History of the Grand County Wilderness Group

The precise date of the beginning of the GCWG is hazy like the alpine mists that envelop our wondrous peaks and meadows. But after talking to the 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. One of their favorite places to backpack into and spend a couple of days was Crater Lake. Walt would usually bring a large plastic bag and go around the lake picking up trash left behind by thoughtless campers who apparently didn’t share the vision that “wilderness is an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man...". According to Walt, the idea of forming an organized group that would assist the Forest Service in protecting the wilderness by educating the public and helping to maintain trails and campsites took root in his family’s appreciation of the abundant natural beauty in wild places such as Crater Lake and our shared responsibility for its stewardship.

Walt and Sally started thinking that there probably were like-minded people in the area who might also like to volunteer to be additional eyes and ears on the trails and campsites and assist the Forest Service in this effort. Walt was familiar with the Indian Peaks Wilderness Group from the east side of the divide and contacted Anne Vickery who headed up that group. For several years, Walt would take out an ad in the local newspaper announcing an organizational meeting at the old library (above the fire station) 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 calling themselves the Grand County Wilderness Group. They were Walt & Sally Bobb, Herd &Yvonne Clark, Jim & Abby Deloach and Ed & 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 the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA). There was an option for this early group to partner with the very organized IPWA as a west side branch. However, it quickly became apparent that their (IPWA’s) very structured, formalized approach with uniforms and trail assignments each weekend was not what this congenial, friendly group that liked to hike and enjoy each other’s company, wanted.

The group slowly grew and continued Walt’s vision of assisting the Forest Service in the Wilderness Areas of Grand County by educating the public of the need to protect the wilderness by following the rules such as not having dogs off leashes, camping in proper places with a permit and packing out all trash. We actually 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, we 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; and 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 GCWG.

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, so charter member, Herd Clark designed the original t-shirts and logo that is still used today. Similarly, the group continued its tradition of having fun, social get-togethers, a feature that Abby and Jim Deloach recall with great fondness. Then, on July 19, 1999 the IRS 501(c) 3 non-profit status was obtained. Walt Bobb’s son Brent, who was by then a law student at the University of Colorado, helped with the writing of the original charter and bylaws for the GCWG.