Madeline Moos

By Christopher R. Moos, Administrative Ranger, Devil’s Tower National Monument; Barbara Peterson; and Bob White, Chair, Sneffels Group

Madeline was a life member of the CMC and one of the founders of the Sneffels Group. In early 2002, she led a ski trip on the Grand Mesa, easily staying at the head of the pack. On July 4 she led the Sneffels Group on a hike along the Crag Crest Trail on Grand Mesa, impressing all with her gentle chastisement of rule-breaking hikers met along the way. Later, the hikers celebrated her birthday at the trail high point. The following month Madeline was diagnosed with cancer, and she died on November 8, 2002 at the Delta Care Center. Hers was a life to emulate, a life of giving to others, an example of the high quality of the people who make the CMC a great place to gather.

Madeline Evans was born on July 4, 1921 in Newburg, New York. She joined the CMC in the early 1940s after she moved to Colorado. She held a Bachelor of Science degree in business from New York State College for Teachers (1948), a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Denver (1948), and an additional Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition from Colorado State University (1954). She worked at the CSU Extension Office for about twenty years, retiring as Assistant Director for the state in 1973. During this time (1962Ð1968), she wrote a weekly article on managing money for The Denver Post called “Speaking of Money”

In 1960, Madeline met John Moos at the CMC In-State Outing at Crestone. They married on Feb 2, 1963 in Fort Collins. John legally adopted her nine-year-old son, Chris. Thus, they all became “Moos.”

While living in Fort Collins the family went on hikes with the Fort Collins Group almost every weekend. After moving to Cedaredge in 1973, they continued hiking with the Western Slope Group. They made trips to Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Germany, England, France, Alaska, Fiji, and the Canadian Rockies.

After their divorce in 1986 Madeline moved back to Ft. Collins for a few years, then returned to Cedaredge in 1990. John moved to California for a short time and then returned to Battlement Mesa, where he died on April 4, 1988.

Madeline was one of the original founders of the Western Colorado Interpretive Association under the umbrella of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnision National Forests and the BLM. She was active on the board of directors until 1999 and served for a while as treasurer. She received the President’s award and a lifetime membership award while on the WCIA board.

She volunteered in the Visitors Center on the Grand Mesa every Sunday during summer.ÊShe was a treasure trove of knowledge, a good sport, and a real character. She led wildflower walks and hikes on the Grand Mesa and was an avid cross country skier, often taking people on the trails in the winter. Barbara’s favorite remembrance of Madeline: in 1996, Cedaredge was hosting the annual “Serenity Run” (comprised of about 300 recovering drug and alcohol addicts who rode motorcycles such as Harley Davidsons.) When Madeline saw some of the bikers walking around Main Street, she headed home, donned her Forest Service volunteer uniform, headed back to Main Street, and personally invited each person she came in contact with to come up to the Visitors Center on the Mesa.

Madeline set the perfect example of staying in top physical condition with a weekly regimen that included brisk walks, weight lifting, and working out on her Nordic Track ski machine and her Health Rider. She was “up with the chickens” and walked three to four miles every day, picking up trash along the way. People recall driving past her hiking along icy, snowy streets with her plastic trash bag and a big smile on her face.

Because she kept fit, she was able to continue to lead CMC hikes, fish year round, participate in cross country ski races on the Grand Mesa, snowshoe, and lead an active life. In addition, Madeline was an expert in nutrition

Madeline loved to fish in all seasons. In the winter she would drive up the mountain, park, and tow her fishing gear and stool on a sled to an out-of-the-way frozen lake and proceed to ice fish. In the summer, she seldom missed getting her limit of trout.

She had a keen love of the outdoorsÑespecially cross country skiing. She also enjoyed a number of less strenuous activities, including Scrabble. She loved to read, solve word puzzles, had a great vocabulary (and so usually won at Scrabble), enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, and loved to listen to march music (Souza was a favorite). She had a love affair with her Subaru, and she would have been lost without it. When she made arrangements during her last illness to stay in a nursing home, although she could hardly sit up, she wanted to know if she could still drive her car. Climb on, Madeline. P