Of Raptors and Rapture - Barn Again

Dateline: Lyons, CO

The Colorado Tour

The harbingers of winter (read: Snow and Ice!) are making us keenly aware that our Colorado sojourn as Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers is drawing to a close, and that it's time to head for the barn once more. We reflected on this year's Colorado Tour as we hiked local landmark, Rabbit Mountain, a critical raptor nesting ground and cultural crossroads near Lyons, Colorado. We can't help but feel fortunate for the opportunity to experience the rich diversity of people and places we've encountered along the way. For the past six weeks, we've lived a nomadic life, sleeping in our tent by night and delivering Leave No Trace workshops and outreach by day. Throughout our 36 events and nearly four thousand-mile perambulation of the great state of Colorado, we've been enraptured by the state's wide variety of natural and cultural resource treasures, and equally impressed by the love and appreciation that Coloradans hold for this precious heritage.

Rabbit Mountain - enraptured beneath the raptors!

As we lead our trusty Colorado Tour Subaru into the barn for the winter, we're hoping that this is but another episode in our Leave No Trace travels, and that we will meet you yet down our nomadic trail, perhaps in another clime and another season, seeking to Leave No Trace as the story continues...

Special thanks go to Xcel Energy for supporting the 2011 Colorado Tour, and additionally to Coleman, Inc. and Subaru of America who continue to be dedicated champions for the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program and the Center for Outdoor Ethics. Of course, incalculable thanks go to our Traveling Team colleagues and the extraordinary folks at the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics for their dedication, support, and joie de vivre.

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Horse Sense

Dateline: Colorado Horsemen's Convention, Denver, CO
The Colorado Tour

Peggy Rounds-up Her Leave No Trace Posse

The Colorado Horse Development Authority and the Colorado Horse Council (CHC) organized this year's inaugural Colorado Horsemen's Convention in order to learn and share ideas about growing the horse industry in Colorado. We jumped at the invitation to address the convention gathering on environmental and recreational impact topics, and to discuss our long-standing collaborative partnerships with various industry players such as the Back Country Horsemen of America and the American Horse Council. As the first winter storm of the season raged outside, we manned our busy outreach booth within the warm and comfortable confines of Denver's renowned National Western Stock Show Complex, the center of the horsemen's universe.

Colorado Horsemen's Convention

In addition to engaging an interesting variety of folks throughout the day at our booth, we had an opportunity to present an hour-long session where we talked about the genesis of the Leave No Trace program, the history of the Center for Outdoor Ethics, and the challenges of educating folks about the foundation principles of good, responsible outdoor stewardship. We were particularly pleased by the discussion that our presentation fostered about the need to promote constructive engagement and dialogue between diverse outdoor resource user groups (horseback, mountain biking, hiking, trail-running, hunting, fishing, etc).

Rhinestone (Leave No Trace) Cowgirl

CHC executive director Bill Scebbi and his staff put together an excellent program, and we really appreciated the opportunity to participate. We hope that the Colorado Horsemen's Convention becomes an annual forum for exchanging ideas (and good, old-fashioned horse sense) about how best to conserve and promote sustainable outdoor values for all types of horseback recreation.

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

Poster Kids: 7 on 7

Dateline: Lakewood, CO
The Colorado Tour

Poster Presentations at Carmody Middle School

The 7th grade students at Carmody Middle School welcomed our Colorado Tour with a bevy of posters and Powerpoints on the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, which they eagerly presented to us one by one. After Kathi Smith's class threw us their best pitches, it was our turn to talk about human impacts and engage the students in our traveling road show. We presented our always compelling array of human waste disposal tools and techniques, discussed durable surfaces and played a round of "Step on It," and got the students to form a living time-line of trash in our "How Long Does It Last?" activity.

7th Graders and the 7 Principles

We wrapped it up by challenging the students to think about having a positive impact that might last one million years... yep, picking up that carelessly, thoughtlessly, and negligently discarded styrofoam or glass bottle will do just that, become a positive impact that lasts virtually forever.

