More Pics from Moab

Check it out, the first two are from the world-famous Slickrock Trail. The last is from the new Baby Steps singletrack.

What's up at Red Rock Canyon?

Anyone driving by Red Rock Canyon Open Space can see heavy equipment pushing dirt around in recent days.

Here's what's going on: The city is building two trailheads with paved parking.

The first will be on 31st Street just south of Highway 24, and will have trailer parking for horse riders. It's scheduled to open by mid-May and to include a trail connecting to the main quarry area.

The second trailhead is going in at the main Ridge Road parking area. When finished in July, it will have room for more than 100 cars, more than double what can squeeze into the dirt lot now. It will also have improved bathrooms.

Changes are also afoot on the trails in Red Rock. A trail linking the open space to the Intemann Trail was built last fall. See a map of it at http://www.redrockcanyonopenspace.org/page3.html.

Volunteers are needed for trail building days this summer. For more information, visit http://www.redrockcanyonopenspace.org/.

Uncover that boat

The reservoir at Eleven Mile State Park opens Saturday for boating. The reservoir is full again this year, and boat ramps at Witcher's Cove and North Shore will be open, along with more than 200 campsites.

The early opening is possible this year because it has been warm and windy. For more information, call the park office at 748-3401 or go to www.parks.state.co.us.

Food for thought, and $1 barbecue

Next Monday, Colorado College holds the annual State of the Rockies Conference, four days of seminars, speakers, and symposia on topics ranging from sustainable ranching, to preserving biodiversity, to climate change in the Rockies. The previous two conferences have had worthwhile, evocative moments, and best of all, they're free. Talk about a good deal. Even the local, grass-fed beef barbecue Tuesday evening is only $1.
For a full schedule, click here.

Lake Powell will never fill again

The Salt Lake Tribune had a front page story Sunday about how Lake Powell, a 180-mile-long reservoir on the Colorado River, will probably never fill again after years of drought because too many people use the water now. States like Colorado allow less water down the river every year, while states like Arizona demand more more.
The Bureau of Reclamation has decided to manage the reservoir so that it is permanently 70feet below full. That opens up tons of hiking and boating opportunities that have been submerged for decades, including Escalante Canyon and the tail end of Cataract Canyon. And it leaves enough water for motor boaters.
The Bureau says that nothing short of millennial type floods will fill the reservoir again, according to Glencanyon.org.

NASTAR stars

Colorado Springs was well-represented at the NASTAR National Championships held recently in Steamboat Springs.
Joshua Betsch, 3, was the youngest competitor in the competition, where he skied the gates by himself (a feat, considering he usually follows his dad down the mountain). His big sister, Alison, came in second in the 7-year-old group and was seventh overall out of 200 7- and 8-year-old girls.

A whole new way to hurt yourself on snow

The end of the ski season used to be punctuated by the cardboard derby, a race at A Basin in which teams would build intricate cardboard floats, then bomb down the hill and demolish them. It was great fun, but of course someone got hurt and sued both the sponsor (radio station KBCO) and the host (Vail Resorts) and long story short, adios derby.
But now Monarch is starting a spring fest that seems equally able to provide spectators with blow-out crashes: racing kayaks on snow. This Saturday, the ski hill kicks off its last day with a snow-yak competition that will feature head-to-head slalom courses for whitewater kayaks on the slope, than finish off with a boater-cross that has the potential for as much carnage as the old derby. Viva the end of winter!

Please, sir, can I have some more?

Despite additional dollars headed to our national parks, park officers increasingly are cutting back on visitor services, education programs and protections for natural and cultural resources, congressional investigators said today.

A Government Accountability Office report paints a troubling picture of the parks’ financial health, despite a series of Bush administration spending increases for them, writes the Associated Press's John Heilprin in a story released Wednesday.

