CSU Outdoor Program gives students outdoor experiences

So you are a student at CSU and you really want to try snowshoeing, but you don't have the equipment, don't know where to go and don't really know what you are doing. So what do you do? Check out the CSU Outdoor Program; it gives students the ability to affordably and easily try and learn new outdoor activities with the help of trained instructors and guides.

The goal of the Outdoor Program is not just to give students an experience in the outdoors, but to teach them how to replicate that experience on their own.

"Our focus is on teaching skills," said Milo Gomez, an Outdoor Program Trip Leader. "We are not just guides, we are instructors more — the goal of our trips is to take you on these trips and give you the skills to go do it again by yourself; you don’t need to go with us a second time. 

This program is for both the beginner and the advanced. Although the program mainly works to help beginners, it does have programs that cater to further advancing existing skills. Regardless of your experience level, the program aims to increase your skill level and knowledge in outdoor activities.

"The outdoor program gives students the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals," said Claire Tortorelli, an Outdoor Program Trip Leader. "Skills that the Outdoor Program provides to Colorado State's students, such as rock climbing, backpacking and backcountry skiing, allow students to push their boundaries and do things they may otherwise never had the opportunity to try."

All of the trips are subsidized, making it affordable to participate in Outdoor Program activities. 

"Some of [the programs] you have to pay for, some of them you do not, but they are all subsidized so even those classes that you have to pay for are generally much cheaper than what you would find through any other similar organization," Gomez said. 

So what kind of trips and classes are available? Rock climbing, backpacking, skiing, hiking, zen climbing (yoga and climbing combined), mountain biking and yes, snowshoeing too, are the types of activities the programs available. A list of upcoming programs is available online. 

Scheduled for December is a sea kayaking trip to the Everglades. According to the event details page, this trip will cost $395 and will be a week long trip to the Everglades in Florida to learn how to sea kayak.

If you are interested in a class or trip, you can find event details by clicking on the link on the programs list page or by stopping by the Outdoor Program desk at the CSU Rec Center near the climbing wall.  

So if you want to give that snowshoeing a try, your best bet is to check out the CSU Outdoor Program, providing you with a lifelong skill you can take with you long after the class is over. 

The Fort Collins commitment to sustainability

I have always been impressed by Fort Collins' commitment to sustainability and the environment, but after writing this blog for over four months, my respect for Fort Collins and the community has grown immensely.

In the City of Fort Collins Environmental Policy it is stated that "The City of Fort Collins is committed to conducting its operations in a manner that is environmentally responsible and reflective of the community's strong commitment to the environment. The City will provide community leadership by reducing its environmental impact while benefiting citizens, the economy and society."

Here are some highlights of the City's efforts to move Fort Collins towards sustainability:

• 42 Natural Areas  
• Over 280 miles of bike lanes
• May 2012 — Ranked 11th in Bicycle Magazine for America's Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities
• "Fort Collins’ community carbon footprint is 14.7% lower than it was in 2005, despite population growth of 13.5% in the same time period and a local sales & tax use increase of 6.7% from 2005 to 2009" — City of Fort Collins Climate Protection
• Over 60 programs that help residents reduce their environmental impact

But this commitment to sustainability goes far past the City's involvement, Fort Collins businesses and residents alike are forging the way for a sustainable future, as exemplified in previous posts. 

I am proud to be a Fort Collins resident, to live in a city and within a community that is conscious of the impacts we make and working to minimize those impacts. 

Are you? 

Trees, Water and People shows social and environmental stewardship

Fort Collins-based nonprofit Trees, Water and People (TWP) is working to address the global issue of "energy poverty," which is the lack of access to modern energy resources.

According to the International Energy Agency, 1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity and 2.7 billion do not have clean cooking conveniences.

TWP's solution to this problem is to bring sustainable energy solutions to impoverished areas in Central America, Haiti and to Native American reservations in the form of clean cookstoves, cleantech products, reforestation, green job training, renewable energy solutions and more.

Why are sustainable solutions the answer to solving energy poverty? TWP believes that if you can teach the people how to best utilize their resources, those resources will last longer and sustain the population further.