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

Leaving the Right Kind of Trace

Dateline: Fort Collins, CO

The Colorado Tour

Our hearty breakfast at a Fort Collins eatery, the Farmer’s Table, was topped with fresh-cooked apples from a local CSA (community supported agriculture) project.  It was a sustaining meal that gave us a good foundation for our workshop with Dan Dannahower’s class at Poudre Community Academy.  The Academy is a non-traditional (alternative) public secondary school that focuses on a blend of academics, experiential learning, and community service. We were amazed at the variety of learning and service experiences that the group (ages 14-20) talked about during our visit, and we're definitely impressed by the positive impacts that their efforts have on the surrounding community: work involving local trail maintenance, campsite rehabilitation, trash cleanup, and assistance at CSA farms (like the ones that supplied our breakfast meal).

Class members raise a cheer to a Leave No Trace icon.

The "traces" left by Poudre Community Academy have been positive for community and students alike… definitely an approach that could benefit mainstream, traditional approaches to educating kids.

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Front Range Views

Dateline: Fort Collins, CO

The Colorado Tour

Front Range Country: Experiential Learning Happens Here...

Professor Jennifer Lee’s Wilderness Skills class at Front Range Community College is a feisty mix of outdoor enthusiasts – fishermen, hunters, mountain bikers, hikers, climbers, horse packers, kayakers… and in Colorado, most any of the winter snow-dependent activities are included without saying. The course covers a host of wilderness topics, including land management policy and regulations, plant identification, leave no trace skills and ethics, and winter survival techniques. Our time with the class passed quickly, as we had spirited discussions about the impacts of discarded fish visera (“guts” by any other name), dogs-off-leash, trail etiquette, and raucous disturbances of wilderness tranquility.

Later this semester (when the nearby mountains are in the cold, snowy grip of winter), Jennifer will take her 28 students on an overnight snowshoe trip to a backcountry campsite where they will stay in yurts and hone their wilderness survival skills in the wind-whipped, sub-zero setting. Now there’s a practical motivation to study hard for the final exam…

…along the (chilly) Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Freewheeling in the Right Kind of Way

Dateline: Bear Creek Lake Park, Lakewood, CO

The Colorado Tour

The Morning Briefing at TKMBD

Over 80 kids and at least that many more parents were ready and raring to roll on Saturday for the annual “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” (TKMBD) at Bear Creek Lake Park in the Lakewood community on the southwestern outskirts of Denver. Each participant was assigned to one of four teams, and each team visited four mountain biking workshops: skills, maintenance, rules of the trail, and wildlife encounters.

Wildlife Encounters

The principles of Leave No Trace were an essential part of each workshop, and it was great to see kids, from those with mountain bike training wheels all the way up to singletrack-savvy teenagers, actively engaged in learning new mountain biking skills, safety, and etiquette from enthusiastic, kid-friendly instructors.

Dressing the Part: The COMBA-IMBA Instructors Were Enthusiastic Teachers

After rotating through all four workshops, it was time to ride! Bear Creek Lake Park offers a terrific variety of trail conditions for both first-time and experienced riders, and the beautiful weather and eager volunteers made the day memorable in the right kind of way. The Colorado Mountain Biking Association (COMBA: the local chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association) hosted the event, and we look forward to being included again in the future. Only next time, we'll be riding for sure!

Colorado Tour Gives Thumbs-Up to Mt. Biking LSU Fan 

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Raptor Ambassadors Under the Cottonwoods

Dateline: Pueblo, CO
The Colorado Tour

Nature and Raptor Center Ambassadors

We arrived early on Friday at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo (NRCP), located on the banks of the Arkansas River in the shade of Cottonwood trees shimmering gold in their fall foliage. Our workshop was with a passel of energetic kids who were enrolled in the Center's weekly nature camp. We started the workshop with a basic intro to Leave No Trace principles in the the Center's yurt, as spacious and comfortable a classroom as we've enjoyed. After "talking the talk" indoors, we moved outside and into the beautiful autumn day where we could literally "walk the walk" regarding durable surfaces and choosing the right trail. As we explored the Center's grounds, the kids developed a clear understanding of the durable and resilient materials underfoot, and the consequences of choosing to travel on sensitive materials of low durability. We ended our walkabout with a game of "Durable Hop, Skip, and Jump," which we chalked out in front of the yurt.

