Elevation Outdoors September 2019

DUMP THE PLASTIC | GEAR FOR GOOD | VAIL IN FALL | WILDLIFE HIKES SEPTEMBER 2019

FREE!

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TAKING THE LEAD The Conservation, Advocacy, and Action Issue

THIRTEEN-Y E AR-OL D HAV EN COL E M AN H O LDS ADULTS AC C O U N TABL E FOR C LIMATE CHANGE

TEN-YEAR-OLD SELAH SCHNEITER CLIMBS EL CAP AND INSPIRES THE NEXT GENERATION

MEET FIVE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY CH ANG E AG ENTS WH O CAN SH OW YOU H OW TO BUILD A BETTER WOR LD

JUST NORTH OF AMAZING VIA FERRATAS AT CMH Walk beside a colossal glacier, zip-line over roaring rivers, and cross a plunging canyon via a suspension bridge. All of this with no crowds and no lines.

Just you, a few others, a heli and a guide.

No experience necessary.

CALL OUR SUMMER EXPERTS AT 1-844-862-7107 OR VISIT CMHSUMMER.COM

ZILLMER CANYON VIA FERRATA AT CMH CARIBOOS PHOTO BY BRODIE SMITH

Brown liquor not included New Tiger Wall 2 Platinum, 1lb 15oz TIGER WALL TENTS AVAILABLE IN THREE MODELS CRAZYLIGHT PLATINUM, ULTRALIGHT AND MTNGLO

A little extra comfort on the Continental Divide Trail, Colorado. Noah Wetzel

The Mother of Comfort bigagnes.com

Presents the 2nd Annual

SEPT 28 $20 REGISTRATION

Includes: A 20oz Yeti Rambler Tumbler and drink specials at the sponsored holes

100% OF REGISTRATION FEE GOES TO

Join us for an afternoon of mini golf, beer, and fun benefiting Outdoor Alliance! Bring your putter and best golf attire to play through our custom mini golf course with holes placed th r ou g h ou t di f fe r e n t loc ati on s in t he R iN o dist rict .

21+ Only

Visit 10barrel.com/rino-open/ for more info

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ISAAC E BREASHEARS CRACK (V2) THE BLACK HOLE - MORRISON, CO | PHOTO ROSS B

NEW HEIGHTS

SEPTEMBER 2019

DEPARTMENTS 7 CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE You can’t take away the American right to protest.

9 QUICK HITS Ham radio rescue in the backcountry, adventure travel that gives back, craft cocktails and hot tunes in Vail this fall, Running That Doesn't Suck and more...

14 FLASHPOINT For 36-plus consecutive Fridays, Haven Coleman has been protesting for action on climate change, while holding adults accountable.

ESTINATION D ’S O D A R O L CO

P O H S G N I B CLFIOMR OVER 20 YEARS BENTGATE MOUNTAINEERING

SKI SEASON

KICKOFF PARTY

AT THE AMERICAN MOUNTAINEERING CENTER

THU OCT 3 / 5-9PM VISIT BENTGATE.COM/EVENTS FOR DETAILS

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WINTER STOKE FEST & FUNDRAISER FOR

10TH ANNUAL

17 HOT SPOT Head to these four spots this fall to catch a glimpse of Colorado’s majestic wildlife.

18 NUMEROLOGY We run down numbers on the conservation movement, from Thoreau to toilets to the 2019 Goldman Prize winners.

Colorado change agent Taishya Adams heads up Mount Kilimanjaro.

Learn how she and others are leading by example.

Photo Courtesy Taishya Adams SEE PAGE 20

19 STRAIGHT TALK Selah Schneiter talks about climbing El Cap and how kids can get out on the rock and be safe.

22 CONFIDENCE GAME Why are girls less selfassured than boys? And how can a camp change that outdated dynamic?

27 HEAR THIS Don’t miss these hot acts headed to Colorado over the next months.

24 HELI-RUNNING Canadian Mountain Holidays launches a new trip in the Bugaboos.

28 THE ROAD EO’s Roxy Harbitter heads into Chicago Basin to train for a trip that will benefit The Cairn Project and get more girls out in the wilderness.

26 GEAR FOR GOOD This swag gives something back.

30 ELWAYVILLE The troubling reality of climate change keeps Peter Kray up at night— but he still has hope.

ON THE COVER The youngest person to climb Yosemite’s El Cap, Selah Schneiter leads Stranger Than Fiction, (5.9) on Independence Pass, with her dad, Mike, on a steady belay.

by David Clifford / davidcliffordphotography.com

FEATURES 20 MAKING A DIFFERENCE Meet five Rocky Mountain conservationists, advocates and activists who give sage advice on how you can actually do something to change the sad state of our planet.

WANT MORE? CATCH UP ON PAST ISSUES, YOUR FAVORITE BLOGGERS AND DAILY ONLINE CONTENT AT ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM

Introducing new Turkey Dinner!

Enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner anywhere, anytime.

Adventure Meals

®

Now Introducing Fusilli Pasta We pity the Fusilli who misses out on this restaurant quality dish!

NO

Artficial Flavors Artficial Colors Artficial Preservatives

@angulife

www.MountainHouse.com

ENDURING QUALITY. EXTRAORDINARY COMFORT.

MADDOX GTX LO WS | Grey / Mandarin Hit the trails with confidence in the Maddox GTX Lo – a multifunction shoe that’s designed for moving fast and light, with long-lasting support and great traction.

Available in men’s & women’s sizes, and also available in an open-mesh version. 100% Made in Europe & 100% vegan!

TRADITION AND INNOVATION SINCE 1923.

Find LOWAs at these specialty outdoor retailers:

Demo LOWA boots at the YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park Center (Memorial Day - Mid October)

#lowaboots

GORE-TEX, GTX, GORE, and GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY and design are registered trademarks of W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. Photo: © Benjamin Pfitscher. © 2019 LOWA Boots, LLC.

LOWA EO_Sept19_Final.indd 1

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OUR FAVORITE TIME

WHAT ADVOCATE OR ACTIVIST DO YOU THINK IS CREATING REAL CHANGE IN THE OUTDOOR WORLD RIGHT NOW? E DI TOR-I N -CHI E F

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

doug@elevationoutdoors.com PRE SI DE N T

BLAKE DEMASO

blake@elevationoutdoors.com PUBLI SHE R

CONOR SEDMAK

conor@elevationoutdoors.com CRE AT I VE DI RE CTOR

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@elevationoutdoors.com EDITORIAL + PRODUCTION M AN AG I N G E DI TOR

CAMERON MARTINDELL

cameron@elevationoutdoors.com

SEPTEMBER 2019 The kids are back in school, the days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are starting to fall… sort of. September is the beginning of our favorite time of year. Now that the crowds have dispersed and it’s easier to watch the sun rise, we’ve got more time to see the beautiful West. This month, we’re taking a road trip to all our favorite national parks accessible from Colorado. Stay tuned with updates on the ‘Gram @liveoutsideandplay.

G E A R W E ’ R E LO V I N G

STIO: EDDY SHIRT LS (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S)

chris@elevationoutdoors.com G RAPHI C DE SI G N E R

AMELIA MCCONNELL

amelia@elevationoutdoors.com E DI TOR-AT-LARG E

PETER KRAY

CON T RI BUT I N G WRI T E RS

JEFF BLUMENFELD, LINDSAY DEFRATES, JEDD FERRIS, ROXY HARBITTER, KATIE HEARSUM, HELEN OLSSON, KRISTEN POPE, MORGAN TILTON, RYAN WICHELNS, MELANIE WONG

Want to turn your current vehicle into an all-out adventure rig? The Falcon is the latest in Roofnest’s line of lightweight, easy to use roof-top tents. The Falcon attaches to any vehicle with cross bars, and it takes just minutes to install. When collapsed, the Falcon is only 7 inches tall, which helps save gas mileage. Really want to step your game up? The Falcon has two accessory channels on all four sides for mounting light bars or an awning. You also have the option to add a set of crossbars that can carry a bike, kayak, or skis.

ADVERTISING + BUSINESS SE N I OR ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@elevationoutdoors.com

LEKI: LEGACY LITE COR-TEC AS (MEN’S AND WOMEN’S)

BUSI N E SS M AN AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

Leki knows a thing or two about making trekking poles. They’ve been in the business for over 60 years. The Legacy Lite COR-TEC AS brings together all of that experience. These poles feature Leki’s ultra lite, high-tensile strength aluminum shafts, and we can tell you from experience they can handle some serious abuse.

(We even took a pair skiing this spring.) Available in both men’s and women’s specific versions.

melissa@elevationoutdoors.com CI RCULAT I ON I N QUI RI E S

circulation@elevationoutdoors.com DIGITAL MEDIA ON LI N E DI RE CTOR

CRAIG SNODGRASS

SCHEDULE

DENVER, CO

SE N I OR E DI TOR

CHRIS KASSAR

AARON BIBLE, ADAM CHASE, ROB COPPOLILLO, LIAM DORAN, JAMES DZIEZYNSKI, HUDSON LINDENBERGER, SONYA LOONEY, CHRIS VAN LEUVEN

ROOFNEST: FALCON ROOF TOP TENT

A TASTE OF COLORADO

TRACY ROSS

CON T RI BUT I N G E DI TORS

The plaid Eddy has become our go-to mountain shirt.

The water- and wind-resistant long-sleeve can take you from the mountain, lake, or river straight into the office. When you’re on the road and a washing machine is a few hundred miles away, this is the shirt you want. It’s hard to keep clothes looking nice in a van, but we store our Eddies in our perpetually cramped drawers and they always look sharp every time we dig them out.

8/31-9/2/2019

COPY ASSASSI N

craig@elevationoutdoors.com

9/27/2019-9/29/2019

BRECKENRIDGE 14ER FEST BUENA VISTA, CO

DI G I TAL M AN AG E R

RADHA MARCUM ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM 2510 47th Street Unit 209 Boulder, Colorado 80301 (303) 449-1560 P U B L I S H E D BY

©2019 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

SUMMIT

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PUBLISHING

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Rue Mapp, the founder of Outdoor Afro, started with a blog and a vision and she is now driving a nationwide organization and trainings that make a tangible, long-term difference.

conor sedmak

There are so many advocates to tip our caps to, but two who really stand out for me are Katie Boue and Luis Benitez.

CAMERON MARTINDELL

Everybody who has taken it upon themselves to do the little things that will matter—those who recognize "it starts with me" and are carrying their own bag, spork, and/or drink vessel to avoid using single-use plastics.

TRACY ROSS

Greta Thunberg is an articulate visionary, who’s fearless in telling world leaders that they must move now to stop global warming.

Chris Kassar

Jeremy Collins is using his incredible talent to inspire us to voice our opinions, protect our public lands and get out and play more.

Roxy Harbitter

Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg is rallying for those who will ultimately be dealing with the worst of the climate crisis.

Helen Olsson

Chris Anthony’s Youth Initiative Project has educated some 70,000 kids about snow science and avalanche education.

Lindsay DeFrates

After a backcountry ski accident paralyzed him, Tim Burr founded Return to Dirt, adapting rugged 4X4 vehicles for disabled athletes.

David Clifford

Andy Anderson’s imagery helps to shed light on issues facing humans on the front lines of hard work and dire situations.

peter kray

Chris Davenport recently said, “We’ve got to stop waiting for someone else to take the lead.”

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FALL 2019 Sample sets arriving d a i l y a t 4 0 % – 5 0 % O F F re t a i l f ro m Pa t a g o n i a , I ce b re a ke r, and Marmot.

AMERICA HAS A LONG TRADITION OF PEACEFUL PROTEST WHEN OUR GOVERNMENT FORGETS THE DEEPER IDEALS OF OUR NATION.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

I

grew up around New York City but this summer was the first time I took a boat ride around the island of Manhattan. I was back east on vacation so we deciided to try the tourist thing.

It was a rare, clear brilliant blue August afternoon and the Circle Line boat pulled up close to the Statue of Liberty. Maybe it was that I am now indeed a tourist in this city or maybe it’s that the divisiveness and injustice that is running rampant in our country was weighing heavy on me, but it was a powerful moment. I imagined my ancestors, whose stories have now been lost to time, sailing in here from tough times in Europe. How couldn't I have been stirred by this symbol of the greatest of American ideals, that here we huddled masses can all have a chance to build a life of individual freedom? But in this current political climate, and with the growing realization that for so many people today, as Langston Hughes wrote, "America never was America to me," what the statue represents felt under siege.

Earlier in the week, I visited Walden Pond in Massachusetts, where Henry David Thoreau wrote his classic book on American individualism. Thoreau’s words on civil disobedience resonate loud right now for those of us who love the wild and feel helpless in the face of a government that is hellbent on trashing ecosystems, poisoning waterways,

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS POLICE ARREST ANTI-ICE PROTESTORS IN NEW YORK CITY IN AUGUST. photo by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

willfully denying climate change, shrinking national monuments, removing public input from public lands discussions, weakening the endangered species act, planning to sell off federal lands and God knows what other horrific idea some troll who calls into AM radio dreamed up. I, for one, cannot simply allow this to continue.

These places and values, this future, this hope we find in public lands and wild places is worth fighting for.

But what exactly to do? Thoreau certainly had no respect for a government that embraced wrongs like slavery and poll taxes. He wrote: “Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once?”

