2010 Season's Report!

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.

Don't Be A Hater!
So last Saturday (August 16th) CFI had a HUGE presence on the Kite Lake Trail Loop that connects Mounts Democrat, Lincoln, Cameron, and Bross. I (Brian, Education and Outreach Coordinator) was up there as a Peak Steward, counting and educating folks on LNT and the particular and sensitive private property issues that still remain in the area. Greg, Field Programs Manager, was up with the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers out of Boulder and Fort Collins and Lloyd (Executive Director) was up with a camera crew filming the volunteers working on the trail and restoration work that was put in last summer. These videos will be posted on our website later this fall and will provide information on CFI, alpine ecology, Leave No Trace on Fourteeners, and the ins and outs of trail design, construction, and maintenance.

There were many hikers out on Saturday. When I arrived at the Kite Lake Trailhead around 6:30 there were already over 55 cars parked, overflowing out of the fee area. By around 1PM I had verbally contacted around 450 individuals (keeping close track with a pitch counter attached to my belt). By the end of the day there were over 140 cars spanning about a mile down the road. Between the number of contacts I personally made, the number of cars parked in the lot when I arrived, and the fact that steady flows of hikers continued to arrive as I was leaving at around 2pm, we could safely say that those mountains witnessed between 500-600 visitors on that single day alone.

Almost every single person I spoke with was responsive, curious, appreciative and grateful that we were out there to both inform them of specific issues and hazards regarding those peaks and the fact that we were rehabilitating a portion of trail that had was eroding badly and creating a sustainable switchback in its place. Regardless of how good ones intentions might be, however, there is always going to be someone (or a group of someones) that feels the need to complain.

I approached a fellow and his wife (assumption) who was taking a photo of the trail crew and volunteers much like the shot below. When I said: "Nice...Taking some trail crew shots uh?" His response was "Yes...so I can send them to all my CFI hating friends." !!!!!!!

So Obviously I could tell that this conversation was not going to be the same one that I've had with the other few hundred people that day. I've been with this organization for over 7 years now, I found this not only offensive to everyone who helps out the organization either by volunteering or donating, but personally offensive as well. I've come across this mentality before and even after all this time, my blood still boiled a bit. But also having an academic background in Outdoor Recreation, Environmental Ethics, and Environmental Education - not to mention the fact that I was formally representing CFI and the USFS - I chose this as an opportunity to engage and hopefully extract some information that might help us understand where this mentality can come from.

This individual did make it clear that HE had nothing against the organization, but that his friend(s?) did (yet he still insisted on taking photos of CFI that were intended to be malicious and fuel his friends fire of hatred). There could be multiple reasons for this mindset and with my initial thoughts came these:

1-"Sheer Ignorance": not understanding CFI's specific roles in protection and preservation and misinterpreting either our intentions or actions.

2-"Anti-Establishments": seeing somebody out representing the agency and feeling held back. Believing that they should be able to do what they want regardless of circumstances and no agency or organization should tell them otherwise.

3-"Know-it-Alls": somebody insisting that they no more about preservation and protection than the professionals. This individual believes that their experiences have turned them into somewhat of an expert on mountains and that they feel the need to voice their disapproval when ecologists, biologists, trail designers, and land management agencies make a decision.

So I asked him "What specifically do your friends HATE about CFI?". His response was "Well, the estimate you use on your website says roughly 500,000 visitors use 14ers every year...that just can't be right." Yes, this number can be debatable and we are working intensely on obtaining accurate information but is it really a reason to "hate" CFI? And in all reality, does it even matter???

We debated numbers for a bit but I wanted real answers, not superficial "I feel like arguing" answers. So I asked "Besides the number then, what else does your friend not like about CFI?" His next response was "Well, you build to many carins." My response: "We have a partnership with the US Forest Service who manage most of the 14ers in Colorado and we don't move a rock unless they tell us to. Most of the carins that you see have probably been placed by hikers who felt the need to do so. A true carin is 4x4x5 and is designed to be seen with a couple feet of snow on the ground."

Wasn't really much he could say and unfortunately I couldn't really extract a true reason that his friend(s?) actually "HATE" a non-profit whose mission is to protect and preserve the natural integrity of the places that they use. The fellow wanted to get back at arguing numbers so I made a point to end the conversation. It was all cordial but at the same time I left the conversation a bit jaded.