Durable Hop, Skip, and Jump

After lunch, it was the kids' turn to treat us to a tour of the Center's raptor rehabilitation facility, where injured and orphaned birds of prey are nursed through recovery and prepared for release back into the wild. In fact, we were able to witness the release of a beautiful great horned owl that had come to the Center as an orphaned owlet earlier this past summer. Director John Gallagher and his staff run a fascinating program that appeals to all ages with its message of responsible environmental education and decision-making.


...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

Outdoor Experiences for Urban Kids

Dateline: Pueblo, CO
The Colorado Tour

Boys and Girls Clubs Staff Training

On Wednesday, we crossed over the Continental Divide and followed the Arkansas River down from Poncha Springs to Pueblo where we had a date with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County. First, we ran a Leave No Trace Workshop for a couple of hours with an engaged group of Boys and Girls Club staff. One of the highlights was an ethics discussion during which staffers passionately elaborated on their pet-outdoor-activity-peeves. From fishing and picnicking to hiking and trail running, these folks shared both their appreciation for special outdoor places and their disappointment with inconsiderate trashing of these same places. These are complaints that most of us can recite, all of which could be avoided if we take time to reflect on the impacts of careless or thoughtless behaviors. These staff members were committed to pass on their Leave No Trace training to the kids that they teach and mentor in the Boys and Girls Clubs.

Under the Cottonwoods at the Nature and Raptor Center

Later that same afternoon we met with two groups of Boys and Girls Club members (ages 7-16) at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo (NRCP). Even though these 25 kids have had limited experience adventuring in the outdoor wilds, they jumped right into digging catholes, figuring out how to get into a bear-proof food canister, and practicing wildlife-watching rules of thumb. The NRCP is located in a readily accessible urban-wildlands interface, part of a diverse riparian ecosystem along the Arkansas River. It's a great place for these urban kids to experience the out-of-doors,

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

"Training" the Trainers

Dateline: Antonito, CO
The Colorado Tour

Aspens turning gold along the route in Southern Colorado

Many might wonder how we "train" as Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers... In Colorado, we have found one truly reliable "training" regimen, and that's on the historic narrow-gauge Cumbres & Toltec Railway from Antonito, CO to Chama, NM. Everyone on board got a serving of Leave No Trace (especially on the cultural heritage topics), including the LSU fans that we encountered from our hometown of Baton Rouge. The trip was highlighted by our race with a herd of 14 elk, which happily managed to cross the tracks just yards ahead of our engine as we barreled along at 12 mph.

Elk cross the tracks in the nick of time!

All aboard!

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

Not Just Good... They're Great!

Dateline: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Mosca, CO
The Colorado Tour

Mind boggling... it's just down right difficult to comprehend the scale of the massive dunes of sand at this place. Measuring 750 ft. above the surrounding San Luis Valley and covering thirty square miles, the Great Sand Dunes have astonished visitors throughout history. Now, count the Colorado Tour in that number...

This national park is staffed by a crew with exceptional esprit de corps. We were warmly welcomed by the entire staff, new rangers and veterans alike for our staff "Train the Trainer" program. We also were able to help celebrate National Public Lands Day at the park and participate in a service project. How appropriate for us: picking up trash along one of the scenic drives into the park. And you never know when random trash can be so useful...

Tin roofing trash provides personal ramada

...along the Colorado Trail,
Peggy and Barrett

No Trace: ASAP

Dateline: Alamosa, CO

The Colorado Tour

Adams State College has a terrific outdoor adventure program and is in the process of growing an academic minor in Outdoor Leadership. Located on the Rio Grande River with the San Juan Mountains to the west and Sangre De Cristo range to the north and east, the school is certainly well positioned for a wide variety of year-round adventure sports activities. 

