BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder park rangers are searching for the individuals responsible for defacing the summit of a trail on Green Mountain with graffiti.
A local hiker discovered the extensive vandalism and posted pictures on Facebook, where he and others expressed outrage over the desecration of one of Colorado's cherished natural landscapes.
At 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jeff Valliere began his run at the Gregory Trailhead, located at the base of Green Mountain. Approximately two miles in, he encountered 11 instances of graffiti at the trail’s summit.
Valliere promptly reported the graffiti to the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP). Through his Facebook post, he learned from other hikers that the vandalism occurred between 7:30 p.m. Monday and the time he arrived Tuesday morning.
Valliere, who has been running the trail since 1996, in rain, snow or shine. He has run it so frequently that in 2004 he began tracking his runs in a spreadsheet. Tuesday morning marked his 2,126th run.
“I’m super familiar with the trail, I notice when any little rock or anything is out of place… It’s kind of my way to escape every morning, you know, start the day off energized, but this one was a bit of a letdown to see,” Valliere said.
The graffiti consisted of various symbols and words, including phrases like "WOW!" “woke,” “power,” “da bomb,” “GOAT” and “Chris.”
The OSMP said park rangers are now investigating the incident and rangers are working to remove the graffiti using biodegradable organic solvents, a process that may take several days. They noted that they hadn’t encountered such extensive vandalism in such a short period before.
“Beyond how disappointing this graffiti is, it’s also important for people to remember to recreate responsibly when they’re outdoors. Leave no trace, pick up after their dogs, stay on trail—we all have a shared responsibility in preserving what we cherish so much,” said Phillip Yates, a spokesperson for the City of Boulder OSMP.
The natural beauty of Colorado is deeply ingrained in the state's culture and the lives of its residents, making the graffiti particularly painful for nature lovers like Valliere.
“It’s confusing, you know, that somebody, supposedly they enjoy nature, they came out here to hike Green Mountain, but they packed along spray paint. It just seems like a premeditated move,” Valliere said. “Having nature defaced and degraded seems so disrespectful towards nature and those like myself who want to come out here and enjoy it.”
The City of Boulder OSMP emphasized the importance of reports from hikers to track and address vandalism. They urge anyone with information about this incident or others to call their non-emergency line at 303-441-3333 or file a report on the city’s website. They request that reports include the location or coordinates to help park rangers locate and address the issue.