I am constantly advising the Peak Stewards to not become emotionally attached to what they do as educators because on occasion someone will insist on doing whatever they want regardless of what is "right" and its not something that should personally effect us. For instance, insisting that it is OK to have their dog chase wildlife (yes, we actually hear this every now and then). In this interaction though, especially with the personal and professional connections I have to CFI and the 14ers, I was offended.

Two things helped me feel a bit better:

1-One of the volunteers sat and listened to the whole thing and when the couple left she said "WOW!! I can't believe how tactful you were!!" to which I replied, "thanks, lots of practice, and had that conversation taken place at a bar, it would have gone significantly different" with a chuckle and...

2-That guys wife had a stare in her eye and I am pretty sure as they were out of voice range she said something to the sort of "Seriously, why do you insist on acting like that to nice people." as more of a statement and not a question.

Long Story Short: DON"T BE A HATER!! This reaction to CFI doesn't pop up too often and the vast majority of those who hike on CFI-built trails are more than appreciative!! And to those of you who support CFI financially, with your time as volunteers, or bye the good words that you spread about us...THANK YOU SO MUCH!! We try very hard to protect the natural integrity of the delicate and over-used alpine ecosystems while at the same time provide quality hiking trails to the public and your support means everything to us!!!

Peak Stewards and ONE MORE TRAINING!!

Its been a busy season already for Peak Stewards on 14ers. We're making a huge presence on the Front Range and Mosquito/Ten Mile Ranges including multiple days on Quandary, Grays and Torreys, and Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross (not the summit though). Our Vail Crew and others have also made a big presence in the Holy Cross Wilderness and our western-slopers have already counted many days in areas like the Maroon Bells and Castle Peak. In the photo above you can see first time Peak Steward but long-time Nature lover Dorothy answer questions for a family about to embark on a 4-day trek through the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area. Dorothy was a part of the group that received training at the Glenwood Springs area. Jason, Joey and Cheyenne were also on the Bells with us that day and we interacted with many of the visitors informing them of CFI's future involvement in constructing a trail partway up South Maroon (work that is planned for next year).

In the photo below you can see Jim and Diana, also new recruits but experienced 14er climbers, identifying some alpine tundra species on Quandary Peak. It was a great day with quite a few hikers and many chances to educate on LNT practices on 14ers. Quandary Peak is definitely one of those that attracts folks who have never hiked a 14er before thus creating an opportunity to educate visitors on their FIRST 14er experience!!

We've got one more opportunity this year for you to be involved with the Peak Steward Program. A last minute training has been scheduled for the weekend of July 31st and August 1st. It will take place at the American Mountaineering Museum in Golden on the Saturday the 31st and on Grays and Torreys Peaks on Sunday the 1st. Contact brian@14ers.org if you are interested and would like details...Happy Trails!!

-BW

The Road Up...and Down Grays and Torreys Trailhead

DON'T WORRY...IT WASN'T ONE OF OURS!!

After a huge day on Grays and Torreys last Sunday (over 400 hikers and a miles worth of over-flow parking) I was on the way down the road to I-70 and came across what appeared to be a blow out of something fairly pressurized.

Curious, I hopped out of the CFI-baru and bent down...yep, it was..."Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea". Immediately I knew what happened but wasn't sure who it happened to or what they were driving but I had a pretty good feeling I would be seeing them fairly soon.

The road up to the Grays and Torreys Trailhead is in GREAT shape this year...the best I've seen it in over 10. Outside of a few areas, ANY 2wd vehicle could access it without even having to be careful. However, all it takes is one rock in the right place and your day can be ruined.

That one rock can be seen in the picture just to the left of this spill. It was about 4-6 inches tall if you were to balance it just right. After snapping a few shots (and debating on whether this would be a "rock WIN" or "low clearance vehicle FAIL") I followed the trail of oil about 1 1/2 miles down as it slowly dissipated to nothing, knowing that I would definitely see the driver and their car shortly.

