Saturday, September 19, 2026

Golden Gate Canyon State Park achieves Urban Night Sky Place designation

Golden Gate Canyon State Park has achieved Urban Night Sky Place designation from DarkSky International in recognition of the park’s efforts to lessen metropolitan light pollution for wildlife and habitat conservation. Golden Gate Canyon staff worked to replace or retrofit 96 light fixtures, increase education programming to align with DarkSky principles, hold regular star gazing parties and forge relationships with local astronomy groups.

"By protecting the night skies at Golden Gate Canyon State Park, we’re protecting a natural resource and creating opportunities for people of all ages to explore, learn and appreciate the stars in Colorado," said Park Administrative Assistant Bronwyn Phillips.

“DarkSky International is proud to welcome another of Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s state parks into the International Dark Sky Place Program with Golden Gate Canyon State Park’s certification as an Urban Night Sky Place,” said Michael Rymer, DarkSky International Community Program Manager. “Golden Gate Canyon is Colorado’s first Urban Night Sky Place, and sites like these are integral to protecting nighttime environments that are so close to urban areas, while also educating visitors about the issue of light pollution and why dark skies are so important. The staff and volunteers at Golden Gate Canyon have done exceptional work, and we are encouraged to see further progress in and around the park in the future.”

Golden Gate Canyon began the application process in 2024 with assistance from the Colorado Tourism Office and DarkSky Colorado. CPW staff also worked with multiple municipalities and agencies to become an Urban Night Sky Park including the Jefferson County Commission, City of Golden, Gilpin County, University of Colorado Boulder United Power and Rocky Mountain Wildlife Alliance.

The park joins Jackson Lake State Park as the second state park recognized by DarkSky International. Jackson Lake was named an International Dark Sky Park in 2020.



              ************************************************************************************

Check out our online trail guides:



Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Watch for flash flooding while recreating in Colorado through Thursday

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the four corners region:
FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.

* WHERE...A portion of southwest Colorado, including the following areas, Animas River Basin, Four Corners/Upper Dolores River, Northwest San Juan Mountains, San Juan River Basin and Southwest San Juan Mountains.

* WHEN...Through Thursday evening.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. This also includes the Gold Mountain, Elk and Ferris burn scars as well as areas of steep, susceptible terrain.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...

- Recent heavy rainfall in southwest Colorado has led to already saturated ground. In addition, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected Wednesday afternoon through Thursday evening producing periods of heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding.
Click here for the latest updates.



              ************************************************************************************

Check out our online trail guides:



Posted by at No comments:

Meet America's first extreme hiker

The following is an excerpt from Ramble On: A History of Hiking:

In all likelihood, Norwich, Vermont native Alden Partridge is America’s first avid hiker. Although he’s probably best known as the fifth superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, he also established a series of private military academies. According
to A History of Norwich, Vermont, Captain Partridge was also “a noted pedestrian, on several occasions walking sixty miles a day, and once pacing off seventy miles within that limit.” As an example of his endurance, strength and tenacity, in 1818 he undertook an extended excursion that included ascents of both Mt. Mansfield and the Camel’s Hump, the highest and third-highest peaks in Vermont. The entire trip, which covered roughly 200 miles, was made within a week, much of it in cold, drenching rain that involved tough, challenging bushwhacks up both mountains. In 1830, at the age of 45, Captain Partridge trekked to Massachusetts and back, a roundtrip hike that covered roughly 300 miles and ended with a grueling 64-mile march on the last day. During his fairly long life, the indefatigable military instructor recorded numerous extended treks across the Northeast, as well as ascents of several prominent peaks, including Mt. Washington, Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Equinox, Mt. Ascutney, Killington Peak, Grand Monadnock and Mt. Moosilauke. In an article published on the Norwich University website, journalist and historian Mark Bushnell proclaimed Partridge to be “the first extreme hiker.” According to Bushnell, Partridge also “wrote widely circulated newspaper columns about his wilderness treks and in so doing helped popularize the sport of hiking.”

Learn more about Alden Partridge and the other pioneers of hiking in Ramble On: A History of Hiking.



                *******************************************************************************

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.


Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, September 13, 2026

On this date in hiking history: The first woman to perish while hiking in America

The following is an excerpt from Ramble On: A History of Hiking.