The GAO studied 12 of the most highly visited of the 390 national parks, historic sites, battlefields, recreation areas and other places managed by the National Park Service. Park managers said they couldn’t stretch their budgets and were cutting services, including:

++ Cutting staff for nature interpretive services and conducting fewer Indian art tours in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.
++ Reducing backcountry law enforcement patrols in Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park to prevent illegal poaching of wildlife and other resources.
++ Decreasing law enforcement officers and emergency dispatchers at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, threatening the park’s ability to provide around-the-clock 911 services.

Matthew Hogan, the Interior Department’s acting assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks, said the report gives “a misleading impression that park operational funding has not been emphasized over the past five years.”

Tom Kiernan, president of the National Parks Conservation Association, said the GAO report “confirms that America’s national parks are losing ground, and straining to survive with shrinking budgets.”

Need more detail? Want to see the entire report? Check the General Accountability Office, the National Park Service, or the National Parks Conservation Association.

(Grand Tetons photo courtesy of the National Park Service.)

Head to Monarch

Go skiing, win a bike. Sunday is closing day at Monarch, and Saturday will feature a day's worth of competitions and entertainment. Among the prizes offered up for the first annual SnowYak Spring Competition is a Nirve-John Deere Cruiser Bike, as well as cash and a Monarch Mountain 2006-07 season pass.
To enter, go to www.skimonarch.com

Snow alert

It's 50 degrees right now in Vail, but that doesn't mean you should put away your skis. A storm is heading for Colorado. Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen and points west and south are in the storm warning area that predicts 8 to 16 inches starting tonight and continuing through Thursday night. Some mountain passes may receive as much as two feet of new snow along with high winds.

Look! Eaglets!

Excel Energy has an awesome set of Colorado raptor nest cams! Eagles, falcons, ospreys, kestrals, owls. See regular updates here. The owl cam even has infrared cameras so you can watch at night!

Top of the world to you

When your first question about an upcoming marathon is this one, you know it's remote:

Where, exactly, is Spitsbergen, Svalbard?

Spitsberger is the largest of a set of Norwegian islands called Svalbard (that's between 74N10E and 81N35E latitudes, for you map freaks) and is the staging area for what has to be one of the world's most unusual marathons: the North Pole Marathon.

The marathon takes place Saturday, with runners competing on top of the Arctic Ocean. Fifty men and women from around the world will run on an ice sheet 6-12 feet thick that frosts the Arctic Ocean. According to the official Web site of the race, runners will wear three layers of clothing as well as balaclava, face mask and goggles, and hope for light winds. Temperatures are expected to be as low as -22 degrees F. The last North Pole Marathon, in 2004, was won by American Sean Burch, with a time of 3:43:17.

Because it's there ... in Minnesota

You don't have to head to Everest to climb mountains. Sometimes, you have to go to Minnesota.

David Lein, a Colorado Springs mountaineer who will leave for Everest on Saturday, proudly lists a Midwestern peak on his climbing resume. Included with his list of successful climbs on five of the seven summits of the world (Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, McKinley, Vinson and Elbrus), is a smaller, but still significant, accomplishment -
Eagle Mountain in (2,301 ft.), Minnesota.

At 2,301 feet, Eagle Mountain is a distinguished spot: the highest point in that state.

One hand not knowing...

Here's some news we just got on Grand Canyon from the nonprofit Living Rivers:

In an effort to resuscitate a sport fishery below Glen Canyon Dam, Arizona Game and Fish is considering stocking non-native rainbow trout in the Colorado River just above its entrance into Grand Canyon National Park.

Seventy-five miles downstream from Glen Canyon Dam, the US Department of Interior has for three years been removing trout because these introduced fish prey on the larvae and young juveniles of the humpback chub, a native fish species whose numbers have dropped to potentially unrecoverable levels and is protected by the Endangered Species Act.

The trout removal process involves using electroshock to stun the fish, netting them by the boatload, then grinding them up for use as fertilizer at a cost of $800,000 annually.