After the Circle Line cruise, I walked along the Hudson River and came upon a group of anti-ICE protestors blocking the busy West Side Highway in order to call attention to the inhumane way this crackpot government is treating immigrants—“the homeless, tempesttost” of Lady Liberty’s famous poem.

The protestors sat down peacefully and let police officers arrest them. Both sides acted admirably. Will this change anything? Probably not until we vote out the ones who think injustice is a form of freedom. But it means something to see Americans practicing Thoreau’s civil disobedience and I thought of the words of another great practitioner of peaceful protest, Martin Luther King Jr., who said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” It’s time to do something.

14th annual fall gear swap and sale-coming October 12th

CLIMBER: SARAH BURKHARDT, INDEPENDENCE PASS PHOTO | WILDYX ARCHIVES

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE

2401 15th ST SUITE 100 • DENVER, CO 303.964 .0708 • WILDERNESS X.COM

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MY LIGHT MY WAY

© Matt Charland

BRANDON // It’s important to do outdoor activities with your kids because it’s where meaningful experiences happen, the ones that mean the most to them. #petzlnightlife

ACTIK® CORE

Rechargeable, compact multi-beam headlamp with red lighting, designed for outdoor activities. 450 lumens. www.petzl.com/nightlife

EXPERIENCE FALL UNFILTERED Your Fall Destination

Easy to get to and even easier to love, Winter Park is home to 600+ miles of trails to explore, awe-inspiring fall colors, seasonal festivals and numerous mountain activities.

FEATURED FALL EVENTS Country at the Park August 31 | Rendezvous Event Center Featuring Dustin Lynch Wild West Whiskey Fest August 31 – September 1 | Winter Park Resort Women’s Adventure Camp September 6 – 8 | Camp Chief Ouray at YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch Mountain Oktoberfest September 7 | Winter Park Resort Summit Assault September 7 | Winter Park Resort Winter Park FallFest September 14 | Rendezvous Event Center Endurance Race Series September 21 – 22 YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch Healthy Rivers Concert September 22 | Headwaters Center Featuring The Rifters and Caitlyn Taussig Oktoberfest 2019 September 29 | Granby Ranch

COLORADO UNFILTERED All event dates subject to change.

PlayWinterPark.com | 800.903.7275

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The High Life

A L B U Q U ERQ U E ' S I N T ER N AT I O N A L B A LO O N FI E S TA D R AW S CO M P E T I TO R S , SP E C TATO R S A N D A RT I S T S FRO M AC ROS S T H E G A L A X Y.

WHAT STARTED IN 1972 AS A SMALL GATHERING OF JUST 13 LOCAL BALLOONISTS, THE ALBUQUERQUE INTERNATIONAL Balloon Fiesta has blossomed into one of the largest hot-air balloon rallies in the world, drawing more than 800,000 spectators and 600 baloonists from around the globe. It also features competitions during which airborne participants attempt to drop markers on targets or in scoring areas. “There are so many nuances involved in being able to steer a balloon, so timing and accuracy are key,” says Castle Rock, Colorado, resident Meg Skelton, who is competing in her fifth Fiesta and single-handedly navigates to her targets using an iPad, two GPS devices and a laptop with mapping software.

“You never know where you’re going to land—that’s part of the challenge.” Located at the base of the Sandia Mountains, Albuquerque is for ideal hot air balloons thanks in part to its unique microclimate and famous weather pattern called the “Albuquerque Box” effect, which ideally allows pilots to take off and land in the same spot. —Katie Hearsum

FAR, FAR AWAY YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU WILL FIND PATROLLING THE SKY DURING THE INTERNATIONAL BALOON FIESTA. / PHOTO BY JOHN MCCAULEY

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GLOBAL GOOD G U I D I N G CO M PA N Y O N E SEED E X P ED I T I O N S M A K E S G I V I N G B AC K TO LO C A L CO M M U N I T I E S A N E S SEN T I A L CO M P O N EN T O F I T S B US I N E S S P L A N .

LIKE MANY ADVENTURE-TOUR

operators, OneSeed Expeditions (oneeseedexpeditions.com), a Coloradobased guiding company, promises curated, off-the-beaten path experiences aimed at active travelers. What makes the company unique, however, is its commitment to responsible travel and making a lasting difference in the places it operates through investments in local entrepreneurs.

Here’s how it works: Your adventure trip to rugged, often isolated areas, is led by experienced, local guides, who help ensure your activities protect the local environment and respect local customs—no matter if you’re trekking through the Everest region, biking and hiking through southern Patagonia or kayaking down rivers in Croatia. OneSeed takes 10 percent of your payment and partners with local microfinance institutions in that country to give loans to local entrepreneurs, often women. Not only do those recipients usually pay back their loan, but they also expand their businesses and employ others in their community. That adds up to a major impact, all for a trip you were planning to take anyway.

OneSeed founder Chris Baker launched the company in 2011 after years of working in Nepal and studying the impact and realities of microfinance. He quickly realized that travelers’ desire to make a difference could provide a solution for entrepreneurs in rural communities who lacked access to capital.

“Two big motivators for travel are to explore and to leave a positive impact in a genuine way,” he said. “Initially we were planning to only work in Nepal, where we started, but we realized what an opportunity we were working with.”

Today, OneSeed operates

NO PAINE, NO GAIN TRAVELERS WITH ONESEED EXPEDITIONS, WHICH INVESTS IN LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, TREK THROUGH CHILE'S TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK. / PHOTO BY RICHARD FARMER

multisport trips to Nepal, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Tanzania, Peru, Croatia and Bhutan. Its OneSeed Fund has invested over $320,000 in more than 690 small-scale businesses.

While the average loan is less than $600, these investments tend to have powerful impacts.

A loan might help a Nepalese woman pay for supplies and income to expand her greenhouse business, thus doubling her income. Or, in Tanzania, a terra cotta potter might be able to grow the business into a full-scale factory, producing products that help provide clean water for surrounding villages. Others might be able to purchase an oven for their bakery, a delivery van or a new cow for their dairy operation.

Baker said he’s seen a strong response to OneSeed’s trips and business model, so much so that the company recently expanded by adding adventure trips to the Balkans and it has brought its loan program stateside, offering microfinancing to immigrant and refugee entrepreneurs in the United States. OneSeed’s

TECHNOLOGY RELAY You can solve the conundrum of when to give your kid a cell phone with the screen-less Relay device. At $10 per month, it connects anywhere a cell phone does via 4G LTE and Wi-Fi and has a simple one-button, push-to-talk function and GPS location information. The durable rubberised and waterresistant exterior can survive the knocks of kidlife. $40 | RELAYGO.COM

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innovative model even earned it gold recognition as a World Responsible Tourism Award winner.

Travelers are drawn to OneSeed’s well-planned, remote adventures and the chance to genuinely connect with new peoples and cultures, but Baker says people also want to be part of investing in these communities.

“I think people expect a lot more from their travel,” he said. “The core of what we do is at the intersection of adventure and entrepreneurship, and that resonates with people.”

—Melanie Wong

VINTAGE RESCUE T H AT O L D S TA N D BY, A H A M R A D I O S AV E S T H E DAY I N T H E B AC KCO U N T RY DOUG MORSE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS “THE WORLD’S worst ham radio operator”

and that speaks to how easy it is to use the century-old tool he loves.

Ham (a.k.a. amatuer) radios operate on FCC controlled VHF and UHF frequencies and can connect to radio repeaters which significantly extend their broadcast range. In Colorado, calling for help on a ham radio from the backcountry is quite easy. Morse found this out while backcountry skiing

with his wife last February in the Pennsylvania Creek Drainage near Breckenridge.

At the bottom of their second run and a little more than a mile from their cars, his wife fell and fractured her fibula near the ankle. For Morse, a rock climbing guide and do-it-all adventurer, calling for help required humility, but he knew he needed help.

“I didn’t have cell service so pulling out my radio was an obvious first step,” he said.

Instead of hiking to higher ground or pushing an SOS button and holding his breath, Morse tuned into a radio repeater tower in Breckenridge which rebroadcast his transmission for help to a wide area. Mike Ranalls of the Colorado Emergency Reporting Net (CERN) heard his call and was able to pass along Morse’s location and situation to Summit County Search and Rescue. With a radio operator on staff, they got back in touch with Morse to facilitate a snowmobile rescue. He and his wife were out of the woods in hours.

Any sort of wireless communication is far from perfect in the outdoors as the signal will have a hard time

GEAR WE LOVE WORK SHARP GUIDED FIELD SHARPENER A sharp knife is a safe knife and this simple to use five-stage handheld sharpener keeps your knife keen anywhere.

With built-in angle guides, it includes two diamond plates, two ceramic rods, and a leather strop finisher for flat and serrated blades, fish hooks and arrowheads. $30 | WORKSHARPTOOLS.COM

BOOKS RUNNING THAT DOESN'T SUCK How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It) Fleet-footed local author Lisa Jhung upends the idea that running has to be painful. Best of all, she provides a map to make running more enjoyable with insightful chapters and fun diagrams that focus on everything from stretching to building a better butt. $17 | RUNNINGPRESS.COM

HIGH ON THE HOG WHISTLE PIG VAIL BRINGS BIG NAMES TO THE FORD AMPHITHEATER (TOP).

HAM RADIO IN THE FIELD (LEFT).

getting out of deep valleys or canyons to connect with either a satellite in orbit (for SPOT or InReach), a cell tower or an amateur radio repeater. But Morse, who has regularly carried a radio with him into the woods since getting his license in the mid-90s, says the benefits of real-time communication are invaluable. Different from standard walkie-talkies, amateur (ham) radios are more powerful (hence they require an FCC license) and can hit any of the thousands of repeaters scattered across the country—many of which cover remote areas—making it easier to get in touch with someone near a telephone. And, Morse argues, they are simpler and more effective way to communicate with rescuers.

Set up in 2018 as an option for small-towners in areas without cell service, CERN is unique to Colorado.

It uses a system of linked repeaters across the state, dubbed the Colorado Connection, that put ham radio operators on one shared airwave all the way from Durango to Denver, and everywhere in between. That network makes it possible for a few dozen volunteer CERN operators, like Ranalls, to tag team listening duties— monitoring the repeater system for radio calls for help from anywhere in the state, and passing them along to the authorities. CERN volunteers have answered calls corresponding to car accidents and other issues, but Morse’s call was the first they had received from the backcountry.

Morse often heads into the backcountry with his cell phone, a more modern satellite communicator, and his ham radio. “That way I can assume that I should be able to get help with one of those items if something goes wrong.” This time, it was the oldest of those three technologies that did the trick.

—Ryan Wichelns

EAT, SLEEP, PLAY: VAIL IN FALL THE TIME H A S A RRI V ED TO M A K E THE MOS T OF MUSIC, TR A IL S A ND TURNING LE AV E S IN COLOR A DO’S LUX E MOUNTA IN TOW N. EAT Stroll around Vail Village and you’ll find a pleasing combination of casual and posh when it comes time to chow down. Kick it off with a double Americano and avacado toast at Two Arrows (twoarrowscoffe.com) and head back to the same location after your adventures for a mezcal gin negroni and artisan cheeses at Root and Flower (rootandflowervail. com). Rather be out on the trails than sitting down for lunch? No problem.

The Grazing Fox (thegrazingfox. com) will craft you a (recyclable) box lunch packed with fruits, meats, veggies and chocolate. Cap if off with Japanese cuisine at Matsuhisa (matsuhisarestaurants.com), where the sake pairs perfectly with mouthwatering broiled black cod and miso.

SLEEP The crash pad of celebs and free spenders, the swank Sebastian (thesebastianvail.com) combines eat, sleep and play in one pack-andpicnic package (Pack and Pedal, Pack and Paddle or Pack and Pooch). They include a gourmet picnic lunch from the hotel’s bistro Leonora and an activityspecific guide and rates starting at $473 per couple. Offering rooms with jaw-dropping views of the mountain, Grand Hyatt Vail (hyatt.com) gives you the ability to hop right on the creekside rec path out the door. More of a dirtbag? Head up Homestake Road (bit.ly/2Z02aSD) toward Homestake Reservoir and pitch a tent or your van.

HARDCASE ROLLER LUGGAGE

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SAVING SKIING FOR TOMORROW THE NSAA’S DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES TO SLOW CLIMATE CHANGE.

PLAY Vails’ Epic Discovery (vail.com) keeps the lifts spinning weekends until September 29 and it’s the ideal launchpad for family adventure (kids ride for free). Zoom down on the 3,400foot Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster, clamber on the two ropes courses or soar for two miles on the Game Creek Zipline Tour. Or use the lifts to access hikes and mountain bike rides in the verdant meadows of the Back Bowls.

Not sure of your bike skills? Local shop Venture Sports (avonventuresports. com) hosts 15-mile downhill tours in the fall foliage. And be sure to time your visit around the Whistle Pig Vail (whistlepigvail.com) concert series, which brings big-name acts—including Bon Iver on September 2 and Gary Clark Jr. on September 5 and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit on September 18—to the intimate confines of the 2,600-seat Ford Amphitheatre, where you can also simply toss down a blanket on the lawn seats. Likewise, the indoor Vilar Performing Arts Center (vilarpac.org) stage at Beaver Creek Village has a hotlist of performers this fall, including Ranky Tanky on October 5 and Todd Snider with Ramblin’ Jack Elliott on October 11.

