Eagle River Cleanup nets 2 tons of trash
Annual event attracts hundreds of volunteers
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily
The annual Eagle River Cleanup started 31 years ago with two dozen people picking up trash on Gore Creek and has since become the signature event of the Eagle River Coalition, attracting hundreds of community members across Eagle County each September.
On Saturday, 241 people patrolled sections of Eagle County waterways from Gore Creek in Vail to the Eagle River in Minturn, EagleVail, Avon, Edwards, Eagle and Gypsum, and even portions of the Colorado River near Dotsero.
The volunteers were divided into 33 teams, and all told, removed more than two tons of trash.
“The 2 tons from this year is less than 2024’s 3 tons, which was also less than the 2023’s 3.4 tons, so that is a nice trend to be observing,” said Peder Franson, a watershed restoration manager with the Eagle River Coalition.
This year’s most unusual trash item was a do-it-yourself punching bag setup, Franson said.
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“Honorable mention for most comical piece of trash was a tank top with the text, ‘Tattoos, Pretty Eyes & Thick Thighs,'” he added.
The Eagle River Coalition is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring the Eagle River watershed through education, advocacy and community partnerships. Learn more at EagleRiverCoalition.org.