Sure enough, a volvo was parked at the junction at I-70 and the Bakerville exit with AAA already en route. I could tell they didn't stop after the initial BUMP because there was no pooling so I went ahead and showed them the photos I took. It pretty much confirmed what they already new. I have heard this exact same story from the exact same place (except it was a VW Jetta)...watch out for the rocks that WILL jump up and bite ya!

-BW

Passes and Goats

As many of you may know, and for those of you who don't, one cannot access Guanella Pass and Mount Bierstadt from the North (Georgetown) side. So last Wednesday as I approached Guanella from highway 285, I was curious to see what the parking lot would look like. I figured this closure would have an impact but did not realize its extent. There were exactly 18 cars in the lot when I arrived at 7am. I have been here before a this time on a Wednesday and have counted over 60-70 cars in the lot, with an overflow of parallel parking running for about a quarter mile on each side of the pass. Literally over 150 cars on a WEDNESDAY!!

Well, sure enough, Guanella Pass will not be seeing the car traffic this season and Bierstadt will definitely not be seeing its typical foot traffic. This is a good thing and will create less ecological impact in the area that CFI and the Forest Service will have to deal with in the future but could also be a bad thing.

What would you do if you were planning on hiking a fourteener only to find out that to access it you would have to drive an extra 2-3 hours. Would you (A) drive the extra 2-3 hours or (B) drive an extra 30 minutes to the closest 14er you could find? I think the answer for most of us would be easy to make and that's what the masses are doing...driving to Grays and Torreys, to Quandary, or to Evans. So the fact that one access point is closed will actually push this traffic into other areas!

Some info on goats: The mountain goats that you see in Colorado are not native and were actually introduced in the late 1940's for the purpose of hunting. They have essentially become part of the cultural landscape and many hikers look forward to seeing them on 14ers. Below you can see a group on Quandary taking advantage of the goats habitualized behaviour. They will get so close up you don't need a zoom to photograph them...but remember, NEVER APPROACH THE GOATS!!

Just like all the animals in the alpine zone, goats are salt deprived and seek it out under all circumstances. LNT protocol says to urinate on a rock when you are above treeline. Because animals are salt deprived, they will lick up your urine and if you pee on vegetation, they will just eat it too. Below you can see a section of tundra that has been scuffed up by some goats. This section was about 2 feet off the trail and about 3 feet in diameter. I was at this exact point 3 days before this picture was taken and this soil was not exposed at that time. Chances are that within those three days, someone urinated directly off the trail and the goats came by to consume the salt. You can even see goat fur on some tundra on the right side of the photo.

So needless to say and as the photo depicts...if you have to relieve yourself in the alpine ecosystems...GO WATER A ROCK!

-BW

Out and About!

Its early in the season but CFI Peak Stewards are out and about!! Here's a brief recap of the last few days...

Field Trainings are underway! In order to boost the numbers of participants in the Peak Steward Program we had to break away from the traditional 2-day training that would take place on the second weekend of June. So, as mentioned in previous posts, I've been hard at work recruiting and training Peak Stewards throughout the winter months. Then, last Thursday (6/10), last Monday (6/21...not a bad way to spend the solstice), and today I met with some of them on Mount Evans to complete their second day of training in the field. Three really great groups came out in order to identify some alpine plants and the differences in their integrity, check out some braided areas of trail and how to identify areas where people may want to leave it, and obtain a further understanding of how to educate and interact with visitors and hikers on the 14ers.

It was WINDY last Thursday and there was a lot of snow left from the previous weekends storm. In the photo above you can see Steve and Chris (both new recruits this year) flashing their 14er specific LNT cards with Bierstadt in the background. We were right to the west of Spaulding's summit at around 13,700 ft. As you can see, it was difficult to find some tundra to look at but we managed to check some out lower down.

Over the course of the last week the snow has melted considerably. Over the course of the weeks time frame that I was up there, more and more blooms were visible (Sky Pilots, Alpine Phlox, Alpine Avens and Spring Blossom just to name a few) today we were even able to identify some alpine Forget-Me-Nots!! (I think the smell like scratch and sniff Blueberries!) The blooms seem to be blooming slightly late this year in this part of the high-country but with these warm temps, they will all be out in no time. Stay tuned for more Peak Steward Updates!!

