http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/ Ryan Budnick explores Colorado's great outdoors en Copyright 2008 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:37:53 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
HERA Board Member and cancer researcher at National Jewish Dr. Jill Slansky Photo by: Ben Moon
In 2002, Patrick began HERA Climb4Life. The organization has two purposes: fund-raising for cancer research - $750k in six years to date, and to empower women battling the disease. On June 14th, Climb4Life will be taken a small group of ovarian cancer survivors, plucking them out of their comfort zone and placing them on the summit of the First Flatiron. Also a larger more diverse of group will be cragging in Boulder Canyon, celebrating life, something many didn't believe they would be able to do after their first diagnosis. "Especially for somebody dealing with cancer thinking they can't try something new," Patrick said. "This inspires them to look at their life differently." Patrick said it is a pretty transformative experience. Many of the participants have never rock climbed before the weekend. The group will be paired off with seasoned climbing veterans and Patrick jokes, even cancer survivors in Colorado are comprised of a tougher mettle.
Photo by: Sean Patrick
"Most people in Colorado, even if you have had cancer, we are in pretty good shape," Patrick said. "We're pretty active people." There are close to 100 people signed up for the weekend and Patrick said the organization hopes to raise between $20-25,000. The amount HERA has been able to raise to date still amazes Patrick. The money has gone on to fund 18 research projects and 20 community grants. "This is all done by the climbing community and the outdoor industry," she said. "I just asked people to help and it's become so easy. If people can give up a week of lattes, then it is now sweat. It is all about prioritizing your dollar." If you want to learn more about the Climb For Life Celebration or the HERA Foundation or wish to make a donation, visit www.herafoundation.org ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/06/climbing_with_cancer_survivors.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/06/climbing_with_cancer_survivors.html Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:37:53 -0700
USFS officials survey the damage done by the beetle infestation.
In Boulder County, pine beetle activity is up 1500% and there is a 800% increase in Larimer County. At the end of 2006, Chambers said there was 1 million acres affected. That figure jumped to 1.5 million at the end of last year. The epidemic means more than losing much of the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains. It means loss of habitat for wildlife, increased fire danger, more hazards of falling trees and a loss of revenue for towns, which are gateways to these wild places. The answer to how the problem grew to this magnitude is a complicated one. Part of it is in the not-so-distant past. Mary Ann Chambers of the U.S. Forest Service explained during the Colorado gold rush in the late 1800s, there were a couple of devastating wildfires - imagine larger than the Hayman Fire in scope. "The lodgepoles, they are very straight and very uniform," Chambers said. "They got nailed by the miners and settlers. They are a type of tree that when it does burn, it burns in a very large area." The forest of course grew back and now there are large stands of 100-150 year-old lodgepole pines dominating the landscape. Pine beetles found an awaiting buffet with the mature trees and did not suffer from the natural buffers which curbed their numbers in the past. "We had 11 years of really warm winters with no temps below -40, which would kill the bugs if we had it for 10 consecutive days," Chambers said. "It's the perfect bug food and bug conditions and they are not getting killed off in the winter."

Willow Creek Pass shows the damage done by the beetles.