"We want our projects to continue well after we leave a community," said Megan Maiolo-Heath, TWP Marketing and Communications Manager, "we can of course go in and work with the local people to develop projects that are going to address their needs, but really, what we want is to be able to step out of the situation and have them carry out the work without needing us."

TWP's sustainable projects benefit the communities they help socially, environmentally and economically.

"With one individual project, we are addressing multiple issues. So I will give you an example: clean cookstoves. Our clean cookstoves are built locally using local materials, local people — so there is job creation," Maiolo-Heath. When a family has a stove built in their home they are decreasing their indoor air pollution by up to 80 percent, they are decreasing their daily fuel use by up to 70 percent — so there is healthier families, there is more money in their pockets because they are not spending as much money on fuel, there is less deforestation in the surrounding environment. I mean that is with one small stove that costs $75 and that will last them for years."

If you are interested in getting involved with TWP you can sign up for volunteer email alerts, look for internship openings or donate.

Ski season - where we are at

Thanksgiving is usually the maker for the beginning of the ski season, so where are we at this year? Here is a little information on the two main passes available near Fort Collins, the Rocky Mountain Super Pass and the Epic Pass, and the different ski resorts associated with them. All mountain stats are from onthesnow.com — it's a great resource for up-to-date snow reports. Happy skiing!

Rocky Mountain Superpass
Pass provides access to Copper Mountain, Winter Park/Mary Jane ski resorts.
$509

Copper Mountain:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 5/22
• Location: 75 miles west of Denver 

Winter Park/Mary Jane:

• Status: open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/25
• Location: 67 milles west of Denver

Epic Pass

Pass provides access to Breckenridge, Keystone, Vail, A-Basin, Beaver Creek, Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood ski resorts.

$699

Breckenridge: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 4/30
• Location: 80 miles west of Denver

Keystone:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 4/19
• Location: 74 miles west of Denver

Vail: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 5/25
• Location: 106 miles west of Denver

A-Basin: 

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/8
• Location: 68 miles west of Denver

Beaver Creek: 

• Status: Closed 
• Snow depth: N/A
• Lifts in operation: N/A
• Location: 108 miles west of Denver 

Heavenly:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18-24 inches
• Lifts in operation: 3/29
• Location: 1,106 miles west of Denver

Northstar:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 18-36 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 5/20
• Location: 1,084 miles west of Denver

Kirkwood:

• Status: Open
• Snow depth: 24-36 inches 
• Lifts in operation: 1/15
• Location: 1,130 miles west of Denver 

If you haven't been there, check it out: ELC

If you live in Fort Collins, you have most likely visited CSU's 212 acre Environmental Learning Center, and if not, you should. It is a great place to rack up some volunteer hours, go for a walk, learn some pretty cool stuff and just relax in the beauty of nature.

Visitors can walk a self-guided nature trail, relax at the picnic pavilion, observe the different birds at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program cages or participate in programs put on by the ELC.

Although many of the programs are geared toward environmental education for children, the ELC puts on special events or programs throughout the year, check their list of events or calendar for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering, here's how:

• Service Saturdays: The last Saturday of every month is a service day, where volunteers help with different projects, from trail work to gardening.
• Individuals: If you are just interested in volunteering, tell the ELC what you want to get out of your experience and they will set you up.
• Groups: If your group needs volunteer hours, the ELC will put you in the books and get you to work.

To volunteer, all you have to do is contact the ELC for group service projects or fill out an application form for individuals.

If you need to log some volunteer hours, the ELC is a perfect place to go: they are easy to work with, you get to work outside and you can make a difference in the community.

A great resource to increase efficiency: City of Fort Collins Utilities

If you are interested in lowering your utility bill as well as increasing your environmental stewardship, the City of Fort Collins Utilities' website is a great resource for tips and tricks for both the residential and business sectors.

Fort Collins Utilities is working hard to not only instill sustainability in its customers, but in its own business operations as well. In fact, Fort Collins Utilities is the first municipal utility in the nation to be granted registration with the GRI producing an annual sustainability report. To read more about this commitment you can read an article on Fort Collins Utilities featured in Public Power Magazine.

