Barr Trail woes

As Earth Day approaches, it's time to think about how to be more conscientious about our favorite places... like the Barr Trail. A group of dedicated people has spent years fixing the lower section of the trail from the old Incline turn-off to the bottom. Some of the hardest work: installing fences to prevent trail-users from cutting switchbacks and causing erosion.

Gail Allen, who started the informal group she called the "Trail Dogs," says runners, mostly, have been ignoring the switchbacks recently, perhaps in their haste to get back to their car after a workout. New social trails have emerged through the trees the group planted.

If you're a switchback cutter, you know who you are. If you aren't, Allen thanks you. And she wants both of you to help when she sets work-days this summer to fix this section of trail again. Watch this blog and Out There for dates to volunteer.

Davenport continues 14er ski quest with mad-steep drop on Pyramid

Chirs Davenport, an Aspen skier who is trying to be the first person to ski all of Colorado's Fourteeners in one winter (Lou Dawson was the first to do it, period, but it took him several years), just ripped down Pyramid Peak.

This is an insanely steep, rocky peak. It scared me scrambling up in the summer. I can't imagine dropping it in the winter. For Davenport's trip log of the descent, click here.

Singed farm could use a little help

I just got an e-mail saying the wildfire the tore through the Fountain area early this week burned part of Venetucci Farm. Michael Hannigan, the director of the nonprofit that oversees the farm said:

"For awhile, it seemed content to burn the narrow strip between the highway and the creek, but the roaring wind had other ideas. The fire seemed to search the riverbank looking for a weak spot to cross, and then leaped the creek to feed on the dry grasses of our Farm.

As we watched the 30-foot flames race across our south pasture followed by towering flame whorls rising a hundred feet into the air, the whitetail deer and the wild turkeys fled to safer ground.

Luckily, we'd done about half of our early spring plowing in the lower fields, creating a fire-break that essentially saved Venetucci Farm from potentially disastrous fire damage. While our south pasture is completely charred, the rest of the Farm is safe and sound.

Now the hard work begins...in addition to getting ready to plant pumpkins for kids, put in cover crops to rebuild the soil, and also sow the sweet corn that made Venetucci Farm famous, we need to reseed and replant our meadow to keep the soil from eroding and blowing away. If you can spare some time and energy, we could use your help."

For anyone who has yet to volunteer on the farm, it's a lot of fun. You feel good after a day in the dirt, and Tim, who runs the place, is a great guy. Last year he taught me how to drive an old tractor. If you'd like to help out,
at Venetucci Farm, contact Michael Hannigan or Mary Klever at (719) 389-2151 or mklever@ppcf.org.

Hello? Still tons of snow in the high country.

There is absolutely no reason to put away the skis.
This is the last weekend for many of the big resorts. Arapahoe Basin, Silverton, and Loveland will still be open for at least a few weeks.
And don't forget Echo Mountain Park, the little ski area with the big hits. On April 29th, as a way of saying thanks for support in its opening season, Echo is throwing a big party dubbed - "Last Park Standing" - Boarders can shred for only $20 all day while listening to live music and seeing pros square off for prizes.

The E List

I guess if you've climbed the tallest mountain in the world, you want your name on the list, and you don't want the word "disputed" following it. The Associated Press reports today that a car-dealership owner from Alberta, Canada, has filed a lawsuit to remove a footnote that questions his ascent of Mount Everest.

Byron Smith climbed Mount Everest in May 2000, but says he doesn't have any photographic evidence of himself reaching the top. So the Golden-based American Alpine Club has listed his name with the dreaded disclaimer after it.

The Canadian's claim to have summited is disputed by some who question the speed with which he says he ascended and descended a difficult segment, and details of his group's final push. Smith sys the list has defamed him, and even more troubling, has cost him car sales.

Hawklets a long shot for New York Couple

I've periodically been passing along news of Pale Male, a red-tailed hawk that lives on the ledge of a posh building on Central Park East in New York City. His latest brood was supposed to hatch in the middle of last week. It's now five days late.

The New York Post reports that the hatch is now a long shot.
"The 38- to 40-day incubation period has passed, with no signs of success. Today is day 46," the paper reported.

Meanwhile, several birds watched by webcams set up by Excel Energy have babes in the nest. Most exciting is the bald eagle near Platteville, Colo., that has two eaglets in the nest.

View from abroad

I met up with Dennis Jump today. He's a climber and caver from the Midlands in England, who was visiting with a climbing friend, Stewart Green, here. Dennis got a chance to explore Breezeway, a part of the Williams Canyon cave system that includes Cave of the Winds and that's not open to the public. His assessment of the cave: "Amazing."

