Following up our August climb of nearby Gray Back Peak, we will explore the fall-colored forest of Emerald Valley on Little Fountain Creek.
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Our moderate trek covers six miles with elevation gain of 500 feet, aided by a short car shuttle. At times we will skirt the boundary of the Colorado Wilderness Act’s Beaver Creek proposed Wilderness, while learning its conservation story.
Participants should bring lunch, plenty of water and snacks, clothing suitable for the weather conditions, including rain gear, and good footwear suitable for hiking in gravel and brush.
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Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we will be practicing safe health precautions. Participants are requested to be fully vaccinated. We ask people to only carpool with those who are members of their household.
This trip is sponsored by Wild Connections and Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition. Maximum 10 participants. This hike is posted on multiple forums, so space is limited.
Pre-trip registration with the leader John Stansfield is required by 5:00 PM, October 1. To register and obtain trip information, contact John Stansfield at phone 303-660-5849 or email jorcstan@juno.com.
Hikers overlooking Little Fountain Creek. Photo John Stansfield.
On Line
Click the image to view the video
Colorado's Cutthroat Trout:
Exploring the Heritage of Our State Fish
presented by Doug Krieger
Doug Krieger takes you sleuthing into the genetic science behind the "discovery" of the original distribution (endemic range) of the State's cutthroat trout subspecies with emphasis on the greenback. Doug retired from Colorado Parks and Wildlife after a long career that included managing the aquatic resources within the Arkansas River Basin and serving as Chief of Fisheries. It is a great story of ancient origins, split-ups and moving from one river system to another and even getting back home again.
Wild Connections Climate Planning video
January 26, 2021 Zoom presentation
available on YouTube
Alison Gallensky presented Wild Connections approach to climate modeling and how various scenarios might play out in key locations in our region. View the 50 minute video at the left or go to YouTubehttps://youtu.be/EpEKzo9ay4k
Click the image to view the video
Colorado Trail Indoor Outing
Wild Connections Board member Karl Ford recently presented on the Colorado Trail in the Wild Connections Area.
Karl has completed 8,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail long distance hikes. See views of his 2020 250-mile hike along the Colorado Trail and hear about the status of protected and proposed Wilderness Areas and other Wild Connections activities.
Fly Over Grape Creek Wilderness Area Threatened by proposed mining
EcoFlight will take you over the Grape Creek area where a mining company is proposing to mine various minerals. Already there are impacts from helicopter activity that droped in an exploratory drill rig and water was pumped out of Grape Creek to service the rig.
Arkansas Canyon Wild Areas
Fly over the exceptional wildlands in the Arkansas Canyon with EcoFlight
Wild Connections' mission is to identify, protect, and restore wildlands, native species, and biological diversity in the Arkansas and South Platte watersheds.
They are the ancestral lands of the Ute, Cheyenne, Arapaho and other indigenous peoples.
