Photo courtesy of Bret Edstrom

On January 23, 2019, two four-person youth crews from the American Conservation Experience (ACE) began eight weeks of construction efforts on the Western Gateway. The ACE effort is funded by a National Forest Foundation (NFF) matching award grant awarded to the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund and mountain biker contributions from all over the Verde Valley, State of Arizona and United States that helped the VVCC raise the required NFF grant match. The ACE crews are working on the Girdner re-route along with several new miles of trail added to the system should be completed in time for the Sedona Mountain Bike Festival that begins on March 1, 2019.