Colorado Parks and Wildlife seeks public feedback on Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan

Every five years, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) leads the development of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), to maintain eligibility for funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund and to inform investments from other federal, state, local and private programs.

Given the significance of outdoor recreation in Colorado, the SCORP is more than a federal requirement for funding. The plan reflects Colorado outdoor partners' shared vision and commitment to advancing recreation enjoyment and conservation of Colorado’s outdoor resources.

Colorado’s previous 2019-2023 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) was developed in close collaboration with a wide range of partners to provide a shared vision for the future of Colorado’s outdoors. This plan also looks at current and changing demographics and recreation trends to help the outdoor recreation sector be culturally relevant and respond to future shifts.

The SCORP identifies four top priorities:

1) Enhance sustainable access and opportunity to enjoy the outdoors

2) Promote stewardship of natural, cultural, and recreational resources

3) Conserve lands, waters, and wildlife

4) Ensure adequate funding to sustain Colorado’s outdoors for the future

Currently, CPW is asking for feedback from the public on the relevance and importance of Colorado's outdoor recreation objectives that help achieve the top priorities listed in the 2019-2023 plan. There are nine main objectives listed in the 2019 SCORP, which help prioritize outdoor recreation and conservation projects across the state based on the priority areas.

CPW staff want to ensure that the objectives we use to accomplish our outdoor recreation and conservation priorities in the 2024-2028 SCORP reflect the values of our community’s diverse interests. Share your feedback with us using the comment form on EngageCPW. Comments on this plan are open now through Feb. 28, 2024.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Along The Trail At The Head Of Cascade Canyon

Update: after discussion on social media, and a closer analysis of the photo, I now believe this photo was taken from South Teton. It appears the photo may have been taken by Don Grant, who appears to have been a mountain climber from that era.

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The photo below was originally published by the U.S. Department of the Interior in a pamphlet called, Grand Teton [Wyoming] National Park. Published in 1937, the photograph appears with the title, Along The Trail At The Head Of Cascade Canyon. I could be wrong on this, but it appears the photo was taken from Jenny Lake, or possibly somewhere along the lower portions of Hanging Canyon. I believe the trail seen in this photo is either the Jenny Lake Trail or the western segment of the horse trail that links up with the Cascade Canyon Trail west of Inspiration Point. I also believe that the rock outcropping in the lower left-hand corner of the photo is Inspiration Point. Obviously the terrain around this area was much different back then. This area is mostly wooded now, which to me, makes this a pretty amazing shot:

Even as far back as 85 years ago, Cascade Canyon was considered to be a popular destination in the park. The Spring 1939 issue of Grand Teton Nature Notes reports that, "By far the most popular trail in the park is the lower portion of the Cascade Canyon Trail which leaves Jenny Lake and climbs above Hidden Falls."



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

New map will help inform Coloradans on general areas inhabited by gray wolves in Colorado

A map published earlier this week on Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s website will inform the public, recreationists and livestock producers on where wolves have been in the past month. This map will be updated with new information on a monthly basis, produced on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and will reflect data for the prior month, give or take several days.

These maps are created using GPS collar data collected from all 12 collared wolves in Colorado. This includes the 10 animals reintroduced from Oregon, as well as the two collared wolves in North Park.

This map depicts watersheds where the 12 collared wolves in Colorado have been for the last month. A watershed is a geographic unit that drains water into a specific waterbody. These are also known as Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUC). Information is shared at the HUC 10 level. Watersheds are the appropriate mapping unit to display wolf activity information because wolves are far more likely to use geographic features to affect their distribution than they are political boundaries.

In order for a watershed to indicate wolf activity, at least one GPS point from the wolf collars was recorded within the boundaries of the watershed. Simply because a watershed indicates wolf activity, it does not mean that a wolf or wolves are present throughout the entire watershed nor that they are currently in the watershed. For example, a wolf has not yet been located south of I-70, even though the watershed in which a wolf was detected spans both north and south of the Interstate.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

2024 Colorado Trail Crews open for registration on Feb 1, 2024!

The Colorado Trail Foundation is seeking trail crews for the upcoming season. Here's some information they sent me via email:

With snow covering most of the Trail and the rest of the Colorado high country, the reminder that trail season is just around the corner may come as a surprise. Soon, the snow will start melting, trail enthusiasts will pick up their packs, and trail crew volunteers will grab their green CTF hard hats. If you are one of the latter group, you'll be excited to see the 2024 trail crew schedule below.