So what can you do to increase your energy efficiency? The Fort Collins Utilities provides information on how to set up your home or business with charging stations for Electric Vehicles, discounts on CFL, LED and Lutron dimmers and occupancy sensors, refrigerator/freezer recycling rebates, free sprinkler system audits and much more. Just check out the Fort Collins Utilities Conserve webpage for a full list of energy-saving tips and offers.

"Our outreach campaign, Fort Collins Conserves, draws attention to the small, daily steps you can take to improve efficiency and reduce the community's overall energy and water demand," according to the Fort Collins Utilities' website. "By making efficient choices, we all win: the City moves closer to its conservation goals and your home or business will feel more comfortable, perform better, use less energy and water and save you money."

Also, if you stop by the Fort Collins Utilities office on 700 Wood St., you can pick up a free "Make Efficient Choices" water conservation kit, which includes a water-efficient shower head.

Why pay more money on your next utility bill when you can make choices that will lower your bill and benefit the environment?

"Chasing Ice" shows in Denver this month

This month, the long-awaited "Chasing Ice" film was released, with showings around the nation. Nov. 23, 2012 the film will come to Denver, premiering at the Landmark Theaters Chez Artiste.

So what is "Chasing Ice" all about? The movie uses time-lapse photography collected over several years to reveal the extreme changes in the Arctic glaciers as they disappear at an astonishing rate. A full synopsis of the "Chasing Ice" can be found on the film's website.

The film has received rave reviews:

“One of the most beautiful films of the year,” said Regina Weinreich of the Huffington Post.

“This is the climate change film we’ve been waiting for," said Caroline Libresco, Sundance Senior Programmer.

“The climate change debate is over," said Greg Reitman of the Huffington Post.

According to their website, the film has also won over 20 awards, including the Environmental Media Association’s 22nd Annual Best Documentary Award and the Sundance Film Festival's Excellence in Cinematography Award: US Documentary.

"Chasing Ice" is sure not to be a disappointment, check it out! 

Watch the trailer:

Perfect for the holidays: Gardens on Spring Creek

Gardens in winter? Yes. The Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins is open throughout the year and is perfect for a holiday visit. 

According to its mission statement, the Gardens is a "city-funded community horticulture program," which opened in 2004. The Gardens has nine gardens, including the Children's Garden, which aims to teach children about the different growing seasons, Colorado's ecosystems and more through interactive elements, the Rock Garden, which features plants native to and adapted to Colorado's climate, and the Garden of Eatin', in which everything grown in this three-quarter acre garden is edible. The Garden has four more gardens planned for the future.

The Gardens also organizes several programs and special events. And it is this time of year that beautiful poinsettias fill the greenhouse and the Gardens' puts on its Garden of Lights display — perfect for the holidays. 

Beyond the holiday season, the Gardens provides a lot of opportunities for people to get their hands dirty and grow sustainability and community. You can rent out your own plot in the Community Gardens for a $100 per season. Or if you just want to get involved in the Gardens, you can apply to become a volunteer and help garden, assist in youth programs, aid in organizing special events and more. 

You can visit the Gardens at anytime; they are open throughout the year from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and 9 am to 4 pm on Saturdays. May 1 through Sept. 30, the Gardens is open from noon to 5 pm on Sundays, however throughout the rest of the year, the Gardens is closed on Sundays.

I personally think the Gardens is a great asset to the Fort Collins community, providing residents an opportunity to grow their own gardens, educating the public on the importance of sustainable growing practices, connecting children with that education and just giving the Fort Collins community somewhere to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. 

Learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle at the Larimer County Garbage Garage

As you drive south down Taft Hill Road, you will eventually reach the Larimer County Landfill. Unlike most landfills, the Larimer County Landfill has a Garbage Garage Education Center on site, in fact it is the only one of its kind in Colorado and one of a few in the nation.

The goal of the Garbage Garage is to educate visitors on the Three Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, as well as how landfills work and how to dispose of hazardous waste.

