"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

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