Local organizers want help from volunteers Oct. 13 to pick up trash left by homeless campers west of downtown Durango.
Organizers say they need help from at least 20 people from 1 to 5 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to carpool with friends to the end of Tech Center Drive past the Durango Recycling Center for one of two shifts: 1 to 3 p.m. or 2 to 5 p.m.
Volunteers should wear long sleeves, pants and close-toed shoes and expect moderate hiking and walking. The terrain east of Hogsback is at times steep and uneven; La Plata County Sheriff’s deputies will be on-site to help, guide and provide all-terrain vehicles to haul trash out of the area.
About 45 people were living in the woods west of downtown Durango – a popular location for homeless residents to sleep for its proximity to social services, like Manna soup kitchen, and its remote nature.
Residents in Ella Vita Court have complained over the years about disturbances from people walking to and from the eastern slope of Hogsback. County and city officials banned camping in area out of fear of fire risks, but people have stayed.
Last week, La Plata County asked everyone living on the hillside to move to a 200-acre area south of Durango, and most people complied. Many left what they couldn’t carry or simply didn’t want to move.
Scattered around hillsides is common camping equipment – tarps, tents and chairs. Mixed in are random items, such as wall clocks, furniture, bike parts, cigarettes, shoes and clothing. Human waste is typically found left in buckets or in a dug-out hole with a tarp on top.
Organizers ask volunteers willing to help clean the hillside to bring water bottles, snacks and rain gear.
People who camp in and around Durango without a place to stay are encouraged to help. Anyone interested can text their name and preferred working times to 403-5680.
A previous version of this story said the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office is organizing the cleanup west of downtown Durango. The cleanup is being organized by community organizers.
