More storm chasers

Local residents Mel Riley (top photo) and Connie Carpenter sent these photos in after our wild weather this week. They were posted on the staff photographers' blog, and I thought I'd share them here, too.

Top of Cheyenne mountain: lots of cool stuff

The Broadmoor's Cheyenne Mountain Lodge (pictured below in 1954) is on private land, so you can't visit it. And it was demolished in the 1970s, so there is only a foundation left. (Too bad, it's a great Mission Revival-style lodge. It reminds me of the main building at the zoo.) But there's plenty of other stuff to see on the mountain.
Like this old pump, along the McNeil Trail, which was used to pump water from a spring to the lodge. If you see this pump when looking for the Swisher trail, you've gone too far.
The Swisher trail climbs up, up, up until it finally empties into this gorgeous meadow. Doesn't look like you'd think Cheyenne Mountain would look, does it?
More aspen meadow, on the way to the old Swisher homestead.
Not much is left of the homestead cabin, but you will find this old wood stove on the edge of the meadow.

Grab Toto and get to the cellar!

Dani sent this in. A dramatic shot of Wednesday afternoon's storm, taken from Golden Bell Camp in Divide. Holy mackerel.

Dirty snow melts faster

According to the AP, a new study by Colorado scientists shows that dust stirred up by farming, grazing, mining and recreation in the Four Corners area blew onto the San Juan Mountains and caused the snow to melt 30 days earlier this spring.

Over the last few years, a few storms have brought a thin layer of red snow to the Rockies and front range. I can remember a storm of an inch or two leaving my car covered in a film of red dust after the snow melted.

Apparently, the dark-colored fine sand catches heat from the sun and melts the snow much faster.

Scientists say the dust is caused by farming and grazing in the southwest. Nodoubt part of it, but the Southwest seems to produce plenty of fine red dust without our help. It could be that this has been going on at some level for thousands or millions of years.

Angry clouds above GM Falls

Out There friend Zen sent this photo last night (didn't see it till now, my Internet connect was down), taken as he was driving west on Hwy 24 around Green Mountain Falls. (Seems he and Dave were passing each other on the highway.)

Zen is a trained weather spotter. He says the cloud formation above the yellow & black arrow looked "awfully suspicious," but "could have just been what they call "scud" - but there seemed to be a lot of rotation too."

There was still a lot of hail in my yard when I got home to Manitou about 7:45. Until last night I thought I could get by another year before painting the house. Now, I'm not so sure! The garden looks beat up, but it'll survive.

On another note: Do you see the orangutan in the clouds?

Tornado up the pass?

Dave just called as he was driving down 24 from Woodland Park. He says he was looking at a funnel cloud over Chipita Park and saw another up around Divide. And it was hailing like a sonofagun. Anyone taking photos?

I saw a funnel could forming over Cedar Heights a few summers ago, but it never touched down. I never thought I'd see that sort of storm over the mountains, but old-timers say a tornado has touched down in Manitou. Wild.

Look for updates on gazette.com. And send your pix! dena.rosenberry@gazette.com or dave.philipps@gazette.com

What's in bloom

The barrage of wild flowers continues. On a hike up Chyenne Mountain Monday we saw several. Also, Tuesday in Stratton open space I saw more sego lillies than I've ever seen. Stunning.

Wild Iris

Yellow Pea

Blue Columbine

Spotted Coralroot (a tiny type of orchid)

Wild geranium

Sego lily

Off-roading outdoorsfolks

(Photo of an Outlander from www.atv.info -- not a trail at Bonny Lake)

As officials contemplate closing some areas of the state to off-roaders one area has been set aside. This, from state parks:

OHV area open at Bonny Lake State Park

IDALIA, Colo. — Bonny Lake State Park has opened an area for off- highway vehicle (OHV) use for 4-wheelers, 3-wheelers and dirt bikes. The area is in the northeast section of the park, adjacent to the North Cove campground in the dry lake bottom of North Cove.

There's about 150 acres with natural jumps and ridges. A half-mile trail has been established to improve shore-fishing access to the north end of the Bonny Lake Dam.

The new OHV area will be open daily from 8 a.m. to sundown until Oct. 31. All OHVs must have a current and valid OHV registration, which is available at the Bonny Lake Park Office. You can't ride into the park, though, you have to haul in.

And all riders must wear helmets and eye protection.

The rock climbing show

Interesting tidbit compiled by volunteers at The Pioneers Museum from old Gazettes appeared in the Gazette Monday: 50 years ago today Fort Carson stopped giving public rock climbing demonstrations. Carson is where the 10th Mountain Division was stationed for several years, and where much of the army's alpine techniques were developed. They used to climb extensively on the crumbly rock in North Cheyenne Canyon. Today, climbers on certain routes can still tie into huge eye-bolts presumably set by Uncle Sam. At the Parking area for Middle Columbine Trail, hikers can also scramble up to see "The Amphitheater," an outdoor classroom with what where once rows of benches facing a cliff. I assume this is where the demonstrations were. I've seen old photos of the mountain troops setting up ziplines across the canyon. Anyone know more about the history of those early climbing days? Perhaps we should hold a seance to contact Robert Ormes.

The eagle has landed

In what is likely to be hailed as one of the greatest conservation success stories of the last 50 years, sources have told the Audubon Society that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is poised to finalize the delisting of the bald eagle from ‘threatened’ status under the Endangered Species Act.