Leave No Trace ASAP 

Our afternoon of campus outreach (we were in a high profile site next to the student center) was followed by an evening of training with staff and students of the Adams State Adventure Program (ASAP). Our workshop also included several folks from the Alamosa community... all told, it was an eager, engaged group of outdoor leaders.

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Colorado Tour Photo of the Week

Dateline: Ridgway, CO

The Colorado Tour

After the Rain at Ridgway State Park

Hawk's Eye View

Dateline: Telluride, CO

The Colorado Tour

Take a hawk’s eye view... that’s what the four 4^th grade classes at Telluride Elementary School do every year to study natural and cultural history of their hometown located in the heart of the San Juan Mountains.  Students and teachers will soon hike the popular Jud Wiebe (“wee-bee”) Trail in the Uncompahgre National Forest just as we did on a recent Sunday afternoon. Beginning at the eastern edge of Telluride, the trail climbs up sharply through aspen and spruce glades to a high alpine meadow perched over 1200 feet above the valley floor. At this height, the students will be able to clearly distinguish the U-shape of the glacially formed Telluride Valley with its hanging side valleys and waterfalls. And, they will look down on the 19^th Century mining town of Telluride and see the history of its development literally unfolding before their eyes. It’s a great perspective to experience and remember...

Courtney Childe, 4^th grade teacher and Leave No Trace practitioner, invited us to talk to the students about principles of outdoor ethics and planning ahead to make choices that minimize their impact on the Jud Wiebe Trail, as well as in all of their outdoor adventures.

…soaring above the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

High Times at Ridgway High

Dateline: Ridgway, CO

The Colorado Tour

Every afternoon when the students at Ridgway High School head out through the main doors of the school they take in a sweeping view of the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness Area, comprised of over a dozen craggy 13,000+ footers that surround the pre-eminent Mt. Sneffels at 14,150 feet. Now, that’s a “Wow” factor for sure to take your breath away, and it’s the sustenance of a fundamental appetite for outdoor adventure.

At Ridgway High, we met with two Outdoor Education classes and came away inspired by the students thoughtfulness and their inbred appreciation for a magnificent mountain landscape that they clearly don’t take for granted. In the midst of so much natural splendor, we were particularly impressed with the student’s awareness of the fragile and irreplaceable archaeological sites in the region, and how highly they value the cultural heritage in southwestern Colorado.

… along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett 

No Hitchhiking Allowed

Dateline: Hayden, CO

The Colorado Tour

It's little surprise that the invasion of aquatic nuisance species (ANS) is a major concern in Colorado’s lakes and waterways. These invasive species include non-native aquatic plants, animals, viruses, and pathogens that harm the native ecosystems and can have negative environmental and economic impacts on a massive scale. Zebra and quagga mussels are by far the worst of the ANS culprits, readily establishing a colony in lakes and waterways and capable of phenomenally rapid reproduction.

The outlook for ANS in Colorado is pretty dire, and public land managers are taking special precautions to guard against their spread. At Elkhead Reservoir in Yampa River State Park, we watched a ranger carefully inspect a visitor’s boat and trailer for the telltale signs of an ANS hitchhiker… It’s a clear case of the need to leave what you find where you find it! Our lakes and waterways can only be protected through every user’s awareness, education, vigilance, and good stewardship. Don’t let ANS be an unwelcome hitchhiker on your next outdoor adventure!

… along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Tales Told – Lessons Learned?

Dateline: Craig, CO

The Colorado Tour

We setup our camp at Yampa River State Park in the northwestern reaches of the state this week. This section of the Yampa River is an area of riparian meadows and forest bordered by sagebrush uplands, and is understandably rich in wildlife. To our pleasant surprise, we were awakened in the pre-dawn of each morning by the chortling noises made by migratory flocks Sandhill cranes. As a river corridor in an otherwise sparse, arid landscape, the park is very popular with fisherman, boaters, and birders.