—Doug Schnitzspahn

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LOCAL HERO: GERALDINE LINK L I N K I N G SK I A R E A S TO G E T H ER F O R G R E AT ER SUS TA I N A B I L I T Y HAVE YOU EVER SKIED UNDER LED LIGHTS,

composted leftover chili at a resort restaurant, or enjoyed mountain biking on ski slopes in summer? Thank Geraldine Link of the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). As Director of Public Policy of the Lakewood, Colorado-based organization, she represents roughly 330 ski areas in the U.S., which account for more than 90 percent of the skier/snowboarder visits nationwide. She launched a sustainability program for ski areas called Sustainable Slopes, and she developed the Climate Challenge, a voluntary program recognizing resorts that reduce their carbon footprint.

Link graduated with a Bachelor

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of Arts degree in Government from Georgetown; then spent a year in Oakland, California, helping undocumented immigrants become lawful permanent residents and prepare them for citizenship. Her proudest career moment was contributing to passage of the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011, which allows ski areas on U.S. Forest Service Land to operate on a fourseason basis. Hello Frisbee golf, mountain biking, ropes courses and canopy tours.

“Skiing is a magical winter experience,” says the mother of two teenagers. “I want today’s children to have that experience over their lifetime. Through climate change action and advocacy we have the best chance of maintaining this experience for generations to come.”

—Jeff Blumenfeld

ELIMINATE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC OUTDOOR BRANDS FROM ACROSS

the nation and overseas united against single-use plastic at June’s Outdoor Retailer trade show, which drew 23,500-plus attendees to the Colorado Convention Center. The movement was catalyzed by the

Plastic Impact Alliance (PIA), an ongoing pledge co-created by SNEWS and Catapult Creative Labs. To date, more than 225 organizations— spanning from nonprofits and government agencies to media and public relations—joined the PIA, as well as 1,315 signees of the Plastic Impact Promise, a secondary arm of the pledge, which is tailored to individuals rather than companies.

Beyond the alliance at the show, Outdoor Retailer and exhibiting brands provided water-refill stations,

DUMPING THE PLASTIC THE OUTDOOR RETAILER TRADE SHOW TEAMED UP WITH BRANDS INCLUDING NALGENE AND YETI TO NIX SINGLE-USE PLASTIC AT ITS BIG DENVER EVENT IN JUNE. / PHOTO BY LAUREN DANILEK

2019. According to the survey, folks often forget a reusable bottle, view it as inconvenient or they’re concerned about the quality of the water they use to fill a bottle.

“While the outdoor industry has advocated for a reduction in singleuse plastics, we still have work to do to create changes in behavior,” said Alison Hill, managing director of LifeStraw. To help, the brand suggests that travelers use carabiners—to attach reusable bottles to packs— purchase filters, and stash multiple reusable bottles from home to work.

Visit snewsnet.com to join the PIA. —Morgan Tilton hosted plastic-free happy hours and waste-free lunches and eliminated throw-away carpet.

The larger goal? For the effort to grow beyond the limited walls of the trade show, everyone needs to follow suit. More than 43 percent of U.S. adult outdoor enthusiasts—anyone who enjoys outdoor activities such as running, yoga and adventure travel on a regular basis—depend on single-use plastic water bottles while engaging in outdoor activities, reports a survey commissioned by LifeStraw in May

DOG DOS I F YO U OW N A FI D O YO U ’ R E G O N N A WA N T TO B R I N G YO U R CO M PA N I O N O N YO U R VAC AT I O N . H ER E’ S H OW TO D O I T I N S T Y L E, I N F O U R S T EP S .

1. Consult your vet: Depending on where you’re headed, your dog may need medicine—such as heartworm preventatives—it wouldn’t normally

need at home. Be sure to check in with your vet before you hit the road.

2. Find lodging: You can find dogfriendly lodging at any price point, from a free BLM campground to a luxury hotel. Motel 6 (motel6.com) is a famously dog-friendly option, with two dogs typically allowed per room and no pet fees. The Limelight Hotels (limelighthotels.com) offer dog-friendly modern luxury in the mountain towns of Aspen, Ketchum, and Snowmass.

The American Kennel Club lists dogfriendly hotel chains (akc.org) while BringFido.com includes both chains and local options. Be sure to check the rules—dogs usually can’t be left or unattended or must be in a kennel.

DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME AT HOME TRAVELING WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND IS EASIER THAN YOU THOUGHT, JUST FOLLOW OUR FOUR STEPS. / PHOTO COURTESY LIMELIGHT HOTELS

3. Eat at dog-friendly joints: Summer is a great time to bring your dog on vacation since many restaurants and breweries have pup-pleasing patios (but be sure to ask).

4. Utilize doggie day care: If you’d like to do something that isn’t canine compatible on your trip, bring your dog to daycare for the day. Most popular mountain towns have a doggie day care or two where your pup can play while you SUP a Class V, bro.

—Kristen Pope

GET MORE IN DURANGO

More Adventure | More Fun | More Time to Enjoy!

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The Kids Are All Fight THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD DENVERITE HAVEN COLEMAN INSPIRES YOUTH TO FIGHT FOR THE WORLD THEY WANT TO LIVE IN. HER METHOD? HOLD ADULTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DEVASTATION THEY’VE DONE TO THE PL ANET, PUSH POLITICAL LEADERS TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION, AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR CHANGE THROUGH WEEKLY SCHOOL-STRIKES AND SIT-INS AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

by TRACY ROSS

T

he week before school started in Colorado, 13-year-old Haven Coleman had a stacked to-do list.

The Denverite with two kid sisters told me she had to “figure out what my outfit is, write my speech, pack my bags, and go to L.A. to get an award.” Then, upon return, because she was going to miss several classes, she said she would have to “pick up my stuff, figure out my schedule, organize my school bags, and come up with my guest list for my podcast.” And on top of all that, she told me she had to “do this thing I can’t tell you about.”

That thing involves a multimedia project likely focused on the

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“Older people could have prevented irreversible warming, but there were so many opportunities to act and no one did.” environment. But most things Coleman does revolve around the troubling future of our planet.

Her outfit and the speech, for instance, were for a prize the now eighth grader would receive from the Women in Green Forum, a consortium of women leaders from the White House to Fortune 500 companies that promote women’s leadership across the environmental movement and channel their efforts to build a world where gender bias is not involved in leadership and decision-making. In August, they gave Coleman their Youth Trailblazer Award, for her social justice work and climate activism.

Coleman’s activist career started when she was in elementary school in 2015. As a fifth grader, she learned that deforestation was laying waste to massive tracks of trees in South America and that it contributed to the much larger issue of climate change and global warming. Shortly thereafter, she started actively trying to make the adults around her—from her parents to political leaders—do something about it.

That mission led her to start skipping school every Friday in seventh grade to stand in places like the State Capitol building in Denver or the

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GEO Aurora ICE Processing Center, an immigrant detention facility. She holds a sign that says School Strikes for the Climate, and takes flack from “mainly older white males,” who get so mad at what she’s doing they’ll throw her shade in the form of, “Go back to school. You’re ruining your life. Why are you doing this?” she says.

When confronted with that critcism, Coleman, in her mustard-colored puffy jacket or slogan-emblazoned shirt, simply responds, “Because your generation failed mine.”

The Dangerous Future Is Here

The assertion that older generations have sold out the youth is a hard pill to swallow, but it’s true. For several decades during and after the Industrial Revolution, we didn’t know the impact we were having on the planet. But the Sierra Club—whose mission is to “explore, protect, and enjoy the planet”—started discussing the need to protect our natural resources during its inaugural meeting on May 28, 1892. Leaping forward nearly 100 years, Rachel Carson wrote her 1962 bestseller Silent Spring, about the dangers of Big Agriculture using DDT to grow food. Americans got riled up about the practices right as President Lyndon B. Johnson called the state of America’s rivers “disgraceful” after boating down the sewage-soured Potomac. Both events paved the way for the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970. Twenty million Americans took to the streets to protest our treatment of the planet.

Despite those early postive actions,

THE FACE OF CHANGE “BE A PLATFORM FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO SEE THAT THEY CAN DO SOMETHING TOO,” SAYS 13-YEAR-OLD HAVEN COLEMAN, WHO HAS BEEN SKIPPING SCHOOL EVERY FRIDAY FOR 36 WEEKS TO ADVOCATE FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE. / PHOTO BY NICOLE COLEMAN

49 years and some months later, we’re reaching a terrifying moment. On August 8, the United Nations reported that, “For everyone who lives on land, the planet’s dangerously warmed future is already here. Earth’s land has already warmed more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.6 degrees Fahrenheit) since the industrial revolution,” and “more than 70 percent of the planet’s ice-free land is already shaped by human activity.”

As trees are felled and farms take their place, the land emits huge amounts of greenhouse-gas pollution. If we hope to slow this devastation, hundreds of millions of people like me (and you) will have to change their diet, eating many more plants and much less meat than they do now.

If we go on without making change, we can expect hotter summers, increased wildfires, crazier weather, poorer air quality, higher food prices (as a result of global warmingrelated shortages) and an influx of climate refugees. On August 13, The Washington Post published an interactive story showing that several states from the East Coast to the West have already reached the poinit of irreversible change. The world as a whole is heating up, too, with the countries most vulnerable to climate change in dire danger, according to the climate activism coalition 350.org.

On a personal note, Coleman tells me she has asthma, so when wildfires burn here or in states near us, it’s harder for her to breathe. And on a global note, she says, “We’ll have even worse drought, even more ice melt, even more sea level rise, and bigger, more chaotic storms. Because of this, and also food shortages, people are going to have to migrate, or they’ll die.

Also, more bugs will start coming — ones that carry diseases—and they’ll be able to live longer because of the heat. It’ll get super hot. People will starve. It’ll be chaos. It’s the apocalypse.”

Don’t worry: Coleman thinks about “normal” things, too (like where she wants to live when she grows up— New York or San Francisco). But like a growing number of kids, including my own, she’s burdened with a heaviness I didn’t endure. When I was 13, in the 1980s, I rarely thought about the “environment.” Instead, I was just a kid out playing in the sanctuary of nature.

And no one in my family talked about recycling, but then no program had started yet in our small town in Idaho.

I certainly never thought about the world like Coleman does—as a place on the brink of global disaster. But my oldest son, Scout, worries over how to slow climate change daily (and hopes to help combat it by working in sustainability after college). My middle son, Hatcher, responds differently— with the dark humor and nihilism

of someone much older than his 16 years. The kid I worry about most, though, is my 8-year-old daughter, Hollis, who has only the smallest grasp of what’s happening but will experience the worst of our past behaviors and current administration’s climate-threatening policies, as the world continues to warm, and the problems Coleman highlights come to fruition during Hollis’s 70 or 80 years on the planet.

“It scares me because [the apocalypse] is my future,” says Coleman. The 16-year-old Nobel Peace Prize nominee Greta Thunberg said the same at the 2019 UN Climate Change COP24 Conference, when she told the audience, “Our civilization is being sacrificed for the opportunity of a very small number of people to continue making enormous amounts of money. Our biosphere is being sacrificed so that rich people in countries like mine can live in luxury. It is the sufferings of the many which pay for the luxuries of the few.” And before she laid out all of this, Thunberg stated, “You are not mature enough to tell it like it is. Even that burden you leave to us children.”

“Older people could have prevented irreversible warming,” Coleman adds, “but there were so many opportunities to act and no one did.” As a result, she now spends her free time canvassing, talking to local, state, and national politicians, and

dreaming up new ways to try and get people involved, instead of enjoying her teen years worry-free, she tells me.

It’s uplifting, yes, but it’s also sad. How are we so addicted to consumerism and greed that we’ll heap the burden of the future onto our kids?

The Strike Goes On

Last month, Coleman staged her 36th consecutive school-day strike, on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol.

She did it alone, as she often does, though at times a friend or her little sisters will join. She will take the flack from the older white males, standing her ground, because she sees no other choice. It’s what gives her strength to stand up, over and over, to civic leaders like Republican Senator Cory Gardner, who has received over $1.2 million dollars in campaign funding from oil and gas industries, and Republican State Representative Doug Lamborn, a known climate change denier.

In some ways, Coleman has been handsomely rewarded for her work: Elle, Teen Vogue, CBS and other media outlets have given her praise, and Al Gore invited her to be a part of his “24 Hours of Reality” project, a day of television programming centered on climate change. More importantly, she joined two other young American climate activists, Alexandria Villasenor and Isra Hirsi, in leading the U.S.

Youth Climate Strike, founded by Thunberg, in August of 2018.

Coleman tells me that she pours so much effort into this work because, “We have been really dormant and quiet about acting out.” She wants (and we need) immediate action—like transitioning to a 100% renewable future for everyone, a ban on all fossil fuel projects, and the cessation of funding dirty energy—and she’s leading the charge by facing down climate denying adults and politicians.

“Kids can influence adults and politicians,” she says, and I want to believe her. But I also know that I can’t let myself get too buoyed by the work of Coleman, Thunberg or the tens of thousands of kids across the world who have joined the weekly School Strike for Climate protests. They’re shifting the needle, yes, but we can’t leave them with all the burden. As Thunberg told the UN, “We have run out of excuses and we are running out of time.” And as Coleman reminded me, on May 24, 2019, 1.4 million people participated in global climate strikes around the world to show their governments that they must act now to protect the planet.