After having gone nearly extinct in the lower 48 after hunting and widespread use of DDT, populations have risen in EVERY state.

The bear came over the mountain

Teresa and Neal Taylor, the Barr Camp caretakers wrote Sunday to say "Barr Camp was “Bear” Camp for a while today. With hundreds of hikers on Barr Trail on any given day, a bear is a rare sight. There is the occasional early morning sighting on the lower section near Manitou Springs. Here at the camp we have had one visit per year in the last two years. Today we had a reminder that we are indeed in bear country and people should not be complacent with food storage. A large cinnamon colored black bear dined for about an hour at a camp site about 100 yards from Barr Camp. The host that offered up his food could only watch and wait along with the rest of us, for no noise makers, yelling, or whistling was going to detract this bruin from his lunch. When he was finished he ambled off into the forest."
Trail users and hikers should be aware of this recent sighting in the area of Barr Camp. If you are camping in the area please take precautions with your food storage and cleanup.

Get out and go, Girls!

The Outdoor Industry Foundation released its "The Next Generation of Outdoor Participants Report – 2007" yesterday.

I only see one thing shocking in the overview: Activity among girls 6-17 dropped sharply.

That's the time to get kids out trying sports and finding activities they love and will continue with throughout their lives. Parents, we really need to do a better job!

The report is based on a survey of more than 60,000 Americans ages 6 and older.

Other findings:

• Participation by all ages has been steady over time in the five “gateway” outdoor activities that attract the most participants: Bicycling (any type), Camping (backyard, car or RV), Fishing (any type), Hiking (day), Running/ jogging/ trail running

• As we get older we participate in fewer outdoor activities and for less time.

• Although the vast majority of Americans of all ages are trying outdoor activities, only 26% of participants engaged in one of 35 select outdoor activities two times a week or more over the last year.

• Boys' activity remains steady until they're 17-18, at which time their activity drops.

• Skateboarders age 6-24 are more than twice as likely to bicycle (any type) than those of the same age who do not skateboard. (If they're like me at that age, at the very least they have to ride to get to the skatepark!)

To see the entire report, check the group's Web site.

Today in Out There we ran a story about a new zipline park near Salida. Zipping is a perfect tourist sport: fast, fun and easy. No wonder ziplines are propagating in tourist areas around the world.

Here's a tour of them. Click each location for video.

Turu Ba Ri Park in Costa Rica (one of the first)

Skyline Adventure in Maui, HI

Ketchikan, AK

Whistler, BC, the longest in North America

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico

Belize

100 miles of fun

I guess it depends on your definition of fun...

Racers are prepping for this weekend's 100-mile Western States Endurance Run, which begins at Squaw Valley, Calif. (6,200 feet) , and climbs 2,550 vertical feet in the first 4.5 miles up Emigrant Pass (8,750 feet).

From there runners follow trails used by the gold and silver miners of the 1850s and climb another 15,540 feet and descend 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn, Calif.

The race starts at 5 a.m. Saturday and runners have till 11 a.m. Sunday to officially finish.

Check out race the Web site to learn more about the event, follow this year's race, do a GoogleEarth flyover of the course, or volunteer to help or run next year. Lots of runners look for pacers, which might be a good way to get a feel for the race before running it.

4 1/2 months til ski season!

As it approaches an estimated 90 degrees today, Breckenridge shares this news:

Breck will open for the 2007-08 season on Nov. 9 -- with terrain and lifts open on Peak 9.

The cloud finally moved

For lovers of Google Earth (and who couldn't love such an awesome and free program), it's been frustrating to see the summit of Pikes Peak covered by a cloud for well over a year. Now the cloud has moved You can finally get a clear view.

Also: a note on Barr Trail conditions. You'll hit the first snow patch not far after bottomless pit, but won't hit anything big until the last mile. People report a slushy trail has been made through the biggest snowfields. And it's melting quick.

Reeling in the roads

The Gazette had a story today about a new management plan for the BLM land east of Salida. The plan calls for an end to "open travel." That means jeeps, ATVs and mountain bikes can no longer go where ever they please. They now have to stick to designated routes. It's a sign of the times. Where once there wasn't enough use to justify regulation, now recreation of all kinds has exploded. If we want to preserve our public lands, we all need to tread lightly and abide by some new rules. Or cut the population back to 1950 levels.

It's fun but dangerous

As thrilling as kayaking and rafting can be, you have to remember you're in the wild.

A woman from Omaha on a commercial rafting trip with her husband and 3 kids died over the weekend on the Arkansas. She drowned. The raft flipped in rough water. Raquel Stiles was the only one who didn't make it to shore. Someone in a nearby raft pulled her from the river and performed CPR but could not revive her.

Just something you have to remember.

Race Across America

Monday at about this time local cyclist Rob Lucas - Ultra Rob - e-mailed to say that unless something went wrong Jure Robic would win his 3rd RAAM. He had about 110 miles to go and his nearest competitor was about 100 miles behind.

And so he did, cycling from Oceanside, CA, to Atlantic City, NJ, 8 days, 19 hours and 33 minutes.

My quads ache just thinking about it. And my backside. And my back. And my shoulders. And...

Bears and campsites don't mix

You've probably heard the awful news about the 11-year-old boy who was dragged from his tent and killed by a black bear over the weekend in Utah.

It's a bit drier there than here right now, but the Division of Wildlife warns we all should take precautions when visiting bear country.

And we're in bear country. (DOW photo of a bear with Tom Beck.)