On this date in 1855, 22-year-old Lizzie Bourne of Kennebunk, Maine became the first woman to perish while climbing Mt. Washington, and quite possibly the first female to die while hiking in America. On that late summer day, Lizzie had planned to hike to the Tip Top House atop Mount Washington with her uncle George and her cousin Lucy. Though early morning rain forced the group to postpone their trek, the weather eventually cleared, and they set out after lunch by proceeding up the partially completed carriage road. As the party climbed higher, however, they encountered another round of foul weather while ascending the Glen House Bridle Path, which continued to worsen with each step forward. In a letter to the Boston Journal, which was intended to provide “a correct account of the whole affair,” George Bourne attested that “Elizabeth began to show signs of weariness, and needed assistance” as they continued towards the summit. With night rapidly falling upon the mountains, darkness and fog conspired to obscure the view of their destination. Extreme fatigue also crept into each of them. Not knowing exactly where they were or how far they were from their objective, the trio made the decision to lie down on the trail and wait out the night. Despite building a windbreak out of nearby rocks, George was convinced that each of them would perish as a result of the extreme cold and violent wind. Indeed, that night, around ten o'clock, Lizzie quietly passed away while lying on the icy trail. In his letter to the Boston Journal, Bourne stated that it was “evident that Elizabeth did not die from the cold alone, but from some organic affection of the heart or lungs, induced by fatigue and exposure.”

With the arrival of daylight the next morning, to their complete and utter horror, George and Lucy discovered they were within sight of the Tip Top House. Had they known they were that close, they could’ve easily made it to safety, and Lizzie likely would’ve survived. After her death, tourists and hikers began piling rocks on the spot where she succumbed. A stone monument now stands near the site to mark and commemorate her passing.

Did Lizzie’s attire contribute to her death? I think it’s very possible that it did. She wore a heavy skirt, petticoat, pantaloons and stockings. Nicholas Howe, author of Not Without Peril: 150 Years Of Misadventure On The Presidential Range Of New Hampshire, estimates that Lizzie may have worn as much as 45 yards of fabric! After the outfit was soaked in cold rain, there’s no doubt this would’ve weighed her down, resulting in more stress on her heart, and certainly would’ve accelerated the effects of fatigue, exposure and hypothermia.

Ramble On: A History of Hiking chronicles the evolution of hiking gear and apparel, including many other stories about the attire both men and women wore during the early years of the sport. This new, improved and expanded edition on hiking history is available on Amazon.



                *******************************************************************************

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.


Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, September 10, 2026

CPW euthanizes sick bear in Durango with trash blocking upper intestines

Trash kills bears. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers were once again faced with that ugly truth Saturday in Durango.

CPW took a report Saturday of a black bear behind someone's home on Delwood Avenue that appeared lethargic and unresponsive to human presence. When District Wildlife Manager Luke Clancy arrived, he heard the bear moaning and observed it was incredibly bloated. It was unable to move aside from standing up and pivoting from one side to another.

After darting the bear and performing a health assessment, three CPW officers made the decision to euthanize the roughly 300-pound male bear.

The officers conducted a field necropsy and discovered the stomach and upper intestine were completely blocked with trash, including entire plastic garbage bags and at least 10 non-flushable cleaning wipes. The lower intestine was empty, which further indicated that the passage was fully blocked above.

“This is the sad reality of bears eating trash,” said Clancy. “We had not seen this bear since 2012, when it was caught during the research study in Durango. We estimated this bear was now 18 years old. It’s a pretty horrible way to die for a wild bear that we hadn’t seen involved in any conflict or nuisance behavior in all these years.”

District Wildlife Manager Stephanie Taylor noted the plastic was so compacted in the upper intestine that the bear no longer would have been able to digest food and would have slowly starved to death over the course of months if it didn’t die from illness or infection sooner.

A bear matching the size and coloration of this bear had broken into multiple homes one block away approximately one month earlier. After reviewing photos and videos submitted by the homeowners, the wildlife officers deemed that this was more likely than not the same bear that had entered the homes. CPW already had a trap set five houses away for a bear that had broken into a home three days earlier.

Despite a lack of natural foods for bears below 7,500 feet around the Durango area this year because of a late spring freeze and prolonged, historic drought, the health of the bear euthanized Saturday served as another example of why bears should not have access to human-provided food sources such as unsecured trash.

“We’ve all heard the oft-repeated phrase ‘garbage kills bears’ for years,” said Bryan Peterson of Bear Smart Durango. “And many have asked how in the world does trash get bears killed? Well, in many ways, but sometimes literally. Our community's tepid approach to trash management got a bear killed. Thankfully, its pain and suffering was ended.”

Clancy said this incident is an urgent reminder to the public – residents, visitors and business owners alike – to properly secure trash to avoid human-bear conflict. “We are in the midst of a uniquely bad bear year that will likely only get worse before it gets better,” Clancy said. “If I can pass anything along to our community it would first and foremost be to stay safe, and second to keep bears safe. Securing trash and other attractants assures both.”



              ************************************************************************************

Check out our online trail guides:



Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)