The Forest Service is not hoping to stifle the onslaught but to mitigate the danger it might pose to the public and protect high-congested areas, such as campgrounds. Select trees are being sprayed around campsites, and it is a time-consuming and costly effort. Kyhl estimates the Forest Service is spending $130,000 in the state. That breaks down to $10-15 per tree for the spraying. "And you're looking at 30,000 trees or more in a campground," he said. "You can't get all of them so you have to be selective." There are over 20 National Forest developed campgrounds in the state which will be partially or completely closed because of the concern of falling trees. A number will also be delayed in opening. Campgrounds closed The following is a list of U.S. Forest Service campgrounds which are completely or partially closed. To check the status of any campground, visit www.fs.fed.us/r2/recreation/camping/campgroundlist Arapahoe - Roosevelt National Forest Sulfur District Green Ridge Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest Brush Creek / Hayden District Ryan Park South Brush Creek Silver Lake Hog Park Lake View Hahns District Hahns Peak Lake Seedhouse Granite Ferndale Parks District Big Creek Lakes Teal Lake Pines White River National Forest Dillon District Lowry Prospector Blue River Eagle / Holy Cross District East Fork at Camp Hale ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/05/pine_beetles_devavstation_epen.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/05/pine_beetles_devavstation_epen.html Sat, 24 May 2008 16:43:50 -0700 It's a scene just as antiquated as a Norman Rockwell print, and becoming just as scarce. Whereas the pastimes of the youth in generations past included fishing and hunting, nowadays it has been replaced with video games. And that concerns the Division of Wildlife. To help combat a disconnect that is growing with today's children and traditional outdoor activities, the department holds several free events every year across the state to help rally interest in such activities as hunting and fishing. Last Saturday the Outdoor Skills Youth Workshop drew 50 kids and a family member to Lon Hagler State Wildlife Area. It might be only a drop of the total number of kids in the state, but it is a start. "It affects kids pretty poorly actually, to not be out in nature, to not see birds or hearing the wind or knowing what kind of tree they are near," said Jennifer Churchill of Division of Wildlife. "We know there is a decline in hunting and a little bit in fishing. We know a lot of kids are spending time inside and playing video games. We really want to encourage kids to get out and see what can be done in Colorado." Richard Louv wrote a book in 2005 entitled, "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder". In the book Louv explores how enjoying the outdoors reduces loneliness, depression and attention problems in children. For Dale Meyer of Greeley, going hunting and fishing is just something kids do. Meyer attended the workshop with his 10-year-old son Ross - the second straight year they came. Once school gets out for the summer, the pair will be found at local lakes like Boyd Lake or Horsetooth Reservoir fishing. "We look forward to this function every year," Meyer said. "It's just great what Division of Wildlife is doing for kids with this.' Connecting kids with nature is not only an endeavor for the present, but for the future as well. Developing and cultivating a positive relationship at a younger age means that children will be more active in the preservation of these wild spaces when they become adults. "It's a big drive for us we want people to connect with nature," Churchill said. "Because the only way you're going to care about it and preserve wildlife in Colorado is to get out and experience it." A number of DOW workers volunteered time, as did ordinary people who themselves had such a relationship propagated when they were young. John Williams of Loveland, and a member of Big Thompson Bowhunters - a Loveland-based archery club, donated his Saturday to set up an archery course the club supervises at the area. Williams, a father of three kids himself, gets almost as excited as the kids do when they first pick up a bow. "A lot of these kids have never shot a bow before and they are a little timid when they get out here, a little scared," Thompson said. "After they fire a few arrows, the get a big smile on their faces. Some of them we can't run out of here." After the initial cost for equipment, many groups and organizations make it easy and cost-effective for kids to be involved. Thompson said the shooting range is free for people to use. It is free for children under the age of 16 to fish in the state of Colorado, and the group has a free fishing weekend on June 7-8 for families. * For more information about archery, visit the Fort Collins Archery Association web site at: www.ftcollinsarchery.com * For more information about the Division of Wildlife's youth programs, visit their web site at wildlife.state.co.us ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/05/endangered_species_children_in.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/05/endangered_species_children_in.html Fri, 16 May 2008 05:33:48 -0700 Here is no water but only rock. Rock and no water and the sandy road. -T.S. Eliot CANYONLANDS, Utah - It appears to be a place time forgot. The bottom of an inland sea millennia ago, magnificent sandstone spires and buttresses dominate the present landscape. When the wind stops, you hear nothing, and that, even more than the superlative views is what stands out. This other worldly place is in rather close proximity to the Front Range. For most cars it's a tank full of gas, some good travelling music and a rest stop break away. Yet there are many Coloradans who have never visited Canyonlands National Park, let alone the Needles District.