Fourteener status in limbo

For hikers, the news in March was good: The Colorado State Legislature passed a bill that exempts high-altitude landowners from liability. Trails on several of the fourteeners in the state cross private land, and the owners had increasing concerns about theft, trespassing, liability and vandalism issues.
But the issue that impacted a trio of fourteeners the most - Lincoln, Democrat (at right) and Bross - is far from being solved, even though the bill's passage was celebrated. The appropriate signs and trail maintenance has been delayed.

In a release sent out today by the U.S. Forest Service,
"South Park Ranger Sara Mayben said, 'We are doing what we can to meet the requirements of the new Bill. Recreationists need to know that public access to the 14ers in Park County may be 2007, at the earliest. We are doing what we can to meet the requirements of the new Bill. Recreationists need to know that public access to the 14ers in Park County may be 2007, at the earliest.'

"Private land owners have stated they will not grant access to Mounts Bross, Lincoln and Democrat this upcoming hiking season unless all stipulations of HB 06-1049 are complete. Additionally, issues regarding liability, vandalism, theft, etc. must also be addressed. Stipulations of this Bill require the land owners or entities that hold a trail easement across the private land to clearly identify and maintain the trail(s). The land owners will not grant public access until after the trail easements are in place, trail maintenance has occurred, and signing has been posted to direct public use to the approved trails. The land owners may also require trail reconstruction in sections they consider to be dangerous prior to allowing public use.

"Although every effort will be made to comply with the stipulations within House Bill 06-1049, there may not be enough time for all the existing trails to mapped and landownership to be determined by the 2006 hiking season. The process to acquire the trail easements will be a lengthy one. The Pike National Forest-South Park Ranger District and our partners will begin mapping the existing trails during the summer of 2006.

"Once that is completed, land owners along the existing trail routes will need to be identified because of the trails cross several different private properties.-more-Finally, land owners will review the maps to determine which, if any of the trails will be granted easements. Reviewing may require land owners to look at the trails 'on-the-ground' and determine if any trail relocation or reconstruction is necessary prior to approving a trail easement."

Changes for Wolf Creek?

If you love Wolf Creek for what it doesn't have - a major housing development next door - you won't like this news. Federal officials have approved construction of two roads in the Rio Grand National Forest to reach a proposed development. The Village at Wolf Creek, proposed by Texas billionaire Billy Joe McCombs, would include businesses and housing for up to 10,500 people. The two roads are essential for the proposed development, and would connect it to U.S. Highway 160.

This development has been at the center of a feud that has played out for years. Opponents fear the development would harm the environment and overwhelm schools and services in Mineral County, that now has fewer than 1,000 residents. Supporters say the development would bring in jobs and revenue for local governments in a part of the state where money is scarce.

Both sides will be represented at a meeting Friday in Creede.

Wolf Creek will open one more time this Spring!

Here's a message:

Back by popular demand & excellent conditions Wolf Creek is re-opening April 8th & 9th! For this Local Appreciation Weekend lift tickets will be $23 for adults and $13 for children & seniors. Wolf Creek is accepting all season passes including weekday-only for this weekend.

The Rental Shop and Treasure Sports will be open as well as the Wolf Creek Lodge (with a limited menu). Ski school will also be available.

(The photo by Scott DW Smith is courtesy of Wolf Creek Ski Area.)

Ever dream of Ski Patrolling at Vail?

Now's your chance. I just got this press release from Vail that gives all the gory details of patrol try-outs.

If the urge to join the ranks of Vail’s best has struck, prepare to provide plenty of proof on Friday, April 7. This date marks Vail Ski Patrol’s annual testing opportunity for new hire candidates and offers those who aspire, and pass muster, a chance at donning a white cross-emblazoned patrol jacket for the 2006-2007 season.

