The Jud Wiebe Bridge is OPEN

November 15, 2021: The Jud Wiebe Bridge is inspected, approved and OPEN to the public. See full press release below. Thanks to the Telluride community for your support and patience to make it happen.

Telluride Mountain Club Completes Jud Wiebe Bridge Project
The new Jud Wiebe bridge is open to the public

Telluride, Colorado (November 15, 2021) – The Telluride Mountain Club (TMtC) is excited to announce that the replacement bridge project on the Jud Wiebe Trail is complete. The new steel and treated timber bridge spans 44 feet across the upper Cornet Creek crossing. The Jud Wiebe Trail appeals to all ability levels and types of users due to its proximity to town. The new bridge provides a much safer creek crossing experience for the wide array of users.

The replacement bridge project was coordinated and managed by the Telluride Mountain Club via a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Forest Service. The entire project cost was the responsibility of TMtC and took multiple years to coordinate. Funding came from private donors, the National Forest Foundation/Telluride Ski & Golf Resort, Opt in for Trails donors, and member donation support. The Max Family, in honor of the late Adam E. Max, became the lead donor for the project this past spring making the final execution of the project possible. Adam served on the boards of the Telluride Foundation and The Sheridan Arts Foundation and cared deeply for the Telluride community.

The Jud Wiebe bridge was originally deconstructed in July 2018, by the USFS, as a safety concern over deterioration and failing structural integrity. At the time, there was no funding in place to replace the bridge and it quickly became apparent that TMtC would need to find the funding and drive the project forward.

“It was a big undertaking, but 100% worth it for the community,” said Heidi Lauterbach, TMtC Director. “We can’t thank everyone enough who has donated or helped with this project, especially the Max Family and Chris Haaland (Canyon Bridge, LLC). It literally took a village!”

The new bridge has been inspected and approved by the USFS and is officially open to the public. If you enjoy hiking, running, or biking on Telluride’s regional trails, consider making a donation to the Telluride Mountain Club for future trail projects at telluridemountainclub.org/donate.

Jud Wiebe Replacement Bridge Updates:

Pending Confirmation: The Jud Wiebe Trail will be CLOSED Monday, November 1, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM to fly in parts for the Jud Wiebe replacement bridge. Please avoid the area and be courteous of the closure. Thank you for your understanding. Telluride Mountain Club will update their Facebook and Instagram pages when the trail is reopened.

September 16, 2021: Telluride Mountain Club is working closely with Canyon Bridge, LLC, and the United States Forest Service (USFS) on construction related to the Jud Wiebe replacement bridge. Starting this week, various parties will be working on abutments, support work, trail retaining, and bridge staging. During these projects, the trail will remain open with minor detours. Please be mindful and respectful of the workers, work taking place, detours, and signage.

The actual bridge will likely be flown into place the first week of November. The Jud Wiebe Trail will be closed when the bridge is flown in for public safety. We will update the public when this date is locked in.

Once flown in, the bridge will still require installation work for up to a week. Please stay off the bridge structure until the bridge is approved and officially open to the public.

The Jud Wiebe bridge replacement project is proposed to be completed by the end of November, 2021. Please check back often for updates. Thank you for your patience and understanding while we work hard to get the bridge in place before winter.

The replacement bridge project is being coordinated and paid for by the Telluride Mountain Club with support from private donors and the National Forest Foundation. Consider making a donation to the project today.

Jud Wiebe Bridge Project

Thank you for your interest in helping to replace the Jud Wiebe bridge. This project is slated to cost the Telluride Mountain Club over $175,000. We are honored to share that the Max Family, in honor of Adam, has become the lead donor for this project! We can’t thank the Max family enough. Additionally, the National Forest Foundation has contributed grants funds to the project. We hope you will consider donating to the cause.

See press release below for all the current details.

UPDATED: June 15, 2021

Telluride Mountain Club Progresses Jud Wiebe Replacement Bridge
TMtC, in partnership with the USFS, is working hard to complete engineering and construction in 2021

Telluride, Colorado – The Telluride Mountain Club (TMtC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Forest Service (USFS) Norwood District Office to progress work for a replacement bridge on the Jud Wiebe Trail. Further, TMtC has contracted Canyon Bridge, LLC, to begin the engineering and construction. If all goes according to plan and the proposed timeline, the bridge could be installed in the late fall of 2021.

The Jud Wiebe Trail bridge, located at the upper Cornet Creek crossing, was originally deconstructed in July 2018, by the USFS as a safety concern over deterioration and failing structural integrity. The original bridge was made of wood, a material that was bound to need replacing. With no funding in place, the creek crossing remained bridgeless.

In August of 2019, TMtC collaborated with the USFS and hosted a public trail work event to build a fjord crossing over Cornet Creek in the old bridge location. While working that day, it became obvious that a replacement bridge would be needed. “The temporary fjord certainly helped make the creek crossing easier,” said Heidi Lauterbach, TMtC Director. “We watched varying ability levels navigate the crossing and fully realized the importance of a safe bridge crossing at this location.”

Fast forward to 2021. TMtC is able to financially take on this replacement bridge with the help of Opt in for Trails, private donations and a crowdfunding campaign scheduled for later this summer. The bridge replacement project is slated to cost the club over $160,000, being split between engineering, materials and bridge construction, placement at the creek crossing location, trail modifications at the site, and staff time to manage the project. TMtC is honored to report that the Max Family, in honor of Adam, has become the lead donor for the project. If all goes according to the planned timeline and weather permitting, the bridge could be installed by the end of October 2021.

If you enjoy hiking, running, or biking on the Jud Wiebe, consider donating to help cover the cost of the bridge project at telluridemountainclub.org/wiebe/. Additionally, keep an eye out for a community fundraiser this summer. See you on the trail!

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If you are planning to make a sizable donation, we urge you to donate by check. You can mail a check to: Telluride Mountain Club, PO Box 1201, Telluride, CO 81435.

Thank you for your support and making Telluride’s outdoor places a better place to recreate! Learn more about TMtC’s trail projects here.

DONATE TO THE JUD WIEBE BRIDGE NOW