Though that is slowly changing. Paul Henderson, public information officer for both Canyonlands and Arches National parks, said visitors are beginning to come a little bit earlier and later in the year; in essence, the shoulder season is getting broader. The weather can be an unknown variable in the spring, swinging from snow squalls to being scorched by the sun. The key is to dress in layers. "We had a little skiff of snow," Henderson said on Thursday. Spring is all about layers and being prepared. It can be chilly in the morning and you'll be peeling that sweater off by 11 a.m. While Canyonlands is a worthy destination anytime of the year, though the summer heat is unbearable for some, the spring is when the desert comes alive. But don't blink. Spring can literally happen in an instant. The desert seems to be silently waiting and the next morning, a camper can be greeted by a vivid bouquet of color, which magically bloomed with the rising sun. Predicting the desert bloom is like finding a sustainable water source in the summer, nearly impossible. "We should end up with good wildflowers this year," Henderson said. "This is when it gets dicey though. We could get some nice rain or one day it can turn and be 105 degrees and stay that way." And yes, there is water in the desert in the spring. Though it comes with a caveat and visitors should pack their own water in; the rule of thumb is a gallon a day. "People tend to forget there are reliable water sources, especially in the spring," Henderson said. "But you have to remember, all of the wildlife is counting on those water sources too. I figure if I'm able-bodied enough to hike some place, I am able to carry my own water too." Another tip is to make reservations or to be flexible. It is possible to enter the Needles and not see another person. However the number of backcountry campsites is limited in the park to minimize human impact. Even car camping at Squaw Flats campground in the Needles District is highly contested. The good news is there are some BLM sites outside of the park that are in close proximity and worthy second choices. The scarcity of camping is part of the allure of The Needles. The district receives half the amount of visitors as the Island in the Sky District, located much closer to Moab and much more family-friendly. Canyonlands National Park receives 400,000 visitors a year. Compare that with neighboring Arches National Park, which receives over 800,000 annual visitors yet is much smaller in size. The difference between Island in the Sky and The Needles is between watching and doing. Island in the Sky offers stunning panoramic views of what the raw power of the Colorado and Green rivers carved out over thousands of years. In The Needles, you are weaving up and over the scenery, snaking through slots, really merely shoulder-width fissures, in the sandstone, climbing up to slickrock passes, around obelisks and citadels that appear to be created for some grandiose reason. "Island in the Sky is the easy one to bag for Canyonlands," Henderson said. "When people say I only have one day, I usually send them to Island in the Sky." A warning should be heeded by first-time visitors though, besides layer on the sunscreen. It is very easy to fall in love with the place. "Moab is full of students who came out with internships with the Student Conservation Association," Henderson said. "They came to do a 12 to 14 week stint, and now it is 20 years later and they are still here. People fall in love with red rock country and figure out some way to make a living here."]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/04/canyonlands_only_miles_away_ye.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/04/canyonlands_only_miles_away_ye.html Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:05:49 -0700
Photos by Casey Day
On Saturday, the sun and the warmer temps whipped the snow near the base to the consistency of wet mashed potatoes. Greeting the sun-kissed faces of skiers at the base is the sound of music. With the Blues & BBQ Festival going on, there was plenty of Après Ski entertainment to partake in. "I'd say it's a more mellow vibe," said Kate Lessman, communications officer for Keystone Resort. "There's plenty of sun and lot of things to do." Ski areas in Colorado have plenty to party about. Colorado Ski Country USA reported resorts hosted an estimated 5.5 million skier and snowboarder visits from New Year's Day to the end of February. The number is 1% off the record-setting pace set last year.

"Because of all of the January and February snowfalls the numbers jumped," Nick Bohnenkamp of Colorado Ski Country USA said. "And looking through all the visits in spring break, we're looking for a solid income. The snow has been real good for this season." Both the resorts and visitors have benefited and any more spring storms will just provide icing on the top. Several ski areas such as Monarch and Aspen Highlands pushed back its closing dates. And all of the areas provide deals from lift tickets to overnight lodging. That goes along with extra perks such as free concerts and prize giveaways. "We hope to have people to stay the night and enjoy everything we have here," said David Roth of Copper Mountain. "People won't have to drive home at the end of the night. They can stay here and start all over the next day."