"Bears are built to eat and their sense of smell is incredible," said the DOW's Mark Caddy. "They can smell food from miles away and they'll travel to find it."

Follow these tips from the DOW to preserve yourself and the bears:
++ Keep a clean site and clean up thoroughly after every meal
++ After grilling meat allow the fire to continue until the scraps and grease are burned completely off the grill.
++ When you are not eating or preparing a meal, store food inside locked vehicles, in a bear-proof container away from your camp site, or hang your food high between two trees.
++ Do not eat in your tent or keep food in your tent.
++ Store scraps and garbage in a secure container or vehicle.

If you see a bear in a campground, call the local DOW office as soon as possible.

If you come in close contact with a bear:
++ Talk to it firmly and make yourself look as large as possible.
++ Back away slowly, don't run.

More blooming beauties

Out There friend Rhonda Van Pelt was working on a trail in Aiken Canyon on Saturday. She says there's an amazing display of wildflowers, and she sent these pix.



This looks like a mountain bluebell in my book. It's pretty and fairylike, regardless. No, says OT friend Zen, they're "Leather Flower in the genus Clematis L. which are in the buttercup family."



The paintbrush is really vibrant set against these tiny violet blooms. Rhonda says when she was a kid they called them wild snapdragons. Our friend Zen says: "Based on the leaf structure, the one labeled snapdragon looks an American Vetch sometimes called a Climbing Vetch. Vetches are in the pea family and there are tons of variations making it very difficult to get an exact identification."




Aiken Canyon can use some more friends like Rhonda. Workdays are the third Saturdays of the month. Rhonda says the gang meets at the visitors center between 8 and 8:30 a.m. and heads out with tools (furnished) about 9 a.m. They get back about noon and enjoy a potluck lunch with plenty of beverages (adult and otherwise).

Forgot to label the prickly poppy. Purdy.


How to find Aiken Canyon: From Interstate 25, take exit 135 (Academy Boulevard) to get to Highway 115. Go south 11.5 miles to Turkey Canyon Ranch Road (0.1 mile south of milepost 32, across the highway from the sign for the Turkey Canyon Recreation Area). Turn right (west) and drive 200 yards to the preserve parking area on the right, and watch for the Nature Conservancy sign

Wooing USA cycling

There is an interesting story in the Gazette today about how a moribund rustbelt town in Pennsylvania, so impoverished that it had to close its hospital and lay off its police force this year, plans to try to build an indoor velodrome to woo USA cycling away from Colorado Springs as part of a $125 million redevelopment project. Wikipedia calls the town of Brownsville "the ultimate depiction of how the decline of industry and the rise of suburbanization has destroyed the small American downtown." It's almost totally abandoned.
A spokesman from USA cycling said the chance of moving is "very, very slim."

Poor Brownsville, PA. It should set its sights on something lower. Like anything. How 'bout a Starbucks?

Colin Fletcher dies

Colin Fletcher, author of "The Complete Walker" and "The Man Who Walked Through Time" and the person many consider to be the father of modern backpacking, died June 12 of natural causes at the Community Hospital of Monterrey Peninsula, Calif. He was 85.
Read the New York Times obit HERE.
Many a Baby Boomer learned backpacking philosophy from his books. I (not a Baby Boomer) read The Man Who Walked Through Time, about his traverse of the Grand Canyon, several times.
To call him the father of modern backpacking, though, it too dated. His school of backpacking, which involves a pile of equipment, is quickly giving way to the ultra-light school or "carry less, enjoy more."
Either way, he was an excellent, entertaining author and a man who loved the wilderness.
Happy trails.

Most popular trail

Limited access and the fact there's no meandering probably make the incline seem more popular than it is. Still, this is Ruxton Ave. on Sunday morning just before 8.

These cars don't belong to cog railway patrons nor Ruxton residents nor folks waiting for the dinner show at the Iron Springs Chateau. These cars ferried people to the incline and Barr Trail.

That's a LOT of people. And dogs.

Did anyone find a place that wasn't packed over the weekend? I'd say summer, which officially arrives Thursday, is here.

And raccoons can climb

There I was, out in the garden, laying more mulch and pulling weeds in the last minutes of daylight when I felt the stare from the raspberry bushes.

A large raccoon sauntered out. Then 3 babes. My son and I talked watched them awhile then went into the house for a camera.





Later they reappeared out from underneath the next-door neighbor's deck - Mama and 5 babes - climbing the apricot tree and ...





learning to climb stairs the hard way. Typical kids.

I've asked them kindly to not dig up the grass and flowers. We'll see.

Bats can swim... a little

Add little brown bat rescue to the list of weekend activities. I was sitting on a gravel bank along the Arkansas River just below the Pueblo dam. My wife and a summer intern and I may or may not have been drinking Coors Light. When suddenly, my wife saw a bat pass by doing a pathetic doggy paddle. Our theory was that he swooped too low while hunting and hit the deck. Bats can't take off from the ground, and they certainly can't take off from the water, so this guy was totally up the creek. My wife waded in, scooped him up on her hat, then we walked over to a nearby tree, put the hat next to a limb, and watched the little guy crawl right up.

P.S. Look at this guy's climbing hooks. Watching a bat climb is fairly impressive.

Animals on the loose

Watch gazette.com for news of zebras on the loose in the Springs. Huh?

Yep, the circus is in town.

Good thing it was zebras and not lions or tigers - oh my!

