An anticipated trails project is underway in Colorado Springs’ North Cheyenne Cañon Park, as envisioned by the park’s 2018 master plan.

Local contractor Timberline TrailCraft recently broke ground on an extension of Ladders Trail — what a nonprofit partner of the city parks department sees as unlocking new possibilities between the popular canyon and the bordering edge of Stratton Open Space.

Being referred to as “Upper Ladders” by Colorado Springs Mountain Bike Association (COSMBA), the extension will parallel Gold Camp Road for about three miles, from near the road’s first tunnel to the downhill bike-only Chutes Trail. The non-motorized Ladders extension will be open to people on foot as well.

“It connects trails that previously weren’t very well-connected,” said COSMBA Executive Director Keith Thompson. “It allows us to connect to trails like Spring Creek, Columbine and the Penrose Trail to the broader system, and really just makes for a tighter network and improves that access for any user, not just riders.”

Thompson said his group had been working “hand in glove” with the city parks department on the vision since fall. Of particular interest to COSMBA is a re-worked Captain Morgans Trail in the upper reaches of North Cheyenne Cañon.

The steep, technical trail long off the city’s official park map is set to be formally designated after months-long work that COSMBA expects to start next month. Thompson said the goal is “to keep it narrow and as close to the soul of the trail as possible.” Volunteer hands will “be trying some pretty innovative drainage solutions that have never been tried before on Colorado Springs trails,” Thompson added.

Also never seen locally is the wooden “flyover” structure COSMBA has been raising money to build in coordination with the city and TrailCraft. The structure is to be about 200 feet off Gold Camp Road, a ramp allowing downhill Morgans riders to pass over Ladders Trail and back onto Morgans.

The grade separation strays from the parks department’s ethos against man-made structures. “However,” Thompson said, “this seems like the best solution considering such high-speed traffic that could cause real conflict if nothing is done to mitigate that crossing.”

Construction of the Ladders extension is expected to last the next three to four months.