Mountain Park Environmental Center

Earth Studies Session 4: Mammals & Tracking Comes to an end.

2012-02-13T11:17:00.004-07:00

The Earth Studies session on Mammals & Tracking has just come to an end. We had many great days of tracking with all the fresh snow. A few warm afternoons allowed some muddy conditions for wildlife to impress their prints into which we often found frozen the next day . . . perfect for showing the details of wildlife identification through the use of track analysis!

Several areas where the snow we had about a month ago melted down kids were able to identify areas where deer had bedded down. When we examined these closely we even found some deer hair to identify and match up with the hides we have as teaching tools in the classroom. We also ran across a very interesting site where something had been killed and eaten. Although there were no bones or flesh left behind, we did find frozen blood, entrails and a lot of hair. From the hair and remains we think it may have been a raccoon, perhaps eaten by a bobcat or other predator. There were many days when these kids exclaimed that it had been the best time out to the park yet!

Winter Break Camp: Day Two

2011-12-29T07:48:00.005-07:00

Today we continued to have fun in the snow, carving out new trails in our snowshoes. Many campers brought sleds and we headed down the snowy roads and into the wooded hillsides to some awesome sledding areas! We found a decent run someone else had made, but soon found a great place to create our very own sled run! Once we had it carved out and smoothed pretty good with a few practice runs we were able to get some speed. Lots of laughing echoing through the stillness of the snowy woods as some campers caught some serious air time on small bumps in the runs.

After lunch we continued work on our snow tunnels and were able to actually connect several of the tunnels together right at the end of the day!

Winter Break Camp: Day One!

2011-12-29T07:34:00.006-07:00

Winter Break Camp started out great with many veteran campers from previous camps this year and even some kids who have been coming for years!

Right away we geared up for cold, snowy fun as we have gotten a ton of snow at the Mountain Park this year. A quick snowshoe demo and we were off on a snowshoeing adventure in search of a great sledding hill.

Along the way we tossed a few snowballs and had a lot of laughs and even a few snowshoe humorous complications as it was some of these kids first time in, as one camper put it, "these fascinating contraptions."

We made our way to the meadow and made a huge maze of tracks to play tag and had snowball fights and built snow-crust castles that resembled Stonehenge.

Later we began a task that will take us all week to complete doing a little each day . . . carving out ice tunnels in the big mounds of hardened frozen snow piled up by the snowplows in the park over the last few weeks. We hope to connect all the tunnels and be able to slide down through them!

Winter has arrived!

2011-12-05T10:32:00.006-07:00

October brought with it a few inches of snow (7.6" to be exact)...that was ok. Then November left another 15.8" -- that was better and it seemed as if winter was off to a pretty good start. We're only a few days into December, and we've already had 30.3" of cold powdery snow (plus some chilly temps) this month. That totals 53.7" of snow (which contained 3.67" of moisture). The last four seasons have been really dry, so I am thrilled to see winter 2012 off to a snowy start. For comparison, all of last winter saw only 74.3", and the historic dry winter of 2002 brought only 48" total of snow. So, we are indeed off to a good start (the average annual snowfall for the past couple of decades is about 115"). Incidentally, the snow shoeing and cross country skiing in the park are excellent...the unplowed upper road is where I'll be heading later on today. Here are a couple of photos I took a few minutes ago...it's a winter wonderland out there, with the sun working its way through.

Winter Wonderland Classroom

2011-12-04T13:34:00.010-07:00

The Mountain Park has been receiving a lot of snow lately and the kids absolutely love it. Although there are a few days where the schools will opt out of participating in the days session due to weather conditions, most schools and classes do not stop when we get a good snow.

If the snow is deep enough the students don snow-boots and it's class as usual . . . although it's quite a different day from one spent indoors sitting at a desk. These students hike through out the snowy forests and get all of their days worth of educational standards by using the various aspects of nature as teaching opportunities.

One of the focuses for this month is the biology and identification of the trees in the Mountain Park. There are six prominent types of coniferous trees in the park, two Junipers, two Pines and two Fir. Although there are many differences between the different trees, the students are taught to focus on a few easy to discern traits such as the type of leaf (needles or scales) and their arrangement.

For example, the Douglas Fir [left] has very green needles that grow from the branch in all directions (like the spokes on Douglas' bicycle wheel!) . .

while the White Fir [right] has slightly bluish-green needles which are almost twice as long and typically grow from the sides of the branch and curve upwards.

It's also a great opportunity to begin to prepare them for next sessions focus which is on Mammals and Tracking by pointing out the occasional signs and quite frequent tracks of the various animals which make the Mountain Park their habitat.

