News Release: Golden Mountain Lion Presentation

Contacts:              Wendy Keefover

WildEarth Guardians

303-819-5229

wendy@wildearthguardians.org

Brenda Porter

Colorado Mountain Club

303-996-2748

brendaporter@cmc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- FEBRUARY 9, 2011

Golden Mountain Lion Presentation

Topics Include Front Range Study, Natural History and Co-Existence

GOLDEN, Colo.— The Colorado Mountain Club and WildEarth Guardians will host an evening:  Mountain Lions Live in Golden. Presenters will discuss mountain lion natural history, ecology, ongoing research and tips for living and recreating in mountain lion country. 

The event is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, 6:30-8:30 at the American Mountaineering Center, 710 10^th Street, Golden, CO 80401. The event is free and open to the public.

“Mountain lions contribute to the richness and complexity of Colorado’s ecosystems,”

said Wendy Keefover, wildlife advocate for WildEarth Guardians.  “By creating awareness and understanding of these native cats, we can promote common sense precautions to eliminate potential human-lion conflicts.”

Golden’s rugged foothills and mountainous backdrop provide excellent habitat for mountain lions, also commonly called pumas, cougars, or panthers.  These large, golden cats, shy and unsocial by nature, prefer living around rugged terrain that is suitable for ambushing prey, such as deer and elk. While mountain lions are thought of as wilderness creatures, they are highly adaptable and can flourish in suburban habitats like those found all along the Front Range.  As an "obligate carnivore," however, mountain lions are constantly on the prowl for prey, which can bring them into the human areas.

The presentations include what is necessary to maintain lions’ long-term conservation, including what the state has done to protect breeding females and their kittens.  Kittens are totally dependent upon their mothers for their first nine months, and typically spend between ten and 24 months learning survival skills from their mother. 

Also on hand will be mountain lion researcher Mat Alldredge of the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Alldredge is the lead researcher on a groundbreaking study of mountain lion habits and habitat needs along the Front Range.  His study provides new and surprising insights into mountain lion biology and ecology. 

“We're trying to learn more about how lions utilize urbanize landscapes to help us develop strategies to minimize conflicts,” Alldredge said.

Keefover added that as more Coloradans move into mountain lion habitat in the coming years, public education will be key to maintaining tolerance for the species, and for ensuring their conservation.

“The better that people understand this magnificent animal, the more likely it is that we will continue to have support for protecting the places that it needs to survive over the long term,” she said.

Event Details:

Mountain Lions Live in Golden

Thursday, March 10, 6:30-8:30

American Mountaineering Center-Colorado Mountain Club

710 10^th Street, Golden, CO 80401

About the Colorado Mountain Club

The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to adventure, education and preservation in Colorado. Established in 1912 by mountaineering enthusiasts, CMC now has more than 8,000 members statewide who explore and protect the wild areas of Colorado. CMC offers hundreds of events and classes for all ages and abilities. Throughout its history, the club has been instrumental in landmark achievements such as the designation of Rocky Mountain National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and the passage of the Wilderness Act. To become a member, visit www.cmc.org.

About WildEarth Guardians

Founded as Forest Guardians in 1989, WildEarth Guardians protects and restores wildlife, wild rivers, and wild places in the American West. We have four programs focusing on wildlife, wild places, wild rivers, and climate and energy.  Our headquarters is in Santa Fe, NM. We also have offices in Denver and Boulder, CO and Phoenix and Tucson, AZ. Visit wildearthguardians.org for more information.

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CMC Benefits: The High Mountain Lodge

From the desk of Sarah Gorecki, Development Director of the CMC, shares her skiing experience over her weekend at The High Mountain Lodge outside of Winter Park. CMC Members get 10% off their stay at the lodge, which is run by two long-time CMC members Tom and Julie Beckwith. 

Who knew that one of the benefits of being a Colorado Mountain Club member was relaxation? 

This weekend I took advantage of one of our great member benefits and stayed at the High Mountain Lodge, just outside of Winter Park. The High Mountain Lodge is owned by CMC members Tom and Julie Beckwith, and CMC members get 10% off their room stay. 

Julie and Tom Beckwith

After skiing all day at Winter Park and Mary Jane, we checked in during the late afternoon. Tom and Julie greeted us with snacks and drinks by the fire. A free happy hour was not all they had in store for us. During ski season, Tom and Julie actually cook dinner for their guests. And being a bed and breakfast, a hot yummy breakfast of quiche, muffins, lattes, juice, and fruit was waiting for us in the morning. 

The atmosphere at the lodge is welcoming and laid back. We enjoyed getting to know some of the other guests by the fire over our wine and cheese, we played games in the rec room, we perused the wall of movies guests can check out, we enjoyed the view of the pasture and the wooded hills, and the falling snow lulled us to sleep.

Little things make the stay nice: Dogs are welcome. There is a fireplace in every room. There is a pool, hot tub, and sauna. And during ski season, if you stay Friday and Saturday night, you can stay Sunday night for free and drive back early Monday morning – why fight the Sunday afternoon traffic? 