Save $ on a raft trip

For an e-mail discount from Whitewater Encounter, click here.

For a whole list of other Salida/Buena Vista area raft discounts, click here.

Just don't try to save money on renting a wet suit. Do it. Even if it's hot out, the water is cold. You'll enjoy it more if you're in a squishy, warm wetsuit.

The hermit has landed

Running up Barr Trail yesterday evening, I heard one of my favorite high mountain summer songs -- the lilting Auria of the hermit thrush. This little brown, spotted bird isn't much to look at, and (as name implies) isn't seen much anyway. It prefers deep forest cover, rarely venturing out into the light, except during migration.

I once held one of these little guys in my hand at a banding station at Chico Basin Ranch. It was so light and delicate, and it's heart was beating so fast. It was hard to believe this little guy could produce such a deep, slow, mournful descending song.

For me, its a song that conjures up walks alone through the deep woods in summer. And of course, a favorite Robert Frost poem.

Come In

As I came to the edge of the woods,

Thrush music -- hark!

Now if it was dusk outside,

Inside it was dark.

Too dark in the woods for a bird

By sleight of wing

To better its perch for the night,

Though it still could sing.

The last of the light of the sun

That had died in the west

Still lived for one song more

In a thrush's breast.

Far in the pillared dark

Thrush music went --

Almost like a call to come in

To the dark and lament.

But no, I was out for stars;

I would not come in. I

meant not even if asked;

And I hadn't been.

It's a boy

And it's a condor.
An Andean condor has hatched at the Denver Zoo - only the second to hatch at a zoo anywhere in the world in the last year.

There are estimated to be only a few thousand of the giant birds in the wild (74 live in captivity in North America).

The condor likely will stay with its parents a couple of years before being shipped off for breeding.

A mature condor has a wingspan of 11 feet and stands about 4 feet tall. They generally grow to about 30 pounds and can live up to 50 years.

Race Across America

Out There friend and Springs resident Rob Lucas, who rode about halfway across the country in last year's race before succombing to injury, reminds us the race is under way - and the top riders have crossed the Rockies.

Check out Rob's regular updates at his blog.

The software engineer is linking to shops and compiling info on gear on his Web site, in an effort to bring in a bit more cash - he hopes to enter RAAM (Oceanside, CA to Atlantic City, NJ) again next year. I haven't used the site, but it looks worth checking out.

Night rider unite!

This Saturday is the Starlight Spectacular, one of the coolest, quirkiest events in town. Ride through the city in the middle of the night, ending at Garden of the Gods for a big breakfast. Entry fees benefit the Trails and Open Space Coalition. For info, visit www.starlightspectacular.org

Don't touch that bird!

The DOW recently sent another release warning people against meddling with wildlife, especially babies that look "lost" or "abandoned"

So when I awoke to screeching just before 5 yesterday - screeching that continued all morning, my son says - I wondered what was up. I popped out to get the paper about 5:30 and there it was, a young blue jay, fluttering its fluffy wings, trying to fly. Ma and Pa jay screeching from the porch railing and the side gate.

They had a fit when they saw our cats (Black Maul, here) staring at them, inches away.

Then calmed down a bit once they realized our cats couldn't get outside.

Then there was nothing they could do and nothing we could do but wait. The babe spent the day hidden among the lavender and mint in the front garden. I hoped it would keep quiet, cuz lots of cats peruse the neighborhood.

All was quiet last night, but the screeching started again today. I hope the babe can fly soon!

The DOW's Chad Morgan said if you can easily reach a nest, you can pick up a baby bird and place it safely back inside. I think I'd do that only if there was imminent danger - the stress from an attack by a cat or dog is enough to kill a babe.

"It’s best to let nature take its course," Morgan said.

A normal year (whatever that means) on Everest

Summitpost.org has a good season recap for this year's Mt. Everest climbs. Author sums it up as a "normal year" with "good" weather, a record number of summiters (456) and of course, a few deaths. Read it here.

Crackdown on illegal races?

A few weeks ago I reported on an adventure race that organizers called a "non-race," explaining that they would have to get permits and insurance if it was actually a race. Instead, they called it a training event. "It's no different from going on a group ride with your friends," organizers said.
After the story ran, a local mountain bike race organizer wrote a letter to the editor saying these "non-races" would spoil the chances of being able to run real races. Meanwhile, he hasn't been able to successfully plan a real race in years because of all the money it takes to get permits, insurance, etc.
So many bureaucratic barriers have been thrown up in the course of races that unofficial races, spread mostly by word of mouth, have been popping up more and more in the region.
Jason Blevins, the Denver Post outdoor sports writer has an interesting story yesterday about the same phenomenon. This time in Fruita. And this time, the BLM (which, in Fruita, ironically, doesn't have the greatest relationship with bikers) showed up and issued citations.

It's a interesting issue: is it right to regulate group events to the point where they are very difficult to put on? And if so, how are you going to stop people from gathering informally? For example, is there a legal way to sanction 50 people who get together to race in Cheyenne Canyon, when hundreds of people do it individually every day?

Snow on the peak

I just glimpsed it briefly as the summit's cloudy skirts lifted for a second, but above treeline is totally covered in white. The Pikes Peak summit cam is caked with snow. If it clears up at all today it would be a great day to take a spin up the Pikes Peak Highway and show Uncle Eugene visiting from Arkansas some real Colorado weather.

Here's a way to cool off

Head to the river!