Often we find the tracks of mule deer and fox and at times we have even come across tracks of wild cats such as the bobcat that we saw and got photographs and even a little video of last year. Of course various animal scat, especially from the many deer that visit the park, is quite prevalent and provides not only some frequent laughter from the students but also a lot of opportunities to segue into many on-topic conversations.

We also find signs of squirrel activity; the ponderosa branch tips on the ground around the drip-line of the trees, some of which have been stripped of their needles and bark due to the squirrels eating the sugary inner bark.

~Ranger David "Pine" Martin
Environmental Educator
Mountain Park Environmental Center

A warm Day of Rocks and Soils and Mysterious Tracks!

2011-11-29T08:22:00.004-07:00

The rescheduled school for yesterdays Earth Studies session was very lucky. An unseasonably warm day greeted us on our arrival to the park and we spent the day learning about Geology and Soil. The recent snow and subsequent melting combined perfectly with this days warm weather allowed us to get a really good sample of the soils in each ecosystem while enjoying the sunshine. It also made for a trail full of animal tracks in the now mostly dried mud of the trails. Stories played out in footprints abounded as the kids deciphered the mysterious language of the trail before them.

The hike into Devil's Canyon was magnificent and the water flowing under the ice was moving in dark and mysterious blob-like forms which completely captured the kids attention and brought up conversation about how it was like the blood stream of our bodies. Their personification of it was a great segue to speak to the importance of water on the planet as well as in such a dry state as Colorado. It was a great day out and the kids had a blast!

Dichotomous Keys & Trying Not To Freeze

2011-11-18T10:36:00.013-07:00

It was a pretty cold week for Earth Studies students, but we managed to find some sunny places to sit and learn about Trees and Wildland Fires. In the tree portion of the day these kids learn how trees grow and the different parts of the trees anatomy as well as learning to identify the various trees in the Mountain Park. They also learn how to age the Ponderosa Pines of the park (without cutting them down and counting the rings).

In the fire portion of the day these students are taught about the Mason Gulch fire which came within 4 -1/2 miles of the Mountain Park. Most students found forest fires to be much larger and more destructive than they had previously imagined them to be.

One thing I noticed this week was that as the children did the Tree I.D. exercise they no longer seemed to notice the cold.

Tree I.D. combines a scavenger hunt element with the mystery of figuring out which of the six coniferous trees in the park is which. Students use a dichotomous key designed for the trees found in the Mountain Park; by examining the trees closely to answer the series of questions on the key they eventually arrive at the answer.

After doing about nine trees these kids could identify some trees just by looking at them at a relative distance.

This session goes a long way toward educating these kids about how nature works and how to better steward their park and other wild areas of Colorado. Their minds are opened up to new possibilities such as the idea that wildland fires are not good or bad, but just a natural and necessary part of the health of the ecosystems they have been studying.

Society Is The Soil From Which Our Children Grow

2011-11-11T10:41:00.007-07:00

~by Ranger David "Pine" Martin

“A child said What is the grass?
fetching it to me with full hands,
How could I answer the child?”
~Walt Whitman.

I was reminded of these lines from Walt Whitman’s poem Leaves of Grass yesterday when a student asked me a question during our Earth Studies session.

We were sitting in a circle amongst the Ponerosa Pines examining the soil created by that ecosystem; discussing the minerals, water, air and organic matter to be found in the samples each child had taken. We discussed the ways in which the forest of the past contributed a great deal to the rich, nutritive biotic content of the soil from which the forest of the present receives it's nutrients and water from.

A child held up something he had found in his small sample of soil. “What is this?” he asked. It was one of the small, orange, male pine cones.

I explained what it was, but this answer only served to generate more questions. One was, why are the female cones so much bigger than the male cones?” I explained that the female cone is an ovulate cone and has a big job; it must build a home for, create the seeds which carry all the genetic coding for the Pine tree to reproduce, and must house those seeds until they are dispersed which may take several years.

Often I am asked questions by students during Earth Studies programs to which I would love to answer in great depth and illuminate them at length to the amazing and elegant complexity of the living systems of the world around them. I would have loved to go into how wind tunnel analyses of the female cones have shown that the geometry of the cone’s structure itself aerodynamically enhances the probability of pollen entrapment.

A part of me, akin to Whitman, would love to ruminate on each question, take them deep, ponder and mull over the nuances and connections and through this generate a greater sense of meaning within myself and these children, imbue their worldview with a deep beauty. With the day’s time constraints and the short attention span of the Fifth Graders however, it is best to keep the answers brief and as “on-topic” or applicable to the session’s lesson as possible. Bring it back around. Show interconnectedness.