Trail crews are made up of volunteers from many different groups and backgrounds. Some have been volunteering on the CT for decades, some have done trail work in other areas and are eager to put those skills and passion to work on the CT this year, and some have had a life-changing experience on the Trail and are now looking for a way to give back through trail work for the first time.

Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or someone that's excited, and maybe even a bit nervous, to try out trail work for the first time, we welcome you! I'm confident you will find the CTF trail crew community to be welcoming, supportive, and appreciative. All the information you need to join one of this year's crews can be found on our website. New to volunteering and not sure what it's all about? Visit our website to view a short orientation video that tells you all about volunteer trail crews and answers many common questions.

If you are more interested in supporting our trail crew efforts through a financial contribution, reach out to me via email at tisha@coloradotrail.org to get further details or click here to make your donation online and pick which crew you would like to support. Each trail crew sponsorship is $2,000 (based on the average cost of our 2024 trail crews), which covers supplies, food for volunteers, construction materials, and other associated costs. In the past, CTF charged a fee from participating volunteers to help cover a small portion of these fees; however, we changed this policy to no longer ask participants to pay to help off-set these costs. Instead, each trail crew will be sponsored by a donor looking for a specific project to fund to support CTF's ongoing efforts to keep the Colorado Trail the most well-maintained long-distance trail in America!

Now that you have the schedule, mark your calendars to head over to our website on Feb 1st to register. Some trail crews fill up very quickly, and we want to be able to see all of you out on the Trail this year!

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Avalanche danger remains "considerable" throughout Rocky Mountain National Park

Posted on Rocky Mountain's social media earlier today:

Following recent storms, there is fresh snow on most trails in Rocky. Before heading out on any backcountry trip, make sure that everyone in your group is avalanche aware. Avalanche danger remains "considerable" throughout Rocky Mountain National Park.

Travel across and under steep slopes is not advised unless all members of your party have rescue equipment, education and experience to make informed decisions about traveling in avalanche terrain. An avalanche can be triggered by skiers, snowshoers, and even wildlife.

To see the latest avalanche forecast and additional safety information, visit the Colorado Avalanche Information Center's webpage at https://avalanche.state.co.us/.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Fern Lake Shapes "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"

In the early 1900s Dr. William J. Workman began construction on a fishing lodge along the shores of Fern Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. This would eventually evolve into the Fern Lake Lodge, which would include a dining room, as well as a dormitory and log cabins that could accommodate up to 55 people. Although the lodge ceased most operations in the late 1930s, it continued serving light snacks through the 1950s. During the summer of 1958 the lodge was managed by budding folksinger Judy Collins, and her husband at that time, Peter Taylor. In 1976 the National Park Service razed the property and returned the area to its natural state.

Although Collins attained a fair amount of fame on her own with hits such as "Both Sides, Now", it was arguably the Crosby, Stills & Nash smash hit, "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes," which would immortalized her. At the time the song was written Collins was dating Stephen Stills. In a 2016 Facebook post Collins recalled her time at the lodge:

"I ran Fern Lake Lodge in 1958 for a summer and I and my family will never forget the mountains and our time there--RIP Denver John (her brother) and Clark-and my ex, Peter Taylor, who ran the water down from the springs into the pipes and into the lodge and kept the first [fires] burning and the wood chopped--our memories float over the spring run-offs and the sunsets and sunrises as hikers take to the mountains to see the Columbines and Paintbrush, the leaping trout and the nutcrackers and Rocky Mountain bluebirds. I will go up that 9 and 1/2 mile hike again, over the 11,000 foot pinacle above Odessa Lake and above Bear Lake, and down into the Fern Lake terrain. The Lodge where we worked--I baking bread and pies on a wood stove-and slept, down on the river bank are all gone, but the memories live on."

