Mesa Verde National Park Releases 2014 Fall Backcountry Hike Schedule

Mesa Verde National Park is again offering backcountry experiences this fall. These ranger-guided hikes include a 4-hour hike into Upper Navajo Canyon, and a 4-hour hike on Wetherill Mesa. Basics of each hike are listed below, with detailed information online. Tickets are limited and must be purchased online at recreation.gov or at 1-877-444-6777.

Wetherill Mesa Experience is a 4-mile, 4-hour easy-to-moderate hike which rewards hikers with expansive canyon views, spectacular views of cliff dwellings, and the natural beauty of Wetherill Mesa in the autumn. This is a good introduction to the story of the Ancestral Pueblo people, the environment in which they lived, and the ecology of the pinyon-juniper woodlands. Bring binoculars for cross-canyon views of multiple cliff dwellings. This hike is available from September 2 to October 3 on Tuesday and Friday mornings. Each hike is limited to 14 participants and costs $18.00 per person. Get details online when you purchase your tickets.

Upper Navajo Canyon is a 4-mile, 4-hour round-trip moderate hike along an unpaved, uneven trail that descends 760 feet. Hikers will enjoy the autumn weather and fall color on this historic trail built in the 1930s by one of the government's Depression era organizations, the Public Works Administration. Bring binoculars for cross-canyon views of multiple alcove sites, including Pinkley House and an un-named alcove site. You will experience two different natural communities as you descend from the drier mesa top pinyon-juniper woodlands to the mountain chaparral in the canyon bottom. This hike is available from September 3 to October 5 on Wednesday and Sunday mornings. Each hike is limited to 14 participants, and costs $18.00 per person. Get details online when you purchase your tickets.

Mesa Verde National Park offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to A.D. 1300. Today, the park protects almost 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings.

For reservations and more information, visit www.recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

U.S. Forest Service to Hold Public Planning Session on Steamboat Area Trails

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District (HPBE) is inviting the public to join them for a planning session regarding the multi-use trail system on the Routt National Forest surrounding Steamboat Springs.

HPBE maintains approximately 375 miles of multi-use trails including motorized, non-motorized and wilderness trails, such as the Gilpin Lake Loop, one of my favorite hikes. Various special interest groups have presented the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) with proposals to develop more trails for their use. The most recent request for changes to the area trail system came as a result of Steamboat’s Accommodation Tax Referendum 2A from last November.

So, instead of dealing with each request separately, HPBE would like to look at the larger perspective to determine what approach best fits the Forest Service’s desired forest condition and the public’s needs.

The public planning session, or charrette, will be held at the HPBE District Office at 925 Weiss Drive, beginning at 5 p.m. It is expected to take several hours, as USFS staff will first provide information to paint a detailed picture of the existing situation and then be available to go over area-specific, future options with those in attendance.

“We intend for this charrette to be the start of a very open, public process regarding the future of multi-use trails in the Steamboat area,” said HPBE District Ranger Chad Stewart. “It will bring all stakeholders together at one time to have dialogue on the existing trail network, identify what is missing, and ultimately develop a desired, quality trail system serving the communities. “It’s hoped the charrette will provide a forum for ideas and offer the ability for immediate feedback to our staff on proposals.”

Communities in this case is defined as locations such as Steamboat Springs, North Routt, Hayden and Craig, as well as user groups such as off-highway vehicles, mountain bikes, horseback riding, hiking, etc.

With multiple locations/users affected, it is important to understand that while some groups may want trail opportunities for their specific use, USFS trails are multiple-use trails that are designated as motorized, non-motorized, or for non-mechanized use, as in the case of wilderness trails. Trails can be designed for various uses, but other uses are not precluded. Increasing trail miles is a long-term financial investment for the USFS to consider, so consensus of the group may require concessions by some. Resource issues will also be an integral factor in the future planning of trails.

HPBE is hopeful that the outcome will be a collective vision for the future of trails on the District and the communities served. Once all information is collected and discussed, the USFS will incorporate feedback into a trails master plan, and as funding and priorities allow, complete the necessary environmental analysis.

