By Steve Pate
As reported in the May issue of OCN, the Palmer Lake Parks and Trails Commission (PLP&T) partnered with U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) senior cadet engineering students to design and build a bridge across Monument Creek into the Elephant Rock property trail system. On May 6, that bridge was officially dedicated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Reid Wiecks, PLP&T chair, thanked the cadets and their professor, Dr. Brad Wambeke, who, after a U.S. Army career, taught at West Point and now the USAFA for their work to design and build the bridge. Wambeke said that normally a senior capstone engineering project would just involve the design and engineering work on paper. This project gave the cadets the experience of implementing their design.
Palmer Lake Mayor Glant Havenar also made remarks, thanking the USAFA cadets and Wambeke, then she and a cadet cut the ribbon to officially open the bridge.
Kevin Magner, a key PLP&T commissioner, said that volunteers would partner with the Mile High Youth Corps to develop the new loop trail through the Elephant Rock property in June.
Steve Pate can be contacted at stevepate@ocn.me
Other On the Trail columns
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Annual Ride for Tim, Palmer Lake to Monument (10/1/2025)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Ride for Tim scheduled for Sept. 13 (9/3/2025)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Monument Hiking Group planning session (4/5/2025)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Monument Hiking Group to Ice Cave Cliffs and Cap Rock (2/1/2025)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Enjoy being outdoors, but be prepared (11/2/2024)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Prescribed burn promotes forest health (7/6/2024)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Cadets build bridge over Monument Creek (5/4/2024)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Mount Herman “Leap” (4/6/2024)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Palmer Lake Reservoir hike (3/2/2024)
- On the Trail (in memory of Tim Watkins) – Black Forest Trails Association (12/2/2023)