The High Mountain Lodge is one of many companies that offer discounts to CMC members. In addition to the discounts listed on the CMC website, many CMC groups also have discounts with their local retailers.  And as a CMC member, you also receive the member rates of other regional mountaineering clubs on a host of their perks and benefits, including huts. 

Participating clubs include the Adirondack Mountain Club, American Alpine Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Mazamas, and the Mountaineers. Contact each club or the CMC to take advantage of what they have to offer!

What are you waiting for? Get out there and enjoy all the benefits of being a CMC member!

News Release: New Backcountry Incident Review Conference Scheduled

Contacts:              Ryan Ross

303-832-6296

mtnry@aol.com

Rachel Scott

303-996-2746

rachelscott@cmc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- FEBRUARY 2, 2011

NEW CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON CASE STUDIES OF BACKCOUNTRY INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS

GOLDEN, Colo.— The first statewide Backcountry Incident Review Conference, focusing on the lessons learned from trips that posed difficult challenges, is set for Saturday, April 23 at the American Mountaineering Center (AMC) in Golden.

The day-long conference will feature the leaders of trips on which things did not go according to plan discussing what happened and how they responded, so that they can share the lessons learned with anyone who leads trips or spends time in the backcountry.

“This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from trip leaders who struggled with difficult decisions about how they responded when something went wrong,” says Katie Blackett, CEO of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC), who is sponsoring the conference. “By sharing their experiences, we can promote backcountry safety for everyone who spends time in the backcountry.”

Trips to be discussed will include one of which several participants had to be evacuated by helicopter, another when a trip participant became separated from the group and was found several canyons away, and one when a climber died while on a difficult glacial traverse.

  Chris Barnes of the High Mountain Institute in Leadville will be the keynote speaker.  The Institute, founded by Barnes, leads teenagers on semester-long expeditions in the backcountry. He’ll discuss why risk-taking is important and how to manage it.

There will also be a first-aid refresher, and lunch will be served.

Seating is limited and early registration is encouraged. The fee of $10 covers CMC’s costs in staging the conference and the cost of lunch. For online registration, visit www.cmc.org/BIRC.

About the Colorado Mountain Club

The Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to adventure, education and preservation in Colorado. Established in 1912 by mountaineering enthusiasts, CMC now has more than 8,000 members statewide who explore and protect the wild areas of Colorado. CMC offers hundreds of events and classes for all ages and abilities. Throughout its history, the club has been instrumental in landmark achievements such as the designation of Rocky Mountain National Park, Dinosaur National Monument, and the passage of the Wilderness Act. To become a member, visit www.cmc.org.

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Rescue Report: Canyoneering in Zion National Park

Bob Lewis, who contributed this month’s story in the Boulder Group Newsletter-the Compass-about his rescue during a canyoneering adventure. His story is a good reminder that even the safest outdoor adventures can turn risky if the weather changes what was once familiar terrain. If you have a story about a near-epic you would like to share, please contact Compass Editor, Donna Marino at compass@cmcboulder.org.

Pine Creek Adventure
- contributed by Bob Lewis
Every year, several friends and I travel to different locations in and near Colorado to do some technical canyoneering. In September 2006, several of us headed to Zion National Park. One of the canyons we decided to do was Pine Creek. I had done this canyon twice before and it had been a lot of fun. So we decided to do it again. We started out at 9 a.m. on September 29. There were 4 of us -- Jerry Allen, Gary Schmidt, Alan LaGow, and I. In the interest of moving quickly, we split into two teams....Read the rest of the story here and see what else is going on in the Boulder Group in February's edition of the eCompass.

Mark your Calendars: BANFF, MF2011, and Golden Gate Dirty 30

Mark your calendars for several events coming up, from film festival world tours to a CMC open house complete with live music and free happy hour to epic trail running races!

 

 

Banff Mountain

Film Festival

Tickets are now on sale for the 2011 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour! Hosted by REI, the showings will be at the Paramount Theatre on March 3-4, 2011. Tickets are $15 and proceeds benefit the CMC. A unique selection of films will be shown each of the two evenings. Tickets are available at REI locations, at the CMC office, or online. If you’d like to volunteer one or both nights, please email juliebethpelletier@cmc.org.

 

 

 

Mountain Fest 2011

 

Get your adventure on at the 9th annual Mountain Fest. The Fest, billed as CMC’s annual “Open House,” begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 19, 2011 at the American Mountaineer Center in Golden. Whether you’re an experienced mountaineer, ready to climb your first 14er, or new to the Rockies, Mountain Fest will help prepare you to enjoy Colorado’s great outdoors.

Mountain Fest will feature a climbing competition, membership discounts, skills clinics from our popular outdoor schools, free happy hour from Upslope and live music from Racecar Spelled Backwards. Bring family, friends, or yourself to this fun and free event!

 

 

Golden Gate Dirty Thirty

Registration is Open!

Registration is now open for the Golden Gate Dirty Thirty! This year's 7-mile, 12-mile, and 50k trail races will be held on Saturday, June 4th, in Golden Gate State Park. Proceeds benefit the CMC's Youth Education Program. The event is expected to fill up very soon! Register at goldengatedirtythirty.org. We will need many volunteers for this event. Please email Brenda at brendaporter@cmc.org to volunteer.