Gaz writer Andy Wineke hits the rapids every chance he can get. Usually in a kayak. But he'll focus a bit more on rafting - specifically on the Arkansas through Browns Canyon - in Friday's Out There. Don't miss his blow by blow look at the river with Stew Pappenfort, who's worked as a ranger and guide in the area for 31 years.

Don't that photo just make ya go "awwwww."

Keystone opens for the season

Keystone's lift-served downhill mountain bike season kicks off this Friday June 15 with the debut of "Money," a new downhill mountain bike trail featuring berms and 22 tabletop jumps. Five additional downhill trails are set to open during Keystone's summer mountain biking season.

I'm not sure if they call the trail "Money" because the mountain is so busy spending it or making it. A summer bike season passes is $229 for weekday access (Monday - Friday) and $269 for unlimited access. Ouch.

A daily bike haul ticket is $30 for all-day access and $18 for one ride/run. Ouch.

The other alternative is to pedal your ass up the mountain. Ouch. Ouch. Ouch.

Still enough snow on Pikes to trap people

A missing mountain biker returned home safely on his own after search and rescue crews scoured the Elk Park Trail area of Pikes Peak all night looking for him. He had been lost since Sunday. The man called El Paso County Sheriff's Office when he felt he was in trouble.
Deputies had been following his tire tracks in the snow for most of the night, but lost them at some point early this morning.
Just after losing site of his tracks, Search and Rescue got a call from the missing man. He had apparently made his way home safely on his own, then called authorities to let them know. The man has been identified as 47-year-old Joe Mullally of Colorado Springs.

The problem with the Elk Park Trail, according to a local biker, is that the trail is clear at the start because it is above tree line. It's not until you are a mile or so and a thousand feet lower that you get into the trees and realize that there's a LOT of snow.

You had to see it coming...

Backpacker Magazine is moving its headquarters to Boulder.
According the the Boulder Business Report, the outdoor magazine with a circulation of 340,000 is expected to move from Pennsylvania sometime this summer, sources say.
California-based Active Interest Media Inc., which has offices in Boulder, purchased Backpacker from Rodale. AIM also publishes Southwest Art, American Cowboy and the Wild Oats Magazine through its Boulder offices.
It is unclear how many of Backpacker's Pennsylvania staff is moving to Boulder. AIM said in a press release that Editor in Chief Jonathan Dorn is remaining with the magazine.

Conditions in the Collegiate Peaks: a bit snowy but warm

Metro reporter Scott Rappold climbed Mount Princeton Monday. He gives us this report:
Road was totally snow-free, and the trail was almost completely free of snow. Had to pass through maybe a half-dozen shallow snow fields, none more than 50 feet wide (pic no. 27 is one such section) and no snow at all on the final rise to the summit. A little bit on the top to collapse into. And more proof it's summer: As if on cue, right at 1 p.m., a nasty thunderstorm moved through.

Shameless self-promotion

Next Tuesday the Colorado Mountain Club with hold a presentation by Eric Hunter on a trip I took with him and others to recreate Zeb Pike's 1806 attempt of Pikes Peak. Here's the info:

To commemorate that historic trek and to honor the 200th anniversary of Pike’s attempt, eight local hikers set out last November to retrace the route of Pike’s final days toward that magnificent peak.
Their journey – over three days, 30 miles and an accumulated elevation gain of 10,000 feet to the summit of Pikes Peak – is the topic of the June meeting of CMC’s Pikes Peak Group.
Please join us for this presentation by PPG member Eric Hunter at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, at All Souls Unitarian Church, 730 N. Tejon St.

Wrangle over the Roan

Now Ritter's involved. In the on-going battle over whether Colorado's Roan Plateau should be protected as a roadless area or developed for natural gas, Governor Bill Ritter has told the federal government to knock it off.

According to the Associated Press, Ritter Monday lashed out at the federal government's decision to move ahead with new energy development on the Roan Plateau, pledging in a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to support legislation restricting any immediate development.

On Friday the BLM gave final approval to a plan authorizing up to 1,570 new natural gas wells on the plateau, a western Colorado landmark prized for both its large reserves of gas and oil shale and wildland qualities.

The announcement came a day after Jim Hughes, acting BLM director, rejected Ritter's request for 120 days to comment on the Roan Plateau management plan. Hughes wrote in the June 6 letter that the plan was seven years in the making and that the BLM worked closely with the Colorado Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies.Ritter, who took office in January, said the decision not to give his administration time to do its own review "undermines efforts to build what should be a cooperative federal/state relationship."

Ritter joins both Colorado senators, several local governments on the Western Slope, and a broad coalition of hunters and conservationists in questioning the project.

I'm no longer proud of anything I've accomplished

14ers.com has a thread today where a proud dad posted pictures of his 5-year-old son climbing Naranjo de Bulnes in Spain. The easiest route on this peak is 5.8. Wow.

Six flags, L. L. Bean

According to articles from both the Associated Press and Portland Press Herald, L.L. Bean plans to develop a theme park adventure center near its Freeport, Maine, flagship store. The park, built on 700 acres that the company owns about one mile from its store, will feature lodging and dining facilities, and feature activities such as biking, fishing, kayaking, rock climbing and snowshoeing.