During our stay we visited classes at both East Elementary and Sunset Elementary in the Moffat County School District, where we helped an active gaggle of 5^th graders plan ahead and prepare for an upcoming outdoor adventure. The group was gearing up for their own campout a few weeks hence at Yampa River State Park. We asked them to recall family outing experiences that were made particularly memorable by some oversight in trip planning, packing, unexpected change in the weather, wildlife encounter, or similar unanticipated challenges. Just like the rest of us, the kids had many stories to tell about such experiences, some of them pretty funny, but all of them good lessons to be remembered. We left them with good wishes for a successfully planned and pleasantly memorable adventure along the beautiful Yampa.

… along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Hands-On Learning at New Emerson

Dateline: Grand Junction, CO

The Colorado Tour

Curious minds and uninhibited enthusiasm greeted the Colorado Tour at Grand Junction’s New Emerson School.  We had a blast with students from kindergarten through fifth grade over the course of a full day of classroom visitations. The “Choose-the-Right-Path” savvy students taught us a catchy phrase when hiking in areas of the Colorado Plateau with super-sensitive cryptobiotic soils: “Don’t Bust the Crust!” In fact, it may take a lifetime for the crusty living soils to recover from one ill-placed step.

While at New Emerson, we also had an opportunity to visit the fascinating John McConnell Math and Science Center, where area students and families actively explore principles of science and engineering through hands-on encounters and experimentation; it was hard to pull Barrett away at the end of the day. We really appreciated the welcome provided by Principal Terry Schmalz and New Emerson's dedicated faculty.

…along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Grand Times in Grand Junction

Dateline: Grand Junction, CO

The Colorado Tour

Colorado National Monument

We discovered that Grand Junction is not only a historic crossroads of commerce and trade, but also a contemporary center of outdoor recreation. Ready access to river corridors and lakes, high desert and open prairie, and forested mountain wilderness position Grand Junction as a multi-season, multi-sport hub for the outdoor enthusiast. Consequently, it was a busy couple of days indeed for the Colorado Tour in the Grand Junction area. Outreach efforts took us to the Island Acres and Fruita Sections of James M. Robb - Colorado River State Park, along with an obligatory pilgrimage to Colorado National Monument. Awesome! We also made an evening presentation to an experienced audience of hikers and climbers at a meeting of the Colorado Mountain Club – Western Slope, who shared their best-not-forgotten tales of Leave No Trace-related experiences.

…along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

SOS for Youth

Dateline: Frisco, CO
The Colorado Tour

SOS Outreach is a dynamic international recreation program whose objective is to build character in youth (courage, wisdom, discipline, compassion and integrity) through outdoor adventure. A diverse cohort of SOS youth leaders gathered with us on a drizzly afternoon at the Frisco Community Center for Leave No Trace training. The group came together from all around the country to work with SOS, many of them as AmeriCorps volunteers. We especially felt kinship with those who, like us, had just arrived in Colorado to begin an exciting new chapter in their lives as trainers, educators, and mentors.  It was great to work with this experienced, thoughtful bunch of leaders, and we had energetic discussions about Leave No Trace principles from bonfires to bear canisters, and cat-holes to Biffy Bags. Thanks to Mikayla and Teresa from the Frisco Office of SOS Outreach for their efforts in organizing the session.

…along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett

Tune-In to "The Resource"

Dateline: Vail, CO
The Colorado Tour

Two high school students at the Vail Mountain School entertained a lunchtime gathering of students, teachers, and ourselves with their extemporaneous acting skills in a mock encounter of two hikers, each accompanied by their dog. One hiked with his dog on-leash, the other one traveled with faithful pup off-leash. The students practiced using "Authority of the Resource" as a strategy for teaching about negative impacts through a dialogue based on a common appreciation for the out-of-doors.

...along the Colorado Trail,

Peggy and Barrett