“The testing day offers interested skiers and tele skiers the opportunity to come out, test their skills on a variety of terrain and show us what they’re made of prior to the end of the season,” said Vail Ski Patrol Director Julie Rust. “We’ll be evaluating each candidate’s abilities in a variety of conditions, including steeps, crud, and powder. We’re looking for men and women with strong, solid abilities in all conditions, not just finesse.”

The ski test consists of three to four runs taken in variable conditions and evaluated by four or five members of Vail’s patrol team. Those who pass the physical test will be invited to attend the four-day Ski Patrol Academy on April 8, 9, 15 and 16. Skiers must successfully complete all four days of the academy to be considered for the staff. Participants will learn about and get hands-on experience in first aid, toboggan handling, lift evacuation, avalanche rescue, beacon searches, and CPR. Hiring of patrol positions takes place each fall.

Each season, the Vail Ski Patrol has a handful of openings on its staff. The Ski Patrol is charged with opening and closing the mountain each day, providing emergency medical care, skier responsibility, education and enforcement, mitigation of avalanche hazard, guest relations and assistance.

“This is a way of life for most patrollers,” added Rust. “We have a great team and everyone works hard. To work outside, be first on the mountain and last off, helping people - it’s a pretty great job.”

Anyone interested in testing should contact Vail Ski Patrol at 1-970-479-4610. Reservations are required and should be made in advance of the test date. Participants must be at least 21 prior to testing. Potential applicants will meet for testing at 8:30 a.m. at the Lower Patrol Room in Vail Village near the ticket office.

Elk Mountain race report

We'll, it's about 30 hours since I finished the Elk Mountain Traverse, and after an enchilada plate and 14 hours of sleep, I feel much better.

So now I'll try to answer the question, "What is it like to ski 40 miles?"

Skiing 40 miles from Crested Butte to Aspen is less about skiing and more about eating. I think, looking back, the people who did well (all other things being equal) were the people who forced themselves to eat, even if they weren't hungry. My partner, Hunter, set his watch to beep every 30 minutes. At every beep, we ate. We had rigged up small nylon bags that hung by our hips like holsters on a gun fighter. Instead of six shooters, they were packed with pb & j sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, power bars, corn nuts, and energy gels.

By the end, I loathed everything on this meager menu. Try eating a sandwich while skiing up a hill in 15-degree weather and you'll understand why. But anyway, we stuck to the eating schedule and it kept us going strong. Except for a broken climbing skin, we didn't stop once the whole way.

At times I wanted to stop, but there was always that nagging reminder that stopping would just prolong the ordeal - 11 hours and 2 minutes was enough for me.

I was wondering, at the outset, what the low point would be. I figured it would happen mid-morning, when we had skied for 30 miles and were exhausted and still had 10 miles to go. In fact, it struck much earlier, probably around 3 a.m. It was dark. I was tired. I wanted to go to bed. And I kept thinking, "Geez, if I feel this bad now, how bad am I going to feel in 20 more miles?"

But then, while we were skiing up 12,400-foot Star Pass, the sun came up and I felt instantly energized. (I also had a canned espresso, which may have had something to do with it.) At that point, I realized I had passed my low point and there was nothing left to do but push on to the finish line (where there was a free keg of Fat Tire, which may have had something to do with it).

I had also been dreading skiing down the steep blue runs of Aspen Mountain, especially since when we got there, 37 miles into the race, I was exhausted. So I pulled a trick I've been planning for weeks. At the top of the mountain, I just sat down on my ski tips and basically luged the whole thing. I think I was the only person to cross the finish line on his butt. Today, I'm sore, but utterly satisfied. That is one heck of a race.

Elk Mountain Traverse is done!

A short update. 250 people skied out of Crested Butte last night at midnight. The winners slid in to Aspen just under eight hours later, after skiing 40 miles.

My partner and I finished three hours later. It's now 4:40 p.m. I bet some people are still finishing. I'll post more about it tomorrow. Right now I'm too brain dead. Cheers.

(Photo courtesy of Elk Mountain Grand Traverse Web site.)