The Maine-based company known for monogrammed tote bags and uber-Caucasian clothing is, some say, seeking to capitalize on and generate more store traffic and hopefully drive sales using a model that both Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops have found successful. L.L. Bean will use, the reports stated, its experiences gleaned from years of running its Outdoor Discovery Schools program in the adventure park's development. According to the Associated Press story, company representatives insist that their planned development is in no way a response to Cabela's recently announced plans to develop a 125,000-square-foot store in Scarborough -- 25 miles from Freeport.

It brings up an interesting point: with more and more comerce heading to the 'Net, shopping has to be about more than just getting what you need, in order to get people into the store. I suggest maple syrup snow cones and a whirling tote bags ride.

Progress at Cheyenne Mtn.

Dropped by Cheyenne Mountain State Park yesterday to hike a few more miles and see how construction is progressing. This top photo is the north end of Blackmer Loop. The trail quickly drops into the trees on the far side of this meadow. Winds and dips among oak and pine.


Definitely looks like camping could open later this summer, as projected. Other facilites are a ways off. But they sure look nice. This is a typical picnic site. Tent sites look similar, with a designated pad for your tent.

The park is still open weekends only. There were crews up there working Sunday. It's worth visiting, but call ahead or check the Web site to make sure it's open.

Rangers/naturalists were packing up a presentation on animals - like the skins and skulls hands-on display we've touted up at Mueller. Only a dozen cars in the lot, but I was told visits were steady all weekend.

We took Coyote Run to Boulder Run to Raccoon Ridge and the start of Acorn Alley back to Boulder and then returned to the lot via Blackmer Loop and Medicine Wheel. Boulder Run lives up to its name - a rocky trail. Blackmer is a beaut and Medicine Wheel looks like it'd be a kick on a mountain bike. It was fun to hike, too. This photo is from the west end of Medicine Wheel, before it becomes more of a singletrack trail.

Next time we'll head out Talon to North and South Talon trails.

Coyote gunners die in plane crash

On Friday, two federal wildlife agents crashed in Utah while aerial gunning coyotes from a low-flying plane.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. Critics have said aerial gunning is inherently unsafe as pilots are often distracted, and because they fly at low altitudes, there is little room for error. Pilots have flown into trees, land formations, and even power lines. See TV Footage of Downed Plane at http://kutv.com/topstories/local_story_152141847.html
Since 1989, Wildlife Services has crashed at least 25 helicopters or planes while aerial gunning, resulting in at least 9 fatalities and 34 injuries. The USDA’s aerial gunning accidents have occurred in California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Montana, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming—although the program operates in all Western states. The federal program spends millions of dollars, to kill predators in ranching areas.
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In FY 2005, Wildlife Services killed 34,056 animals by aerial gunning: 2 badgers, 247 bobcats, 2 domestic cats, 27,033 coyotes, 154 red foxes, 53 grey wolves, and 1 Mexican wolf.

The South's weight will rise again

The Mountain states (MT, ID, WY, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV) are the fittest in the country according to a recent poll. The south is the least fit.

The mountain west totaled highest for six fitness activities surveyed in the latest NSGA reports. With a totaled index of 669, the Mountain states outranked the Pacific states and New England, both with indices of 624.The six fitness activities included in this analysis were aerobic exercising, exercising with equipment, exercise walking, running/jogging, weightlifting and workout at club.

At the other end of the scale, the West South Central states (AR, LA, OK, TX) and the East South Central states (KY, TN, AL, MS) (home to the pictured Rev. Jerry Falwell) had the lowest totaled indices -- 539 and 540 respectively.

Drilling on the Roan

From the AP:

Federal land managers today authorized up to 1,570 new natural gas wells over the next 20 years on the Roan Plateau.

The Bureau of Land Management decision covers 73,602 acres — federal land on the top and sides of the plateau. Some wells have already been drilled on private land.

Some Coloradans, including two congressmen, have called for a moratorium on drilling on the Roan Plateau over concerns about damage to the environment and to hunting and other activities.

To read about wildlife on the plateau, read this story Dave wrote for Out There.

A second decision will be issued after a 60-day comment period on areas considered to have critical environmental concerns, or about 30 percent of the federal land. BLM officials said that decision was delayed because the areas weren’t adequately
described.

BLM spokesman David Boyd said it would likely be six months at the earliest before any leases are offered.

Hike Palmer Park

One more reason to get out into our beautiful parks today - unless you're already on your way into the mountains for an overnight:

Former Gazetteer and local photog Rhonda Van Pelt took these shots of a yucca in bloom and playing host to ladybugs following a hike Thursday in Palmer Park. (Steve Garufi, who takes photos wherever he goes in Colorado, has plenty of shots there on his site, in case you've never been.)

Wondering where to wander? Check this trail map.

Wolf Creek on hold

From the AP:

A planned ski village should remain on hold long enough to give environmental groups a chance to have their lawsuit seeking to block construction heard in court, a federal magistrate recommended.

Federal Magistrate Judge David West recommended that a preliminary injunction blocking the development at the base of the Wolf Creek ski area be extended until the lawsuit by Colorado Wild and the San Luis Valley Ecosystem Council moves through court.

A preliminary injunction was set to expire June 15.

“Obviously, this is good news after three years,” said Brad Bartlett, a Durango attorney representing the environmental groups.

Bartlett conceded that it “could be a while” before the groups’ lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service makes it to court.

The Village at Wolf Creek could eventually include 222,100 square feet of commercial space and enough housing for up to 10,500 people.