Places like Copper Mountain and Keystone offer steep discounts on lift tickets if people purchase two or more online. Loveland begins offering discount lift tickets on Monday. Sunlight Mountain is offering free skiing if visitors spend the night in Glenwood Springs. And Monarch is trumping everybody else, giving away a free ski day on Monday, April 7. Bohnenkamp suggests visiting resort Web sites to find discounts on overnight lodging, as many are scrambling to fill last-minute vacancies before the season ends. Public Web sites such as Craigslist are peppered with individuals slashing prices on their own rentals. The question that remains is how to dress. "What I find myself doing is bringing layers," Kathryn Johnson of Loveland Ski Area said. "I'll bring my spring coat and layer a nice warm layer underneath. And if it gets too warm, I'll leave that under layer in the lodge. "The big key this time of year is not to forget the sunscreen." As everybody Coloradan knows, the spring weather can be fickle. Regardless if it's blue skies or a snow squall, riders and skiers win either way. "My favorite thing to tell people is it's going to be great either way," Johnson said. "it's either going to be a powder day or a sunny bluebird day. It's the famous Colorado weather." ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/04/last_fling_to_ski_ski_areas_of.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/04/last_fling_to_ski_ski_areas_of.html Fri, 04 Apr 2008 04:56:01 -0700 The paws are replaced by the amicable visage of Tracker, a 6-year-old Golden Retriever mix. Her job is done now, I am the last of three avalanche victims spotted and rescued during her training exercise - all in less than 15 minutes. I was somewhat reticent about volunteering for the avalanche activity practiced by ski patrol at Copper Mountain. I previously was socked and shaken by an avalanche several years ago while climbing in the Cascade Mountains. I learned firsthand how powerful a punch snow could possess. Even though the slide measured up only to my knees, it plucked me from the gully I was climbing up, and sent me cascading down 100 feet before I was able to escape from the slide's path. The lesson learned was avalanches are serious business. That lesson hasn't been lost at Copper Mountain. While inbounds avalanches are extremely rare, the resort staffs eight handlers and avalanche dogs - just in case. Nothing is more efficient than man's best friend in locating avalanche victims. All of the dogs, including Tracker and her coworker Cascade, and the trainers practice at least once a week to stay sharp, because in avalanche rescues, time is of the essence. "After 30 minutes after burial, your survival rate decreases significantly," handler Chris Sutton said. "Sometimes (Cascade) has worked as fast as four burials in under 10 minutes. Sometimes it takes him longer. It really depends on the conditions and how the scent is coming to the surface." While it is serious business for Sutton and fellow handler John Reller, it is all fun and games for their charges. "Basically for him it is all play drive," Sutton said. "He finds a victim, he gets a toy. It's very rewarding. Naturally a Golden Retriever is very sociable, so they really enjoy playing with the victims in the cave." The dogs and handlers also stay on top of their game by out-sourcing to missions outside of the ski area's boundaries. The canine teams at Copper Mountain work in cooperation with Flight For Life Colorado, specifically the chopper based in Frisco, on backcountry rescues. Reller, tenured 18 years as an avalanche dog handler, has taken part on quite a few of those missions - a number of them with somber endings. "Even when you don't have a live find, you can at least bring some closure for the family and the friends of the victim," Reller said. A third and unofficial mission for the dogs and their handlers is public relations. Reller said he has been greeted by several raised eyebrows when visitors find out the role of the cute canines. "At first it is, 'Aww, look at the cute dog'," Reller said. "And then they ask what they are here for. And when they find out they are surprised or interested to learn more on what they do." Said Lauren Pelletreau, communications manger at Copper Mountain: "I just know from personal experience you walk into a patrol headquarters, it's just great to see their wagging tails and smiling faces." ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/03/rescuers_on_four_paws.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/03/rescuers_on_four_paws.html Fri, 28 Mar 2008 05:19:22 -0700
Erik Weihenmayer leads a group of Global Explorer students during a week-long trip to the Peruvian Andes last year. Global Explorer is a Fort Collins-based nonprofit that educations students through outdoor excursions.