I woke up this morning with some deeper thoughts on this subject. What we do as Environmental Educators is a lot of seed planting; we know that not all seeds will take root, so we plant a lot. It occurred to me however, that not only are we planting seeds, but we are enriching the soil those seeds are planted in and that this, like the relationship between the soil and the trees in this ecosystem, will perpetuate itself. Environmental Educators not only teach the elements of the session at hand, but as adult members of their community and education system, we teach many other things by example. We show them our love of Nature and how to responsibly interact with our environment and each other. Earth Studies Co-Program Director John Duston once told me "We teach values." and I would have to agree with him wholeheartedly. Much of what we teach is through exhibiting our values by our behavior. We teach them that we value nature and value learning by fostering an outdoor classroom culture of cooperation, mutual respect, patience and enthusiasm. As we educate these young people our hopes are that it elevates the level of education, the sense of place and the values of our community and society at large as it grows and matures. Our intention is that each of these kids grows up strong, healthy, intelligent and happy.

Society is the soil from which our children grow; our children will become the society of the future and they will in turn become the soil from which their children grow.

A flashback from the trail!

2011-10-28T14:36:00.004-06:00

This keeps happening...I can be anywhere, doing anything, and suddenly a snapshot, a moment of being on the trail pops into my head. There doesn't seem to be any common instigator of it happening - it just happens. Here's one that popped up a couple of days ago, while walking home from the park: I am resting under a large tree, probably an Engelmann spruce, amongst a forest of lots of trees, after scooting rather quickly through an open area. It was an on again/off again rainy afternoon, and I was dealing with thunderstorms and the threat of lightning since late morning. I came to the edge of a forested area - I believe I was in Section 27 - and was concerned about moving out into a more open area with several smaller trees but also lots of exposure. There was a storm that seemed to be staying ahead of me, so I figured I was OK and set out. Around halfway across (it was about a half mile across), it began to rain hard and the storm's energy (and lightning) seemed way too close. So I moved as quickly as I could and made it safely into the next forested area. The rain was coming down, I had been hiking since around 6am and it was around 3:30pm, so I decided to find a protected spot to wait out the storm. I found a few large trees, took off my pack and leaned it against one of them, and sat down leaning against the pack. My poncho covered both me and the pack, so I was warm and dry, and so was my gear. I pulled out a snack - a Kind bar with lots of nuts - and sat there, resting, enjoying the snack (really enjoying it, as I recall, because I was hungry), and singing I Will by Paul McCartney while the rain continued. The rain did finally slow down and so I was soon back on the trail, looking to get a few more miles in before finding a decent place to camp (the rest of that day had several more "moments" that I'll write about one day). That was a pleasant break in a long, soggy day on the trail!

A Taste of Winter Arrives!

2011-10-26T10:00:00.005-06:00

The warm and gentle days that we've been enjoying this October have today been replaced by a generous blast of snow and cold. I am watching the snow come down steadily outside my window as I pause from typing these words. A few minutes ago, I stepped outside to capture a few scenes around the Horseshoe Lodge -- here's a couple of them. This is the first of hopefully many snows of the 2011/2012 snow season. And I'll be out there measuring. This morning at 8am, I measured 0.17" of moisture. Much of that fell overnight in the form of light rain, but it became snow towards dawn -- 1.7" of snow was on the ground then, and a few more have fallen since.

Autumn colors and still-hot days!

2011-09-28T15:38:00.004-06:00

The calendar says it is late September and early fall, and the emerging yellows, reds and oranges in many plants match the calendar. But the daytime thermometer still reads like it is a month earlier. We are getting much cooler evenings...we had a light frost a few days ago. So, summer and autumn seem to struggling as to who is in charge. In spite of the struggle, it is quite lovely out there...I took this photo a few minutes ago just outside the Horseshoe Lodge...the bright color up on the higher distant ridge is a patch of aspen in its glorious autumn garb.

Speaking of the Lodge...the east wing is having recycled cellulose insulation pumped in as I type these words. Sheet rock follows, so we are steadily moving along!

Meanwhile, the west wing is nearly full this week with a Seasons of Change women's retreat taking place. My office is right above the kitchen with the wonderful aroma of dinner-in-the- works wafting through my open window.

Lots going on at MPEC!

2011-08-11T11:11:00.004-06:00

As we are around the mid-point of the summer, there is no lack of activity in Pueblo Mountain Park. Along with summer flowers like goldenrod, Kansas gayfeather, and golden aster blooming (thanks to some badly needed rain the last part of July and the first week of August) and the end of our busy summer camps last week (we served around 200 campers, ranging from kindergartners through high schoolers), we are now gearing up for the start of our Earth Studies program in a couple of weeks (all 1200+ 5th graders from Pueblo City Schools will come to the park 6 full days over the school year for outdoor-based education). And while several bears continue to be spotted in and around the park, construction on the East Wing of the Horseshoe Lodge is moving along right on schedule. Here are a couple of photos of the dormitories and restrooms, all framed with plumbing going in as I write. I project the East Wing (and the entire Horseshoe Lodge Renovation Project) will be complete around mid-fall!

