Keep It Moving

The snow fell yesterday and we poured concrete. The sun is here today to reveal the covers and keep it moving with getting the 7th tee built. Yesterday was a good day for getting things done with our projects. Today is dry, but more weather is approaching.

Compaction tests are being performed on the base material prior to construction of the walls. Compaction has been good overall, however the moisture content in the soil has been too high, and has put some bumps in the road. Landscapes is using blankets to keep the moisture off and keep the ground warm as possible. Pictured here is the bottom wall or wall #4. This is the wall along the cart path and holds the most amount of pressure. It has been designed to have a concrete wall behind the decorative stones to ensure the wall will hold.

So far the installation is going very well. The stones used for the wall are named "Rosetta Stone". They are engineered to fit perfectly and provide the stability we are looking to obtain. This particular type of stone is named the "Vail Stone" because it is designed to match the rock outcroppings seen throughout East Vail.

Figuring It Out

No more mowing rough by the maintenance staff here in Vail. We'll save lots on labor dollars. With this new product on sale in golf shops everywhere, we just may have zero need to mow anything again. Click here for golf's latest and greatest technological advancement.

The North Abutment

I have loaded up some new pictures of the projects going on to the blog. Here you can see the creek view of rip rap that has been installed for the north abutment on the 11th bridge.
Back filling the abutment is almost complete. Due to the weather, most likely the cart path will be realigned and replaced in the spring. There will be new sod and irrigation replacement in the spring as well.

The Latest on Construction

We are juggling 4 capital projects, while getting the course ready for the winter.

Before I get into the projects, the Coal Bucket Classic is this Sunday at noon. Show up at the first tee. $10 for anyone who would like a chance to write their name on the bucket. We'll play 12 holes and cap it off at the clubhouse restaurant.

The projects are going great and the weather couldn't be better. The greatest challenge for the bridges is the installation of the abutments on the creek edge. There are four total abutments, two for each bridge. We have one abutment for 11 completed, another abutment on 17 is nearing completion.

The 7th tee is rolling along smoothly. There were some slight field changes that needed to be made due to the complexity of this project. This project is scheduled to be completed early December. The biggest improvement for the winter will be a newly relocated snowshoe path along the creek. We will work with the Nature and Nordic Centers to guide walkers and hikers appropriately through this area when the project is complete.

The fourth and final project is a new weather shelter on the 11th hole. Construction has begun and concrete footers are being poured this afternoon. This shelter is located to the left of the 11 green and easy access.

Stay tuned to the site as more pictures continue to be posted throughout the coming weeks. Please click on the slide show to the right side of the blog for each project.

Wrapping Up

Well, just like any Vikings fan would say about right now, "We'll see you next year!"

It has been a good season, a real good season. Winter came quickly and fall certainly had a good run. We are putting some final touches on the course and gearing up for the nordic season.

Be sure to grab you snowshoes and check out the new "Gompf Trail" near the 14th green. It is one of the most scenic areas of the winter landscape.

Also, we still have the Coal Bucket Classic to play once the calendar turns to November. We are expecting some melting at the end of this week and possibly next week. Keep tuning into the blog to check for the date and time.

Bridge Work

This week we removed the old bridge from the 11th hole. The failing abutments soon followed and we are staging to excavate for new abutments. As you can see in the second picture, water dams are being installed to de-water the excavation sites.
The old bridges were 40 feet long and 10 feet wide with no railings. The new bridges are 44 feet long to prevent any constriction to the flow of the creek. The bridges are 15 feet wide to accommodate all equipment crossing including the snowcat. Due to code and safety concerns there must be a 42 inch high railing on each side of the bridges. The bridge railings will not interfere with golf shots with their location.

Project Month

We had four projects begin at the golf course over the past two weeks. The 7th tee box is the big one, followed by three Gore Creek projects. On the creek we have two 44 ft bridges being replaced and a drop structure in the creek adjacent to the irrigation diversion.
Pictured here is the excavator repairing the rock formation that was wasted from the high flows in the spring time.
The top of the structure was formed with concrete and boulders. Due to the stress of the high flow, the concrete fell apart and the structure became a significant erosion problem and a recreational hazard. The downside of the structure had a large hole and the creek was undercutting the structure. If this was left alone, a sink hole would eventually form before the structure and become a serious threat to any recreational activity in the creek. This project has been corrected with approximately 100 tons of boulders placed properly with out concrete. The boulders have been placed to increase the strength of the structure and improve flow through this stretch of the creek.