Thousands of hikers still visit Fern Lake each year, but none will ever find any evidence that the lodge ever existed. Here's a photo of Judy Collins performing at Fern Lake Lodge:

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Rocky's Avalanche Beacon Training Park is open for the season

Posted on Rocky Mountain's social media:

Located at Hidden Valley a short walk upslope from the Hidden Valley Warming Hut, the avalanche beacon park is designed for backcountry enthusiasts to practice simulated avalanche searches using their own beacons/transceivers and probes. The beacon training park has eight transmitters/targets and can be setup for single or multiple scenarios.

This beacon training park is set up to be a self-serve system. There are directions on site to run several different practice scenarios, which are located at the main control station. All training park users should be familiar with avalanche rescue gear and techniques. To use the training park, users will need to bring their own avalanche beacon and probe.

A shovel is recommended while traveling in avalanche terrain, but please do not dig up the beacons in the training park.

Hidden Valley is approximately 7 miles from the Beaver Meadows and Fall River Entrances to RMNP. At an elevation of 9,240, conditions can be cold and windy. Weather can change quickly in the mountains. Protect your skin and body from cold illnesses like frostbite and hypothermia by wearing clothing designed for the conditions.

If you notice a problem with the Avalanche Beacon Training Park, contact the park's Information Office at 970-586-1206 or email us at romo_information@nps.gov.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

A Young Granite Park Chalet

This historic photo of the Granite Park Chalet was taken in 1925, just ten years after it was constructed by the Great Northern Railway. The rustic lodge was the last of the nine backcountry chalets built by the railroad, all of which were part of an interconnected system of trails, tent camps, backcountry chalets and frontcountry lodges. All were constructed to provide comfortable accommodations within Glacier National Park during the era before automobile travel become an important mode of transportation. Both Sperry and Granite Park, the only chalets that survive to this day, still offer overnight accommodations for hikers. Both are National Historic Landmarks.

Compared to Sperry Chalet, the Granite Park Chalet is much more basic, and is essentially a simple hiker's hostel, with virtually no amenities. It has 12 guest rooms, each with 2 to 6 bunks. Although there's no electricity, the common-area kitchen does have a propane stove that you can use to cook a warm lunch or dinner. The chalet also sells packaged foods, beverages, snacks, and bottled water to day hikers.

Although accommodations are limited, the chalet is still a popular destination for hikers on the Highline Trail, as the upfront views of Heavens Peak are second to none:

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

"The Big Trail"

According to Rocky Mountain National Park: A History, at least four Clovis and Folsom projectile points have been found in Rocky Mountain, suggesting that Paleo-Indians were crossing through the future national park at least ten to fifteen thousand years ago. Other artifacts, such as tools and fragments of pottery, have also been found. Abner Sprague, one of the first settlers in the Estes Park area, once remarked that "the Indians made Estes Park a summer resort there is no question, as evidence of their summer camps were everywhere throughout the Park when the White pioneer came."

Within the last thousand years the Ute Indians moved into the Rocky Mountain region. By the early 1800s, so did the Arapahos. Both the Arapaho and Ute Indians likely traveled across the park using east-west routes such as Trail Ridge, Forest Canyon, Fall River and Flattop Mountain in order to reach traditional hunting grounds on the Great Plains. The Arapaho Indians referred to the Flattop Mountain corridor as "The Big Trail". At one time the Flattop Mountain Trail was also known as the Grand Trail. A pathway was formally constructed in 1925, was rehabilitated by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1940, and is now currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Joining a Ranger-Guided Snowshoe Walk is a Great Way to Explore Rocky Mountain National Park this Winter

For many, winter is their favorite time of year to visit Rocky Mountain National Park. The park is less crowded, yet alive with activity. Weekends are much busier than weekdays. For those who are prepared, winter is an enchanting time to explore the wonders of the park.

Snowshoeing is a fun, easy-to-learn activity and offers a new way to see the beauty of the park in winter. Rocky Mountain National Park offers Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walks on both the east side (Estes Park) and west side (Grand Lake) of the park. Snowshoe walks are offered from January through mid-March, based on snow and weather conditions. Participants must provide their own snowshoes. Don’t own your own gear? Rental opportunities are available in nearby communities outside of the park.