Monsoons making things somewhat less dry!

2011-07-28T11:55:00.003-06:00

The inch plus of rain that the park has received the last week is making a difference. And it is raining lightly right outside my open window as I type these words. The drought and fire danger are still pretty extreme, but the arrival of the monsoon season, with higher humidities, afternoon clouds, and rain (and the threat of rain) is a very welcome development. I am even seeing some sprigs of green popping up from open areas that were pretty solid shades of yellow and brown a couple of weeks ago.

June Wonders of Nature Campers Participate in Peace Pole Dedication

2011-07-05T10:26:00.003-06:00

The second day of this year’s June Wonders of Nature Camp was a special day as the campers had the opportunity to participate in the Peace Pole dedication ceremony!

The Peace Pole is a pole carved with the word Peace on all sides in different languages (even animal tracks!) and was placed near the lodge. Dave Van Manen played “I’ve got Peace Like a River” on his guitar and many joined in to sing along. Helene Van Manen brought out the drums and led the group in a drumming and singing celebration.

A time capsule was placed underneath it and the campers all had an opportunity to place an object or a wish or a picture having to do with peace inside the time capsule along with items and sentiments from other staff members and members of the local community.

As several campers reported that they had been pretty tired from the hike the day before and so we focused mainly on games, hiking from one area a short ways to the next game spot and then again to another and so on. The games were great ways for the kids to be physically active, have fun, get to know each other better as well as stimulating the mind with a bit of mystery and guessing.

This was a great second day which kept the hiking to short stints between gaming areas and resulted in a much closer bond between the campers as they had more relaxed fun together laughing and playing together. There were a few bumps and scrapes now and then, but it was taken in stride as part of the fun outdoors.

June Wonders of Nature Camp

2011-07-02T13:30:00.013-06:00

Wonders of Nature Camp got off to a great start this year as we clearly defined the group goals and group ethics and expectations we would be looking to fulfill and create together. Many of the children had great input about their expectations of the fun and discovery they wanted to experience. Some wanted to make new friends, some were all about the games and others were very interested in exploring the natural world of the Pueblo Mountain Park. Although the week went fast, we ended up doing all these things!

Monday began with a hike up to Lookout Point to see the view of the foothills to the South West as well as to experience the depths of Devils Canyon from above. This was a pretty challenging first hike for some of the little campers, but they did well. This hike up Mace Trail passes through some pretty hot and dry Mountain Shrub Land Ecosystems and so hydration was important and we all encouraged one another to drink plenty of good, clean water. We also kept an eye on each other for signs of heat exhaustion as well as reminding the group to reapply sunscreen. We saw some Claret Cup cactus blooming as well as many other wildflowers along the way, and as usual the bugs and butterflies and hummingbirds were very busy.

Wednesday we focused on the Devils Canyon trail making our way through the shady Douglas Fir Ecosystems. We contrasted this ecosystem with the one we experienced the day before and discussed the differences in the flora and fauna of each.

We took our time to take in the details and this led to many interesting discoveries. Right off the bat we began to notice different vegetation and spotted some large fungi growing on old dead logs. The treasure here was the friendly blue and purple (with black-polka-dots!) Pleasing Fungus Beetles.

These beetles can often be found on the large fungus, slowly burrowing into them as they slowly devour these tough mushrooms over several years.

They also fly around a lot and have a proclivity for landing on our shirts and hats and crawling around peacefully. Some of the kids did not relish this experience, while others fell in love with these amiable beetles immediately. These beetles were an introduction to the insect world of the Mountain Park and several of the boys took to searching out different kinds of insects with gusto for the rest of the week.

There are so many different kinds of insects in various stages of development at this time of year that there was no end to the entomological discoveries.

It was a delight to see the kids take an interest in the tiny folk of the forest for in my opinion they are often overlooked and underrated, not only in their amazing diversity or elegant beauty, but in the work they do in the natural community.

One boy in particular seemed as though he had found his purpose in life by discovering the amazing diversity of insects this Summer and it wouldn’t surprise me to see this young man grow up to be an amazing naturalist and entomologist with a great knowledge of local insects. I encouraged them during our journaling time to write or make illustrations about these discoveries. There was a lot of interesting science to talk about such as the insects’ different adaptations, metamorphosis and the unique ways some of them camouflage themselves to blend in with their habitat.

MPEC shifting into summer mode!