“We did that in one day,” she says.

“We did so much. But we need to bring that momentum into everyday fighting, because we need to actually solve the problem.”

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The Wild, Wild Life T H E SE T H R EE SP OT S G I V E YO U T H E B E S T O P P O RT U N I T Y TO C ATC H A G L I M P SE O F CO LO R A D O’ S M OS T C H A R I SM AT I C FAU N A , FRO M B A L D E AG L E S TO B I G H O R N SH EEP.

T

by CHRIS KASSAR

here are few things more magical than watching a moose meander through dense willows or a bighorn sheep scamper across a ridge. Intimate experiences with wildlife touch the soul, stir the conservationist in each of us, and remind us of the importance of preserving our public lands, open spaces, and the imperative and irreplaceable habitat they harbor.

Colorado is packed with abundant wildlife including moose, elk, bison, bighorn, pronghorn, bald eagles and black bears. Here are three of our favorite spots where the odds are good you’ll see these majestic creatures.

COLORADO STATE FOREST STATE PARK

Referred to as “The Moose Capital of Colorado,” this park nestled in the northern reaches of the state near Walden straddles the Never Summer and Medicine Bow mountains. Perched at 10,000 feet on both sides of Cameron Pass, it has it all: jagged peaks, fall colors, alpine lakes, rugged wilderness, dense forest and willow-lined streams, which make ideal habitat for many animals, including elk, bald eagles, black bears, mule deer, beaver and fox. More than 600 moose live here year-round. With a lack of crowds and a range of exploration options, there’s something for everyone here. Enjoy the short one-mile hike to Lake Agnes, a 2.5-mile roundtrip adventure along the Lumberjack Trail, or head deeper into the backcountry for a weekend by traversing 6.5 miles one way to Kelly Lake or 7 miles one way to Clear Lake.

The park also boasts bike trails, camp sites, huts and yurts for nightly rentals. cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/ parks/stateforest

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

Glacially sculpted peaks, high alpine lakes, pristine tundra and sublime wildlife viewing opportunities make Rocky Mountain (RMNP) a crown jewel in the national park system. Elk abound on the east side in Estes Park, but for a more intimate experience, especially in Fall, when they are bugling and rutting, hit the Cub Lake Loop (start extremely early to avoid crowds). From your very first steps across the Big Thompson

LARGE AND IN CHARGE HEAD TO ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK THIS FALL TO SPOT BIGHORN SHEEP. / PHOTO BY ELK RAVEN PHOTOGRAPHY

River and around the edge of Moraine teeming with wildflowers. A visit to Big Park, where enormous elk herds Meadows is a major highlight and it wander, this 6-plus-mile adventure offers beautiful peak views, plentiful delivers. The park is home to dozens of blossoms and opportunities to ogle mammals and nearly 300 bird species, more ungulates. and it features over 300 miles of trails nps.gov/romo that offer countless opportunities to see bighorn, elk, picas, marmots, and MONTE VISTA NATIONAL eagles. Or just drive up and over Trail WILDLIFE REFUGE Ridge Road, which brings you from Fall brings Sandhill cranes, geese, and forest to a high alpine environment and tons of other waterfowl to the San Luis back again as it cuts from one side of Valley as they head south for winter. the park to the other.

It’s estimated that as many as 20,000 Once you drop into the cooler, cranes stop in the Refuge. Time your wetter, lushly vegetated west side visit right and you’ll ramble along of RMNP, home to the the nature trail or the headwaters of the Colorado edges of marshy ground NOTE: Wild animals are River and the wildlife-rich to see hordes of birds just that—wild—so Kawuneechee Valley, congregated in wetland we can’t of course, guarantee you’ll see opportunities to spy a areas and grasslands them, but hit these moose, even in roadside where they are resting spots at sunrise or meadows, increase and refueling before sunset to up your odds. exponentially. Leave the car beginning their journey to If you do get lucky, please observe wildlife behind and hoof it through the Gulf Coast for winter. from a distance. Bring the Green MountainThough birds get all the binos or a zoom lens, Onahu Loop, a moderate press down here, those but don’t interfere in 8-miler that meanders seeking four-legged their lives—for their along a mountain stream critters may also catch a sake and yours. and through tranquil forest glimpse of resident deer

and elk, coyotes, porcupines and beaver year-round. fws.gov/refuge/monte_vista/

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARSENAL NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Want to snap an image of the Denver skyline with a beautiful bison in the foreground? Located just 15 miles from downtown Denver, Rocky Mountain Arsenal—a 15,000-acre expanse of short and mixed grass prairie that ranks as one of the largest urban refuges in the country—harbors more than 330 wildlife species, including mule deer, coyotes, songbirds, bald eagles, black-footed ferrets and, you guessed it, upward of 50 bison. Originally a weapons testing and building facility, its designation as a Superfund cleanup site and then a National Wildlife Refuge turned Rocky Mountain Arsenal into a unique wild landscape. Discover this special oasis via an 11-mile loop drive and by exploring over 10 miles of hiking trails that wind through woodland, wetland and grassland habitat. fws.gov/rockymountainarsenal

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Conservation by the Numbers D I G I N TO T H E SE FAC T S NEW AND OLD ABOUT T H E O N G O I N G EFF O RT S TO P R E SER V E T H E W I L D P L AC E S A N D D I V ER SE SP E C I E S O N T H I S S W I F T LY SH R I N K I N G P L A N E T.

50%

50

Amount of the planet we must preserve for nature if we want the vast diversity of life on Earth to survive, according to biologist E.O. Wilson. The Harvard professor explains in the book Half-Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life, “I propose that only by committing half of the planet's surface to nature can we hope to save the immensity of life-forms that compose it." half-earthproject.org

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

$20 million

Amount The Conservation Alliance has given to grassroots environmental organizations since it was founded 30 years ago by outdoor industry brands Patagonia, The North Face, REI and Kelty. Those funds, raised through member dues, have helped to preserve 51 million acres of wildlands, protect 3,102 miles of rivers, stop or remove 30 dams, designate five marine reserves, and purchase 13 climbing areas. conservationalliance. org

PHOTO COURTESY CLARE GALLAGHER

Acres of wilderness in Colorado that would be protected by the proposed CORE Act, introduced to Congress by Sen. Michael Bennett and Rep. Joe Deguse of Colorado. In all, the act would protect over 400,000 acres in the state, including 80,000 acres of new, non-wilderness recreation and conservation management areas in Colorado that would allow for existing uses, such as mountain biking. bit.ly/2Mw4hfs

PHOTO BY BEN MOON

100,000 GALLONS

Average amount of water used by the average household every year in the U.S. Forty-five percent of that is flushed down the toilet. By putting a weighted bottle in a toilet tank to take up volume, a household can save up to five gallons per day.

15 Years John Sterling has served as the executive director of the Conservation Alliance.

For seven years before that he sat on the board of the nonprofit representing Patagonia. Earlier this year, Sterling announced he was stepping down from his role. “I am really encouraged by the way the outdoor industry has responded to threats to our public lands,” he said.

“It wasn’t always that way.

Now, we’ve got a great industry that really cares and is ready to step up and use their voices.”

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78,000

one Switzerland’s ranking on the 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across ten issue categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality. The United States comes in at number 27.

The EPI is produced by Yale and Columbia in collaboration with the World Economic Forum. epi.envirocenter.yale.edu

$28.12

The amount it cost Henry David Thoreau to build his famed cabin on friend Ralph Waldo Emerson’s land on Walden Pond in 1845. In the 10-foot-by-15-foot structure he wrote “I should be glad if all the meadows on the earth were left in a wild state, if that were the consequence of men's beginning to redeem themselves.” No matter your thoughts on the author—some see him as an admirable sage, others as a bumbling trust-funder—Walden continues to inspire legions of conservationists. Pilgrims to the site where the simple cabin once stood have been leaving stones there to build a massive cairn in his honor since 1872. waldenwoods.org

205 billion

Metric tons of carbon that could be removed from the atmosphere (one third of what has been pumped into it since the start of the Industrial Revolution) if saplings were allowed to regrow where forests have been cleared, according to a July 2019 report in the journal Science. The report states: “This would represent a greater than 25% increase in forested area, including more than 500 billion trees and more than 200 gigatonnes of additional carbon at maturity. Such a change has the potential to cut the atmospheric carbon pool by about 25%.” sciencemag.org/ content/365/6448/76

The amount that that Kris Tompkins and her non profit Tompkins Conservation gave to the government of Chile to create a new national park. It’s the largest such donation in the history of humanity. Tompkins, a former CEO of Patagonia, and her husband Doug, the founder of The North Face and Esprit who passed away in 2017, have been acquiring and preserving land for conservation in South America since 1990. tompkinsconservation.org

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1 M I L L I O N A C R E S O F P R I VAT E L A N D

Number of states that benefited in some form by the 2019 John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act. In all, it created 1.3 million acres of new wilderness and 350 miles of wild and scenic river as well as 700,000 acres of new recreation and conservation areas. It also withdrew 370,000 acres from oil and gas development in Montana and Washington, created five new national monuments, and expands the idea and the area of national monuments dedicated to the history of African Americans.

7 million

Copies of Rachel Carson’s classic Silent Spring, considered the seminal work in the modern conservation movement and the impetus for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency, that have been sold in the U.S. since its publication in 1962. Carson was posthumously given the Presidential Medal of Honor in 1980 by Jimmy Carter.

513,500

ACRES OF PRISTINE FOREST Land in Liberia that 2019 Goldman Environmental Prize winner Alfred Brownell stopped from being clear cut by palm-oil developers.The forest is one of the 25 most important spots for biodiversity on the planet and essential to the lives of indigenous people. Brownell now must live in exile in the U.S. for his own safety. goldmanprize.org

PHOTO COURTESY GOLDMAN PRIZE

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S T R A I G H T TA L K | 0 9.1 9 Did you know how much attention you’d be getting when you first planned the El Cap climb?

What would you tell another kid who was just starting to climb, but was a little nervous about it?

No.

I like what my dad says: A [climbing] rope can carry two elephants. So unless you weigh as much as three elephants, I wouldn’t worry.

How many interviews have you done now?

Probably 50 or more.

That’s crazy. And you got flown to New York for an interview on the Today Show.

Would you ever want to live in the Big Apple?

To be honest, I feel more comfortable on El Cap than I did in New York. It’s really crazy, because nothing like this has ever happened to me or anyone I know. It was cool to visit, but I would have exploded if I’d had to stay for three more days.

If there were other kids who saw that you did this challenging climb and thought, if she can do it, maybe I can start rock climbing, too, what would you tell them?

The two most important things are confidence and endurance.

With confidence, you really have to think about what climbing means to you. It’s hard to put a lot of these skills into it if you don’t really want to climb El Cap. If I was sort of ‘eh, no,’ it would never have worked. You have to want to do it.

FAMILY BUSINESS SELAH SCHNEITER TRAINS FOR BIG WALLS WITH HER FATHER, MIKE, WHO OWNS GLENWOOD CLIMBING GUIDES. / PHOTO

BY DAVID CLIFFORD

Selah Schneiter T H E YO U N G E S T P ER S O N TO C L I M B EL C A P H A I L S FRO M A N A DV EN T U R E FA M I LY A N D SH E H A S S O L I D A DV I C E F O R K I DS ( A N D PA R EN T S) LO O K I N G TO OV ERCO M E T H EI R FE A R S U P O N T H E WA L L .

by LINDSAY DEFRATES WE SAT DOWN AT AN OLD, WOODEN PICNIC TABLE TUCKED INTO A POCKET OF SHADE UNDER THE BRIGHT HEAT OF THE COLORADO SUMMER SKY. Across from me, 10-year-old Selah Schneiter, who became the youngest person to climb The Nose on Yosemite’s El Capitan in June, sat mostly still, politely acting as though she’d rather be doing this than playing on the nearby adventure apparatus her parents built between several old-growth trees. In a backyard I would have killed for as a kid, the Schneiters have casually installed a slackline, zipline, rope ladders and small wooden platforms that are clearly well-loved. Her mother, Joy, and three younger siblings all bustled around us as I listened to Selah share some thoughts on life after her historic El Cap feat (it took five days and she led three pitches) and offer some tips for other young climbers.

How about the endurance part?

You have to practice. Me and my dad would go out and we would practice one skill over and over again. We trained for El Cap, almost like building a house. You can’t build a house all at one time: First, you have to dig a hole, then you put in the doors and windows. You build it piece by piece. You take this big goal and ask, what little goals are included in it? For El Cap, jugging was key. For a few weeks, we’d practice jugging, then lower-outs, then Dad would tell me when we were going to add on a multi-pitch lead, fixing a rope and the rest.

When did you know you were ready for the climb?

I really, really wanted to reach the top, but I knew that I might not, and that was ok. Since most people have maybe a 50 percent chance of reaching the top, I thought I might have a 20 percent chance.

How important is it to have fun when you are climbing?

It’s super important. It’s one of the main reasons I love climbing. It’s gonna hurt, you’re gonna get tired and you might want to stop. But as long as you keep having fun, it’s great.

How did you have fun when you were climbing El Cap? Long snack breaks. We’d talk about the world, tell stories, talk about what was coming up next. At Camp Six, on a big ledge, we realized Changing Corners [the crux 5.14a/b pitch] was on our route. I thought, Whoa, I think I can see the top.