Photos courtesy Global Explorers That is because Weihenmayer and the students are all blind. Perhaps the biggest goal of the trip was not necessarily the summit but a perception. What all of them would want the world to know is being vision-impaired does not impede them from fulfilling their aspirations. On Thursday, March 13, audiences will be able to witness their journey up Lhakpa Ri in the award-winning documentary Blindsight at the Mayan Theatre in Denver. Weihenmayer is first and foremost a talented and seasoned climber. He has reached the top of the Seven Summits - the highest points on all seven continents, as well as scaled Mount Everest. He recently scaled a 2200-foot frozen waterfall in Nepal with two other climbers in January and plans on reaching the top of Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea later this year. Weihenmayer made global headlines when in 2001 he became the first blind person to reach the summit of Everest, the tallest peak in the world. That accomplishment is a label Weihenmayer will carry forever. And that is something that is all right with him as long as he can wield it to perform some good -- such as getting programs he is affiliated with, like Braille Without Borders and Global Explorers, into the limelight. In many ways the Lhakpa Ri expedition was tougher than his Everest climb. After his success on Everest, Weihenmayer received an e-mail from Braille Without Borders' cofounder, Sabriye Tenberken. Tenberken recruited him to return to the Himalayas and lead a group of her blind students up a mountain. "It was a very monumental task, a very ambitious project," Weihenmayer said. "We can't assume (the students) know how to take care of themselves in a bad situation. The yak herders were threatening to mutiny because we weren't going fast enough for them. There was the difficulty of bringing a film crew up to altitude and getting the right shot. "They wanted to film the kids coming out of camp. No, we've been here for 20 minutes waiting and the kids are getting hypothermic. The trip was just ripe with potential for tension." While the group maybe couldn't see the yawning wide crevasses in the glaciers or see the vertical exposure of their position on the mountain, it doesn't mean the students nor Weihenmayer couldn't feel it. "The sense of sound has textures," Weihenmayer explained. "The air is less dense at altitude. And when you are up pretty high it is pretty inspiring sound."
The students learned, not only climbing basics which every climber must learn first, but also how to offset not being able to see. Weihenmayer taught the students how to use their trekking poles to feel the way up the rocky trails and the mountainous landscape. Sometimes bells were used so students can get a vector on the direction their route took them. "One of the things you do when you are blind is you think it is worse than it actually is," Weihenmayer said. "Your imagination gets the best of you. You might think it is a 1,000-foot drop next to you and it could be 20 feet of talus. You use your experience to get a footing into reality." Braille Without Borders was conceived back in Tenberken's home country of Germany back in the late 90s. She learned there was no braille script for Tibetan. A script was developed for the vision-impaired and after a meeting with Tibetan and Chinese officials, she was determined to start a program to teach it. Despite being blind, Tenberken didn't let her lack of sight deter her from her vision. She first proved to hesitant authorities her determination in starting Braille without Borders by traveling to and through Tibet unassisted. The school now hosts 134 students and while empowerment of its students is a large goal of the program, it's biggest ordeal is changing the perception of the blind. "It was really heartbreaking," Tenberken said. "There are some children that are tied to a pole in the house so they can't get out. There are some that are hidden in dark rooms. And that is mainly because families where ashamed they had blind students in their families." Around the world, and sometimes with good intentions from people, the blind are marginalized. What Tenberken has witnessed after screenings of the documentary in Europe is the dialog that it generates in its audience. Through the emotional trials that the students go through in climbing Lhakpa Ri captured in the film, the audience can see past a person's inability to see and feel the conveyance of determination. "We get the role of being human and sometimes being angry and sometimes being naughty," Tenberken said. 'You have all of these emotions. And the views of the audience is it doesn't really matter if you are blind or sighted." The proceeds of the ticket sales at tonight's premiere at the Mayan Theatre go to Global Explorers - a Fort Collins nonprofit which expands teenagers' views and education through outdoor adventures. Weihenmayer got involved with the group shortly after returning from Tibet. He helped lead a trip to the Peruvian Andes last year with students. One of whom was Terry Garrett. Garrett was inspired by not only Weihenmayer's accomplishments despite sharing the same disability as him, but also by the man himself. "It was the most marvelous experience," Garrett said. "I had heard of his Everest climb. But what was better for me was to see the man in action and to be with him in action." Blindsight premieres on Thursday, March 13 at the Mayan Theatre in Denver. It will be showing at the Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli in Denver from Friday, March 14 through Thursday, March 20. For more information about Global Explorers or to make a donation, you can visit their Web site at www.globalexplorers.com. For more information about Braille Without Borders, visit www.braillewithoutborders.org ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/03/vision_without_sight_film_docu.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/03/vision_without_sight_film_docu.html Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:52:40 -0700
A sleek, modern museum awaits visitors in Golden.