Join a Snowshoe Walk Program

A Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walk is a two-hour program where participants will walk through hilly, uneven, snow-covered meadows and mixed conifer forest areas within Rocky Mountain National Park. Programs are offered on both the east and west sides of the park. No previous snowshoe experience is required, but the walk is considered moderately strenuous. Participants should have a baseline fitness level that allows them to snowshoe approximately one mile over hilly terrain at high elevations. These programs take place at 8,700-9,700 feet in elevation. Participants must be 8 years or older.

Space is limited to a maximum of 20 people per program. Reservations are free (park entrance fees are still required) and all participants are required to make reservations in advance. These programs are very popular and fill quickly. For more information, visit the park’s webpage at www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/ranger-led-snowshoe-walks.htm.

Beginning on January 6, Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walks will be offered on the west side of RMNP (near Grand Lake), on Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. Reservations are taken on the Wednesday before the scheduled program, in the order they are received. West side programs will be offered, weather permitting, through March 17, 2024.

Beginning on January 9, Ranger-Led Snowshoe Walks will be offered on the east side of RMNP (near Estes Park), on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. Reservations can be scheduled up to seven days in advance of a scheduled program. To make a reservation, call 970-586-1223. East side programs will be offered, weather permitting, through March 28, 2024.


Winter Safety Tips

Your safety is your responsibility; know your limits and make sure that everyone in your group is prepared for the anticipated weather and conditions. Travel across and under steep slopes is not advised unless all members of your party have the education, safety equipment, and experience to make informed decisions about traveling in avalanche terrain. For the latest avalanche conditions, visit http://avalanche.state.co.us.

Advanced trip planning in winter is critical. Parking lots at popular destinations like Bear Lake, Glacier Gorge, and Hidden Valley often fill on the weekends. Trail navigation in winter can present difficult challenges. Trails in the park are not marked for winter use. Route-finding skills are necessary. Signs and trails can be buried beneath snow and difficult to follow. Never follow other people’s tracks, as they can easily lead you off-course. Cell phones, GPS devices, and other electronic devices are not reliable in cold conditions, as batteries can freeze.

Road conditions in the winter can vary. Before coming to the park, make sure your vehicle is ready for winter driving. There could be ice or patches of snow on the surface of park roads. It’s important to have tires in good condition for winter driving on mountain roads. Colorado Vehicle Traction Law may become active at any time, based on weather and road conditions. When the Colorado Vehicle Traction Law is active in RMNP, this means that all vehicles (including 4-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, and 2-Wheel Drive) must have properly rated tires (Mud and Snow, Mountain and Snow or All-Weather Tires) with a minimum of 3/16" tread. If you have improperly rated tires on your vehicle, then you must use an approved traction control device. These may include snow chains, cables, tire/snow socks, or studded tires.

Remember to slow down and keep an eye out for wildlife. Wildlife are active throughout the day and night and can cross park roads at any time.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park

Man Saves Bald Eagle From Drowning In River

Although this video is more than a year old, I just recently ran into it. The rescue of this female bald eagle occurred on the the Shubenacadie River in Nova Scotia. This background information is from the Shubie River Wranglers website:

What started as a normal day turned into a wild and unique Shubenacadie experience. We were out rafting when we came across an injured eagle on the sandbar. After seeing this eagle struggle to take off from the sandbar we knew something was wrong. After several failed attempts to fly off the sand bar, the eagle found himself caught in the incoming tide and quickly swept away by the tidal bore. We watched and tried to position ourselves down the river and close enough to the eagle to lend a hand however we could. Despite continuing to struggle and encountering some quite large waves, it was able to maintain its upright posture. Now, we had a strong sense that the eagle had sustained a severe injury that prevented him from taking flight. We managed to get him into the boat safely and we did our best to keep him at ease as we travelled back to our rafting location. Once we arrived back to our site @hopeforwildlife arrived to take the eagle and provide him with the care he required. The eagle recovered completely from its injuries and was eventually released to its natural environment.

Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com

Ramble On (2nd edition book on the rich history of hiking)
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park