News

The HAMS program January 21, 2002 at 7 p.m. in the CMC auditorium in Golden will focus on Mt. Ararat.

The fabled resting place of Noah’s Ark, Mount Ararat, has long been off limits to western climbers. This 16,940´ volcanic peak soars more than 3,500 feet above the next highest peak in the country and affords a view of five nations. Unfortunately, its location near the Turkish-Iranian border has made it more popular as a hide-out for bands of PKK guerillas than a destination for climbers. The mountain is still officially “closed” by the Turkish government.

Join CMC member Jim Rickard on his travels off the tourist routes of Turkey, with brief stops at the ancient cities of Troy and Ephesus, the tomb of King Midas, the second largest meteor crater on earth, and more. Then move on to hikes in the Magnificent Kachkar Mountains, and ultimately an “illicit” climb of Mt. Ararat itself.

Treat yourself to a wonderful week in the mountains this summer in a dramatic setting in the shadow of three 14ers in the San Juans. A variety of classes are being offered with top-notch instructors and helpful friendly volunteer camp staffers. Sleep in your own tent or our platform dormitory tent. The Swiss chalet solar-lighted cabin is available for inclement weather. Meals are served under a canopy on the patio and most classes are out in the beautiful flower covered meadows and high peaks.

June 30–July 6: The Art of Storytelling by Colorado’s own Julie Davis. An exciting week with daily field trips.

July 7–July 13: The Colorado Sampler. Four daily subjects include Storytelling, Mountain Rescue, Mining History of the Lake City area and Art and Art Appreciation plus a wildflower walk.

July 14–July 20: Watercolor in the San Juans by Durango artist Marge Barge. Daily field trips. Friday Art Show and critique.

July 21–July 27: Wildflowers of the San Juans by dynamic instructor Richard Moseley Jr. Daily field trips. Spectacular flower country. Teacher Enhancement credits available.

July 28–Aug. 3: Alpine and Sub alpine wildflowers, instructed by Richard Moseley Jr. Daily field trips. Visit famous American Basin’s wildflower sanctuary. Teacher Enhancement credits available.

Aug. 4–Aug. 10: Geology of the San Juans. A living history before your eyes! Instructor is Pete Varney, a Metro University Professor. Fascinating field trips. Teacher enhancement credits available.

Cost is still $298 per person per week. The facility is located on the Alpine Scenic By-way northwest of Lake City at the foot of Redcloud and Sunshine Peak and looks directly across at White Cross Mountain. Evening campfires. Limit ten per class.

Contact Gudy at (303) 526-2721 or email: gudyct@ecentral.com or Charlotte at (303) 526-0809. For further information visit CTF website at: www.coloradotrail.org.

CMC Board member Alice White has been elected a member of the Colorado Mountain Club Foundation Board of Directors.

Alice has been key in improving, streamlining, and focusing the fundraising efforts and other cooperative efforts between the CMC and the CMCF. The CMCF is a separate, independent 501(c)(3) organization; a limited number of CMC Board members are permitted by the CMCF governing documents to serve on the CMCF Board.

The famous wilderness photographer, John Fielder, was the guest speaker at the annual dinner celebration for the Pikes Peak Group of the Colorado Mountain Club. The program was held at the Colorado Springs Bridge Club on Saturday, November 10th.

Mr. Fielder shared his memorable experiences taking photographs throughout the mountains and towns of Colorado for his recent book, Colorado 1870–2000 Revisited: The History Behind the Images. He reviewed thousands of pictures from early west photographer William Henry Jackson’s collection of over one hundred years ago.

Standing exactly where Jackson had stood and pointing his camera in precisely the same angle and direction, Fielder re-photographed Jackson’s Colorado images to capture the startling changes that have occurred over the last century.

The project not only stands as important documentation of westward exploration, expansion, and urbanization but also helps define our past and future environmental values.

His presentation took us to the skylines of Denver and Colorado Springs, the tops of Longs and La Plata Peaks, along with the mining towns of Aspen, Telluride, and Silverton to name a few.

It was a show that entertained and enlightened us as it underscored the changes in Colorado’s landscape over the past 130 years.

Several of his books and calendars were also available for purchase, which he personally signed. Over 150 people attended and sat down to a catered dinner, a new experience compared to the club’s traditional potluck dinner.