-BW

A Classic Weather Weekend in the High-Country but None-the-Less...the Season Begins!

About half way through last week I started watching the weather forecasts for the weekend. The Final Peak Steward Training was scheduled to take place on Saturday in Alma and on Sunday on Mounts Lincoln, Democrat, and at the base of Bross. Sure enough, following our brutally and uncharacteristically hot weather last week, came a cold front that dropped quite a few inches of snow in the high-country (and even a funnel cloud in "Cloud City").

Forecast for Saturday: 40's in Alma with consistent rain and snow in the mix...Forecast for Sunday: snow all day in town (10,800 feet) and highs in the 30's; not to mention the fact that the training on Sunday would have started at the Kite Lake trailhead and most of it would have taken place around 12,500 feet.

Needless to say, I became anxious that part of this training could potentially be weathered out. But then I started thinking: I have basically conducted the 7 previous trainings this year with the intent of meeting up with the new recruits toward the end of this month in the field to cover alpine ecology, erosion identification, and reiterate important criteria from the first day of training. So if the new recruits from this weekend had to do the same...so be it. The Peak Steward Training in Alma was designed to be similar to our traditional 2-day training with the field day on Sunday immediately following Saturday's classroom sessions. Unfortunately, due to the weather, we did cancel Sunday's sessions and those new recruits will now have to make up that field day in the next couple weeks.

26 folks total showed up for the training on Saturday. 15 of these individuals were completely new to CFI's Peak Steward Program (bringing our total number of NEW recruits to 79 for 2010), 4 were CFI crew members that will be acting as education specialists and 7 were returning Peak Stewards - An outstanding and very fun group to interact with!!

Besides the typical portions of the training such as reviewing the history of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism, teaching 14er specific Leave No Trace, and learning how to use the "Authority of the Resource", representatives were also present from the Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety to cover mine hazards and terminology and the United States Forest Service to talk about land management and the relationship between non-profits like CFI and the Federal Agency. We were very luck to have Craig (mining) and Kim (USFS) attend and share their knowledge to the Peak Stewards. We also had members from MRHI (Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative) to chat with us about specific private property issues concerning Alma's local peaks (Lincoln Democrat Bross and Cameron).

Today also marks our first official Peak Steward day for 2010. Dan Haskell drove out the Maroon Bells this morning and will be camped out through Saturday counting and educating visitors on LNT and informing them on CFI and ways that they can become involved!

- BW

2010 Season's Start

Yep...Its going to be another record breaking year for Peak Steward activity on Colorado's 14ers!!

Brian Wallace here - Education and Outreach Coordinator for CFI - I've been hard at work recruiting and training a whole new wave of Peak Stewards that are getting really excited for this season. Let me bring you up to speed: I have conducted 7 trainings so far this winter and spring. They began in January with a training in Lakewood, there were two trainings in March (one in Boulder and one in Golden), 3 trainings in April (Fort Collins, Leadville, and Salida) and i just had one last Saturday in Glenwood.

Just for a little perspective, a typical Peak Steward Season consists of one 2-day training in the middle of June that, last year, maxed out at around 35 participants (almost doubling the size of ANY previous training). Those individuals proved to be incredibly dedicated volunteers who gave 140 collective volunteer days on the 14ers, counting visitors and advocating for ethical travel on the delicate alpine ecosystems (more than doubling any of the biggest prior years activity!!) The majority of those volunteers have already expressed their excitement to be involved again CFI is totally appreciative of their commitment!

So back to this season...throughout the 7 trainings so far I have managed to recruit and train 64 NEW Peak Stewards and still have the big training in Alma to go. If all goes as planned, we could have around 100 committed individuals volunteering as Peak Stewards this summer!! If everyone volunteers their requested 4 days, we could be looking at 400 volunteer Peak Steward days by the end of the season.

The really important thing to consider here is that we could be tripling (or more) CFI's presence on the mountains...we'll be able to get a more accurate account of visitor use, help educate many more visitors on alpine LNT practices, and hopefully turn more folks on to ways they can become involved with CFI!

The next training is in Alma and Mounts Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross (not on the summit though) on June 12-13. Contact me for details and to register!