This is it. Our last day.

What would you tell the parents who are worried about their child climbing?

Just think about this: What is one thing that doesn’t have any risk in it? Some people think it’s crazy I climbed El Cap because it’s dangerous, but every single thing you do has a risk—my sister’s friend broke her arm just walking on the grass. Reach out to guides or experts to get started. If you don’t feel like doing the bigger stuff that’s fine, find a gym or just toprope.

Did you ever get bored?

Not really. It’d be nice when I got to an anchor—I’d take out the belay seat. There’s always something to do. There were some bad moments, too. I got tired. I was sore. And I wanted to set up the portalege even at 3 p.m. This happened while jugging up the Boot Flake and at the Great Roof.

How did you keep going?

My dad would encourage me, “You can do it, you’re so close.”

So what’s next?

Going back to El Cap—it’s so beautiful there. This won’t change the way I climb. I’d like to lead The Nose of El Cap. I want to lead my age (5.10), but really it’s 5.11.

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PHOTO BY BRENDAN DAVIS

M A K IN G A D IF F E R E N C E | 0 9.1 9 What personal achievements as a conservationist/ advocate/activist are you most proud of?

Forgoing a traditional training taper before the 2019 Western States and heading to Alaska [with Tommy Caldwell and Patagonia] in order to learn and raise awareness about the plight of the Arctic Refuge.

CHANGE AGENTS

Feeling overwhelmed by all the bad news in the world? These five Rocky Mountain-based conservationists, advocates and activists are working hard to create real, positive change—and they think you can do the same.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

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here’s a lot wrong with the world—and it feels as if it just keeps getting worse. In the outdoor space, we face the reality of climate change, attacks on public lands, cyberbullying, gender imbalances, and lingering problems with diversity and inclusion. The severity of these issues cause many to simply bemoan it all.

But many dedicated activists and advocates are working to change things. And they are succeeding.

You can too.

Clare Gallagher

A Patagonia global sports activist, Colorado’s Clare Gallagher prioritizes working to save the planet, advocating for climate policy in the state and nationally.

Oh, she’s also one of the top ultra runners in the game, storming to wins in the Western States 100 in 2019, Europe’s CCC in 2017 and Leadville 100 in 2016.

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the American Institutes for Research (AIR) as a senior education consultant. Among numerous responsibilities she serves as the chair of AIR’s Black, Latino, African American and Caribbean (BLAAC) Diaspora Network Employee Resource Group, dedicated to promoting an inclusive, culturally responsible work environment. In July, Governor Jared Polis appointed her to serve on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission.

What personal achievements as a conservationist/advocate/activist are you most proud of?

I am proud to serve on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission since July 2019.

I am working to create a more inclusive culture addressing issues of access and representation head-on while increasing opportunities for meaningful participation. Giving agency and voice to Coloradans throughout the state and intentionally centering members who have been historically in the margins has been a priority. I am also proud to serve as a Colorado coleader for Outdoor Afro, dedicated to inspiring black connections and leadership in the outdoors.

What concerns you most in the world today?

The blatant corruption within the Trump administration. We are losing public lands to oil and gas leases at an alarming rate.

We own these lands, collectively as Americans. We must do more to ensure that the corrupt people in the current administration don’t permanently ruin our planet. We must elect climate champions in 2020. That What concerns you most in the world today? means defeating Trump. That means replacing Divisions and distraction. If you can’t get them to Colorado senator Cory Gardner and ignore shared interests, make them all representative Scott Tipton. Both chase after the latest shiny penny— claim to be for Coloradans and this strategy has worked since for public lands. But look at the beginning of recorded their voting records. They history around the world. are ruining our chances to Every day, I remember transition to a renewable MLK’s words, “We must energy economy. This is learn to live together not something Colorado as brothers or perish stands for; all polls together as fools.” show this clearly. We I am not ready to must replace them with perish and, thankfully, smarter people who there’s people around know that we have to the world who feel transition away from fossil the same way and are fuels and to a renewable acting collectively. energy economy. Let’s do our part to get them into Where do you see hope?

PHOTO BY MISHA office.

At the local level, people CHARLES like C. Parker McMullen of Where do you see hope?

Ecoclusive give me hope. Parker Runners are chipping away at the spearheaded the Inclusive Denver: problems in their backyards. All politics (and, in Equity and Accessibility Summit for Action, which some ways, all problems) are local. Protect Our brought together 100+ Denver based environmental/ Winters is absolutely crushing climate policy outdoor stakeholders to strategize on how to advocacy. They are a shoestring operation, strengthen collaboration and cooperation. The summit strategically educating outdoor-lovers to vote for has now evolved into a strong community of practice. climate champions. And of course, Patagonia is one At the state level, I see hope in new political leaders of the only outdoor brands walking the talk. If every like Governor Jared Polis, Congressman Joe Neguse outdoor brand committed to be carbon neutral by and Denver City Council member Candi CdeBaca.

2025, I’d be proud of the outdoor industry. As we currently stand though, brands, especially other big What do you think people who feel powerless can do to ones, are not doing enough. create real meaningful change in the world?

Our system is designed to make people feel What do you think people who feel powerless can do to powerless. It’s rooted in inequitable policies, create real meaningful change in the world? practices and protocols to maintain an imbalance Let’s clean up supply chains. Move to organic cotton of power. The recent anniversary of slavery in the and non-virgin nylon and polyester. It’s not rocket United States is upon us and a whole campaign has science. Let’s be better as outdoor consumers and emerged to revisit this tragic history that impacts brands. Let’s undertake more backyard adventures. not only African Americans but all people across If you have to travel frequently, then offset that with the planet, just as others histories affect us. Feeling political advocacy. Share your travel experiences. powerless? Find a way to connect in real life with real Share what you see in our changing climate. people on real issues. Find a way to be a part of the solution. Find a problem the world needs solved and leverage your talents, power and privilege to shift the A global leader in educational equity for the past balance of power towards justice for all. Inaction is two decades, Taishya Adams currently works at action and silence is consent.

Taishya Adams

Mario Molina

The executive director of Protect Our Winters (POW) since 2017, Mario Molina has spent a decade fighting climate change.

Before joining POW, he worked for former vice president, Al Gore’s The Climate Reality Project, where he was charged with looking at how PHOTO the organization

BY MIKE could have the THURK most impact in implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, and he served as the deputy director for the Alliance for Climate Education. He also ran his own bike guide company, opening up a guide shop in Guatemala, as well as working as a mountain guide in Ecuador.

What personal achievements as a conservationist/advocate/activist are you most proud of?

I’m proud of our successful efforts at POW in the 2018 elections to make voting and climate change a priority amongst outdoor sports enthusiasts—the fact that we were able to get that out as strongly as we did and it was as effective as it was.

What concerns you most in the world today?

Obviously it’s the prospect of uncontrolled climate change—but we can break that down a little bit more to the entrenchment of special interests in politics. That actually keeps us from being able to make progress on aggressive policies that will both help the economy and curb the worst impacts of climate change. There has also been an intentional spread of misinformation that has driven a cultural divide in this country.

Where do you see hope?

We are seeing communities rise up and adopt environmental values that may not have been normative in the past. Look at the new hero in our outdoor community. It’s no longer the person who dropped the sickest line or climbs the hardest.

Now the real hero does all that but also stands for something—for public lands or climate action. That’s why we see companies and brands now realizing that they can’t only manufacture products. They have to hold to values. You saw Nike do this with Colin Kaepernick. It doesn’t matter if you agree with Kaepernick or not. This company actually took a risk by saying, “This is who we stand behind and this is what we stand behind.”

What do you think people who feel powerless can do to create real meaningful change in the world?

Make a commitment to making that change. It’s very similar to the way that we approach our objectives on the mountain. You don’t get up one day and say, “I’m going to climb Denali. I haven’t run two miles

this year, but I’m going.” First, you study, you learn, you educate yourself on the mountain. You educate yourself on the objective and figure out what it’s going to take to get from here to there. I think that that’s the first step for people who want to become more effective advocates as well. The next step is to take simple actions: register to vote and vote on climate, call your elected representatives, show up at your local council meeting, etc.

PHOTO BY ROB LEA

Chris Winter

A former environmental attorney who worked for a decade to help the Native people of Alaska fight to stop offshore drilling, Chris Winter took the reins as executive director of the Access Fund in January.

His time working at the intersection of multinational oil and gas companies, indigenous communities and climate change, and his love of climbing, made him the top choice to run the non profit that solves landuse issues for climbers.

What personal achievements as a conservationist/ advocate/activist are you most proud of?

I worked in northern Alaska representing Native communities on the North Slope who were concerned about offshore drilling in the Arctic Ocean. In federal court, we challenged these poorly planned offshore drilling operations. And we were largely successful in that campaign.

What concerns you most in the world today?

Everything right now is so divisive. The media, the political climate, social media—it seems like all these forces are just trying divide us.

That concerns me a PHOTO BY BILL DIRKS lot. To create positive change, we need to get folks aligned towards a positive vision that moves us beyond typical political debates, and then get people working at a really practical level towards making that happen.

Where do you see hope?

One of the reasons I’m really psyched about this job is that I feel as if outdoor recreation and the way it contributes to local economies is just a really powerful story. I’m excited about using outdoor rec, conservation, stewardship and local economic development as tools to bring people together and to help build community.

What do you think people who feel powerless can do to create real meaningful change in the world?

I think it starts right in the local community. A big part of that is just following your passion, unplugging, getting outside with your friends and family and getting recharged and just connecting with the landscape. I think that is so important, especially for people who are trying to do good. Start with small steps. Maybe participate in a trail day or a crag cleanup day. Write a letter or go to a public meeting.

Start small and make connections with people who are doing the same thing. Those small steps build on each other and then you find likeminded people.

That’s when great things happen.

Caroline Gleich

Utah-based ski mountaineer and athlete Caroline Gleich is the first woman and fourth person to ski all 90 lines in the Wasatch’s legendary “Chuting Gallery,” and she’s graced the covers of Powder and Backcountry magazines among others. She has climbed and skied Cho Oyu (the sixth highest peak in the world) and summited Mt. Everest (without an ACL!). And she’s an outspoken activist for clean air, climate change, gender equality and anti-cyberbullying.

What personal achievements as a conservationist/ advocate/activist are you most proud of?

Sharing what I’ve learned with others and teaching/ inspiring outdoor adventurers to become activists. In 2016, I spoke at a Park City Council meeting when the city decided to go 100% renewable by 2030. Since then, many other cities have followed, transforming our grid in the state of Utah and nationally. I’ve been on five D.C. lobbying trips to talk to elected officials, the EPA, the Department of the Interior and others about the importance of protecting public lands and fighting climate change. I’ve marched with 100,000 people in D.C. in the Climate March. I spoke to over 3,000 at the March for Science in Utah.

What concerns you most in the world today?

The lack of compassion in online and digital communications. I want to see us lift each other up, not tear each other down. We are stronger when we work together and find common ground.

Where do you see hope?

Everywhere! There are so many ways people are serving their country and the world, whether they are volunteering for a non-profit, speaking up as a citizen activist, running for public office or serving in the military. I believe our lives are lived most fully when we work to be of service to others. That means everything from taking care of yourself to taking care of your family, to taking care of the planet and doing what you can to make the world a better place.

What do you think people who feel powerless can do to create real meaningful change in the world?

Start being curious. Look at the world through the eyes of a child. And ask deep questions: Where does my water come from? Where does it go? Examine the systems that deliver electricity. Realize that we all have deeper reserves than we think. At the end of the day, I want to give my heart and soul to every cause.

I want to go to bed tired, with feet aching from all the ground I’ve covered. I want to live each day to the fullest and do everything I can to make the world a better place during my short time on this planet.

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E X T R E ME PA R E N T IN G | 0 9.1 9

becoming wonder woman Research shows women and girls lack confidence.

Could a week-long immersion in the woods serve as an antidote?

by HELEN OLSSON

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y heart did a little dip as I read the instructor notes scratched in the back of my 13-year-old daughter’s passport after her week-long expedition this summer.

“Anya, you hung at the back of the group at first. But as the days went on, you became more vulnerable.”

That did not sound like progress to me.

I have a daughter who spouts negative self-talk all day long. “I’m bad at math.” “I’m a wimpy pancake flipper.” She’s even started to use “Nailed It!” in its sarcastic form. What gives? I set out to raise a confident take-no-prisoners badass.

I was a three-sport college athlete.

I’ve heli-skied in Valdez, Alaska, and trekked the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.

I’ve bungee jumped over a paved parking lot on Long Island (now, that takes courage). Suffice it to say, I am no shrinking violet. My daughter’s lack of confidence is foreign to me.

I come from a long line of overconfident humans. My brother will ski down a steep pitch, stop and ask: “Did you see that? I was so good.” I have two boys who regularly say, “I’m a god at that,” even if they are decidedly mortal at that particular thing. The phenomenon actually has a name: The Dunning-Kruger effect is a tendency to substantially overestimate one’s abilities.