The PPG also presented volunteer awards for the first time in the history of the group. There were six award recipients for outstanding service to the CMC. They were: John Ross, Bill Brown, Denise Snow, Cathy McKeehan, Harry Vulgamore, and Jan Sample. Congratulations to them all.

At the 2001 Wilderness Activists Rendevous in Ouray last November, two CMCers received recognition for many years of activism on behalf of wilderness. Bill Hamann from Grand Junction received the “Public Lands Avenger” award. Last year, Bill found a miscreant doing illegal dumping of toxic substances in the Bangs Canyon area southwest of Grand Junction. Bill was able to get to a phone and alert BLM enforcement personnel who arrived in time to nab the culprit. In addition to these heroics, Bill has been a CMC advocate for protection of special places in Western Colorado for over twenty years.

Dick Guadagno of Paonia received special recognition for working on behalf of wilderness for forty years. Dick started agitating for protection of wilderness in the early 1960s as the then-chairman of CMC’s State Conservation Committee. Dick was a major factor in getting turnout of CMC members and other citizens in 1963 and 1964 for hearings in support of the bill that became the original Wilderness Act of 1964. Since then, Dick has been a tireless advocate for protecting wild places throughout Colorado, which would look a lot different today if not for his work, and that of others like him.

Hayes garners Carl Blaurock Silver Piton Award
for Outstanding Contribution to the CMC

The highest award in the Colorado Mountain Club has been awarded to Boulder Group member Russ Hayes. Called “The Carl Blaurock Outstanding Contribution Award,” it is granted annually by the awards committee to a person recognized for leadership in the CMC. Contributions recognized by this award must fall into at least one of these three areas: (1) Enrichment of Membership Benefit, (2) Contribution of Economic Value, and (3) Contributions to facilitate generation of income and cash gifts.

Russ Hayes has a long history of service the CMC and has given much time and energy in a wide variety of positions. These include: leading trips, instructing in schools, serving on various Boulder Group committees; serving as Boulder Group chairman, state board director, state Conservation Committee chairman; as well as working on the AMC Museum committee and seving as CMC President.

A passionate conservationist, Hayes has increased conservation awareness within the CMC and promoted the CMC with other conservation oriented groups and land managers. He is an avid, active outdoorsman and has given much to the CMC.

Each summer for the last eleven years, the Colorado Trail Foundation has been offering a program of supported treks along the storied 500-mile Denver to Durango route. Led by experienced and knowledgeable Colorado Trail Foundation representatives, the trek program has enabled hundred of participants from all over the United States to experience an extended high country hike while carrying only a day pack. “It’s a backcountry adventure without the backache” according to George Miller, who manages the treks for the Foundation.

The program consists of a series of week long section hikes that progress from east to west along the trail. Each week, up to twelve participants hike an average 70–75 miles over five days at ten to twenty miles per day. Most sections are at altitudes above 9,000 feet and may involve considerable altitude gain and loss over the course of a single day. Each section trek has at least one advanced hiking day, so participants must be in good physical shape to handle the rigors of terrain and altitude, pack or no pack.

There are three crew members on the trail—a “leader,” a “middle,” and a “sweep.” All carry radios to keep in contact with each other and the camp. Trekkers may hike at a comfortable rate but are paced to ensure arrival in time for dinner. A support crew transports gear from camp to camp, sets up the base camp facilities each evening, and does all the cooking. The food is great. Fresh fruits and vegetables complement the hearty fare prepared by the CT trek cook.

A typical day on the trail starts around 5:30 a.m. A hot breakfast is served, and trekkers prepare their trail lunch from a selection of fruits, cheese, sandwich fixings, and snacks. Everyone pitches in breaking camp and loading the trucks with camp equipment and personal gear. At the end of the day hikers arrive at an established camp to enjoy welcome snacks and hot soup. The cook, shower, and toilet tents will already be up. The sun shower will be ready and hikers need only set up their own sleeping tent, relax, eat, shower and socialize. Dinner is served about 6:00 p.m. Meals are planned so that the meat is served separately to accommodate those who have special dietary needs. Each evening the leader will describe the next day’s hike—what time you will be awakened, mileage and elevation gains or losses, preview of water crossings, scenic views not to be missed, and other important information.

The trek schedule for Summer 2002 will appear in the Winter Treads Lines about the middle of February. The schedule and full registration instructions will be on the Foundation web site by February 1, 2002.

For more information contact the Colorado Trail Foundation, (303) 384-3729, x 113; e-mail: ctf@coloradotrail.org.