Throughout the season there will be multiple contributors to this blog. They will be the dedicated Peak Steward volunteers mentioned above as well as myself...stay tuned for our stories, experiences, and the "ART" of 14er education!

-BW
brian@14ers.org

When is 151 guests intimate?

Sunday, 7:00 am., Buckskin Gulch- -Saturday I visited with over 200 trail users in my 6-1/2-hours at the trail-head of LCD (Lincoln, Cameron, Democrat- -I’ve purposely omitted Bross). That number of guests has become the norm at Kite Lake on weekends.

It had snowed on Friday night. Yesterday 5 people turned back because of the hazardous conditions. This morning it was clear and all but the most tenacious of the previous days snow clung to the peak of Mt. Democrat as it came into view. What a perfect day to summit.

As I rounded the now familiar lower switchback, before the trail-head at Kite Lake, I was awe struck. I was doing my beginning car count of the overflow parking when I saw something I hadn’t seen since I began stewarding here. There were no vehicles parked there!!!

As I neared the Fee Zone I could see that there were open parking spaces, another first! Typically when I arrive at 7:00 am I have to unload my stuff and then find a place to park. Several times I’ve had to double-park. Then when the driver of the other vehicle shows up I trade places with them. I won’t be having to do that today.

Yesterday the atmosphere at the trail-head was almost frantic; work crews gearing up for the trail restoration project, dogs off leash, hikers looking at the snow covered peaks wondering if today was the right day, well prepared hard-core hikers pushing past those that were hesitant to get to the goods. Today the air was calm- -almost mellow.

Everyone that stopped by the information table today didn’t seem to be in a hurry like yesterday. Not everyone ascending stopped, but those that did stop seemed to have a little more time today than the folks yesterday. There didn’t seem to be one great wave of hikers all leaving at once. Folks leaving this morning seemed to space themselves out more evenly.

As I did my end of day car count the number of cars had increased from when I arrived this morning. That too was odd, typically when I leave there are fewer cars than when I arrive. When recording the number I had to remember there weren’t any vehicles this morning at the lower switchbacks.

When I got home I added up the number of hikers I had recorded. I knew there weren’t as many as yesterday. Yesterday I had used three log sheets and today I hadn’t even completed two. I figured that there were probably 75 to 100 folks that I had recorded today. When I did the math I got 151 guests!

Who knew that 151 trail users over 5-hours would feel like a mellow pace, allowing people to have a more intimate experience with nature. The difference between yesterday and today was less than 50 users over almost the same amount of time. Imagine how much better the experience would be with even fewer users.

Realistically the numbers aren’t going to decrease. But after yesterday 151 almost seemed intimate.

Jim “J.J.” Jimenez
Alma, CO
10,400’

SNOW!!! or Sorry, Summer was last weekend

August 1, 2009...
SNOW! As a ski instructor it’s what I live for. As a hiker it has meant unfulfilled attempts at a summits for me personally.

When driving up Buckskin Gulch there is a point in the road where Mt. Democrat comes into view. When I reached that point this morning I looked up and saw the peak blanketed in the white fluffy stuff I crave. The whole range had been hit last night and covered in snow.

I set up my information table and began to count the folks braving the conditions. As folks stopped by I told them to be careful. With the snow covering the scree there was a serious danger of slipping and falling.

Most people were prepared for the arctic conditions that awaited them at the summits. Some were not. The folks that I visited with and advised them of the frigid conditions for the most part heeded my advice. But like everything else in life some just thanked me for my concern and naively trundled off.

After about an hour the first of the people that I talked to about being unprepared began to file back to the trail-head. The first folks back I had not talked to as they went up but they decided that today was not the day to bag these peaks.

As I was talking with the folks that turned back on their own another group of unprepared folks came up to the table. I asked the folks that had returned to explain to the folks that were about to ascent what the conditions were like when they turned around.

“Slippery, cold and dangerous” was their reply. The folks that were about to ascend took stock of what they had, listened to the folks that came back and decided that maybe today was not the day to summit these peaks.

At that same time another couple came by and told the same story of harsh conditions on the ascent to the saddle. The guy, of the two that just returned said that the rocks were glazed and that he fell four times before deciding to turnaround.

The peer to peer encounter was more effective than my explanation of the conditions they were about to encounter.

