Mt. Evans Volunteer Project

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Towering 14,240 feet above sea level, Mount Evans is the closest 14,000-foot peak in the Denver area. 14,000-foot peaks, or 14ers as they are commonly referred, have been calling mountain climbers and outdoor enthusiasts for over a century, causing a considerable impact to this fragile ecosystem. This volunteer opportunity is for adventurous folks who want to blend their passion for climbing these awesome peaks and who feel compelled to heed the call to help restore and protect them. We will hike our gear in a few miles and spend the weekend in a remote backcountry campsite on Mt. Evans with the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI). For more information, please visit: CFI Adopt-a-Peak Program.

During this course we will help complete much needed trail maintenance and ecological restoration projects through CFI’s Adopt-a-Peak program. While the days will be action packed, there will be plenty of time in the afternoons and evenings for relaxing at our base camp, hanging out, and philosophizing. You will be able to work on projects at your own pace, so make this experience as mild or as wild as you want.

We will be collaborating with individuals, and local businesses to provide 12 - 15 hearty volunteers to complete much needed projects on Mt. Evans. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people, to build effective communication and teambuilding skills outside of the office, and for everyone to walk their talk and give back to the mountains that we all use and love. Spaces for this volunteer opportunity are limited and will fill up soon so register today!

To Register: Please download and complete our Adult Registration Form. You can mail your registration form to: Cottonwood Institute, PO Box 7067, Denver, CO 80207 or scan it and email it to Ford Church. To register a group for this volunteer project, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076.

COURSE ITINERARY:

Day 1: After work, we will meet together at a central location for quick introductions, check gear and equipment, and then travel to the Mt. Evans trail head outside of Denver, CO. We will set up camp for the night, hang out around the fire, get to know each other, and prepare for our upcoming project We will learn more about the Cottonwood Institute and how we are "changing the world one adventure at a time!"

Day 2: We will wake up early, complete a brief safety training, and embark on a 2-mile hike to our work site. On our hike, we will learn about alpine ecology, plant identification, the natural and cultural history of the area, etc. Once we arrive at our work site, we will spend the next two days completing much needed restoration projects on Mount Evans.

Trail maintenance projects may involve building soil stabilization structures out of rock to prevent soil erosion, including check dams, French drains, and other structures. Restoration projects may involve transplanting “plugs” of vegetation from dense areas of vegetation to heavily impacted areas. In the afternoons, we will rest our tired bones, eat dinner, have discussions about how to change the world, and pick on the guitar around the fire.

Day 3: On our final day, we will break down our backcountry campsite and complete small maintenance projects during our hike out. We will have a final debrief to celebrate the work we accomplished and wrap up the course. We will depart by 3pm to head back to the Boulder/Denver area.

To Register: Please download and complete our Adult Registration Form. You can mail your registration form to: Cottonwood Institute, PO Box 7067, Denver, CO 80207 or scan it and email it to Ford Church. To register a group for this volunteer project, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076.

NUTS AND BOLTS:

• Partnering Organization: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative
• Location: Mount Evans outside of Denver, Colorado
• Date: August 22 - 24, 2008
  
• Course Code: ME-3
• Price: Free! 
• Age: Minimum age 18 unless accompanied by an adult.
• Difficulty: Volunteers should be in good aerobic physical condition, ready to hike 2-4 miles at altitude with day packs and tools, and be willing and able to work hard, sling rock, and maintain trails in the high country!
• Beginners welcome!
• Average Temperatures: High: 60ºF / Low: 35ºF
• Recommended Book: Land Above the Trees: A Guide to American Alpine Tundra, by Ann H. Zwinger and Beatrice E. Willard.
• Transportation, Food, and Equipment: Participants are responsible for coordinating their own transportation, food for the weekend, and personal camping gear. CFI will provide all of the tools we need to complete our restoration projects. The Cottonwood Institute has limited gear available to rent if necessary.

To Register: Please download and complete our Adult Registration Form. You can mail your registration form to: Cottonwood Institute, PO Box 7067, Denver, CO 80207 or scan it and email it to Ford Church. To register a group for this volunteer project, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076.

AFTER COMPLETING THIS PROJECT, YOU WILL:

• Get out of the home/office this summer for an unforgettable adventure.
• Learn about alpine ecology and the environmental issues impacting this fragile ecosystem.
• Practice trail maintenance and ecological restoration techniques in the high country.
• Experience the beauty of ecosystems above tree line.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Where will we sleep?
For this course, students are responsible for bringing their own gear. The Cottonwood Institute recommends sleeping in a low-tech, versatile poncho shelter. This shelter may look small, but it is actually quite roomy and keeps you dry during thunderstorms. Tents are ok on this course.

Where do we go to the bathroom? This is one thing that causes the most anxiety for beginners. Take comfort in the fact that human beings have been going to the bathroom in the woods for thousands of years. On the first day of the course, we will go through minimum impact camping considerations and techniques (yes, there are techniques and best practices!) for going to bathroom in the backcountry.

How hard is this course?
This obviously depends on each individual. This is one of our most physically demanding courses because we will be working at altitude. We strongly encourage students to go at their own pace to make their course as mild or as wild as they feel comfortable pushing themselves.

Will we get to summit Mt. Evans? Because this is a volunteer project, both the Cottonwood Institute and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative we are unable to support peak climbs during projects for logistical and liability reasons. Volunteers are requested to abide by this policy. We recommend that if you want to climb a peak that you plan on doing so the day before or after the project.

I am traveling from out of state, how should I get to Colorado? We have had students from California, Wyoming, Ohio, New York, and New Orleans. If you are traveling from out of state, you need to coordinate your travel arrangements so you fly to Denver International Airport (DIA) one day before your course starts and plan to leave the day after your course ends. You will need to arrange lodging the night before your course starts and the night your course ends. A Cottonwood Institute representative will pick you up from your hotel the morning your course starts and take you to our course start location. When you register for this course, you will receive a detailed registration packet outlining all of the travel logistics. (Photo Credit: Denver International Airport).

To Register: Please download and complete our Adult Registration Form. You can mail your registration form to: Cottonwood Institute, PO Box 7067, Denver, CO 80207 or scan it and email it to Ford Church. To register a group for this volunteer project, please contact Ford Church at 303.447.1076.

HELP SPREAD THE WORD:

Please Click Here  to download a copy of our 2008 Summer Course Schedule to your computer. We are a small grassroots organization, so if you would be willing to email a copy of this flyer to your friends or print a few copies to post at your school, office, or favorite coffee shop, we would absolutely love it!