Beaver Creek Proposed Wilderness, Rarely-Visited Side Canyons, a BLM Wildlands Hike
Saturday, May 5, 2018
9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Trailhead to Trailhead time)
Beaver Creek, the largest watershed flowing from Pikes Peak, has many interesting wooded tributary valleys. This moderately strenuous, mostly off-trail hike covers six miles while gaining 800 feet elevation. Two stream crossings are possible.
Learn about present and future protections for the proposed Wilderness and nearby BLM Lands with Wilderness Characteristics.
Bring sturdy boots, water shoes, and clothes appropriate for the weather forecast, water, lunch, and usual day-hike essentials.
This trip is sponsored by Pikes Peak Group Sierra Club, Wild Connections, and Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition. Maximum 15 participants. A Colorado Springs carpool will depart at 7:30 a.m. For more trip and carpool info, andrequired registration, please contact John Stansfield at303-660-5849orjorcstan@juno.comby5:00 p.m.Friday, May 4.
Beaver Creek WSA West Contiguous LWC - Turkey Creek Hike. Photo John Sztukowski
Colorado Public Lands Day Stewardship Project
Saturday, May 19, 2018
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
South Park (near Fairplay)
Celebrate Colorado Public Lands Day by giving back to your public lands. Join Wild Connections and South Park USFS Ranger District to remove old barbwire fencing on National Forest land, which creates obstruction for migrating wildlife.
This community stewardship project will improve wildlife habitat for our neighboring herds of elk, deer, moose, and pronghorn.
We will meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Fairplay area and work until about3:00 p.m. We will celebrate public lands and our National Forest Service who manages these lands for us.
Wild Connections will provide ice cream, beer, sodas, water, and nibbles for our post-project celebration. Please bring personal lunch, snacks, and water for the work day.
"Barbwire defensible" clothing is required (heavy jeans/canvas pants, close-toed boots, thick long sleeves, and thick leather gloves), in addition to the standard list of personal outdoor gear (warm layers appropriate for the weather, hat, rain gear, sunscreen, eye protection/sunglasses, water, bug spray). An up-to-date Tetanus shot is preferable as well for this project.
This is a family-friendly project (for engaged kids 12+). For more info and/or to register, please contact Wild Connections' Misi Ballard atmisi.ballard@gmail.com.
Rolled old barbedwire. Photo Misi Ballard.
Thirtyone Mile Mountain, a BLM Wildlands Hike
Saturday, May 26, 2018
9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Trailhead to Trailhead time)
Thirtyone Mile Mountain is a peak along Currant Creek at the south end of South Park and northwest of Cañon City. The area contains an interesting mix of habitats, from a riparian corridor to high montane grasslands, as well as spruce, aspen, and bristlecone pine forests.
This will be a moderate hike of about eight miles with 1000 feet elevation gain. This hike will be mostly along a couple of old, unmaintained roads which at one time had OHV use, but have since been closed to motorized use. Learn how wildlands such as these promote connectivity and wildlife movement across the landscape and provide wildlife with refuges from more intensively-used land parcels. Bring lunch, water, raingear, and clothing suitable for the weather conditions.
This trip is sponsored by Pikes Peak Group Sierra Club, Wild Connections, and Central Colorado Wilderness Coalition. Maximum 15 participants. A carpool will meet in Colorado Springs. For more trip and carpool information and to register, contact Jim Lockhart 719-385-0045 or e-mail jlock@datawest.net by 5:00 PM, Friday, May 25.
Thirtone Mile Mountain BLM Wildlands. Photo John Sztukowski