Flora and fauna of Hogback Valley Trail

Here's a few pix to entice you out onto a trail today or this weekend.
After your initial climb up the gravel road from the 31st Street parking lot (we're talking Red Rock Canyon, here), this is the signpost you'll see on your left:

This was a few weeks ago. I'm sure it's greener today. If you go, let us know. I'll try to stop by on my way in for a fresh look.

Desert plume

Looks like paintbrush to me.

These two were just off the trail. It always pays to take your eyes off the path ahead and look around.

You don't see as many lizards here as you do hiking Southern California. I miss 'em. So I had to get a shot of this guy, doing his pushups.

Try these getaways

Are you like me - so ready for a weekend (even a night!) away you're ready to burst!?

Check out Friday's Out There section (well, you'll have to do it Friday morning). Dave compiled a list of quick getaways. These are tranquil spots with trailheads within a hour's drive of Springs downtown.

Use the pack light tips from last week, grab a friend and a couple of cold ones, and JUST GO!

OK, OK. Here's a tease, in case you can snag a day off Friday (it's supposed to be gorgeous):

LIMBAUGH CANYON
Round trip: 4 miles (with 4WD vehicle)

One of the many hidden delights in Rampart Range, this secluded canyon, where Monument Creek is born, is an easy way for hikers near Monument to get away in a spot without off-roading.

To get there: From I-25 take exit 161 at Monument. Drive west through the town of Monument about 0.7 miles to Mitchell Avenue. Turn left and drive about 0.7 miles to Mount Herman Road. Turn right and drive about 5 miles. The road will turn to gravel and become slightly rough. Drive less than a quarter-mile past the trailhead to Mount Herman trailhead to a pull-off on the right that is the start of Forest Trail 715.

The walk: Walk north up a broad, steep trail to a saddle in less than a quarter-mile. Drop north of the saddle on an obvious singletrack trail that winds down into a lush valley. In about 1.5 miles, the trail enters a long meadow along Monument Creek. Look for camping spots in the aspen.

Picket Wire out of artillery range?

There's a meeting tonight about Army plans for Pinon Canyon (and the Picket Wire Canyon dinosaur tracksite). Andy Wineke wrote about the area in the Out There section May 25.

Gaz military reporter Tom Roeder will go tonight and write a story for Friday's paper. Expect to see on the front page, if there's news. I hear the meeting involves a map. Here's a little more about the issue.

The AP has a story stating Sen. Wayne Allard says the Army doesn't need to condemn land for Pinon Canyon.

That just means people are willing to sell, not that the Army isn't moving in.

Allard said he was told the training site would not cut off Colorado 350, which
connects La Junta and Trinidad, nor would it include the town of Kim and the
Comanche National Grasslands.

Cheyenne Mtn State Park may get namesake

Guess I should have gone to Wednesday's afternoon budget meeting. Then I could have told you yesterday that officials think they've come up with the winning plan to make Cheyenne Mountain part of Cheyenne Mountain State Park.

Dave reported on negotiations and a looming sale deadline a few weeks ago.

Gaz reporter Scott Rappold picked up the story yesterday, in Dave's absence. Here's the latest.

Urban deer hunters

Did you see this?

A plan for sharpshooters to shoot 300 deer in Helena, Montana. Apparently there are so many deer roaming the streets and gardens they need to cull 300 mule deer. That'll leave about 380 deer in town, city commissioners say.

Helena has a population of about 30,000. Another 20,000 or so live in the surrounding area. That DOES seem like a lotta deer.

Some residents offered to shoot the deer themselves. Some wanted the deer to be trapped and moved elsewhere. Worry about spreading disease nixed that idea. It'll be August, they say, before state officials rule on the plan.

endangered wolverine

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is studying whether wolverines should be
classified as endangered.

Enviro groups have submitted petitions supporting the move, in past.

The agency will take public comments through Aug. 6.

The wolverine, the largest land species of the weasel family, has thick brown fur with lighter brown or blonde fur along its sides. Adults are about the same size as a medium dog, weighing 17 to 40 pounds. They have large feet for crossing snow and strong jaws so it can feed on frozen carrion and bones.

Wolverines are thought to exist primarily in the northern Rockies — Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and possibly California. They’re secretive and live in rugged and remote country.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife considered restoring wolverines along with lynx.
So far it's only working with lynx, though a DOW spokesman said nothing's off the table.

Race for the Mountains

Training for the Ascent or Marathon? How about heading up to Breck on June 24 for a trainer, the first ever Race for the Mountains. It's a charity for friends of Out There, the Central Asia Institute, aided by Greg Mortenson.

Greg and the CAI have built 58 schools for kids and a dozen vocational schools for women in Central Asia.

There's a 10-mile trail race for elite runners, a 5K flat race for rec runners and a fun run for kids.

Check it out at Mountain to Mountain. Register at Active.com.

Water bottles OK at survival school

We've posted a few times on this incident, in which an apparently healthy man died during a survival course last summer in the Utah desert.

Here's the latest development, from the Associated Press:

SALT LAKE CITY — A wilderness-survival school is allowing campers to carry a 32-ounce water bottle instead of a smaller cup during a grueling course in southern Utah, a change from last year when a New Jersey man died of dehydration.

“They’re allowed to carry them and drink as they go,” said Andrew Wright, an attorney for the Boulder Outdoor Survival School, known as BOSS.

Dave Buschow, 29, (shown in photo) collapsed and died on the second day of a 28-day expedition in the searing heat of the Utah desert in July 2006.