For years, I’ve been reading books and articles about the positive effects of nature and the outdoors on kids. I had a theory that doing an immersive wilderness camp might be one way to bolster a girl’s self-esteem. So this summer, I signed Anya up for a multisport expedition with Avid4 Adventure: seven nights of camping at Steamboat’s Pearl Lake and a packed schedule of outdoor

sports by day. She’d have mountain biking (“I’m doomed!” she cried), standup paddleboarding, hiking, whitewater rafting (“Terrifying!” she shrieked), and geocaching. I hoped it would be a catalyst for change.

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n “The Confidence Gap,” a cover story that ran in The Atlantic in 2014, Claire Shipman and Katty Kay, authors of The Confidence Code (HarperCollins, 2014), identified a crisis-level confidence gap separating the sexes. “Compared with men, women don’t consider themselves as ready for promotions, they predict they’ll do worse on tests, and they generally underestimate their abilities,” they said. Meanwhile men ask for raises four times as often as women do and women routinely believe they deserve 20 percent less in salary. Men, it seems, are more self-assured than women, regardless of their level of competence. Surely this lack of confidence plays a role in keeping women out of those coveted corner offices.

Could immersion in the outdoors offer an antidote? In a study published in March 2019 by Women in Adventure, which surveyed more than 2,700 women in 44 countries, 95% agreed that the outdoors has a positive impact on their selfesteem and 99% agreed that the outdoors has a positive impact on their mental well-being. Doctors are literally prescribing nature to their patients. There’s even a recommended dose.

According to a June 2019 study published in Scientific Reports, spending 120 minutes each week in nature correlates with higher levels of both health and wellbeing. “Our kids are potentially imperiled by being

For years, I’ve been reading books and articles about the positive effects of nature and the outdoors on kids. I had a theory that doing an immersive wilderness camp might be one way to bolster a girl’s self-esteem.

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SEEKING BALANCE WHILE ANYA OLSSON WAS LEARNING CONFIDENCE OUT ON THE WATER, SHE ALSO HIT UPON AN IMPORTANT QUESTION OUT IN THE WILD: WHY SHOULD GENDER MATTER? / PHOTO COURTESY AVID4 ADVENTURE

confined inside,” Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative (W.W. Norton, 2017) told me in an interview. “Being in nature translates to better emotional regulation and social skills, and the ability to solve problems as a group.”

But how is this different for girls? A study published in 2018 by BBC America and the Women’s Media Center found teen girls are significantly less likely than boys to describe themselves as confident, brave and heard. Interestingly, the study also showed that simply watching Wonder Woman on the big screen boosted confidence and self-esteem among girls. Well, if sitting on the couch watching Wonder Woman kick butt can boost your confidence, imagine the impact of being out in the woods with a strong female role model who’s nurturing you along the road to badassery.

Before the trip, I sat down and talked with Jackson DePew, Avid4 Adventure’s expedition director.

DePew is lanky, intense and incredibly passionate about getting kids into the wilderness. He told me that when kids are plucked from everyday society and immersed in a simpler environment—one that’s free from the rigors of home life and school—magic really happens. “When you’re young, you get all your truths from your parents. Just being in a new environment is challenging,” he said. “There’s a massive opportunity for empowerment, particularly for women, on these courses.” The effect of these formative moments in the woods can be amplified during times of transition in a kid’s life, like moving from middle school to

high school or from high school to college. “It’s an opportunity to see your life though a different lens,” said DePew. While the multisport expedition surely would offer game-changing moments for my daughter, DePew says it’s really on two-week backpacking expeditions that you see monumental growth points. “There’s something about the predictable daily flow of backpacking. It’s primitive and nomadic. Kids can take on authentic leadership responsibilities, even at a really young age,” he says. “But believe me, I’ve cried at the end of courses that were just six days—that’s how powerful these trips can be.”

While Anya was packing for the trip, I showed her how to open the valves on her sleeping pad, roll it up, and shut the valve to keep it cinched up tightly.

I reached over to help squeeze out the air, and she swatted my hand away. “Mom! I need to be able to do it myself!” This was a new thing. All three of my kids are happy to let me do things for them. I started to think that by the end of the week, my daughter would be returned to me transformed.

Alas, it’s not quite so clear cut. DePew talks about formative experiences in the field as tiny seeds.

They’re planted on the expedition, and back at home and over time, those seeds can grow into something.

Self-esteem and confidence. A love of the outdoors. A penchant for leadership. Maybe even a desire to be a better human.

“Maybe you don’t know what ‘The Moment’ is at the time,” DePew said. It might be 20 years later when Anya will have an epiphany about some experience on the trip. Maybe it was sitting in the “bull-riding” seat at the front of the whitewater raft, a cold spray from the Upper Colorado buffeting her sun-kissed cheeks. Or feeling strong enough to swim across a lake pulling two other campers in a canoe. (“That was some real girl power,” said Hayden, one of the campers during the expedition wrap-up speech.)

Or “cowfolk camping” on a tarp, the stars sprinkled across the sky overhead.

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nya did have incredible experiences over the course of the week. Her 20-something dream team of instructors, Julianne “Juls” Bray (“I can’t wait for the sport of camp cooking. No, really. It’s a sport.”) and Dylan Lincoln (“I’m a total Marvel nerd.”), were intent on planting seeds for future greatness. That vulnerability I’d read about in Anya’s passport was, they said, the path to becoming stronger. Anya explained it to me: “To grow, lobsters need to shed their hard shells. They’re really vulnerable for a while, but then they grow a new harder shell—and they become stronger.” Wisdom.

“Anya was really nervous about the whitewater rafting,” Bray told me. “With a little encouragement and positive vibes, she really put herself out there.

She was brave and courageous and willing to make mistakes, maybe even to look a little foolish. It’s amazing what happens when you get away from the social pressures of the front country.”

When the kids were whitewater rafting, the guides let them jump in and swim the rapids, but getting back in the boat was tricky. They learned to rescue one another by grabbing their fellow camper by the PFD and hauling up hard. “It makes you feel proud that you saved someone, and you know in a real emergency, you could do it,” Anya said.

“Did you rescue the boys?” I asked.

“Of course,” she said. “Why would gender matter?”

Exactly. But it does seem to matter in middle school pickle ball. Anya hates gym. None of the boys will pass the ball to her. It sounds clichéd, but in the “front country,” those gender roles are still playing out. I asked Bray and Lincoln how they upend that dynamic on these trips.

“Kids are bred into a binary culture,” Bray

Well, if sitting on the couch watching Wonder Woman kick butt can boost your confidence, imagine the impact of being out in the woods with a strong female role model who’s nurturing you along the road to badassery. explained. “It’s so important that we break that barrier between male and female.” The wilderness tends to be an equalizer, but the Avid instructors also take care to set the tone for equality. When they did the hygiene talk, they intentionally didn’t break the group into boys and girls. Would it kill a boy to know a girl needs to use a pee rag in the woods? Lincoln led the talk on interpersonal core values, while Bray served as the rad role model for mountain biking. It’s important, they both said, for kids to see instructors role-modeling in nontraditional ways.

“There’s a large disparity in physical activity between boys and girls in conventional play spaces,” said The Nature Fix’s Williams. “In natural play spaces, physical activity approaches parity. When girls are in the woods, they’re climbing the trees at nearly the same rate as boys. It’s not like recess.”

Sure enough, when it came time to wrestle with the tent, sleeping bags, and pads, Anya’s group was the first—boy or girl—to set everything up, name their space (“pineapple under the sea”), and create a vibe (“chilled out, SpongeBob style”).

I wondered how the instructors might reverse the kind of negative self-talk that permeates conversations at home. “We just don’t tolerate it.

That’s all,” Bray told me simply and with finality.

At the beginning of the trip, Bray and Lincoln sat down with the kids and explained a respect rule they call “PONEY,” an acronym for “property, others, nature, ego, yourself.” While in the backcountry, the kids would respect all those things and leave the ego behind. And to respect yourself, you can’t put yourself down. I’m now invoking PONEY at home.

BOY OVERBOARD ON THE RIVER, GENDER DOESN’T MATTER WHEN IT COMES TIME TO SAVE A FELLOW CAMPER.

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he closing celebration at the end of the expedition is called the pinning ceremony.

Kids get pins for skills from canoeing to yoga to living empowered. During the ceremony, Lincoln read an excerpt from “The Risk of Growing,” by author and playwright Eda LaShan. The short story appeared in Women’s Day magazine in 1981, a dozen years before Lincoln was even born.

“When its body begins to feel cramped inside the shell, the lobster instinctively looks for a reasonably safe spot to rest while the hard shell comes off and the pink membrane just inside forms the basis of the next shell. But no matter where a lobster goes for this shedding process, it is very vulnerable. It can get tossed against a coral reef or eaten by a fish. In other words, a lobster has to risk its life in order to grow.”

Back at home, Anya sat with me, reading aloud from her journal, her fingernails still dirty from the woods. As she read the words, I could see her carrying a heavy jug of sloshing water with another camper; leading different teams like kitchen crew, cleanup crew, and “outerior” design crew, which arranges the camp furniture for maximum feng shui; advocating for herself at meal times (she has celiac disease, so she had her own bin of foodstuffs); and rescuing the boys from Class II rapids.

I listened intently for any negative chatter, and miraculously I didn’t hear a single “I sucked.” I’m confident seeds were planted for her, but I know it will take time to see real growth. Then again, yesterday she asked me if I would get her new pajamas. For the first time in her 13 years, she acknowledged her pants were getting too small.

Maybe she did grow, after all.

Helen Olsson is a freelance writer and editor. She blogs about adventures with kids at maddogmom.com.

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HE L I-R U NNIN G | 0 9.1 9

TO RUN

IS TO FLY

Heli-skiing legend CMH just launched chopperassisted mountain running programs in British Columbia’s high alpine terrain. Here’s how it feels and why you should go.

by MORGAN TILTON

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Known as a purist mountaineer and environmentalist, Gmoser was driven to share the wilderness with people while leaving as little impact as possible: Heli-skiing avoided the footprint left by a ski resort, ski lifts, and roads.

rouching on the scree with my head down and hands shielding my ears, I brace myself for the aftershock of the rotor wash. The whoop-whoop of the dual-blade and acute hum of the double-turbine engine quickly fade, as the Bell 212 helicopter dives into the valley of Vowell Creek below us.

A thrilling calm soon surrounds me on the 400-foot wide Grizzly Ridge.

The helicopter has left us here in the Purcell Mountains on the northeast periphery of British Columbia’s Bugaboo Provincial Park. To our south rises Bugaboo Spire, a captivating shark fin that’s listed in Steve Roper and Allen Steck’s Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. We all stand up, encompassed by silence.

I’m here with seven other travelers for the inaugural mountain running program of world-renowned heli-ski company CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures: It will consist of three days of helicopter-supported pointto-point runs that link high-alpine meadows, ridges, lakes and summits sans established trails. Singletrack hardly exists, and any defined segments are created by mountain goats plus a few paths maintained by CMH. The getaway is co-led by two of the program’s creators: Emily Compton, a certified Hiking Guide with the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG), and James Madden, an International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) Mountain Guide.

Five minutes earlier, our 6,530-pound sky-taxi swooped us up from the backyard staging-pad of Bugaboo Lodge, CMH’s oldest log shelter. Austrian mountain guide Hans Gmoser, CMH Founder,

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pioneered heli-skiing with a slowmoving two-seater Bell 47 helicopter, in 1965. According to Bugaboo Dreams: A Story of Skiers, Helicopters, and Mountains by Topher Donahue, a tank-shaped Nodwell snow machine carried and rope-towed groups of adventurous backcountry skiers 27 miles one-way to reach a sawmill camp, which served as the basecamp, at the foot of Vowell Glacier and the iconic Howser Spire Massif. For seven-day trips, Gmoser lifted skiers, one by one, to the tops of powder laps. Known as a purist mountaineer and environmentalist, Gmoser was driven to share the wilderness with people while leaving as little impact as possible: Heli-skiing avoided the footprint left by a ski resort, ski lifts, and roads. So, after more than a decade of guiding skiers, he saw the future and began the first heliskiing operation.

A cold breeze cuts sideways over the ridge.

I welcome it. It’s 10 a.m. and the sun warms the sparkling quartz and granite beneath our feet. We run south, hopping between cascading step-stones and white mountain-heather. I follow Compton, who moves fast and fluidly over the terrain. She’s been a trail and ultrarunner for 16 years, and years ago, she and Madden began blueprinting a variety of segments here for guided runs including steep, 500-foot descents on soft mud shale (Compton loves teaching downhill running), basin linkups with glacial travel, and scrambling—all at an elevation of 7-to9,000 feet. The CMH helicopter for Bugaboo Lodge— which sits at 5,000 feet—serves up to 50 hikers with

ON THE LOOSE IN THE ALPINE WHILE THE IDEA OF HELI-RUNNIG MAY SEEM THE ANTITHESIS OF SUSTAINABILITY, PROPONENTS SAY THAT IT ESCHEWS THE IMPACTS OF ROADS AND DEVELOPMENT AND GETS PEOPLE IN THE WILD WHO WILL ADVOCATE TO PROTECT IT. / PHOTOS BY LIFE OUTSIDE STUDIO

two to four flights per day in July and August. One lift can easily eliminate a 1.5-day approach by foot with mosquito-infested bushwhacking and 3,000 feet of ascent, to reach a mountain-running paradise. Two years ago, Compton and Madden began advocating for the ACMG to add trail running to its Scope of Practice, to protect certified guides and their clients through insurance, land-use permits, and a minimum duty of care. Now, mountain running is set up to replace a few CMH hike programs, with 12 runners max per group, in 2020.

