Canyon Backpacking with the “Collard Greens” Group: Fishing, Fire-Building & Rockfruit Discoveries in Dominguez Canyon Written by CI Field Instructor Shawn Heyland. The Collard Greens group from Peak to Peak Charter School set out on our canyon backpacking adventure on Wednesday afternoon from the Dominguez Canyon Trailhead. Our designated route would take us from the… Read more »
The “Purple Elephant” Crew Navigated Tricky Routes, Found Perfect Canyon Campsites, and Mastered the Bear Hang on their Backpacking Trip Written by Maeve O’Meara, CI Director of Operations & People. The Peak to Peak Charter School group who called themselves the Purple Elephants set out from the trailhead on Wednesday afternoon with a clear mission:… Read more »
What It Takes to Sleep in Quinzees: A Changemakers Backcountry Journey of Grit, Snow, and Self-Reliance Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. Smile and say “Quinzeeeeee!” Changemakers Outdoor Leadership Corps were all smiles when they finally finished building their quinzees in time to scarf down a late dinner and crawl… Read more »
Hands-On Snow Research and Real-World Data Collection Bring Climate Literacy to Life for Students in Colorado’s Winter Landscape Written by CI Field Instructor Shawn Heyland. On a quest to find snow and learn about the impact climate change is having on our winters in Colorado, a class from Apex School in Boulder set out on… Read more »
Gaga Ball in the Snow was One of Many Unique Experiences that AXL 7th Graders Enjoyed During their CAP Overnight at Cal-Wood Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 7th graders were eager for the opportunity to stay in cabins during our CAP overnight trip to Cal-Wood Education Center in Jamestown, CO,… Read more »
Career Bloom Event Helped Young People Explore Career Opportunities Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. Our 2026 Partners In the Outdoors Career Day, called Career Bloom, lived up to its name, bringing opportunity, and community to help young people explore their futures. Planned in partnership with Environmental Learning for Kids,… Read more »
Low Ropes Course Activities and a Service Project Kept AXL 8th Graders Engaged During Their Winter CAP Overnight at Cal-Wood Written by AXL Academy CAP Instructor Harmony Esqueda. AXL Academy 8th graders were eager for another winter overnight CAP trip, expecting and excited for the same winter activities as last year, including snowshoeing, snow ball… Read more »
Angevine Middle School Students Discover the Joy of Snow Through a Brainard Lake Quinzee Construction Adventure Written by CI Field Instructor Hailey Schmidt. Earlier this February, the Angevine Middle School (AMS) CAP class was able to enjoy a wintery excursion despite the unseasonably warm weather. Up at Brainard Lake, the sun was out, the birds… Read more »
Wilderness First Aid: Changemakers Gain Skills for Caring for Others in Wild Places and Beyond Written by Erin Angel, CI Senior Instructor, Changemakers & Alumni Coordinator. On a cold January weekend, while most people were staying cozy indoors watching the Broncos, Changemaker students—and a few hardy Cottonwood staff—were outside doing something pretty powerful: learning how… Read more »
Curiosity Guided Students from Classroom Questions to Real-World Action at Angevine During Fall Semester. Written by Angevine Middle School CAP Instructor Sara Grillo. As the semester wraps up, it’s fun to look back at just how much we fit into our time together during our Fall CAP class at Angevine Middle School. It was a… Read more »