Participants were given a 24-ounce cup and told to drink water only from natural sources, such as streams, canyon pools or underground springs. But guides didn’t find any water for roughly 10 hours.

The U.S. Forest Service, citing Buschow’s death, partially suspended the school’s use of Dixie National Forest until the school got advice on providing food and water.

The agency lifted the suspension May 25 after the school filed a new operating plan that allows a 32-ounce bottle for “obtaining and transporting water” during the early phase of the field course and two bottles during later stages.

“It certainly was a notable change. ... We received an operating plan that was acceptable,” said the Forest Service’s Rob Hamilton, who oversees the Colorado-based school’s permit.

BOSS’ next 28-day course costs $3,215 and starts Sunday in Garfield County, 250 miles south of Salt Lake City.

...

While drinking from a stream on the morning of his death, Buschow was seen with a bottle and told by instructors to put it away. He became delusional as hours passed in the hot sun and never was told about emergency water carried by guides.

The River Vale, N.J., man died with a guide at his side, less than 100 yards from a pool of water. ...

Do you love Red Rock Canyon?

Show it.
Join the Springs parks people and construct a trail Saturday. Get there by 7:30 a.m.

Parks people will bring tools and know-how. REI folks provide food and water.

All you need to do is dress for hard work and potential rain. Take work gloves, sunscreen, and a hat.

You'll work till the group runs out of project, energy, daylight, or workable weather.

Register at REI, 1376 Woodmen Road. For info: 260-1455.

(Photo by local photog Rhonda Van Pelt)

Not quite ready to hit the trails?

Whether you're brushing up or learning fresh, you're sure to learn something at the Backpacking 101 seminar at 7 p.m. Thursday at REI, 1376 E. Woodmen Road.

On the agenda: choosing a pack, clothing and footwear; understanding what you need to get where you're going and enjoy your trip once there.

No need to register. No need to pay. See you there.

(Photo courtesy of GoLite, a leading maker of lightweight gear.)

Carpenter takes 1st - again

Manitou Springs resident and uber mountain distance runner Matt Carpenter came in first during the Cytomax 10K Trail Run at the weekend's Teva Mountain Games in Vail.

Carpenter and teammates Ned Overend and Pat Keller took first in the GNC Ultimate Mountain Challenge.

For complete results, click here.

News from Everest

You've probably heard about all the people successfully summiting Everest this season. One expedition is providing plenty of access to its quest: Altitude Everest
Expedition 2007.

Check out the site, it's got some great interactives.

The team is retracing the last steps of British climbing legend George Mallory. The site has photos, daily videos, blogs, diaries, and historical projects.

Check out the Body Zone section for a biometrics project that follows four members of the team, monitoring how altitude affects them and the physical changes their bodies experience as they climb.

Team leader is Conrad Anker, who discovered Mallory’s body on the mountain in
1999.

Local climber and outdoorsman David Lien, whom Dave profiled last year, shortly after returning from Everest, recently dropped a line to say 3 friends (South African Ronnie Muhl and Americans Curt Myers and Bill Tyler) climbing the north side of Everest had all summited.

Here's a link to the 7 Summits group David climbed with last year. The pix are from this year's expedition.

Ski 4 free

Crested Butte is bringing back FREE SKI days Nov. 25 to Dec. 15, not including
the Thanksgiving holiday. No strings attached. Rock up, and hit the slopes.

The deal was last offered in 2000.

Resort owners Tim and Diane Mueller said they want to show off two new lifts, snowmaking and grooming equipment, and other improvements. Plan to go look-see and ski.

24 hours - and then a day of rest

Out There friend and local cyclist Ultra Rob rode up the Santa Fe Trail to the 24-hour race and took photos along the way. Check 'em out.

See results of the 24-hour race here.

24 of riding - oh yeah!

Teams are just heading out on the trail for the 24 Hours of ERock, the Front Range's only 24-hour solo and team mountain bike race.

Anyone know someone riding or headed up there to check it out? Send any updates or photos to us to share (dena.rosenberry@gazette.com). I'll try to get a final results post asap - Saturday night, if poss.

More adventure racing

The Gear Junkie writes that he has an interview with Primal Quest director Don Mann on his blog.

Check it out here.

Mann says they'll pare down expenses in some areas for the 2008 Primal Quest - to be held somewhere in the West - but it'll be "more epic" than Utah.

Lighten up, eh?

If you're looking to lighten your load, it's worth talking to professionals at a local shop like Mountain Chalet, and even REI, for tips on where to cut back. I'm sure the folks at REI will be helpful. I KNOW the crew at Mountain Chalet will ask all the right questions to see about getting you some good gear. (I shop at both, btw.)

If you want to do some comparison surfing, here are some sites to check out:

www.golite.com

www.prolitegear.com

www.backpackinglight.com

www.litebackpacker.com

Do you have a piece of lightweight gear you think the rest of us should consider? Let us know.

Skiing in shorts

The Colorado ski season wraps up Sunday at A Basin after a whopping 234 days of fun on the slopes. Gaz photographer Christian Murdock and a crew of reporters and copy editors played in the sun last weekend. Christian says there were a few weak spots, but they were easily avoided and the runs were otherwise in good shape. And the pond skimming was a blast.

Get out and enjoy a few final runs and a BBQ on the beach.

While the rest of us turn to hiking, biking, kayaking and such, the A Basin crew will work at expanding Montezuma Bowl. More on that as we head into next season.