TransRockies Run

 

Today marked the start of the second annual TransRockies Run which pits runners against the elements and each other.  The weeklong race takes competitors  on foot from Buena Vista to Beaver Creek on some of Colorado’s gnarliest terrain.   We were on hand t provide competitors and spectators information on how to apply Leave No Trace Skills and Ethics to the great sport of trail running.  The race went off without a hitch as a 150 dedicated runners charged out of the gate for the first stage of the race.

Immediately following the start of the race we made our way over to the Avery-Parsons Elementary School to conduct awareness workshops for students from 1^st to 5^th grade.  We held four sessions, tailoring each program to the grade level.  In total we presented Leave No Trace information to roughly 200 students.  We had a great time in Buena Vista and want to thank Avery-Parsons Elementary, and our partners the TransRockies Run for welcoming us and for taking such good care of us while we were in town.  

Happy Trails, Topher & Alexis

Green Frontier Fest

It's Sunday in Denver, and the whole town is amped up. Thousands of folks, including the Traveling Trainers, spent the day in downtown's Sculpture Park for the Green Frontier Fest. This was a community celebration of sustainable choices in the New West, held in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention.  Guest speakers, great booths showcasing sustainable opportunities, and thousands of people excited about new possibilities on the horizon made for a wonderful day.  We enjoyed talking to all who were interested in Leave No Trace and how it applied to their recreational choices and daily lives.

New York Minute

Summer is always a busy time for the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainer Program. While Team East and Team West have been busy doing presentations, for us, most of the past month was spent at Center for Outdoor Ethics in Boulder, Colorado working on program development and doing some community outreach at local events. While we love being close to our amazing coworkers in Boulder, we were excited to get back out on the open road.

We just wrapped up a great event at Camp Gorton in Dundee, NY. We joined over 40 scouting leaders for Powder Horn, a training session which exposes the Venturing or Boy Scout leaders to activities and resources necessary to operate a successful Venturing Ranger Award or Troop High Adventure program. Working with this dedicated group of scouting leaders was a great way to get back into our Traveling Trainer groove.

After our presentation, one of the Powder Horn participants chatted with us about his plans for sharing Leave No Trace with his council and he reminded us that while there were only 40 people in the room, the ripple effect of our presentation could reach thousands. We hope that’s true and we look forward hearing about all the Leave No Trace success stories that will come from our new friends at Camp Gorton.

Steamboat

  In lovely Steamboat Springs, CO we met with kids and parents in Elk Park for a Leave No Trace session and a barbecue picnic afterwards.  In the above photo, these eager and exuberant youngsters practice the "Rule of Thumb" for viewing wildlife at a distance.  We played games and discussed the seven principles while using the Kids plastic reference cards to cover the most important aspects of each principle.  The following day, we held an awareness workshop at the brand new community center for ten folks from the Steamboat area.  

  Big thank you to Paige Boucher from Mountain Hardwear for organizing these events and making us feel right at home.  We're already looking forward to visiting again next year.

Happy August,

Tanya and Cody

Dino-mite

After leaving Salt Lake City and the craziness of Outdoor Retailer Summer Market we headed back to Boulder via I-40 and Dinosaur National Monument. This was a spur of the moment decision and when we arrived we were initially disappointed to see that the Quarry Visitor Center, which houses the famous cliff face of dinosaur bones, had been closed due to to significant structural hazards. If we had only visited the parks website we would have known this vital piece of information; we should have brushed up on the first Leave No Trace principle, Plan Ahead and Prepare. On the flip side, had we properly researched the area, we may have postponed our trip and missed out on the opportunity to have the monument basically to ourselves.

We did see a few fossils, although it required a little more work than driving to the visitor center, walking into the exhibit and having a well informed interpreter explain exactly what we were seeing. The fossils we saw blended into a large cliff face about half a mile away from the more impressive display that is the Quarry Visitor Center. We later drove further into the monument to check out some of the amazing petroglyphs in the area. Again, minus a few folks driving through, we had the place to ourselves. So the moral to this story in twofold. First, Plan Ahead and Prepare by checking out guidebooks, websites, and/or speaking with local land managers. Second, if you find out that the main attraction is closed, consider going anyway, it may end up being a unique opportunity for solitude and exploration during the busy summer season.

1st Flatiron

We have been back in Colorado for a few events, had a chance to catch up with staff,  and even had some time to enjoy the mountains of Colorado in the summer. The distinct backdrop of Boulder are the Flatiron mountains which offer scenic beauty as well as climbing! We have been wanting to climb the 1st Flatiron one of the top classic climbs in the country, since march and finally are wish came true. There are multiple flatirons, but Flatiron # 1 offers the longest vertical climbing.  The climb is about 10 pitches to the top of the summit, with over 1,000 vertical feet. It was truly epic climbing, views of Colorado down to Boulder and even out to Denver, and views atop of the summit looking out over the other flatirons and other mountains.  Climbing the 1st Flatiron has been a big recreational highlight for us, and will not be the last time climbing in the Flatirons of Boulder, Co.

Next we are off to Buena Vista, Co for the Trans Rockies Run!

Happy Climbing, 

Alexis & Topher 

Lyons Folks Festival

Just had a wet, but great time at the Folks Festival in Lyons, Colorado. We got to enjoy acts like KT Tunstall, Amos Lee, Greg Brown, Nanci Griffith, The Waifs, Todd Snider, Tim O'Brien, Dar Williams, Josh Ritter, The Mountain Goats, and many many others along the banks of the St. Vrain River. It was great fun working with Alexis and Topher, just in from the east, and all the folks at Planet Bluegrass, especially Bonnie and Steve.  It was another successful "How Green Is Your Grass?" campsite competition with many wonderful entries showing us all how to be clean, sustainable, and creative when you camp.  

Peace,

Tanya and Cody