Thursday, April 9, 2026

Amid bark beetle outbreak, Forest Service will attempt to save high value trees

As the mountain pine beetle outbreak continues to intensify along Colorado’s Front Range, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service will begin targeted work this spring to protect large, high‑value trees in several popular campgrounds.

During past outbreaks, the Forest Service has successfully saved individual shade trees by applying protective pesticides early in the beetles’ migration season. This year, contractors will treat approximately 650 pine trees in the Kelly Dahl, Meeker Park, and Olive Ridge campgrounds on the Roosevelt National Forest. Forest Service entomologists identified these areas as especially vulnerable based on recent surveys of beetle movement.

Spraying will occur before the campgrounds open for the summer and could begin as early as April 9, depending on weather. Certified contractors will apply carbaryl to the trunks using high‑pressure equipment designed specifically for this purpose. Forest Service staff will be on site throughout operations to ensure safety and oversee contract work. Once underway, the spraying is expected to take about two days to complete.

Visitors to beetle‑impacted areas are reminded to use caution, particularly around standing dead trees and during periods of high wind. Falling hazard trees pose a significant safety concern in beetle impacted forests.



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Wednesday, April 8, 2026

GMUG highlights Great American Outdoors Act projects

Visitors to the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests should be aware of temporary recreation area closures and construction activity during the 2026 season as the GMUG continues delivering major recreation improvements funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).

GAOA, signed into law on August 4, 2020, remains a historic investment in America’s public lands, providing the Forest Service with critical resources to modernize recreation facilities, improve access and address long‑standing maintenance needs. The GMUG continues to benefit from these investments, with several significant projects scheduled for construction this year that enhance safety, infrastructure and the visitor experience.

The following GAOA projects are planned for summer 2026:

Bear Creek National Recreation Trail Reconstruction – Ouray Ranger District

Construction resumes May 11, 2026. The trail will remain open, but visitors may encounter crews and temporary closures for safety.

Wetterhorn Trail Reconstruction – Ouray Ranger District

Crews will return mid‑July 2026 to continue trail reconstruction. The trail will remain open, but visitors may encounter crews and temporary closures for safety.

Crag Crest National Recreation Trail Reconstruction – Grand Valley Ranger District

Work is expected to begin summer 2026, once high‑elevation snow melts. The trail will remain open, but visitors may encounter crews and temporary closures for safety.

Forest‑wide Trail Reconstruction and Maintenance – All Districts

Work will occur across several trail systems, including Dark Canyon, Throughline, Skyline and Mt. Lamborn. Trails will remain open, but users should expect crews on the trail and potential short delays.



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Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Tick Season in Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain National Park posted this blurb on their social media yesterday:
The arrival of spring means that ticks are now out in lower elevation areas of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Ticks are small arachnids that feed on the blood of their hosts. Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks (Dermacentor andersoni), along with other species of ticks around the country, often inhabit areas with tall vegetation and leaf litter. They easily jump from vegetation like tall grasses to a new host, like humans when hiking.

It is important to be tick aware, as they can transmit diseases to humans like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Colorado Tick Fever. The best way to prevent tick borne illnesses is to not allow ticks to become embedded on you. Protect Yourself from Ticks by taking the following actions:

🥾 When hiking, try to walk on trails away from tall grasses. Check yourself and your kids for ticks every few hours. Check your head, ankles, wrists and waistbands.

🧥 Cover your skin by wearing long sleeves and long pants. Pull socks over the cuffs of your pants to prevent ticks from finding the skin around your ankles.

🧴 Consider using insect repellent that contains DEET or permethrin, which can be effective in repelling ticks.
For information on hiking the trails in the park, please visit RockyMountainHikingTrails.com



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Monday, April 6, 2026

Alpenstocks

An alpenstock is the German word for a long wooden walking staff - usually six to ten feet in length, and tipped on one end with an iron spike. Though it’s not exactly clear as to when this multi-functional tool was first used, we do know that alpenstocks were used by shepherds and hunters while travelling across snowfields and glaciers in the Alps during the Middle Ages. In fact, travel across the Swiss Alps was so common by the mid-to-late 1500s that Josias Simler wrote a book about the topic in 1574. In one of the chapters, “Concerning the Difficulties of Alpine Travel and the Means by which they may be Overcome,” Simler provided practical advice for travelers wishing to cross the highlands. In this section, he described the use of alpenstocks to help with balance and support on steep slopes and icy terrain. By the late 18th century, alpenstocks had become standard equipment for early mountaineers during excursions in the Alps and other mountainous regions.




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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.


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Thursday, April 2, 2026

The Facts Behind the ‘Everest’ Scandal of Poisoned Clients and Fake Rescues

In the last day or so, you may have seen the shocking stories about a major scam involving guides on Mt. Everest. Screaming headlines, like that from People Magazine: "Mount Everest Climbers 'Poisoned' by Guides in Insurance Scam" or on The New York Post: "Mount Everest guides allegedly ‘poisoned’ climbers as part of sinister $20M scam," suggest an insidious plot that seemingly implicates the entire guiding industry in Nepal. However, an article published on ExplorersWeb early today suggest there's more, or maybe even less to the story than what the headlines indicate:
Today, Everest is making headlines around the world with scandalous stories of climbers poisoned or pushed unprepared into the death zone by nefarious guides. The stories aver that it’s part of a major scheme of fake rescues involving guides, companies, helicopter pilots, and hospital staff.

Much of the overall story is true enough, and there have been over 30 arrests around fake rescues so far. But the accusations have been out there for nearly a decade. What has changed to make publications large and small, serious and less serious, suddenly notice it? And what is really going on behind the scenes of the Everest industry?
The article is a great read, and provides a broader view of the entire story.




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