According to the Garbage Garage Center, the average Colorado resident produces 6.8 pounds of garbage per day in comparison to the national average of 4.5 pounds. The Garbage Garage is working to educate people about sustainable waste management in hopes of reducing this average.

Although the Garbage Garage primarily caters to children, the material is applicable to all age levels. It is also caters to all learning styles by including interactive elements, videos, signs and visuals into their displays.

The messages found in the Garbage Garage are made so much more important when you see the heaping piles of trash in the distance as you leave or as you enter the landfill. I would suggest this tour to anyone who is wondering why the Three Rs are important or how you can do more to recycle, reduce and reuse.

The Garbage Garage is open 10 am to 2 pm Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. You can drop in for a visit at any of those times or make an appointment. Visitors can also request to tour other areas of the landfill, such as Recycling Center or the Household Hazardous Waste site.

If you are interested in learning more about the Garbage Garage watch this video:

 

New Belgium - an environmental leader

This weekend I toured New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, and though I couldn't enjoy the tasting portion of the tour, I was struck by the company's commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. So if you are looking to see environmental leadership from prominent companies, not to mention getting some free samples, I would suggest this free tour. 

Our tour guide started off our journey through the brewery by explaining the companies beginnings — the owner, Jeff Lebesch, biked around Europe visiting breweries after a business trip in 1989. To me, that right there shows that even before the company took off, the owner, a Fort Collins native, was committed to sustainability.

That commitment remained strong as the company grew. New Belgium has 10 company values that they uphold. Number 4: "Kindling social, environmental and cultural change as a business role model." Number 5: "Environmental stewardship: Honoring nature at every turn of the business." Number 9: "Continuous, innovative quality and efficiency improvements." So three of the company values are centered around environmental and sustainable responsibility.

The list of New Belgium's actions toward environmental sustainability is extensive, from gifting their employees a bike on their one-year anniversary with the company to purchasing wind power credits. A full report of the company's environmental practices can be found in their Corporate Sustainability Report. The company even tracked the environmental impact of making one six pack of Fat Tire, full cycle in their "The Carbon Footprint of Fat Tire® Amber Ale."

New Belgium is a perfect example of a company committed to environmental sustainability not because it improves their image, but because it is honestly the right thing to do.

Help out the Fort Collins Bike Library

Fort Collins is well known for being bike-friendly, but did you know that you can check out bikes to use for free? This service is courtesy of the Fort Collins Bike Library, which allows users to check out bikes for an hour or up to seven days without any charge.

However, the organization's federal grant, which pays for half of the program, is expiring at the end of this year. For 2013, the Bike Library is turning to the Fort Collins community to help compensate for the funds it will lose at the end of this year. 

The Bike Library is utilizing the help of Community Funded, a Fort Collins based entity, that helps fund local organizations, small businesses and projects by asking community members to donate money towards a project, providing giftbacks to donators. 

So far the Bike Library has received $488 of its $195,000 goal through Community Funded; the Bike Library has 41 days left to make the rest of its funds. If you are interested in donating you can visit the Bike Library's Community Funded page.

To learn more about Community Funded and the Fort Collins Bike Library you can read the Coloradoan's news article. 

How does the Bike Library work?

Since 2008, the Bike Library has had over 15,000 bicycles checked out by over 12,000 users. 

After signing up online, users can either make a reservation or show up on a first-come, first-served basis to check out a bike. Users are required to make a $150 deposit but that money is returned in full when the bike is returned unharmed. 

The Bike Library also facilitates three self-guided tours: the brewery tour, the environmental tour and the historical tour.

Offering multiple bike types for check out, including tandems, children's bikes, cruisers, cargo bikes and more, there is a bike for any user, young and old.

The Bike Library has two locations: Old Town and on LaPorte Avenue. At their Old Town location, the Library is open on Thursdays from 10 am to 3 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm. The Library will be open through the rest of November and on the first three Saturdays in December, with December 15 as their last check out day for the year.

High Park Fire Restoration — get involved!

