Durango Trails is supported by a dedicated team of staff, board members, crew and volunteers who are vital to the organization’s success. Get to know them all below!
Staff
Jen Gersbach-Venzara, Executive Director
Coming Soon!
Favorite Trail
Jens’s favorite trail is COMING SOON!
Henry Colomb
Henry Colomb comes to Durango via the New River Gorge in West Virginia to escape gray eastern winters. He maintains trail data and web maps for Durango Trails in addition to creating print maps. He has been involved in GIS, mapping and cartography since 2005 for various organizations from Fodor’s Travel guides to the U.S. Navy.
Favorite Trail
Henry’s favorite trail is the Colorado Trail – Molas Pass to Cascade
Kelli Sheldon
Kelli moved to Durango in 1998 after graduating college in Michigan. She has been bookkeeping locally since 2003. When she is not spending time with her 3 sons, Kelli loves to get out on the trails with her 2 dogs.
Favorite Trail
Kelli’s favorite trail is the Dry Fork Trail.
Crew
Eric Pierson, Crew Leader
Eric is a 35-year resident of Durango and has been building and maintaining singletrack with Durango Trails since its inception. A retiree from the City of Durango and a volunteer crew leader last season, he has stepped into a new role as Trail Operations Manager. Eric is an avid trail runner, mountain biker, backpacker and nordic skier and enjoys being part of the trail evolution that defines Durango
Favorite Trail
Any of the connectors into Horse Gulch!
Mike Hurst, Crew Member and Volunteer Coordinator
A Durangoan since the late 90s, Mike cut his teeth on mountain biking local trails as a healthy balance to his career as a brewpub and restaurant operator. He enjoys nearly all human-powered modes of transit – especially in the rugged high country of the San Juans.
Favorite Trail
Mike’s favorite trail is the BRAND NEW Swerve Trail on Animas Mountain!
Megan Hoffman, Executive Assistant
Megan is new to Durango and eager to soak everything it has to offer in. She loves to trail run, coach fitness, CrossFit, hike and is starting to mountain bike!
Favorite Trail
So far my favorite is exploring Horse Gulch.
Sophie Shepard, Volunteer and Event Coordinator
Coming Soon!
Favorite Trail
Coming Soon!
Eric Splinter Strike Team, Crew and Sawyer
Eric Splinter owns and operates a wildland fire fighting company here in Durango. He is an avid trail runner and mountain biker among many other outdoor interests.
Favorite Trail
Any and all of them. Really depends on what my goals are on any given day.
Carter McQuinn, crew member
Carter is 23 years old and has lived in Durango his whole life. He enjoys fishing, skiing, riding his bike, as well as many other outdoor activities offered by the mountains around Durango.
Favorite Trail
Hermosa Creek trail because it has lots of places to stop and swim in the creek!
Benjamin Carrier, crew member
Benjamin has always had a connection with the trails because of all the amazing places they can take us. He loves spending time outdoors; hiking, biking, exploring, and off-roading and the trail networks in Durango make it even easier.
Favorite Trail
His favorite trail is Haflin Creek.
Peter Schultz
Peter is passionate about the healing power for mental and physical health that being outdoors and exercising provides. He enjoys all aspects of trail maintenance and smiles thinking about the fluid dynamics of drain building .This is the job for him.
Favorite Trail
His favorite trail is the CT for its remote, rugged, and rad nature.
Board
Christina Rinderle, Interim Board President
As the former Mayor of Durango, Christina brings a wealth of knowledge to the Durango Trails board regarding partnerships and relationships with public land managers, as well as fundraising. Christina loves to run and mountain bike.
Favorite Trail
Christina’s favorite trails are in Horse Gulch, where you can explore over 1000 acres of open space just minutes from downtown.
Steve Schwartz, Board Treasurer
As the board Treasurer, Steve brings high level financial analysis to a small non profit organization, helping analyze and plan budgets and profit and loss statements to plan for the future. Steve has worked at Fort Lewis College for over 20 years and directly sees how trails benefit and create the culture that FLC students know and love.
Favorite Trail
Steve mountain bikes and his favorite trail network is Horse Gulch.
Gary Provencher
As the owner of 2nd Avenue Sports, Gary built a small store selling second hand bikes into a major Trek, Santa Cruz and Pivot retailer. Employing over 20 full time staff, Gary believes in supporting the local economy and more importantly, supporting trail advocacy. Without trails, he knows that Durango wouldn’t even be half the town that it is and he faithfully supports Durango Trails.
Favorite Trail
Gary’s favorite trail is SkullRock and the Divinity Flow Trail at Purgatory.
Brett Bronson
Brett is a Durango native and he and his family love the trails, mountains and being part of this community. As CEO of Bronson Family McDonald’s locations, Brett believes in serving people, creating opportunities and impacting positively.
Favorite Trail
His favorite trail is the one he’s on.