Luckily, just behind the pit toilets is the trail to Emma Lake. I pointed out this option and many of the people that weren’t willing to brave the conditions to summit took this option and still enjoyed their outdoor experience.

Along with the usual crush of hikers and dogs the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) was continuing the trail restoration project on the skirt of Mt. Bross. It was great to be able to show the trail users how much time and effort is going into the maintenance of the trails.

More than a few folks wanted to know how to volunteer not only at LCD (Lincoln, Cameron, Democrat) but other trail projects around the state. I gave them LNT cards with CFI info and told them about the links to other sites.

Again, the overall response from the hikers, both ascending and descending was of surprise over the private ownership of these peaks. Today I encountered more people than usual that when informed that the summit of Mt. Bross was officially closed responded by saying, “Well I summited Bross anyway, what are you going to do about it?”

My response was of congratulations on completing the loop and letting them know that more than anywhere else in Colorado their actions are being scrutinized and have a direct effect on the access of these peaks.

I used the analogy of when you get your drivers license you are told to come to a complete stop at all stop signs but that people blow through them all the time. What is being asked of the users is to do the right thing and stop at all the stop signs or please respect the land owners wishes and not summit Mt. Bross this season and if all goes right with the land owners Mt. Bross will be officially open next season.

When presented with this line of reasoning almost all people understood and were left to decide for themselves. Hopefully when presented with the stop sign they would do the right thing. There were a few that tried to justify their "running the stop sign” by saying that no one was going to keep them from summiting. Giving the impression that it was their right to trespass.

When confronted with the “it’s my right” argument I turned the discussion to the fact that there is still gold and sliver ore located in these mining claims. I explained that if the price of those commodities rises to the point of being profitable the mine owners can begin extraction and then these peaks might be fenced off and patrolled.

When presented with a realistic mining scenario of closure those that previously asserted their right to summit had a better understanding of the fragility not only of the ecological climate but of the political climate.

Jim “J.J.” Jimenez
Alma, CO
10,400’

Lots ‘O cars, people and dogs

Went up to Kite Lake on both Saturday and Sunday, July 25 & 26.

I set up an information table at the north-west corner of the parking lot where the trail exits toward Democrat. Had LNT cards, info signs (thanks Byron and Saya), and maps that did and didn’t show the mining claims.

Lots ‘O cars, people and dogs; both on and off leash. I visited with the owners of the off leash dogs and let them know that the reason the CFI supports the USFS regulation that dogs be on a leash is because there are several open mine shafts less than 50’ off the trail. It would be terrible to go up with your dog and come back with an empty leash. That’s why the CFI also asks folks to not wander off the trail. The dogs were leashed and some folks asked more questions.

The biggest surprise to folks was to find out that these peaks: Democrat, Lincoln, Cameron and Bross are all privately held mining claims and that they’ll be hiking on private property.

The most FAQ was: “How do you own a fourteener?”

I answered that back in the 1860’s - 1870’s these were mining claims to be exploited for profit. The concept of recreational use was not considered. These were mining claims that happened to be at 14,000-feet. Because they are Patented mining claims, if the price of gold or silver goes up enough, these claims could be reactivate and mining resume. The CFI is currently working with the other mine owners to officially allow people to summit Cameron and Bross. Leting them know that their actions today have a direct impact on the future access to these peaks.

I found out that there is a lot of conflicting informat out there regarding the access of Cameron and Bross. Many people came up to the table with guide books, maps and descriptions from the internet. Few, if any, of these sources mentioned the current closure of the summits of Cameron and Bross, or showed the boundaries of the mining claims. All of the people that stopped by the table walked away with a greater understanding of the current situation.

On Saturday I recorded 102 vehicles both in and outside of the fee zone when I arrived at 7:00 am.On Sunday there were 71. There were at least a dozen tents set up on the tundra adjacent to the trail-head on both mornings with more tents set up below the fee zone.

Several people commented on the volume of users. I responded by saying that the perception of the ascent of Democrat is it’s the easy fourteener. One of the guide books shown to me characterized the ascent of Democrat as a “training fourteener.” One web page said it was a “...‘beginner’ fourteener. In addition to the perception of being an easy fourteener all of the sources sited the fact that you can bag four in one day, further complicating the land access issue.