Photo courtesy Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum And the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum is the place that can do it with some of its exhibits and artifacts. The most famous might be what is simply referred to as "The Ax." It is an ice ax which belonged to the late mountaineer Pete Schoening. The American climber was part of a party that attempted to be the first on top of K2 in 1953. K2, also located in the Karakoram, is considered to be the most dangerous mountain in the world despite being not as high as Mount Everest. It is the second tallest mountain in the world at 28,251 feet and is still to this day one of the toughest summits to reach. While descending the peak to save a sick person in the party, one member slipped and fell. In the chaos that followed, climbing ropes got tangled and all six members were pulled off their feet. Schoening, the highest person in the group, plunged his ice ax into the slope and stopped the fall of every member, saving each of their lives. "The ax is pretty sweet," said Cordes a day before leaving on a trip to China. "The symbolism and story behind it is amazing. It is an iconic piece of equipment. It's hard not to hold it in reverence." A climber might have better insight as to what a heroic and amazing feat Schoening's actions were. That is from having the experience of self-arresting with an ice ax themselves. However, the story can give even an armchair climber the chills. That is what the vision was when the museum was created, said museum director Nina Johnson. The museum is for those who not only climb, but who appreciate an adventuresome life and the natural beauty of the mountains. It offers a great presentation through various displays of not only the history and nuts-and-bolts of climbing, but it also delves into the characters who shaped exploring the high places in the world. Many Coloradoans have heard of the 10th Mountain Division - made famous for its exploits during World War II in the Alps as well as the hundreds of miles of trails and backcountry huts dotting the Rocky Mountains in the state. But how many people know that alumni of the Army division includes the founders of both Aspen Snowmass and Vail ski resorts? Or that former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole was one of its ranks? "Like today--we had two folks come in after they saw us in a magazine article," Johnson said. "And they were totally absorbed by the museum. The museum is for anybody who loves the aesthetics of the mountains, who loves the art, who loves different mountain cultures around the world." Cordes also has left his mark at the museum. One of his photos during his epic climb up Great Trango Tower is blown up as a display poster. Also he helped pose one of the mannequins of an ice climber to make its actions realistic. Cordes' presentation about climbing, succeeding and failing rounded out the opening weekend's events, which also included presentations by famous local climbers Lynn Hill and Tonya Riggs. Being up on stage and discussing his exploits is far more uncomfortable for Cordes than being perched up an ice rime-plastered headwall on some remote peak halfway around the world. "It is odd being the center of attention," Cordes sad. "The reason you are up there is because you do remote climbs. And you are asked to talk about the remote climbs as a center of attention. The irony hasn't been lost on me." Going to those remote places can bring pain, suffering and defeat. Those however are lessons Cordes has been trained previously in. He is a former collegiate boxing champion and he took lessons from his former hobby and applied them to his current passion. "Even though they seem like completely opposite endeavors, they have similar mental aspects," he explained. "It helps with enduring pain and pushing yourself and the mental discipline for the intense training and blacking out your irrational fears. It makes your mind direct your body to do what it needs to do." Over 800 people attending the opening weekend, the culmination of two years of creating the museum. It is the joint effort of The Colorado Mountain Club, The American Alpine Club and The National Geographic Society. "The comment I kept hearing again and again was the look of the museum was so unexpected," Johnson said. "It is so modern, sleek, interactive and engaging. There are lots of different things do to." Johnson said the museum plans on keeping things fresh as well, switching it's main exhibit every few months as well as changing displays and artifacts. For more information about the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum, visit www.bwamm.org]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/mountaineering_museum_in_estes.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/mountaineering_museum_in_estes.html Fri, 22 Feb 2008 05:13:29 -0700