For more USFS information about this or other recreation topics, call the Hahns Peak-Bears Ears Ranger District at (970) 870-2299, or stop by the District Office in Steamboat Springs between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Lost Hiker Found in Longs Peak and Mount Meeker Area

On Monday morning Rocky Mountain National Park rangers were notified by a family member that Jay Yambert, 56, of Champaign, Illinois, was overdue. Yambert had planned to summit Longs Peak on the east side, via The Loft on Sunday, July 27th. At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday he was in touch with his family and indicated that he would be late getting back to the trailhead. They contacted the park on Monday morning when they didn't hear from him.

At 8:45 a.m. on Monday members of the park's Search and Rescue team departed the trailhead and began to retrace what they assumed to be Yambert's intended route. Yambert contacted family members at 11:45 a.m. and indicated that he was uninjured, but due to severe weather and nightfall he was forced to spend an unexpected night on Longs Peak.

Rangers requested assistance for aerial surveillance from the Northern Colorado Helitek helicopter, which assisted on incidents on Friday and Saturday in the park. The helicopter had been grounded due to severe weather and heavy fog, but began an aerial search effort later on Monday afternoon.

Aerial searchers located Yambert below Peacock Pool in the Roaring Fork drainage at roughly 4:00 p.m. Nearby rangers reached Yambert on foot only fifteen minutes later, and provided him with food and water. Yambert declined evacuation by helicopter and medical evaluation, and indicated that he wanted to hike out on his own. Rangers led him back to the trail and gave him directions to the trailhead.

Yambert now believes he may have been on Mount Meeker.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Celebrate World Ranger Day at Rocky Mountain National Park

The staff of Rocky Mountain National Park is inviting the public to celebrate World Ranger Day with them as they recognize world conservation areas, and the professional staff – the Rangers – that form the Thin Green Line around these most valuable resources. The free program will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center auditorium. The international Ranger documentary, The Thin Green Line, highlights Rangers around the world as they face dangers and protect resources in their day to day jobs.

The International Ranger Federation (IRF) was founded to support the work of Rangers as the key protectors of the world's protected areas. At the World Ranger Congress 2006 in Scotland, IRF delegates decided that July 31 of each year, beginning in 2007, would be a day dedicated to world rangers. The first World Ranger Day fell on the 15th anniversary of the founding of IRF on July 31, 1992.

In 1872, Yellowstone National Park in the United States became the world's first federally designated national park. Since then, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, over 100,000 protected areas, representing more than 10% of the earth's landmass, have been established around the world.

The English word "ranger" reflects the guardians of the Royal Forests in 14th century England, protecting the King's lands from poachers. Today, Rangers in protected areas throughout the world continue this role for the public. Rangers are the key force protecting these resources from impairment. They do this through law enforcement, environmental education, community relations, fighting fires, conducting search and rescues, and in many many other ways.

Come show your support for the Rangers of the World at this free program on Thursday, July 31, 7:30 p.m. at the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.



Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Understanding Colorado's Monsoon Season Weather

Most people who hike in the Rocky Mountains do so in July and August when the temperatures are warmer and the trails are generally snow free. However, this time period also coincides with the "monsoon season," that time of year when tropical moisture combines with lots of sunlight to create almost daily afternoon thunder and lightning storms. Between 2003 and 2012, Colorado was tied for second in the nation in terms of the most lightning deaths - in total and adjusted for population. Just earlier this month two people were killed and 10 others were injured by lightning strikes during a two-day period in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Whether your out for a day hike in Rocky Mountain National Park, or you're seeking to climb one of Colorado's 14ers, you need to be aware of lightning risk, and what you should do if you find yourself in a lightning situation.

The folks over at the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative recently published a short video that explains how the monsoon season creates the notorious afternoon thunderstorms that the Rocky Mountains are famous for. The video is narrated by KDVR/KWGN meteorologist, Chris Tomer, who has climbed all 54 of Colorado's 14ers:



Chris then follows up in a subsequent video with how to stay safe while climbing in monsoon season:





Jeff
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com