As the winter months draw near and anticipation builds for the upcoming holidays, it is hard to believe that this summer the second largest fire in Colorado history was burning right here in Fort Collins' backyard. And though the memory might be faint in the minds of many, the High Park Restoration Coalition, a community group made up of businesses, government agencies and locals, are still working diligently to rehabilitate and restore the land.

“It is time to be thinking beyond just what we have lost, but what we are going to regain and what we are going to restore,” said Richard Fox, one of the founders of the coalition.

As the U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Parks care for the public lands burned in the fire, the Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WRV), a non-profit, volunteer-based corporation that works to restore public lands all around Colorado, is providing resources and assistance to private landowners.

“Wildlands Restoration Volunteers is sort of the implementation arm of that coalition,” said John Giordanengo, the Colorado Northern Regional Director for WRV. “So we have been working with federal and local agencies to understand the needs on the ground, working with local landowners and community groups and planning to basically implement restoration in the highest severity burn areas in the Poudre watershed to basically protect water quality, homes, other infrastructure downstream of these areas where there are landslides, mudslides, etc.”

WRV is trying to plan and schedule as many restoration project dates in as possible before winter finally sinks in. Interested volunteers can sign up for the final two post-fire restoration projects Nov. 14 and Dec. 1 and 2.

"The High Park Fire ravaged over 85,000 acres of Northern Colorado lands, leaving hundreds of residents displaced and over 41,000 acres of land burned at a moderate to high severity," WRV said in an email enlisting the help of volunteers. "As a result, the Cache La Poudre River and many of its tributaries have been running black after heavy rains this summer, and landslides and flooding have been closing roads and threatening homes in recent days ... The most immediate goals of our fall post-fire restoration projects are to protect reservoirs, rivers, homes, roads and communities from the threat of further landslides and flooding expected in the coming winter and spring months.

Whether you live downstream of the fire or in the actual burn area, please lend a hand and help restore some of the highest priority restoration sites within the High Park Fire area. The highest priority restoration work is estimated to take at least 3 years, and a great amount of community involvement. And it will not be possible without your support."

No experience is necessary to become a volunteer, just a desire to help the environment and the people affected by the fire.

College Avenue magazine gets a new look (JTC 326 Individual Reporting Project)

The CSU student-run College Avenue magazine reveals a new look, improving marketing, distribution and recognition.

Out of habit, you go to pick up The Rocky Mountain Collegian newspaper on your way to class, but tucked inside is something new, a magazine called College Avenue. And somewhere in your mind the name might ring a bell.

Few might know, the publication, produced by Colorado State University students, has officially been around since 2005, but this year, now in its second issue, it has been revamped and redesigned.

What once had a glossy cover, was published three times a year, and distributed by itself in racks around campus, now prints on tabloid-size, high-quality newsprint, publishes monthly and is distributed in the Collegian. The magazine also added elements to their logo, redesigned their cover, increased their ad to content ratio and redesigned their website.

College Avenue Editor-in-Chief Kristin Hall works on the magazine's third issue of the year. Hall, along with the help of editors and advisors, helped solve College Avenue's advertising, distribution and branding problems by increasing ad content to make the publication self-sufficient, inserting it into the Collegian monthly to increase circulation and adding design elements to the logo and cover to make it more recognizable. Photo by Ricki Watkins.

The changes to the publication, which is owned by Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation, were made in effort to increase readership by making the magazine easier to access and branding it for easy recognition, as well as to become a self-sustaining medium.

“When we were looking at the magazine product as a whole, as its been over the 7 years of its life,” student media newsroom advisor Mike Humphrey said, “we were realizing that we were doing a good product, but we weren’t exciting the community and the advertising base enough.”

College Avenue has already seen an increase in readership and recognition, especially online, which has seen a tripling in web traffic.

College Avenue staff worked to redesign the magazine's online site over the 2012 summer; web traffic has tripled since then. Photo by Ricki Watkins.

“We have seen a huge spike in interest from what we have seen in the past,” Kristin Hall, editor-in-chief said. “I just hope that what we have done this year will set it up for success over and over again in the future.