“In the last five years, three trail running stores popped up in Canmore—we used to have none— which demonstrates the market growth,” says Madden. “When Emily and I started brainstorming, we asked runners why they race. Many people enjoy the experience of organized events—they’re not necessarily involved for the race component.

I’m excited to see more fun mountain adventures for friends and family, beyond races, that are safely facilitated by guides.”

Magi Scallion, owner of Retreat Golden, an adventure travel company based in Golden, B.C., also wants to make mountain running approachable and accessible through guided trips. In 2017, Scallion launched a five-day, helicopter-supported, hut-to-hut mountain running retreat along the Esplanade Range in the Selkirk Mountains, another subrange of the Columbia Mountains, northwest of the Purcells.

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fter three days of running through the sunglazed meadows, snow patches, streams and pillowy moss with CMH, I spend two days exploring Golden and jump into Scallion’s camp, which includes up to a dozen runners.

“This is my opportunity to share an amazing wilderness experience with people who may not otherwise get out there,” says Scallion. Similar to CMH, her program integrates trekkers who are transported to-and-from a hut system. This one is owned by Golden Alpine Holidays, and it sub-contracts flights through Alpine Helicopters, a commercial operator founded in 1961.

We’re air-lifted twice from our endpoints, and our supplies are efficiently dropped at each hut. The run-and-hike distance between each cabin totals to about six miles and 2,500 vertical feet per day. I love the daily excitement of being delivered in a remote, high-altitude location by a CMH heli. I equally enjoy being committed to human-powered travel between each hut along the Esplanade Traverse. Both feature gorgeous alpine lake swims and summits.

Overall, the growth of heli-supported recreation is currently limited, says Scallion: “Not many helicopters are available in the summer, because of work fighting wildfires.” I grapple with the irony of my travel footprint for a once-in-a-lifetime experience to run in these incredible, uninhabited peaks. A Bell 212 helicopter burns 100 gallons of fuel per hour, and all-together my B.C. flights tally 70 minutes. The carbon footprint of heli-based adventures is a dirty fact that professional athletes, especially big mountain skiers, are forced to address when they advocate for climate change activism. As I consider the big picture, I think the key solution for my climate change impact is addressing how I live at home: How often do I drive, board airplanes, carpool, vote for representatives that support environmental policies, eat meat, and buy locally-made products? As VP of Sustainability of

Aspen Snowmass, Auden Schendler, poses in a Safety Third Podcast, “Perfect is the enemy of good.” Rather than culture shaming, it’s more productive to establish sustainable practices that fit long-term in our personal lifestyles, which collectively create substantial change.

I stand atop the aesthetic and jagged summit of Cupola Peak, at 8,661 feet high, with the handful of trail runners in Scallion’s camp, who’ve quickly become close friends. We’re the only ones in our hut each evening, and at any moment, we’re laughing or crying with sentiment. I smile and adjust my trail running pack: I’m carrying two collapsible bottles, a windbreaker, snacks, and a water filter—which I avidly use in Colorado, where the mountains are hightrafficked. I soon learn, I can drink straight from these streams. No one is here, except us.

Visit cmhheli.com and retreatgolden.com to register for 2020 mountain running programs ($1,586-$2,715).

Entry Zone: Golden, British Columbia This adventure Mecca at the confluence of the Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers is the gateway for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and sits midway between the staging areas for CMH and Retreat Golden. Get a 10,000-foot-high bird’s-eye view with Extreme Yeti Adventures—the only B.C.based skydiving operation cozied between two mountain ranges—and climb Kicking Horse’s via ferrata Ascension Route for a taste of exposure.

Refuel at Eleven22 (reservations recommended), Bluebird Café or Whitetooth Mountain Bistro.

For the journey home (direct flights from Calgary to Denver) stay at Park Inn By Radisson for free laundry service. Your kit will need it. —M.T.

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B E S T G E A R | 0 9.1 9

LifeStraw Flex with Gravity Bag

GOLITE REGREEN WINDSHELL

PRO MERINO THERMAL JERSEY

Picture Organic Holly

MERIDIAN LINE MOMENTUM DENIM GRAVITY JEAN KLEEN KANTEEN INSULATED TKWIDE

FÄJLLRÄVEN KÅNKEN ART LAPTOP 17

COTOPAXI ALLPA 35L DEL DIA

Patagonia BLACK HOLE DUFFEL 55L

GEAR FOR GOOD AN EVER-PRESENT CONCERN FOR OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS IS THAT PRODUCING GEAR HARMS THE PLANET. BUT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF BRANDS ARE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THEIR IMPACT AND MAYBE EVEN HELP THE WORLD. HERE ARE SOME OF OUR FAVORITES.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Patagonia BLACK HOLE DUFFEL 55L THE GEAR: Built to

withstand serious punishment thanks to weather-resistant, ripstop polyester, this roomy hauler with removable shoulder straps is up to the task whether you are packing a checked bag for Europe or humping in to a desert crag. THE GOOD: With an eye on cutting down resource extraction, B Corp Patagonia built its entire new line of Black Hole products with 100% recycled material. $139: patagonia.com

Cotopaxi ALLPA 35L DEL DIA THE GEAR: Constructed

from upcycled materials left over from larger production runs, this stylish travel pack with a suitcase-style zipper can shuttle your laptop

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to the cafe or ferry your lunch and shell to the summit. THE GOOD: The The Utah-based B Corp dedicated to social good over profits partnered with Flexport. org for a “donate don't destroy initiative,” giving over 450 fleeces with minor water damage to in-need families. $180; cotopaxi.com

Kleen Kanteen INSULATED TKWIDE THE GEAR: Vacuum-

sealed so it keeps water cool and tea piping hot, this widemouth features a thread system that keeps it sealed tight so you don’t soak your neighbor when you kick it over during yoga. THE GOOD: Kleen Kanteen (another B Corp) already prizes environmental and social justice over profits and it joined the new Climate Neutral initative (climateneutral.

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org) in June, committing to carbon neutrality by 2020. $32; kleenkanteen.com

Picture Organic HOLLY THE GEAR: This fun

hooded vest proves vital for hikes or enjoying a stout on the porch when the mercury starts to drop this fall. THE GOOD: The French brand champions sustainable materials. Case in point: There’s no down insulation in this cozy puffy, but Sorona, a corn-based insulation that has all the loft and warmth of down but doesn’t require animal products. $150; pictureorganic-clothing.com

LifeStraw FLEX WITH GRAVITY BAG THE GEAR: This versatile

filter and one-gallon water bag can be used as

a gravity filter or straw, or attached to a hydration pack or water bottle, and cleans water of everything from giardia to microplastics. THE GOOD: For each filter it sells, LifeStraw provides one year of clean water to a school child in need. $55; lifestraw.com

Pearl Izumi PRO MERINO THERMAL JERSEY THE GEAR: Designed for

pounding out serious miles in chilly weather, this cycling layer blends soft merino with stretchy nylon for a jersey that wicks sweat while keeping you warm. THE GOOD: The Colorado-based brand has made a commitment to more sustainable business practices with programs that range from making 30% of the product line from recycled, renewable

or organic materials by 2020 to encouraging its employees to bike to work every day. $195; pearlizumi.com

GoLite REGREEN WINDSHELL THE GEAR: Weighing

just 6 ounces and an ace at blocking bonechilling breezes, this jacket proves a trusty standby for fall running, biking and hiking. THE GOOD: The ReGreen fabric consists of 100% recycled plastic bottles and the water-repellent finish is biodegradable and fluorocarbon-free. $100; golite.com

Fäjllräven KÅNKEN ART LAPTOP 17 THE GEAR: The art

series of Fäjllräven’s insanely popular day pack features prints that differentiate it from all the other Kånkens

toting laptops to your local cafe. THE GOOD: The Swedish brand prioritizes sustainable materials, and a portion of sales on this pack go to its Arctic Fox Initiative, which champions a variety of environmental causes. $125; fjallraven.us

Meridian Line MOMENTUM DENIM GRAVITY JEAN THE GEAR: Artist,

filmmaker and climber Jeremy Collins designed these stylish jeans for action with just enough spandex that they can perform on a boulder problem or at the corn hole toss at the kombucha bar. Plus, they feature his art on the turn ups and inner pockets. THE GOOD: In this denim, Meridian Line uses ethically sourced, organic cotton. $99; themeridianline.com

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Fresh Tunes for Fall

1. TYLER CHILDERS AMERICANA'S NEW HERO WILL POUR HIS HEART OUT AT RED ROCKS.

M A K E SU R E YO U C ATC H T H E SE FI V E AC T S CO M I N G TO CO LO R A D O T H I S AU T U M N W I T H N E W A L B U M S I N TOW.

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by JEDD FERRIS

2. LOS COAST THE NEW ORLEANS BAND WILL FUNK UP MORRISON.

3. SHOVELS AND ROPE THE HUSBAND AND WIFE DUO WILL BRING PUNK ROOTS ROCK TO THE OGDEN.

LOS COA S T N E W A LBU M:“S A M S A R A”

“(Everything But) The Kitchen Sink” is a zany, Parliament-minded funk tune from Los Coast’s debut album, “Samsara,” but it’s also an apt description of the group’s eclectic, inclusive sound. The emerging Texas band delivers a highenergy mix of old-school soul, R&B, hip-hop and rock, propelled by the hearty growling vocals of front man Trey Privott. Like the band’s electrifying live shows, Los Coast’s first LP does plenty of genre hopping: “Simplify” chugs along with anthemic Sly Stone swagger, while “The Morning Weight” revels in a shimmering, slow-burning groove.

Most captivating is the acoustic-based, existential meditation “Chesapeake,” which features Privott conjuring up Otis Redding singing on a mountain summit.

PLAYING: September 4 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with Gary Clark Jr.

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G RE E NS K Y B LU EG R A SS N E W A LBU M: “A LL FO R M O N E Y ”

Colorado has shown great affinity for jamgrass staple Greensky Bluegrass; so much so that the band is stepping it up to headline a whopping three nights at Red Rocks this month.

The fast-picking, improv-minded quintet will showcase tunes from its latest studio effort, “All for Money,” which came out earlier this year. The record, co-produced by Jack White bassist Dominic John Davis, finds the Michigan-bred crew veering at points towards a full-fledged rock sound, highlighted by the windows-down anthem “Do It Alone” and the dark and distorted protest song “It’s Not Mine Anymore.” Another key track, “Courage for the Road,” hits nearly 10 minutes and features a jam-heavy mid-section that’s ripe and ready for the band’s dynamic live shows. The group is also bringing great opening acts to Red Rocks this year—the Lil Smokies on the first night, Rayland Baxter on the second and guitar wiz Billy Strings on the last.

PLAYING: September 13-15 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

T Y LE R CH I LDE RS N E W A LBU M: “COU NTRY SQU I RE”

Tyler Childers became an Americana hero thanks to the success of his 2017 debut, “Purgatory,” a record that told

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seedy Southern tales through gritty country-rock and ragged shades of bluegrass. The Kentucky singersongwriter picks up where he left off on the August-released followup, “Country Squire,” which, like its predecessor, was co-produced by Sturgill Simpson and Johnny Cash’s former engineer, David Ferguson.

Throughout his latest, Childers reflects on the old days in his home state: “Bus Route” is a trip down memory lane delivered via a high-lonesome porch tune, while the title track is a fiddle-driven, honky-tonk ramble with personal lyrics about grinding through blue-collar jobs. The penultimate track, “All Your’n,” is a soulful love song that brings his thoughts to the present tense, with Childers lamenting distance from his wife during long touring cycles.

The hard work has paid off, though, as Childers continues to move into bigger venues, like Red Rocks, which he headlines at the end of the month.

PLAYING: September 30 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre with Robert Earl Keen and Town Mountain

TO DD S N I DE R N E W A LBU M: “C A S H C A B I N S E S S I O NS VO L . 3” Busy in recent years with his jam-heavy supergroup Hard Working Americans, Todd Snider has spent 2019 getting back to his folk roots. In the spring, the wry-witted troubadour released his latest solo effort, “Cash Cabin Sessions Vol. 3,” which predominantly features minimalist guitar-and-harmonica arrangements.

The album, recorded at Johnny Cash’s Cash Cabin Studios in Tennessee, finds Snider channeling the powerful simplicity of early influences like Woody Guthrie, as he protests our troubled times with musings both comical (“Talking Reality Television Blues”) and acerbic (“The Blues on Banjo”). Jason Isbell shows up to sing with Snider on the standout “Like a Force of Nature,” which offers remorseful reflection on past mistakes.

PLAYING: October 10 at the Boulder Theatre, October 11 at Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek and October 13 at Washington’s in Fort Collins

S H OV E L S A N D RO PE N E W A LBU M: “BY B LOO D”

Fresh off a summer stint warming up amphitheaters for the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the husband-and-wife duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst will keep touring into the fall behind their new album “By Blood.” On the group’s fifth studio effort, they are still making rowdy, punk-fueled roots rock that sounds much bigger than what’s usually coming from just two players, and after more than a decade of performing together, their sound has expanded beyond the acoustic leanings of their early years. The new album’s kick-off, “I’m Coming Out,” places the pair’s patented shout-out harmonies among a stomping beat and distorted fuzz, and “The Wire” is an intense retro rock song about caring for the ones you love when it counts. Another gem is a reworking of the old murder ballad “Pretty Polly,” which the couple offers as a jangly garage jam—soulful reinvention from a band that keeps things close to home.