Jump explores caves often in Europe, but he says he's never seen anything so clean, so undamaged, as he saw here. "And they warned me about the mud," he said. "You don't know mud. WE know mud."

My colleague Dave Philipps wrote a story about his Breezeway experience in Out There (Oct. 21, 2005).
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Getting in shape isn't what it used to be...

I laughed out loud when I read this little tidbit from 100 years ago in The Gazette ("Back Pages" are published every day inside the Life section):

"Professor Lew Rabshaw, the noted athletic trainer of Chicago, has taken charge of the Electro-Thermatorium at 124 1/2 South Tejon Street. In connection with the bathes, he will teach scientific boxing, wrestling and other sports."

Needless to say, 124 1/2 S. Tejon is no longer an Electro-Thermatorium, but it begs the question, "What is an Electro-Thermatorium?" I'm guessing it has something to do with hot baths, but is it a good idea to have anything "electro" near the steaming water? I suppose it says something that the place is no longer in business.

News of an old trickster with a few new tricks

At a time when most of the natural world is on the run, it's always intriguing to read about those characters who seem to figure out how to live just fine in the land of cars and cable TV. So it's nice to see a long article in the Washington Post about coyotes infiltrating the posh suburbs, and how the homeowners respond. In Native American lore, the smaller cousin of the wolf 's cunning is only matched by his foolishness. Wile E. Coyote is a perfect example: He builds these ingenious contraptions, yet he's unable to catch the road runner. But in the Post article, you get the idea that maybe society is the coyote here, building all these ingenious ways to stop a simple animal, and failing every time.

The long commute

It's always seemed like a dream job - working for Vail Resorts. After all, how many people can manage to ski on their lunch break? Well, that little perk will go away when Vail Resorts moves its headquarters and 100 employees to Denver. The company will set up shop in Broomfield, about 15 miles from Denver. Now employees will get to experience the joys of I-70 gridlock just like the rest of us.

New trail!

Any time we see a sign that indicates "trail construction," we're curious. One of the most recent projects will help fill in a missing link in the 5,000-mile American Discovery Trail. Work is progressing on phase 2 of the Ute Pass Trail, which will connect Green Mountain Falls and Crystola (on the eastbound side of Highway 24). That is part of the 40-mile Ute Pass Trail that someday will connect Manitou Springs with Cripple Creek and hook into the American Discovery Trail. The new section should be open by June.

The future of the forest...

The Gazette had a story Sunday about the future management of the Pike National Forest. The current plan hasn't been changed since 1984. Needless to say, a lot of other factors have. First, there are almost twice as many people living in the area. Motorized and non-motorized recreation are also booming.

The new plan (scheduled to be finished by 2009) will focus on striking a balance between recreation and conservation. By the tone of the article, it seems like the biggest sticking point will be between pro- and anti-OHV factions over how much of the forest is open to nobby-tired machines.

Why don't we start it here.
Leave a comment making your case for more or less access.

Get to the garden

Looking for a way to spend a spring day outside and give back to this awesome place we live in? Rocky Mountain Field Institute is holding its first in a series of trail workdays running weekends through June 18. You can help patch up some of the old social trails wandering through Garden of the Gods.

The first volunteer day is tomorrow. To reserve a spot, contact Liz Nichol, 471-7736 or rmfibox@qwest.net

Howling success

It's a case of somebody who knows somebody who knows SOMEBODY. The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center near Florissant made a big score for its fundraiser. Jack Hanna, wildlife conservationist, educator and TV personality, will be the featured speaker at the center's big event May 20 at The Broadmoor.

A person on a tour of the center had connections to Hanna, and helped arrange the event that will feature live and silent auctions, a dinner and program by Hanna and some animal friends.

The new facility will be off Twin Rock Road near Divide. Fans will be pleased with the new location. Instead of watching the wolves on a hillside, you'll be able to view them in a forest habitat.

Get ready to explore

Cheyenne Mountain State Park has been a work in progress for a long time. Now, excited members of the park's Friends group are saying the park will open this fall. For most of its construction phase, there was no main entrance. Now, there's a road to the park, directly across from Fort Carson's main gate.

The park isn't open to the public yet, but the Friends have several hikes and activities planned there for those who can't wait to get in. These photos were taken last summer and fall in the park, which is home to wild turkeys, bears, mountain lions, deer, lizards, rattlesnakes and prairie dogs.