The changes this year have not been the only ones through the magazine’s life, the publication has evolved and changed through the years, while still maintaining its original logo and folio design and dedication to well written content.

“I think its really been a natural progression and I think the best part about how it’s progressed is that its all come from the students,” former magazine advisor Jenny Fischer said.

College Avenue Editor-in-Chief Kristin Hall works from her desk in the Colorado State University student media room, with the covers of past College Avenue issues hanging on the wall as inspiration. Photo by Ricki Watkins.

Past College Avenue covers serve as a memory of the start and transformation of the magazine since its beginnings in 2005. Photo by Ricki Watkins.

College Avenue Editor-in-Chief Kristin Hall types, working on the third issue of the 2012-13 volume.  Photo by Ricki Watkins.

History of College Avenue. Infographic by Ricki Watkins.

Guilty conscience: recycling

To start off with, I am a strong supporter of recycling. But, as a busy college student, I guiltily admit, I have been slacking in the recycling department.

First, I have to describe the recycling situation at our apartment complex. There is one central recycling center down the road. And each apartment complex is about a hundred feet from a dumpster. Myself and my three roommates barley have time to take the trash out, nevertheless recycle.

Before college, my family was very active in recycling. And while living in the dorms freshman year at Colorado State, my roommate and I recycled, as the trash and recycling bins were right next to each other.

Now, recycling isn't so easy. Especially when the convenience level decreases. In fact, inconvenience seems to be the number one reason people choose not to recycle, as seen in these articles: "Why People Don't Recycle" and "5 reasons why people don't recycle and 5 reasons they should."

I think Colorado State and some other local businesses, such as Mugs and the Starbucks on Elizabeth and City Park, are increasing that convenience, making recycling easier; trashcans and recycling bins are side-by-side. Unfortunately, sometimes in order to make more people recycle, that convenience needs to be there. Businesses, waste management and the city can make that happen. However, responsibility still lies in the hands of the consumer. People, myself included, need to make more of an effort as well. Together, both parties can make that guilty recycler conscience disappear.

It's that time of year: Warren Miller ski films

Yes, it is that time of year: ski films are everywhere. And here again, Fort Collins plays host to the legend of all ski films: Warren Miller. Out with his 63rd ski film, "Flow State," is sure not to disappoint.

This film focuses on the "flow state" in which a person becomes so focused on skiing/snowboarding, going so fast, time seems to slow down. The movie follows top athletes as they travel the world, from Japan to Switzerland, discovering where the "mountain meets the mind." 

“The Flow State is a place where the impossible becomes possible – where time slows down and a perfect moment becomes attainable," said director Max Bervy in a Warren Miller Entertainment press release. "This film reveals what it is like to be completely immersed in the present…completely immersed in the snow, in the mountains and in the enjoyment of winter.”

The film is playing at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Lincoln Center or Outpost Sunsport for $16. 

Included in the price of the ticket is a coupon for a free beer at Washington's Sports Bar and Grill, a free appetizer at Beach House Grill, a 2-for-1 lift ticket for Winter Park Resort, three free lift tickets to Crested Butte Mountain if you stay at the resort and $25 off a $100 purchase at Outpost Sunsport. 

You can try to win a free film ticket by entering into the ticket giveaway contest.

Jay Lehr speaks on climate change

Dr. Jay Lehr, who holds a doctorate degree in environmental science, will be coming to Colorado State University Oct. 10 to discuss his controversial views on climate change. Lehr is well known for his belief that global warming is a myth and that climate change is normal and not caused by humans.

Some background on Lehr: he holds a degree in geological engineering from Princeton, he became one of the nation's first to earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of Arizona, he is the senior fellow and science director of the Heartland Institute, which is known for promoting the message that climate change is not man-made, he has written 19 books and is a well-known speaker.

After Lehr speaks on Wednesday, a panel of professors will respond, presenting several different outlooks and perspectives on climate change.