The volume of users is bordering on the ridiculous. On Saturday there was a group of 18. They split up into three groups. On Sunday there was an organization called The Band Of Brothers with 80 members on the trail. They did follow LNT principles and break up into groups of 6 or less. But that was in addition to the other more than 110 users I had documented.

These peaks are now seeing more use than ever. It feels great to get out and spread the word through direct contact and education to let folks know how fragile the access and the environment are at 14,000-feet.

Jim “J.J.” Jimenez
Alma, CO
10,400’

Windy Day on LDB

Murray and I were up on LDB Saturday July 18, 2009. Very windy which made contacts difficult. Arrived at the TH at 5:20am. There were 55 cars and 14 tents!! I personally counted 169 people between the TH and after I descended Democrat to the saddle. At that point I stopped counting because I couldn't tell who I had already counted after heading towards Lincoln.

I met a father and son on Unicycles! on the summit of Democrat. Talked with the father about staying on the trail to avoid damage. However, I don't think they were actually able to use them much. Too rocky and windy. Also saw but did not contact two guys with Mountain bikes. Similar story, too rocky and windy to use them much from what I could see.

I counted 18 dogs and was pleasantly surprised that the majority were leashed. Murray had some great contacts on Bross and many diverted from the summit in response to the information he provided about the current circumstances with the summit being closed. CFI was doing trailwork on the Bross trail. There were approximately 60 volunteers doing the trail work. Murray and I left at 12:15pm. There were over 150 cars parked from the TH down the road. With the trail maintenance going on Bross it made for an exceptional number of cars.

Randy Martin

Picture from Summit of Lincoln


Picture of Unicyclist on Democrat Summit

Summer is in Full Swing!

Guenella Pass, 6/27/09

Summer is in full swing and Peak Stewards are active! So far this summer, Peak Stewards have logged over 30 days advocating for LNT and ethical travel on 17 of the high-use fourteen thousand foot mountains in Colorado. Last year Peak Stewards logged around 45 days. This year we are attempting to triple that number and are off to a good start!!

So far for this weekend, Peak Stewards will be at Mt. of the Holy Cross and Mt. Massive. There is also a mini-Peak Steward Training scheduled for next weekend (Saturday July 18th and Sunday July 19th). These are separate, one-day trainings and will take place on a Front Range peak.

CFI is also in the process of expanding on facebook. We are currently listed as a "cause" but are in the process of revitalizing our social networking which includes both this blog as well as the many options facebook seems to offer.

Don't forget to check out our website at www.14ers.org

More to come soon...

Cheers,

Brian Wallace

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Build It and They Will Come By

Happy Independence Day! Saya and I went and worked the Kite Lake TH for LDBc on the 3rd and 4th. There were 55 cars on Friday and 71 cars on Sat. Rainy and cold on Fri and sunny, windy, and colder on Sat.
On Friday, there were 4 tents camped directly behind the no camping sign (east side of lot) and 2 cars parked in front of the "do not park in front of the fee station" sign. Several people on Friday were not really interested in paying the $3. We were wearing rain gear and covering our CFI patches. Sat, however, we must have looked more official, because everyone who had not already paid, saw us, turned around and went to pay. Some people asked if they could pay us and we showed them where to go instead.
I created an information booth, by using a card table, some printouts with "Did You Know" facts, and the LNT cards. My DYK facts included LDB facts, who we were with and LNT, CFI, and dog info. I put them in clear plastic sheet protectors (Target sells them cheap). Day 1 they got soaked from the rain and some were ruined and would not stick to the table. A solution to this problem that we are considering is using velcro squares to adhere the paper to the table. Day 2 was much better. We placed the table at the start of the trail, which basically forced every person to walk past. Some tried to pretend we were not there, but the majority stopped, looked, and it was so easy to engage from there.
One two-some helped us out while they were hiking. They saw a larger group going off trail and they yelled to them that the trail was over there. The group went back on the trail.