State Wildlife Areas now charge a fee

Don't look for a booth where you pay your entrance fee, but if you go on State Wildlife land, you need to have a "habitat stamp" affixed to your hunting or fishing license. What if you are a bird watcher, or flower sniffer, or some other kind of deviant that doesn't have a fishing license? You'll have to get one. They are sold where hunting and fishing gear is sold (Wal-Mart among many other places) or online, by clicking here.

A fishing license is $26. That seems pretty steep for getting into local wildlife areas, but it does come with the added bonus of "search and rescue insurance." Each license gives the same protection as a COSAR (Colorado Search and Rescue) Card, so if you get lost while at the wildlife area, searchers won't charge you for your rescue.

Not such a bad deal.

Looking for a direct link to the cave audio slideshow?

Just click here.

Glaciers hanging in there

Earlier this week, we learned that global climate changes could have devastating effects on the ski industry in the next hundred years. That was a frightening prediction.

Now for something more comforting: Rocky Mountain National Park's four glaciers (including Taylor, in the above photo) haven't shrunk much since the 1930s. Recent studies showed that the Arapaho and Arikee glaciers in Indian Peaks Wilderness south of the park have lost more than 60 feet of ice thickness since 1960, mostly due to the warming climate and extended season of melting. But the glaciers in the park have been much more stable, probably because of a combination of plenty of shade, snow that blows in from the west side of the Continental Divide, and steady cold temperatures.

Wonder if glacier skiing will be popular in 3006.




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I did not know that!

Two more totally unrelated but fascinating animal stories:

- In Alaska, seal researchers are using Labrador retrievers to find seal breathing holes in the Arctic. The seals were eluding researchers by digging out caves underneath the snow. That form of stealth camping didn't fool the Labs, who search, nose to the snow, for the holes and then alert researchers by stopping their search and digging. The scientists insert a net into the holes, trap the seals, tag them, and release them.

- In Montana and Wyoming, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management is proposing using a birth control vaccine to limit the population growth of wild horses. The agency is worried about the effects of a growing population of horses at the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range.

Grouse rebounds

This is good news for a species that a decade ago looked like it might vanish: The Gunnison sage grouse population has remained stable or increased over several years. It's so stable that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it had decided not to list the bird on the endangered species list.
There was opposition - environmental groups had petitioned to have the bird listed as threatened or endangered. But Fish and Wildlife says there are an estimated 4,500 to 5,000 birds in southwest Colorado and near the Colorado-Utah border last year; up from 3,000 in 2004. The bird's numbers have been dwindling since the 1950s because of a loss of its favorite habitat - sagebrush.

Quail Lake refills!

In 2004, the Colorado Springs Utilities, which had been supplying Quail Lake with water for decades, decided it was too wasteful to fill the lake with potable water and turned off the spigot. Slowly, the lake began to dry up. But this summer, according to local activist Bill Beaudin, the utility worked out a deal with nearby computer chip maker Atmel to conserve water in the chip-making process and contribute the savings to the lake. It must have worked because now the lake is full.

Bear season

I was just wondering about this earlier today as I refilled my bird feeder on my backyard deck: When will the bears come back?

I just got an answer from Michael Seraphin, information officer for the Colorado Division of Wildlife: The bears ARE back. The DOW has gotten a couple of calls already about the famished creatures.

So I guess it's time to take down the bird feeder unless I want bears feasting mere inches from my back door.

Other tips for co-existing with bears:
** Don't feed them (keep your pet's food inside).
** Don't tempt them with garbage - don't put your cans on the curb the night before. And if you store your cans in the garage, keep your garage door closed. (I learned this the hard way, after finding a cinnamon-colored bear in our gararge one night, munching on the remnants of a Pop Tart.)
** Hang bird feeders or hummingbird feeders from a tree, not from your deck or porch, and bring the feeders indoors at night.

Climate change may change skiing

Colorado College's State of the Rockies report this year suggests that global climate change will take a big bite out of the skiing industry in the next hundred years. It's sort of a no-brainer. We've watched Glacier National Park's namesake glaciers retreat. Colorado's few glaciers are just dirty snow patches. Skiing may be next.

A story in the Aspen Times stated, "If the predicted consequences for global warming are accurate, the bookends for skiing will move in, making the season shorter. Snowmaking will become more necessary and also more expensive. And there will be fewer powder days and more rain days, even in the Rocky Mountains."

