As many of you know, the Peak Steward Program functions as CFI's main "on-the-ground" educational tool by recruiting and training volunteers to educate hikers on the sensitivity of Colorado's fourteeners. The 2009 season posted record numbers of both volunteers and contacts totalling 30 active Peak Stewards, 140 volunteer days on 36 separate peaks contacting approximately 7,500 hikers. About one year ago funding was secured for CFI's overall Education and Outreach Program allowing the Peak Steward Program to not only continue to thrive, but provided an opportunity for further growth.2010 was another VERY successful year for Peak Stewards!! Here is a brief run-down of our accomplishments. Over 100 individuals participated in the first of a 2-day training. As you may recall, instead of having one training in June for 2010, I decided to host single day trainings throughout the winter and spring with the intention of meeting those trainees in the field during the summer months to complete the field portion of training. Of those 100+ folks originally trained about 65 attended the second day and of those, 45 were active throughout the season totalling a record number of 225 volunteer days. When you include the 21 days I served as a Peak Steward we're looking at around 246 Peak Steward days!! A HUGE THANKS goes out to all of those that participated in the program and served as Peak Stewards!
Now that the numbers have been crunched and logs have been tallied from this season I'm busy looking forward to 2011. After learning a few things and reflecting on the progress of ramping up this program I will be doing things slightly different regarding trainings next year. They are already being scheduled and will start to be advertised throughout the winter. WE NEED YOUR HELP!! HIKE AND VOLUNTEER AT THE SAME TIME!! Keep and eye out for details...
Traffic on Quandary (photo by Peak Steward Steve Poland)
More traffic on Quandary...hard to see in this photo but check out the line of hikers coming down the left side from the summit all the way down to the saddle. When zoomed in you can count well over 100 over the course of less than a mile!! (photo also taken by Steve Poland)
Fred and Sharron Balmos Peak Steward on Mount Lincoln.