County Wilderness Group, the organization has grown and expanded its assistance to the Forest Service. As the legacy continues, we remain inspired by the vision and persistence that Walt and others established in the beginning. In 2023, a brand new, more attractive outhouse was installed at the Junco cabin.

Want to join us to volunteer for some work and have some fun? We will host a spring planning meeting on April 28 at the Snow Mountain Ranch Rowley Room. Visit GCWG.org to learn more about the spring meeting and volunteer opportunities.