2011-06-07T12:57:00.008-06:00

We completed our final Earth Studies session of the 2010/2011 school year a week and a half ago, when the 5th graders from Bessemer Academy hiked to the Fire Tower, learned of the fascinating history of Pueblo Mountain Park, and got up close and personal with some flowering plants. This culminated a school year of 1200+ 5th graders from Pueblo City Schools coming to MPEC six full days over the year for eye-opening outdoor-based education (not to mention programs for the Beulah School of Natural Science, PSAS, and several other schools). And now we are about ready to begin our summer camp season, when our first Wonders of Nature Camp for 3rd and 4th graders, and our Greenhorn Wilderness Backpack for 6th - 9th graders kick off a busy summer. Not to give the impression that we only have programs for youngsters, we have a great line-up of summer Nature programs for adults: digital photography workshop, summer solstice drum circle, full moon music hikes, a Women's Walking retreat...check out our website at www.hikeandlearn.org for all the details.

Speaking of Nature, the cool winds of spring seem to be morphing into the toasty winds of summer. We had a bit of moisture in April and May, but the winds, recent hot temps, and a winter of well below average snowfall have the landscape in the grips of a drought that has taken hold of much of the southwest U.S. I just read that this past winter's snowfall overall in the state of Colorado was 249% of average...for the high country. The front range mountains and eastern plains have been dry! In spite of all the dry, there are still some flowers blooming in the park. I've been thoroughly enjoying the low penstemon and golden banner that brighten up my walks back and forth to the office each day, and there's several others blooming out there as well.

Yes, it's dry...but, dryness seems to be a part of the new norm. Dry or wet, there's still much beauty to be found! And lots going on at MPEC this summer!

May begins in a wintry fashion!

2011-05-02T09:53:00.007-06:00

I woke to a wintry landscape yesterday morning, May 1, as around 4" of snow fell overnight. Adding in this morning's 0.3", the seasons' snow total is at 74.3". This is 65% of the average 115" of snow that the park has received each snow sesaon over the past decade or so, so we are going into the spring/summer seasons pretty dry. That being said, the park has received exactly an inch of moisture spread over the past nine days, so the wildflowers are receiving some water as spring kicks in. I hope to get out on the trails to take a look, but I expect the recent moisture may have the flowers looking a bit better that I originally thought they'd be this spring, considering the stingy snowfall. Kinnikinnick, larkspur, toadflax, spring beauty, bladderpod, dwarf daisy, chiming bells, mahonia (holly grape), wild onion, sugarbowl, low penstemon...these are a few of what may be adding color to the landscape as May takes hold. I took these photos last evening from my deck across from the park as a snow squall was moving in...as we say, spring snows bring spring flowers in Pueblo Mountain Park.

It's not 36", but it's a good start to April!

2011-04-04T09:16:00.003-06:00

I just measured 9.6" of new snow, with a moisture content of 0.89". This already surpasses March's snowfall amount, and is just a bit less than March's 1.00" of moisture. It's a lovely spring snow morning in the park, with bright sunshine already bringing avalanches of snow sliding off the ponderosa branches.

An April snow is just beginning this evening!

2011-04-03T19:29:00.005-06:00

The hopes for a wet March never materialized; wind seemed to be the best word to describe what statistically is the park's snowiest month. But it just started snowing a little while ago...if it would snow all night, this one storm could better the pitiful 7.8" of snow that March brought. The season's total so far is around 60" (115" is an average winter), so I'm dreaming of a white April. I recall spring storms that brought feet of snow...when my kids were little, I remember 12" on my daughter's birthday (April 30), 12" the next day on May 1, and another 12" on May 2 (May 3, my son's birthday, began a rather muddy stretch). So I am hoping for 36" out of this storm. Dreaming? Well, I said I was dreaming of a white April, and April is statistically our second snowiest month, so why not! Oh the weather outside is frightful (not really), and the fire is so delightful, and since we've no place to go, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW...

Dreaming and singing of snow, Ranger Dave

Spring Break Camp

2011-03-26T11:35:00.002-06:00

Spring Break Camp was a wonderful experience this year with mostly sunny and warm weather blessing the Mountain Park and making for an excellent environment for hiking and games.

Campers were introduced to several new games, some of them seasonal in nature to welcome Spring and the birds returning from their Winter migration.

We built large pine-needle nests, played many games and variations of Hide-and-Seek, saw Flickers and Woodpeckers and Nuthatches and even a Coopers Hawk!

The creek was calling and several of the campers decided to don rubber boots or change into flip-flops and actually got their feet wet.

The forest echoed with laughter and howls of delight at the icy water.

A hike up to the Fire Tower was a high point providing the campers with the opportunity to climb up into the sturdy historic Fire Tower.

