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EVail, CO
Location: Aspen, CO
Project Name: Maroon Creek Trail
Owner: City of Aspen Parks Department
Wall Type: Redi-Rock Gravity Wall
Engineer: Otak Engineering
Contractor: Gould Construction & Miller Wall Company
Texture: Ledgestone (Custom “Rustico” Color)
Year Built: 2024
The City of Aspen is surrounded by beautiful, mountainous terrain, and local officials wanted to make the community more accessible to outdoor enthusiasts of all abilities. They proposed an ambitious, paved, ADA-accessible, multi-use trail system to connect the city to its recreation center, the Highlands Ski Area, and the Maroon Bells Scenic Area. The project presented several distinct challenges:
Steep Alpine Terrain: The approach required a retaining wall solution capable of handling tough mountain soils and steep slopes.
Safety Conflicts: The existing mixture of pathways was poorly defined, creating potential conflicts and safety hazards between vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists near a busy transit station.
Environmental Preservation: Because the trail ran through a naturally sensitive area, the city required a low-impact construction method that wouldn’t disturb the surrounding environment.
In collaboration with Otak Engineering, Gould Construction, Miller Wall Company, and the City of Aspen, a Redi-Rock gravity wall system manufactured by Signature Stone was selected as the ideal solution.
Key technical aspects included:
Minimal Excavation: The gravity wall design allowed the blocks to be installed with minimal excavation, safely preserving the nearby sensitive natural areas during construction.
Aesthetic Excellence: Utilizing the “Ledgestone” texture in Signature Stone’s custom “Rustico” color, the wall blended beautifully with the natural alpine landscapes and flourishing village surroundings.
Custom Engineering: The wall utilized standard gravity blocks with a 5-degree setback, topped with garden corner blocks to seamlessly integrate the wall into the landscape.
Collaboration between local Colorado stakeholders was crucial to navigating the mountain terrain and ensuring a successful build:
Low-Impact Construction: The installation crew at Gould Construction was able to efficiently install the massive precast blocks without requiring extensive geo-grid reinforcement, keeping the construction footprint exceptionally small.
Year-Round Durability: Signature Stone’s precast wet-cast concrete blocks were selected specifically to deliver long-term durability, performing reliably through Aspen’s harsh freeze-thaw cycles and severe alpine weather events.
The Maroon Creek Multi-Use Trail is a masterclass in low-impact engineering, safely and beautifully linking vital recreational hubs for the Aspen community.
Enhanced Accessibility: The updates eliminated pedestrian and vehicle conflicts and provided a paved, ADA-accessible path that can be easily cleared of snow for all-season use.
Long-Term Performance: The City of Aspen secured a massive, structurally sound gravity wall with a long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements.
Award-Winning Success: The project’s collaborative approach earned multiple accolades, including the 2025 CCA Infrastructure Construction Excellence (ICE) Award for Pedestrian/Bike Infrastructure and an Honor Award at the 2025 ACEC Colorado event for improving community connections while protecting the environment.
Signature Stone is Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska’s #1
Redi-Rock and custom stone supplier.
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