Mountain Biking Survival Project
Just west of Boulder there is a network of some of the greatest mountain biking trails in the country. We are teaming up with Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA) to head to the hills and take advantage of some amazing terrain beneath the silhouette of the Continental Divide.
We will spend the week camping under the stars, learning essential camping and wilderness survival skills, mountain biking our brains out, and completing much-needed trail maintenance projects to give back to the land. We will complete a lot of skills and activities during the week, but while the days will be action packed, there will be plenty of time in the evenings for relaxing around the fire, 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. Spaces for this course are limited and fill up early so register today!
To register for this course, please click the Register For A Course Today! link or call us at 303.447.1076.
COURSE ITINERARY:
Day 1 – And We’re Off: The first day we will meet together at a central location to check equipment and travel to our base camp outside of Ward, Colorado. We will set up our base camp, set up our tents and shelters, learn how to minimize our impact in our new environment, spend some time getting to know each other, and we will be briefed about what to expect for the rest of the week.
Day 2 – Orientation, Introduction to Mountain Biking, Nature Awareness Hike: In the morning we will meet our SMBA mountain biking instructors to learn about mountain biking equipment, safety considerations, and we set out on our first ride where we will take it easy and enjoy the scenery as we acclimate. In the afternoon, we will go on a day hike to explore our new surroundings and learn more about the local and cultural history of the area.
Day 3 – 4 Mountain Biking, Introduction to Wilderness Survival Skills: We will continue to get out each morning to improve our mountain biking skills on day three and day four. In the afternoons, we will practice survival skills, including: survival scenarios, survival priorities, survival shelters, survival fires, water location, rescue techniques, traps and snares, and edible and medicinal plants. In the evenings, we will have fireside discussions where we will explore environmental issues and start to look at our own environmental footprint.
Day 5 – Action Project, Movie Night, Night Hike: During each Cottonwood Institute course, we will complete an Action Project to address a local environmental issue, to walk our talk, and to give back to the land. On day five we will complete much-needed trail maintenance projects, which may include rebuilding eroded mountain biking trails, redirecting trails, building water bars to help prevent erosion, etc. We will pick a night to have a movie night to watch an episode of Survivorman and we will explore how to use components of our mountain bikes to help us in a survival situation if we had to use it. If the conditions permit, we may also embark on a night hike or two.
Day 6 – Survival Challenge: We will break up into small groups and complete a survival challenge together to apply some of the skills we have learned throughout the week. We won’t tell you too much about this challenge ahead of time, but take comfort in the fact that you will have the support of your teammates and you will have access to your gear and supplies if you need it. The survival challenge is a fun and memorable part of your Cottonwood Institute experience and will consist of a series of survival activities and you will be rewarded after completing each task.
Day 7 – Final Celebration, Depart: During our last full day, we will have our final breakfast together, reflect on all that we have learned and accomplished during the week, and celebrate together. Participants will also set the intention to reduce their ecological footprint at home. Finally, we will pack up our gear, final clean up, and depart.
To register for this course, please click the Register For A Course Today! link or call us at 303.447.1076.
NUTS AND BOLTS:
- Host Organization: Singletrack Mountain Bike Adventures (SMBA)
- Location: Near Ward, Colorado
- Date/Price: For 2010, this course is only available for schools and community organization. If you have a group of 10 – 12 students you would like to send on this course, please call us at 303.447.1076 for a custom quote.
- Scholarships: To find out how to receive a Cottonwood Institute Scholarship, Click Here!
- Difficulty: Be prepared for mountain biking 3-4 hours per day, hiking 2 miles a day at altitude, and working hard to complete our Action Project listed above. Beginners are welcome to join us!
- Course Books: TBA
To register for this course, please click the Register For A Course Today! link or call us at 303.447.1076.
AFTER COMPLETING THIS COURSE, YOU WILL:
- Get out of the house, sleep under the stars, and have an unforgettable adventure this summer.
- Practice essential camping and wilderness survival skills.
- Learn about mountain biking, equipment, safety considerations, and riding techniques.
- Complete much needed projects to maintain and rebuild mountain biking trails in the mountains.
- Explore future careers in mountain biking, outdoor/environmental education, and trail design.
- Knock out high school and/or college credit.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Where will we sleep? We will set up a base camp where we will keep our stuff throughout the week. As with all Cottonwood Institute courses, we recommend that students sleep under low-tech poncho shelters, which can be set up individually or with other students to make a larger group shelter. We will spend the first day learning the necessary knots and techniques for setting up a bomber poncho shelter. It is ok to bring a tent on this course if you prefer.
Where do we go to the bathroom? While we are camping, we will use nature’s bathroom like our ancestors have for hundreds of thousands of years and will practice minimum impact camping protocol of digging a cat hole and using natural materials. This will be explained in full detail on the first day of the course.
How much time to we get to spend mountain biking? Some students have the perception that we will be mountain biking all day every day for 7 days straight. While that would be amazing, that is unfortunately not the case. We will pack in lots of other activities as described above and will have some down time to rest our tired bones and re-energize between different sections of our course.
How hard is this course? This obviously depends on each individual, but we will be mountain biking, going on hikes and working on a variety of Action Projects that can be physically demanding. 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. We also encourage students to work out and get in an exercise routine a few months before your course begins. The better shape you are in, the better experience you will have and the better you will feel!
I am traveling from out of state, how should I get to Colorado? We have had students from California, Wyoming, Ohio, New York, Connecticut, 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 for this course, please click the Register For A Course Today! link or call us at 303.447.1076.