This tower was once used to keep an eye on the surrounding forests during fire season.

Climbing up the tower gives one a view of the entire Beulah Valley . . . and beyond!

A longer hike on Thursday up to Lookout Point and North Ridge Trail was a good challenge.

Campers expressed feelings of accomplishment at the trek they had completed through some of the Mountain Parks most beautiful and wild areas.

If this is any indication of the fun and adventure in store for camps this year then I am REALLY looking forward to the Summer Camps!

Winter is sliding by...

2011-03-02T11:06:00.004-07:00

...after February brought over 25"" of snow, and even some "unusual for February" rain that helped an otherwise very dry winter. Hopefully, March will bring some decent snows. Snowfall for the season so far is 52", and an average full winter's snow is 115". So, we have a ways to go, but a few Albuquerque lows that can upslope copious amounts of wet snow on our area could make a huge difference. Time will tell!

Pictures of the Bobcat

2011-01-21T13:47:00.003-07:00

Bobcat Sighting in Pueblo Mountain Park

2011-01-21T13:42:00.002-07:00

This video of a bobcat was taken in Pueblo Mountain Park near a deer carcass. We've been observing tracks of several animals going to and leaving the deer this week. Today, when Ranger John and Ranger Greg arrived at the deer carcass, this is what happened.

"Cold, and it's getting colder...

2011-01-10T16:52:00.003-07:00

...grey and white, and winter all around." John Denver's lyrics speak well to this late afternoon at Pueblo Mountain Park. About 9" of snow was a very welcome sight to wake to this morning. I just stepped out and took this photo of the winter wonderland I'll be walking through since my day's work is about done and I'll soon be walking home. The thermometer reads 8F, so it'll be a brisk walk.

Supporting Our Community's Children

2011-01-07T12:15:00.008-07:00

Hellbeck Elementary School recently held its first science fair in several years. In selecting the judges the administration chose many professionals from the local community, ranging in scope from State Honor Roll members and science teachers of other elementary schools in Pueblo to U.S. Army Engineers, technology experts and scientists involved in space programs.

MPEC’s own Co-Program Director, John Oates had the honor of being one of those invited. Apparently many of the Fifth Graders who have had Ranger John as their Environmental Educator in the Earth Studies program suggested that Hellbeck invite him to be a judge at the event. He accepted the invitation with pride.

Ranger John Oates asked me if I would accompany him to this event merely for the company, however, when we finished the meet and greet with the faculty and other judges, it became evident that they were short one judge and I was invited to be a stand-in judge.

We were greeted with smiling salutations; the students were happy to see their Rangers from MPEC at their school for an event some of them had worked on diligently. For the Rangers, it is always a joy to meet the Earth Studies students out and about in public settings, but this was a bit more special because it was an event many of them were proud of.

Being a science fair, the range of experiments and displays was quite varied. Many were in the category of biology, chemistry and physics. One part of Hellbeck Elementary Schools’ science fair that I liked was the inclusion of an Application section for each project. This enabled the students to consider and explain how they felt the findings of their experiment could be applied to society; they were expected to imagine and express how their findings can help us. One student, whose experiment dealt with the purification of discolored salt water through the process of evaporation and collection, noted when I spoke with him about helping the world have more clean drinking water. Another student did an experiment which combined water and oil and a fizzy antacid tablet; when I inquired about her inspiration for this experiment she commented that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico weighed heavy in her mind this year and she wanted to do some experiments with oil and water in hopes of learning more about them with hopes of a clean-up solution in mind. It was great to see these students breaking out of the clichéd ideas for science fair experiments (I did not see one volcano) and actually doing experiments pertaining to current events and challenges of the contemporary world.

It was also a great opportunity to engage with Fourth Graders who will be involved in MPEC’s Earth Studies Program next year, answering their questions about the program and getting them excited about it. It was also a great honor to be involved in the science fair and to engage with these students in another aspect of their lives, their education and their scientific eagerness and creativity. We are very grateful to Hellbeck Elementary School for this opportunity by inviting MPEC to be a further part of these children’s development; after all, it takes a village, right?

~David A. Martin

The last day of 2010 in Pueblo Mountain Park!

2010-12-31T12:12:00.008-07:00

The last day of 2010 ends with a couple of inches of new snow and an Arctic blast of cold air with temps in the single digits -- perfect conditions for a wintry walk in the park. A weak sun was trying to work its way through a thin and persistent cloud cover, but by mid-day it didn't look or feel like it would be very successful. The park looked lovely in white. Here are a few photos of the morning walk Helene and I took...tracks are from a fox, probably a red fox, in a pattern that indicates it was trotting.

A little bit of snow!