Photo courtesy Loveland Ski Patrol Work entails being part avalanche forecaster, part medic, part customer service representative and part handyman. Sometimes it means skiing down runs and making sure people are having a fun and safe experience on the hill. And sometimes it means being the guy digging out a snow fence from a 4-foot snow drift in skin-chapping conditions. A typical day starts with a sweep of the ski area and assessing conditions. If there has been heavy winds or a dumping of snow, avalanche conditions are evaluated and mitigation work is completed - be it with multiple ski cuts to slough off snow or with explosives. Sometimes safety equipment needs to be replaced or moved. The patrollers are always analyzing their surroundings while skiing down. So the skiing isn't just for getting the first turns in powder - Baehler said patrollers are considerate to leave that for the customers. "We use the term patroller goggles," Baehler said. "You're not just looking at where you're going to go. You're looking and you see that rope over there that is half buried. You see those tower pads need to be raised and you see that little tip of a snow fence sticking out and you just heard that squeak in a shiv. There is a lot more to it."
Photo courtesy Loveland Ski Patrol Any patroller will say a good day is when they don't have to use the toboggan to bring an injured party down the slope. All patrollers, whether they are pro or volunteer patrol, are certified in outdoor emergency care. Many of them have additional training or professions in the medical field such as EMTs, firefighters and doctors. The training is extensive; refresher courses are required every year to stay up-to-date, and is also paid for by the patroller. Volunteer patrollers are required to buy their uniform, pay for their classes and certification and pay dues to National Ski Patrol. "It's not really a profession you're going to raise a large family on, that's for sure," Baehler said. But the 25-year veteran wouldn't do anything else. With his red beard flecked with gray hair, Baehler doesn't look like the stereotypical patroller. In fact he says the young, hotshot ski patroller is a myth. Many of the patrollers are highly tenured. "We have members who have been affiliated with NSP for 50, 60 even 70 years," said April Darrow, Communications Director for National Ski Patrol. The NSP counts over 2,00 members in Colorado and 27,000 people nationwide. "Our membership really runs the gamut. The oldest patroller that I know of and still active is 92 years old. Not many organizations have volunteers that stay onboard as long as the National Ski Patrol, and it's pretty amazing to witness." So what keeps bringing them back? "As far as why they do it, the majority of patrollers get involved because they truly like helping people," Darrow said. "Patrollers also have a love of skiing or snowboarding and the outdoors. Patrolling is the perfect way to mesh these two interests, but helping people in need is a real draw for our membership." Ski patrollers are also a tightly-knit fraternity. Baehler said the annual softball game in the summertime draws 150 members. Many times patrollers get together on their days off as well. Anybody can test out to be a volunteer patroller. A person just needs to show up early on the weekend and a senior member will go out skiing or riding with the aspiring applicant and determine if their skiing acumen is high enough. Volunteers are required to patrol 24 weekend days a season at Loveland in order to earn a season pass. There are other small perks that comes with the position as well. But it's an indescribable fervor that makes people give up there free time to watch over the mountain. "It is a misconception that patrollers are just doing it for a free ski pass," Darrow said. "It really does require a lot. If people wanted to do that and get a pass, they could be a lift operator." To learn more about the National Ski Patrol, visit http://www.nsp.org. To learn how to join the Loveland Ski Patrol, visit http://www.lovelandskipatrol.com]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/patroling_with_a_passion_1.