Byron
4th of July

Trailheads By Road Difficulty

Here is a link that rates the difficulty and type of vehicle that should be able to make it up a road to the trail heads. http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/trailheads5.php I went with a friend to climb Grays and found the road to be rather trashed. We made it with a frontwheel drive vehicle with decent clearance, but it was not pleasant. If you are going to Beirstadt, Georgetown to Guanella Pass has construction on it and is closed at various times for up to 2 hrs during the day (9-11AM and 1-3PM)and all night until 6am on weekdays (as best as I can decipher from the random trip reports). From Grant, 285 route, the road is supposed to be open and in better condition. The trip reports on 14ers.com have some good up to date info on road conditions of the trailheads.

Byron
29 June 2009

Summer Reads

Hello All,

I was so intrigued by everyone's book suggestions at the training that I thought it might be fun to create a Peak Steward Summer Reads list for the blog. Especially since I know everyone will be doing some camping in addition to Stewarding this summer. Below is a list of my favorite outdoors books so please feel free to add on and happy reading! :-)

Shannon's Summer Reads

1. "Touching the Void" by Joe Simpson
2. "Into the Wild" and "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
3. "Explorers of the Infinite" by Maria Coffey
4. "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortensen & David Oliver Relin

Warm Regards,
Shannon Crockett

A Very Successful Peak Steward Training

Let me first note that this post is about a week over due but some free time has finally been found at the office so here goes:

The June 13th and 14th 2009 Peak Steward Training was a great success. 35 individuals attended including 8 returning Peak Stewards. Saturday's training took place at Alma's town hall and included an introduction to the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (Brian Wallace, CFI), a lecture on the history of modern outdoor recreation and a discussion on the condition of Colorado's fourteen thousand foot mountains (Brian Wallace, CFI), a lecture on the history and hazards of Colorado mining (Craig Bissonnette, Colorado Division of Reclamation Mining and Safety), and a presentation on Leave-No-Trace principles and practices (Steve Bonowski, LNT).

Sunday's training took place at the base of Mts. Lincoln and Democrat and included a presentation and exercises on alpine ecology and botony (Anya Byers, Colorado Mountain Club), a presentation on the United States Forest Service and their relationship with CFI (Loretta McEllhiney, USFS) and a very intuitive lesson on "Wisdom", using the "Authority of the Resource", and interacting with the general public while on the peaks (Loretta McEllhiney, USFS). Around noon some storms started to move as we were eating lunch. We decided to go back to Alma town hall for the remainder of the training and proceeded to role play and practice interacting with and educating hikers.

Every Peak Steward is asked to volunteer at least 4 days per year, with one (or more) of them being on Mts. Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross (the summit of Bross is still closed however). If every Peak Steward stays committed (and maybe we can recruit some more along the way) we will more then triple the amount of Peak Steward days from any previous year!!!!

We are off to a great start...stay tuned for more updates!!!

-Brian Wallace

Education and Outreach Coordinator

Colorado Fourteeners Initiative

Peak Steward Training

Peak Steward Training is this Saturday and Sunday (June 13th and 14th) in Alma, Colorado and on Mts. Lincoln, Democrat, and Bross. CFI will be training 30+ individuals to become Peak Stewards. Once trained, they will educate and monitor individuals who explore Colorado's 14,000 ft. peaks. An estimated 750,000 individuals will be climbing these 54 popular peaks throughout the next 4 months. Most of the traffic will be isolated to 10 (or so) of the most popular peaks.

Peak Stewards, along with the information provided at each trailhead, are the only means of education that the Forest Service or CFI can provide on specific issues concerning the 14,000 ft peaks of Colorado. Their presence is crucial to the preservation of these peaks. This training is double the size of any other historic Peak Steward Training. If all of this years Peak Stewards stay committed to their requested 4 days of volunteering, we will almost triple the number of Peak Steward days from last year or any previous year.

Greetings!

Greetings and thanks for visiting the Peak Stewards Blog. This is the first blog that the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative has used and will be utilized as an education, outreach, and communication tool between Peak Stewards and the public.

The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks through active stewardship and public education. The Peak Steward Program is CFI's main education and outreach tool. Peak Stewards are individual volunteers who monitor these areas to advocate for Leave No Trace practices and ethical hiking. This blog has been established to provide a space for their experiences and stories.

To learn more about CFI visit our website @ www.14ers.org .