Of course there is no way to know how global climate change will effect the region. It may be slightly warmer, but much wetter or drier. Everyone agrees, at least, that we won't see the end of skiing in the state in our lifetimes.

The case is more dire in the Alps, where a recent report predicted that only 44 percent of Europe's ski areas would be viable in a warming climate.

Fourteener debate: Should climbers go, anyway?

The Gazette reported today that private land owners on four fourteeners (Lincoln, Bross, Democrat and Cameron) won't allow access to the peaks even though new legislation gives them immunity from lawsuits filed by injured hikers.

The land owners now say they won't allow hikers until clearly marked trails are built. The area already has trails that are easy to follow, I think. It's almost impossible to get lost unless the whole area is socked in with clouds - or you're trying to make your own trail to the summit.

This makes us wonder, what gives? Why push for something you don't need when the legislature just gave you what you wanted? In the end, it doesn't really matter, as I reported a few months ago, the land owners don't intend to enforce the no-tresspassing edict, and a steady stream of climbers visit the peaks year round despite their closed status.

Is it right to trespass on these peaks while this trail issue is being worked out? Do the landowners have a legitimate complaint? What do you think?

Sun and snow

Gazette photographer Christian Murdock took this picture at Copper over the weekend. Murdock is a dedicated boarder, and he tried not to gloat about the perfect conditions (but we get the idea...we really missed out)

And then there were 12...

Above, a shot from the parking lot at Arapahoe Basin, which is apparently in full spring beach mode.

If you still want to ski this season, better not hang out in the hot tub too long. Yesterday was the last day of operation for several ski areas in the state, but 12 are still open and if you don't mind spring conditions, there is a ton of snow. After next weekend, all but a few diehard hills will shut down the lifts.

Then only Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Silverton and Echo Mountain Park will be open. They plan to keep things going as long as they can - maybe May, maybe June. On rare years, A Basin keeps rolling all the way to July.

Don't shoot, it might be Charlie

We know who's king of the jungle, but who's king of the mountainous desert? Depends.

Environmentalists are protesting plans to kill 10 or more mountain lions on the Arizona side of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area to prevent them from preying on desert bighorn sheep, according to the Associated Press.

The plan calls for catching and killing mountain lions until a recent spate of sheep kills is reduced, said Jim deVos, research branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

“Not every lion is killing sheep,” said deVos, who said a start date had not been set for the program. “We’re trying to focus on known kills and trying to remove that lion that is killing sheep.”

Daniel Patterson, desert ecologist with the Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson, Ariz., called the culling plan a mistake. “Lions are scarce. ... We don’t need single-species management, we need ecosystem management.”

At least seven bighorn have been killed by mountain lions this year in an area near Hoover Dam where deVos said about 1,000 bighorn sheep remain. The area sheep population serves as a source for the reintroduction of bighorn sheep throughout the region, including Colorado, Utah and Texas.

Who's Charlie? Check out the DVD and you'll see.

New technology for avalanche rescues

Rescuers in Utah believe a new technology could revolutionize the way avalanche victims are saved.

The Associated Press released a story about a long-range avalanche transceiver system that can work from a helicopter for quick, safe rescues. A team at Wasatch Backcountry Rescue in Utah bought the system that allows them to hover over an avalanche slide and pinpoint the location of buried skiers who are wearing avalanche beacons.

There's one problem - the weather. A demonstration planned yesterday in the Wasatch mountains was cancelled because the helicopter was grounded.

One ski hazard we don't have

In one of the most bizarre ski accidents in a long time, three Mammoth ski patrol members died by gas spewing from a volcanic vent at the California resort.

The trio was fencing off the vent, and when two fell into it the other man tried to rescue them. The accident happened Thursday morning on the mountain that is a dormant volcano. The vent on Christmas Bowl run is a well-known natural hazard, according to an Associated Press story, and it's known as the "stink hole" because of its rotten-egg smell.

The vent is always surrounded by a plastic net fence, but recent snowstorms had buried the fence. The patrollers were trying to reset the fence when the accident occurred.

Ski or ride this weekend, your choice

Colorado Springs's trails are almost completely clear of snow and ice. A Gazette photographer rode the Buckhorn/Captain Jack's loop in Cheyenne Canon on his bike yesterday and said the whole thing is clear. It will be in the 60s and sunny this weekend, perfect for riding. Meanwhile, the mountains are getting a hefty dose of snow. Copper reports 8 inches. Breck reports five. Monarch reports 11. It's one of those rare weekends when whatever you decide to do, you can't go wrong.

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.)