Win FREE Passes to the Lyons FolksFest!

You may have read in the last issue of The Rucksack that Planet Bluegrass is a new sponsor of the Colorado Mountain Club. This summer marks the 20th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Folks Fest, scheduled for August 13-15 at the Planet Bluegrass Ranch in Lyons. To celebrate this noteworthy occasion, Planet Bluegrass is featuring one of their finest summer lineups, including John Prine, Ani DiFranco, Greg Brown, Michelle Shocked, and more.

Planet Bluegrass is sponsoring a contest, open to Rucksack subscribers and CMC Facebook members, for two FREE Folks Fest 3-day Passes plus Camping at Meadow Park (a $320 value). Just click here to register http://www.bluegrass.com/other/cmc-ff2010.html. The winners will be announced on Thursday, July 22.

This year, the Colorado Mountain Club is part of an expanded kids’ program at both RockyGrass and Folks Fest. As always, kids 12 and under are free for all Planet Bluegrass festivals with a paying adult. Visit Planet Bluegrass at www.Bluegrass.com for tickets and more information about all of their festivals. And stop by the CMC booth at the Rockygrass festival, July 23-25. We'll have programming for kids including stream ecology, slack lining, knot tying, and lightning safety!

Mid Summer Special 50% Off Summer Opportunities for Kids!

Mid Summer Special 50% Off Summer Opportunities for Kids!
CMC has a variety of summer adventure day camps for youth. Rock Climbing, hiking, and nature study are part of the fun! Register today.

http://www.cmc.org/youth_education/index.htm#summer

Kilimanjaro 19,340'

Dates: March 11-25, 2011
Cost: $3,730 plus intl. air fare (est. at $1,800-2,000)

Here's another great outing sponsored by the High Altitude Mountaineering Section. Kili is the world's largest free-standing mountain and is one of the fabled Seven Summits. CMC uses the Machame Route on Kili. Trip includes a four day budget safari to Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. Nights are a mixture of a comfortable & rustic hotel; travelers camps; and tenting out. Trip size is limited to 18 persons, plus the trip leaders Steve Bonowski & Roger Wendell. To join, you must be in excellent physical condition and be comfortable with 3rd World travel. Recent graduation from a CMC entry level hiking school is desirable.

Final cost may vary slightly depending on air fares and currency exchange rates. Posted price includes lodging @ double occupancy, ground transport, climb & Park fees, most meals, Tanzanian visa, gratuities, leader expenses at full and 80% respectively, CMC fee. Not included in the $3,730 is air fare to Tanzania, shots & medications, a few meals, trip insurance, souvenirs, airline baggage fees, single supplement for lodging, bar tab. Leaders will hold a mandatory planning meeting in early October to answer questions.

Trip packets are available electronically beginning Memorial Day weekend from the senior trip leader, Steve Bonowski (climbersteveb@gmail.com). Or complete and send the form below and the leader will contact you. No phone calls please. Details

CLIMB KILI WITH CMC & SAVE THOUSANDS!!

Russia: Climb Mount Elbrus

Dates: August 17-29, 2010
Cost: $3,097 (not including air fare to Russia)

This is the 7th trip to Russia, Elbrus, and the spectacular Caucasus Mountains sponsored by the Club's High Altitude Mountaineering Section. Mount Elbrus (18,510') is one of the fabled Seven Summits as the highest mountain in Europe and offers strenuous, but not overly difficult, climbing. Technical requirements are a basic knowledge of ice axe & crampon usage, and roped travel on snow. The trip uses the standard southern approach from the Baksan Valley and passes the ruins of the famous Hut (Priut) of 11 that burned in 1998. Extra days are alloted for acclimatization and summit attempts. Transit is through Moscow and will include a daylong city tour at the end of the trip.

The cost of the trip includes domestic airfare within Russia, all lodging and most meals, ground transportation, guide fees in the Valley, Russian visa and permit fees, leader expenses, and CMC fee. The final cost may vary slightly depending on airfare and currency exchange issues (the mountain package is priced in euros).

To obtain the trip itinerary and application, along with more detailed prerequisites, contact the trip leader, Steve Bonowski, at climbersteveb@gmail.com or at P.O. Box 280286, Lakewood CO 80228. Or complete and send the form below and the leader will contact you. The trip packet is not available electronically. No phone calls please. Details

Yellowstone Backpack

August 20 - August 29, 2010
Cost $483

Join us for this seven-day, 62-mile backpack of Yellowstone's most remote corner, the Two Ocean Plateau. This southeast corner of Yellowstone National Park is the most remote wilderness in our lower 48 states. Hikers will enjoy some of the most scenic hiking in the park with opportunities to see buffalo, elk, bears, wolves, bald eagles, moose, and deer. We will hike several days along the shore of Yellowstone Lake, the Thorofare River, and the Yellowstone River so there will be ample time for fishing as well. Details