PLAYING: October 22 at the Ogden Theatre in Denver

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T HE R O A D | 0 9.1 9

Seeking the Sisters M OV I N G FRO M T H E S T R EE T S O F N E W YO R K C I T Y TO T H E F O U RT EEN ER S O F C H I C AG O B A S I N , O N E WO M A N F O U N D T R A N SF O R M AT I O N I N T H E W I L D. H ER E’ S H OW SH E P L A N S TO H EL P G I R L S D I S COV ER T H E P OW ER O F T H E O U T D O O R S .

by ROXY HARBITTER

I

am the youngest of three sisters.

For my whole life, I’ve watched my two older sisters test new hobbies, get caught, succeed and forge paths. From the safe and guarded wings, I’ve taken notes, applied what I wanted, avoided what didn’t work, and borrowed every article of clothing they would allow me to. The fake ID a few years early wasn’t half bad either.

Six years ago, when I traded sky scrapers for mountains by moving from New York City to Colorado, I was following my middle sister— keeping her sage advice close by.

When I arrived in Colorado, a grownup playground unfolded in front of me. Highways followed rivers into the mountains instead of cutting through them. Valleys opened up with steep craggy peaks towering above them whispering, “Maybe you could climb up.” Late New York City nights succumbed to twilight alarms to fight I-70 traffic and continue the exploration. Here was an activity that neither sister was interested in. I had to make my own mistakes and figure out my own routes. How do I go about buying an ice axe?

Alongside new hikes and climbs, I found an intense appreciation for the land. I’ve always skipped hair-washing days and carried a reusable water bottle, but this landscape compelled me to go farther into zero-waste life.

Toothpaste pellets replaced plastic tubes, personal glass containers served as take-out boxes, the bulk section became my new best friend—I went in for the whole nine yards (all compostable material, of course). My entire family adopted this ethic: All three sisters (and Mom) are working toward making the smallest impact on the world as possible.

I currently live in a van fulltime and I grapple with my reliance on fossil fuels as a means for transportation. I use very little water, rely on solar for power, and have changed a lot of my lifestyle to shrink my carbon footprint. Though I still drive—how else to catch the aspens turning on Kenosha Pass?—I purchase

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With exposure to the outdoors comes respect, and with respect comes the responsibility to protect. by working with the cairn project, I would be helping get young girls out in the wilderness to spark the same flame that blazes in me. carbon credits to offset my mileage, but there’s always that push and pull between doing the “green” thing, and doing the convenient thing.

After six years of exploring nature and knowing I needed to do something more, but lost as to how to contribute, I found The Cairn Project. It’s an organization that works to expand outdoor access for women and young girls. The founders use donations to support community-based wilderness and outdoor education groups around the country. With exposure to the outdoors comes respect, and with respect comes the responsibility to protect. By working with the Cairn Project, I would be helping get young girls out into the wilderness to spark the same flame that blazes in me. And I hoped it would engender the same need to protect these lands.

The way The Cairn Project works

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is you pick an outdoor project such as a thru-hike or bikepacking trip and fundraise donations to complete the project. I picked The Three Sisters Trail in Southern Oregon, which winds for 50 miles around three closely spaced volcanic peaks, all part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and all over 10,000 feet.

My plan is to backpack around the three mountains on September 16, completing the longest trip I’ve done to date. I am even more inspired for it because my project will celebrate my two older sisters, aid the next generation in protecting our only planet, and allow me to explore lands I knew nothing about.

In August, in Colorado’s Chicago Basin, I started to train for my trip.

C

hicago Basin is a hot spot for environmental concern and conservation. One of the fastest ways to access

ALL THINGS GO, ALL THINGS GO DEEP IN COLORADO’S CHICAGO BASIN, ROXY HARBITTER TRAINS FOR HER UPCOMING 5O-MILE BACKPACK TRAVERSE OF OREGON’S THREE SISTERS VOLCANOES. THE TRIP WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR NON PROFIT THE CAIRN FOUNDATION. / PHOTO BY BEN DAWSON

the basin is by coal-powered train. I know—raise a red flag for traveling by a vehicle that pumps more carbon into the atmosphere. But I’d buy more carbon offsets, and the train’s history is intrinsically linked with the Basin.

Last year, while traveling from Durango to Silverton, a cinder blew from the train’s smokestack and ignited the 416 fire. The extreme drought conditions of last summer caused the conflagration to spread rapidly, and eventually become the sixth largest fire in Colorado history. A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service for the District of Colorado is set for trial in September 2020. The lawsuit has divided the town—the train brings in millions of tourism dollars yearly, yet it caused massive destruction.

WR18COADV0192 - Print - Multipack - CO - E

ALWAYS ON THE ROAD WORKING ON THE ELEVATION OUTDOORS LIVE OUTSIDE AND PLAY TEAM, HARBITTER AND PARTNER BEN DAWSON LIVE A LOW-IMPACT LIFE IN A VAN, STOPPING TO SPREAD GOOD VIBES (AND HAND OUT MAGAZINES) ALONG THE WAY. / PHOTO BY BEN DAWSON

The controversy fades away when you step on the train. A joyous conductor takes your bag and escorts you to the correct car. Images of horses clopping down the street and hoop skirts swooshing the coal-dust-covered road flash by in my imagination as the train slowly chugs towards the mountains. This is an experience for the tourists— the backpacking trailhead along the way is an added bonus. The hike into Chicago Basin covers almost seven miles and 3,000 feet of elevation gain. About a half-mile into the journey, you come along the Wilderness Boundary sign. This is where you usually pick up a few human waste disposal bags, tucked in a bin attached to the sign, for the trip.

Human waste is a huge issue in the Chicago Basin. At high elevations, there isn’t the right bacteria to break the fecal matter down. At lower elevations, if waste isn’t buried deep enough, animals will dig it back up.

If it is too close to water, it will seep into the streams.

The U.S. Forest Service and the San Juan Mountains Association have initiated a program that encourages visitors to use a human waste containment bag. There are usually bags available for pick up at the entrance to the wilderness area, but according to Devin Wanner with the U.S. Forest Service, the officer in charge of stocking it has since retired and hikers have been using it as a trash receptacle.

Luckily my partner Ben and I had a shovel with us to bury waste at least six inches deep. It would have been more responsible to bring in our own waste receptacles and not rely on them being at the trailhead.

Hindsight. With enough thought put to poop, it was time to start hiking.

H

ip straps clipped, shoulders aching, I drug myself up Needle Creek Trail. Here’s a surprise: I am a huge wimp when it comes to carrying bags loaded with gear up steep pitches over rocky ground. One of the reasons I chose a backpacking trip for The Cairn Project was because I knew I’d be out of my comfort zone.

How am I going to do this for 50 miles on The Three Sisters? I’m three miles in and I might pitch my tent right here. The multitude of thoughts that pass through my brain while hiking is like a full fledged therapy session. I always thought if I said any of the things I thought out loud,

SISTER ACT THE YOUNGEST OF THREE GIRLS, ROXY (MIDDLE) CHOSE TO BACKPACK THE THREE SISTERS TRAIL IN OREGON TO CELEBRATE HER SIBLINGS AND THE HOPES OF THE NEXT GENERATION. / PHOTO BY LISA JAN

I wouldn’t have any hiking partners.

I can’t do this, so many things hurt, are we there yet, I don’t care about that mountain goat. But when you’re walking, you’re rebelling against the use of fossil fuel. You’re using your body to travel. I chug on.

Eventually, the aspens gave way to a sloping basin protected by an intimidating skyline of ragged peaks.

With a break from my constricted breath, I was able to see the beauty of the landscape around me: Waterfalls poured down from mountain passes in the distance and wildflowers taller than me lined the way to my campsite. A family of goats shared the sunset views with me.

After two 3 a.m. wake ups, and constant inner battling, I made it up three fourteeners and hiked my body out of the basin. On the way out, I stumbled on what I thought

was garbage. I picked it up and continued on my way, but the smell from the garbage made me re-think what I had done. Turns out what I thought was un-eaten backcountry meals was actually poop in packages. Whatever. I still packed it out.

Back at the trailhead, I was exhausted. I had summited three mountains and carried considerable weight up and down thousands of feet. I felt more prepared for my ultimate goal, The Three Sisters. And here’s a bonus: In prepping to climb them, I compounded my offering to The Cairn Project, by educating myself (as I’m now educating you) about some of the impacts we humans have on the wilderness.

And when I do head to The Three Sisters this month, I’ll be bringing all the versions of myself: The littlest sister, New Yorker, Colorado transplant, environmentalist, backpacking and mountain climbing me will complete those fifty miles.

And I’ll bring the wonder and respect of the great outdoors with me the whole way, to share with that next generation of adventurers.

Roxy Harbitter is one of the twoperson Live Outside and Play Road Team for Elevation Outdoors and Blue Ridge Outdoors magazines.

She has been living full-time in a van for three years—working, exploring, creating content and trying to live as gently on the earth as possible.

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E LWAY V IL L E | 0 9.1 9

Last Planet Standing A RE W E T RU LY D O O M ED? H ERE’ S O N E T H I N G T H AT M I G H T S AV E US .

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limate change keeps me up at night. That’s the understatement of the year—if not of the entire history of civilization— right?

July was the hottest month in the recorded history of the world, a heat wave melted Greenland’s ice sheet at an unprecedented rate of 11 billion tons in a single day, and wildfires ravaged the Arctic. That’s why I go to bed with a pit in my stomach.

Laying awake, I feel both complicit and sorry for the fate of starving polar bears, homeless orangutans and emaciated orcas who have become so weak they sink to the bottom of the sea. And I wonder if and how I can make any kind of positive impact.

When I have some extra money, I donate to The Sierra Club, The Audubon Society and The Natural Resources Defense Council, supporting their all-too-often courtroom-based efforts to protect our natural resources from even bigger money interests.

I vote, sign petitions and write letters to my local elected officials. On social media, I “like,” my friends’ posts about how “you can’t eat money,” or when they share some Mark Twain quote along the lines of, “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”

Every now and then I even add some statement like, “The only people still denying human-caused climate change are liars, and idiots.” But none of that brings any satisfaction. As far as I can tell, it also makes very little, if any difference.

The Miracle

I am someone who believes in, and am fascinated by the miracle of life.

The fact that in the whole everexpanding reach of the universe, this little planet would have the six essential elemental ingredients of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur—and in such a harmonious, well-proportioned balance—to have set the stage for the existence of everything from dinosaurs to dogs blows my mind on a daily basis.

Add in the constantly changing little twists of fate that led to our parents, great grandparents and ancient ancestors meeting each other—and the lucky stars that kept them from harm during war,

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Illustration by KEVIN HOWDESHELL / THEBRAVEUNION.COM

by PETER KRAY

Laying awake, I feel both complicit and sorry for the fate of starving polar bears, suddenly homeless orangutans and emaciated orcas who have become so weak they sink to the bottom of the sea. earthquake, famine and Atlantic boat crossings (or just kept them from getting hit by a bus)—and it's another miracle that you, or I, even exist.

It’s hard to comprehend what it took for all of us to become sentient beings with our own specific feelings, perceptions, experience, hopes and wants. Which is why in the middle of a hike, I stop to wonder at all the other life around me: the clouds and lakes, meadows and streams, bear and deer, birds and snakes.

I wonder at each and every thing’s particular beauty. I marvel at the ways in which it exists and and interacts with other living things. But most of all, I wonder if this world any idea how badly humans are messing up the miracle of it.

A Better Place

I think the vast majority of parents who ever lived—even the corrupt ones—

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wanted their children to have a better life. It is one of the essential aspects of The American Dream, how every successive generation would exist in a better future, in a better place.

Now, I hear many of my friends, especially those with younger children, openly wondering how much of the dream they are presently living will they be able to preserve over the next few years.

When Science published a study in July titled, “The global tree reforestation potential,” discussing how planting billions of trees around the world could capture a majority of our existing carbon emissions, I began to feel optimistic. Here, I thought, is a way I can personally contribute, and create a new dream of that better future.

Unfortunately, many of the proposals in the study—planting trees on private land, across international

borders, in time for them to reach maturity quickly enough to make a difference, and at a rate that will offset the current clear-cutting of the Amazon Rainforest, often described as “The Lungs of Our Planet”—will be difficult to implement.

But I’m not looking for reasons to do nothing. I am looking for ways I can act. And one thought that buoyed me was news that at the end of July, Ethiopian citizens planted 350 million trees in half a day, and by the end of October will have four billion seedlings primed for growth.

Action is what we need now, more than ever, however and wherever we can take it. I am planting trees this weekend, anywhere on my property they will fit. Then I am going to OneTreePlanted.org to see where I can make an impact next. Like Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer, I am happy to have found my fence to paint, and can’t wait to see who wants to help.

—ELEVATION OUTDOORS EDITOR-AT-LARGE PETER KRAY IS THE AUTHOR OF THE GOD OF SKIING. THE BOOK HAS BEEN CALLED “THE GREATEST SKI NOVEL OF ALL TIME.” DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE? BUY IT HERE AND READ IT NOW: AMZN.TO/2LMZPVN

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