2010-12-17T13:09:00.011-07:00

The anticipated foot of snow did not materialize...a bit over 2" greeted first light this morning, and it's been flurrying all day since. This storm adds 3" to the season's snowfall, bringing the total to only 6". It's lovely outside anyway - the little bit of snow, the grey sky, the cold air - I love it all. Here are a couple of photos of this afternoon's chilly landscape - looking towards the park from my home, and a few of this summer's sunspots (yellow daisies) in the snow.

Waiting for Snow!

2010-12-16T10:50:00.004-07:00

I've been watching the news clips of all the snow and winter weather that so many are experiencing. Then I look outside at the dry landscape of this little part of the world. Beulah is in the grasp of a months-long drought -- we've had only 3" of snow so far this snow season and around 1" of total moisture since the latter part of August. We've also had many days of 50s and 60s -- easy weather to enjoy, but too warm and dry for the season. So, yesterday's forecast of up to a foot of snow between last night and tonight was very welcome news. We woke to just an inch on the ground this morning, but the grey skies are holding back so far today. The little bit of white and temps in the 20s do make it look and feel more like December, but come on snow!

A relatively quiet fall day at MPEC!

2010-11-13T19:15:00.005-07:00

A delightfully cool mid-November Saturday in Pueblo Mountain Park saw the labyrinth be brought very close to completion. A small but dedicated group of volunteers completed, but for a few finishing touches, the final outer paths by laying the last few hundred stones while I cemented in four beautiful wildlife stones carved by Beulah artist John Clay. Meanwhile, the pond appears to be on its way to putting on its winter cover of ice...if the chilly nights persist, that is. Time will tell. The changing leaves are losing most of their color as fall grows older. A great day in the park. ~Ranger Dave

MPEC wins El Pomar Award for Environment!

2010-11-10T08:32:00.004-07:00

Last evening was a fun time for MPEC at the El Pomar Awards Banquet at the Broadmoor International Center in Colorado Springs. We went to the program as one of 3 finalists in the Environmental Issues category and wound up winning the award, which comes with $15,000. In the tough economy, I can say that this will be be put to very good use in continuing MPEC's good work in 2011. Click on Pueblo Chieftain to read an article on the event that ran this morning. Here are some photos from the celebration (Board Member Susan Finzel-Aldred and her husband and MPEC volunteer Archie Aldred were also at the event but unfortunately didn't make it into this batch of photos). The group picture, seated from left: Kim Toman, Operations Director; Beverly Samek, Board Member; standing from left: Greg Smith, Co-Program Director; Dave Van Manen, Director; Helene Van Manen, founding Board Member and volunteer; Mary Twinem, Board Chair. Other photos: Elaine Lopez Pacheco, found Board Member and Development Coordinator; Cindy and Greg Smith.

CO Trail Fund-Raising Dinner Program a real hit!

2010-11-08T10:22:00.007-07:00

This past Saturday evening, around 100 folks showed up at MPEC for some great food and Ranger Dave's musical slide program on his progress on the Colorado Trail Backpack for Nature Education. Several delicious soups, salad with MPEC's special home-made dressing, breads and deserts started off an upbeat evening at MPEC. Then Dave told the story in pictures and live music of his 267 miles along the trail this summer. Check out the hike blog at http://www.rangerdavehikes.blogspot.com/ for more details on the Colorado Trail Fund-Raising Hike. Here are some photos from Saturday's program (staff and volunteers in the kitchen; cooks extraordinaire Mary Porter and Bernie Abrahams with some of the homemade breads; warming up the crowd before the program; MPEC's happy members Barbara Blake and Michael Wenzl).

The making of a labyrinth!

2010-10-28T08:58:00.013-06:00

A dedicated group of MPEC members have taken on the labor-intensive yet joyous volunteer project of building a labyrinth in an unused corner of the Horseshoe Lodge's front yard. In case you are wondering, a labyrinth has its roots in many ancient and traditional cultures, and is a maze-like path, usually circular. Unlike a maze with path options along the way, a labyrinth has only one path that leads to the center. The path of MPEC's labyrinth is being outlined with many, many rocks, and will incorporate a few of the cement posts that mark the perimeter of Pueblo Mountain Park. If you are interested in helping out with this wonderful project that will be unfolding over the next several weeks, please contact me at 485-4444. Here are a few photos from last Saturday's efforts. ~Ranger Dave

A very colorful autumn keeps hanging on!

2010-10-26T12:13:00.003-06:00

What an unusual October...last year we received 30" of snow over the month, this year we've had less than a half inch of rain, we haven't had a hard freeze yet, and it's already the 27th. It has been a wonderfully colorful season in earthy leaf tones that just keep going and going. I stepped out a little while ago to take a few photos to accompany this posting and practically stumbled over these two bucks. It is certainly cooler outside today, and tonight will likely bring our first hard freeze.