I think this could be an extremely interesting discussion, seeing as though Colorado State is well known for being a green university, committed to lowering its carbon footprint. Also due to this fact, the proceeding panel of professors will add an alternate perspective; I would be interested to see how Lehr responds. Though I am definitely not a proponent of Lehr's theories, I think this lecture would be interesting due to the fact that an audience member would be able to see in full display all of the different perspectives on this controversial subject.

The lecture will be held in the Lory Student Center Theatre, starting at 7 pm. The event is open and free to the public.

CSU Snowriders

If you are a Colorado State University student and you love to ski or snowboard, I would definitely recommend you check out this club: Snowriders.

One of the largest clubs on campus, with over 300 members, Snowriders is focused on providing CSU skiers and snowboarders transportation to and from the major ski resorts, including Breckenridge, Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, Vail, Beaver Creek, Heavenly, Copper, Winter Park and Steamboat.

"Snowriders is all majors, all levels of riders, just people that want to have a good time," Snowriders president Spencer Kaye said. "We are definitely trying to bring the skiing and snowboarding community of CSU together as much as we can."

The club hosts day trips, overnight trips, a trip to Jackson Hole Ski Resort, a spring break house and other events. For the day trips, the club meets in the West Fall parking lot on Saturdays, taking two busses up to the mountains.

You do not have to be a club member to participate in club events or trips, however members do enjoy certain benefits. Membership into the club costs $30, which includes a t-shirt and a discount card for gear, trips and events. With a long list of sponsors, Snowrider members enjoy discounts at several retailers, including Christy Sports, Outpost Sunsport, Icelantic Boards and POW Apparel. Also, for day trips, Snowrider members pay $15 each trip, whereas nonmembers pay $20.

If you are interested in joining or learning more about Snowriders, you can visit their office hours in the Student Organization Suite in the Lory Student Center or visit their website.

Another great ski film...

Teton Gravity Research will be back in Fort Collins, this time with its premiere of snowboarder Jeremy Jones' "Further," the second installment in this three part trilogy.

In this film, TGR athlete Jeremy Jones pushes himself and his crew to the extreme, exploring deep within the backcountry to find new territory. Filmed over two years, Jones and his crew travel around the world, from Japan to the Arctic Circle, riding previously untouched lines.

"Deeper," the first film in the trilogy amazed audiences when it came out in September 2010. "Deeper" premiers brought in 82,000 fans over 200 showings. The film won numerous awards, including the ESPN Editors Pick Award.

Knowing TGR's film history, having seen both "One for the Road" and "The Dream Factory," I am sure "Further" will not fail to impress. So if you are craving another ski film or just want something to get you excited for the upcoming ski season, this is one to go to.

The film will be playing at the Colorado State Lory Student Center Oct. 13, with doors opening at 7 pm and the show starting at 8 pm. Tickets can be purchased for $12 on the TGR website.

TGR ski film at the Aggie Theater

It's that time of year where you are excited for the cooler weather, but not quite ready to see summer go. So to get you back into that winter-weather mood and get amped up for the next ski season, check out Teton Gravity Research's showing of their newest ski film "The Dream Factory" this Wednesday at the Aggie Theater.

In the film, TGR athletes explore the great Alaskan landscape during a year of record snowfall, showing amazing skill and fearlessness as they ski extreme terrain.

Tickets can be purchased online at the Aggie Theater website for $16 each. The best part? For $16 you not only get to see the film, but each ticket holder also receives a free lift ticket to Monarch Mountain.

I went to the TGR's showing of "One for the Road" last year at the Aggie and was extremely impressed. The footage in itself is amazing — cinematography at its best. And then on top of that is the astounding athletic skill displayed by all of the skiers featured. Lastly, TGR finishes it all off with a great soundtrack. These ski films are the whole package.

You are sure to leave the theater begging for snow, stoked for the upcoming ski season.

CSU High Park Fire symposium today!

