Common Outdoor Ground is hosting a public meeting on Friday, Nov. 30, followed by a year-end party and fundraiser. 

We hope you'll join us!

The meeting will be from 2-4 p.m. at Laramie Fire Department Station #3 (in West Laramie). We'll recap some of the exciting things that COG accomplished in 2018, and YOU will have a chance to suggest projects for the coming year. Land managers and project organizers are encouraged to attend, and all members of the public are welcome.

Immediately following the meeting, we'll reconvene at The Library Sports Grille and Brewery in downtown Laramie for a celebration and fundraiser. That event will go from 4:30-7:30 p.m.

If you didn't make it to the meeting, you can suggest project ideas at the celebration. We'll be selling COG merchandise, doing a raffle, and — of course — accepting donations. Previous donors, sponsors, and multi-event volunteers will also be recognized at the party. Food and drink will be on your own and available from the restaurant.

Sept. 22 is National Public Lands Day, and COG is partnering with UW’s Outdoor Program, Wyoming Conservation Corps (WCC), the Service, Leadership and Community Engagement (SLCE) office, the Medicine Bow National Forest, and Laramie BikeNet to build new trails and rehab older trails that have been rerouted.

At Happy Jack, we will be rehabilitating the old middle Aspen Trail and old Cardiac Bypass, plus installing road signage at Pole Mountain. At the Schoolyard (the state land east of Laramie), we will be constructing new trail.

Bring work gloves if you have them, plus water, sun screen, and close-toed shoes. We’ll provide tools — and lunch!

We'll be hiking up Medicine Bow Peak this Sunday, to install a new trail sign, and we'd love your company!

Here are the details:

• When: Sunday, Sept. 9, noon
• Where: Meet at the Lewis Lake Trailhead
• What to expect: We'll be hiking up Medicine Bow Peak, carrying tools and materials for a new sign. We'll install the sign just below the summit. Please note: the hike is several miles long, with over 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
• What to bring: Work gloves (if you have them), warm layers, rain gear, water & snacks, sunscreen, and anything else you want for a hike in the mountains.
• If you'd like to come... please email us at commonoutdoorground@gmail.com, or send us a facebook message.

Looking forward to seeing you Sunday!

We're partnering with Wyoming State Trails, Wyoming Pathways, and the Wyoming Conservation Corps to improve the trail network at Happy Jack. 

Contractors have already begun re-routing unsustainable or damaged sections of trail. We'll be helping by decommissioning old trail segments along the Headquarters Trail — and if we finish that, there's additional work to do on Middle Aspen.

Exact details TBA, so stay tuned! There will likely be food and/or libations at the end.

We need your help to clean up Pole Mountain! Common Outdoor Ground is hosting a cleanup day in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service and Wyoming Department of Transportation.

We'll meet at the Summit Visitor Center (Abraham Lincoln Statue) and then head out to a variety of locations, either pre-located sites or areas that may need attention. 

Show up and depart at your leisure between 4 and 8 p.m. Forest Service staff will be available to assist with extracting and hauling larger items, and Common Outdoor Ground can direct you to sites that need the most help. 

Please bring gloves and appropriate clothing, sunscreen, bug spray, etc. RSVP by e-mailing commonoutdoorground@gmail.com.

Food will be provided by Common Outdoor Ground.

Know of a specific location that's a mess? Send us the location(s) for your (least) favorite Pole Mountain trash pile and we'll direct Volunteers that way! Coordinates and specifics are helpful.