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/patroling_with_a_passion_1.html Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:19:12 -0700 A skier makes his way down Montezuma Bowl at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. The addition of the terrain boosted the ski area's size by 80 percent. The only difference is the grunt work of getting to such pristine riding terrain has been subtracted. The dangers and concerns about avalanches have been mitigated. Ride the backcountry within the safe confines of a ski area. Welcome to the Montezuma Bowl at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Calling it a bowl doesn't truly do it justice. When Arapahoe Basin began operating the Zuma Chair three weeks ago, it was more like the opening of a new ski area. "It's big. That bowl is amazingly huge," Arapahoe Basin's director of marketing Leigh Hierholzer said. "That's the first thing people say, 'I can't believe how big it is.' It's not just a wide-open bowl. It has all of the different features and terrain variety in it. We opened another mountain basically." It's also not your run-of-the-mill concave open bowl. The biggest drawing point of the 'Zuma' bowl is it's untamed terrain. Arapahoe Basin removed only one percent of the trees when constructing the chairlift this summer. Aside from a few groomed runs which run down the middle of the area to the chair lift, it's untouched and exactly what backcountry skiers have been dropping into for years. A lot of the run names are what backcountry skiers have been calling them for years. Skiers scope out their lines at the top of the Montezuma Bowl
at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Opening up Montezuma Bowl has always been in the vision of the founders of the ski area, over 50 years ago. That vision started becoming a reality in the past six years with negotiating between the ski area and the U.S. Forest Service. In what has essentially become opening up another ski area, Arapahoe Basin is banking on being a bigger draw to tourists who might otherwise not take the longer drive off of the I-70 corridor to visit. But Hierholzer says while the addition gives A-Basin better footing to compete against the larger neighboring resorts, the ski area still maintains a vibe of a local's area where the interaction is more intimate and laid back. "People are always looking for something new," Hierholzer said. "Maybe now when the destination visitor comes into Summit County we might be more attractive to them now because there is more to ski and ride and something new for them to experience." Arapahoe Basin's expansion is part of a trend that Troy Hawks of the National Ski Area Association is seeing in Colorado ski areas; creating a safe backcountry skiing experience. "Certainly they are catering to more niche demographic markets," Hawks said. "And they are adding to the experience s they provide, not only to backcountry folks, but to teens, women, seniors." Breckenridge Ski Resort added the Imperial Express SuperChair- the highest lift in North America at 12,840 feet - last year, opening up access to what used to be historically "hike-up" terrain. It wound up being more popular than they could have envisioned as the resort doubled up the capacity of its lift for this season. Being more popular than expected, Breckenridge Ski Resort doubled the capacity of its Imperial Express SuperChair - the highest chairlift in North America - this season. Also this year, Breckenridge allowed access to expert terrain which used to be roped off in years past. Now off the north side of Peak 8, riders and skiers can test their mettle in the Lake Chutes. Breckenridge Ski Resort's Nicky DeFord said the resort is catering to what the demand is out there. "People have wanted more of that backcountry experience," she said. "And they are going to go where they can find that." Keystone and Copper Mountain have historically offered Cat skiing, shuttling skiers to the neighboring backcountry in essentially snow tractors. But the taste of the untamed isn't only for the intrepid expert skier. 'I think it's neat for the intermediate skier to go back there and experience it because it's no problem getting from top to bottom," Hierholzer said. "Back there it's quiet and the views are amazing. You feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, which is what you feel like when you're in the backcountry." ]]> http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/colorado_ski_resorts_add_backc.html http://blogs.trb.com/news/local/colorado/outdoors/2008/02/colorado_ski_resorts_add_backc.html Tue, 05 Feb 2008 08:47:41 -0700