It's not too late! If you want to get more information about the High Park fire or how to get involved in restoration, you can attend the High Park Fire: From Science to Action and Recovery symposium held today at Colorado State University. Hosted by CSU's Warner College of Natural Resources, the symposium started at 9 this morning and will continue throughout the day until 9:30 tonight. Held in the Lory Student Center Theater, the event is free and open to the general public. The all-day event includes presentations and speakers on impacts of the fire, perspectives on the fire and action and recovery efforts. The symposium will feature guest speakers Jim Hubbard, who is the U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry, Dan Jiron, who is Regional Forester of the Rocky Mountain Region, and Bill Hahnenberg, who is the Incident Commander for the Rocky Mountain Type 1 Team, among many others. It is a great opportunity to learn more and get involved, so check out the symposium agenda. 

Sustainable Living Fair next weekend

Get excited: next weekend is the annual Sustainable Living Fair. In its thirteenth year, the fair hosts workshops, exhibits, keynote speakers and vendors aiming to educate the community about everything sustainability related.

Fair attendees are able to walk around the fair, visiting different booths, engaging in interactive events and learning how to be more sustainable in their own lives and also on a larger scale. All the while, live music plays in the background and delicious food beckons to you at every turn.

This year’s keynote speakers include Alexandra Cousteau, a National Geographic filmmaker, Seleyn DeYarus, CEO of America’s Best Organics, Rachel Kaplan, author of “Urban Homesteading,” and Wendy Pabich, founder of Water Futures.

The fair is held at Fort Collins’ Legacy Park and the fair provides a visitor shuttle. The fair opens at 10 am on both Saturday, Sept. 15 and Sunday, Sept. 16. Admission is $8, with free admission for youth under 12. Tickets can be purchased at the fair entrance.

I volunteered with the fair last year, selling tickets. It is a great opportunity to learn more about how to make your livelihood more sustainable, as well as the great community organizations that are working hard to pave the way for a sustainable future. 

Volunteer: Wildlands Restoration Volunteers

If you live in Colorado and want to get active in environmental restoration efforts check out Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. The group organizes about 60 ecological restoration projects each year all around the state, according to WRV.

The work the non-profit completes is volunteer-based and they are continually looking for new people to either lead projects or assist in projects. If you just wish to volunteer, no experience is necessary, just a willingness to learn.

I volunteered with the group last fall on a project in Campbell Valley, helping seeding an area of land. I really enjoyed working with WRV; the staff is very friendly and all of the volunteers work hard to produce impressive results.

If you are interested in volunteering you can check out their project schedule and sign up. It is a great opportunity if you are looking to get involved in improving the Fort Collins area landscape. 

Lory State Park after High Park Fire

The flames are gone now. And the ash and smoke have settled. But driving towards Lory State Park, from Fort Collins, CO, you can still see obvious signs of the High Park Fire, which burned 490 acres of the 2,600 acre park. Handmade signs and gas station billboards reading "Thank You Firefighters" greet you on your drive. And you can see far into the distance blackened trees littering the slopes. But only once you are standing in the ashes, can you fully understand the impacts of the fire.

Over the weekend, working on an article, I drove up to Lory to take pictures of the park's burned area. Park Ranger Michael Denis drove me up one of the park's service roads. Once at the top of the hill, the full devastation of the fire became much more real. The soil, rocks and vegetation are scorched black and skeleton forests extend into the distance.

The northwest corner of Lory State Park was burned in the High Park Fire this summer. Image copyright Ricki Watkins 2012.

The image of devastation was not the only one that circled in my mind after seeing the affects of the fire. Life is already starting to bloom in the desolate aftermath; green finding the light under the black.

Also, Lory, with the help of other organizations, has already begun restoration efforts by way of aerial reseeding and mulching. Further efforts are planned for the future. Additionally, the park took early preventative measures to keep the watershed safe by installing catch basins at the base of the drainages as soon as the park was reopened.

"Long term, we want to get the natural ecosystem back to good understanding, but it just takes time and patience," Lory State Park manager Larry Butterfield said.

Soldier Canyon in Lory State Park has already undergone restoration by way of aerial reseeding and mulching. Image copyright Ricki Watkins 2012.

New life is already starting to emerge from the ashes of the High Park Fire, which burned 490 acres of Lory State Park. Image copyright Ricki Watkins 2012. 

First Post

This is my first post for this blog. This blog was started for a JTC class at Colorado State University.