A couple of budding pond ecologists!

2010-09-30T14:35:00.005-06:00

A couple of weeks ago, the Palmer Land Trust sent a film crew (Cloud Foundation) to capture some of what MPEC does to present at the awards dinner last evening (and as soon as I can figure out how - or get someone to do it, we will post the clip here and/or at the MPEC website). The production assistant Makendra Silverman took a bunch of photos of a group of students immersed in pond study. As I looked through the photos, I was just delighted with this sequence of photos of a couple of students that do a wonderful job of capturing the enthusiasm of these 5th graders. This is what MPEC is all about, and I am thrilled to see that these programs that I started over a decade ago are still going strong in facilitating the Nature/child connection! ~Ranger Dave

MPEC receives Stewardship Award!

2010-09-30T13:37:00.007-06:00

Last evening, MPEC had the honor of being in the company of some terrific individuals and organizations in receiving a Conservation Award from the Palmer Land Trust. At a delightful presentation event held in Colorado Springs, MPEC was presented with the Stewardship Award "in recognition of exceptional environmental stewardship" for our Nature-based education programs and ecologically aware management of Pueblo Mountain Park. Other award recipients were Reeves and Betsy Brown of the the 3R Ranch in Beulah, Judy Sellers of Colorado Springs, and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, also of Colorado Springs. We are pleased that so many MPEC members, employees, board members, volunteers and supporters attended the well-attended program held at the Antlers Hotel. Pictured here: MPEC Director Dave Van Manen, founding and former Board Member Helene Van Manen, and Reeves and Betsy Brown of the 3R Ranch with the beautiful awards designed and created by Pueblo artist Jean Latka; and Palmer Executive Director Scott Campbell presenting the award to Dave. MPEC is in good company as we work hard for conservation and ecological literacy, and it feels good to be recognized for our good work!

Another delightful drum circle!

2010-09-20T08:38:00.003-06:00

A very warm and gentle evening and a rising harvest moon accompanied a dozen of us as we drummed in the change from summer to autumn at MPEC. Note that we have a Harvest Moon/Autumn Equinox Full Moon Hike scheduled for this Wednesday, the 22nd, at 7pm. Happy Fall, Ranger Dave

A lovely September sunset over Pueblo Mountain Park!

2010-09-15T20:41:00.004-06:00

It may be hot, it may be dry...but that sure was a lovely sunset out there this evening.

September arrives gracefully!

2010-09-01T15:18:00.003-06:00

There are several hints that fall is just around the corner. One is the blooming flowers in the park that say "autumn" quite loudly. August's 3.76" of moisture have many of our fall wildflowers in great shape. The acorns look to be in pretty good shape as well, meaning that our bear neighbors should have some nutritious food this fall. Photos: The yellow flower is stiff goldenrod and the light purple is smooth aster - both members of the sunflower family. In fact, most of the blooms out there are sunflower family members. Fall is a great time to get out and enjoy Nature, so I encourage you to make the time to get out!

August brings the rains!

2010-08-09T16:50:00.007-06:00

I went for an evening hike yesterday evening to enjoy being out in a rich and alive midsummer landscape, and to cut out a couple of trees that had fallen across the trails- one at the beginning of the Devil's Canyon Trail, the other a ways up the south part of the Northridge Trail. The choke cherries are enjoying a bumper year, and the golden asters clearly say that summer is slipping by, as they typically kick in past midsummer. Yes, summer is slipping by, and this awareness certainly had much to do with why I was out there. There was a thunder storm brewing as I moved further into the park's undeveloped parts, but the sky's relative brightness and the storm's position that seemed quite a ways south of the park felt like it was OK to be out. As I was finishing up on the 2nd tree (with a bow saw I had strapped to my pack), the thunder's intensity told me that it was time to head back and not continue the trial's full loop. Well, to make a long story short, that storm proved my original projection wrong, because it seemed to track right into the park - with lots of lightning . I was wet and out of breath from some quick travelling when I finally got to a safer place to wait out the storm. It didn't produce a lot of rain (o.18"), but the electricity was prolific. Speaking of rain, the park has received nearly 4 1/2 inches of rain the last 10 days (and only received a bit more than 2" in the previous 2 months), so the monsoons are in full swing.

It's hot out there!

2010-07-16T14:04:00.004-06:00

Summer is happily spreading its hot wings these days. Sitting here in my office, a slight breeze offers a bit of relief to this toasty afternoon. The outdoor thermometer reads 93F at 2pm today, not unlike many recent days and what's predicted for then next several days. This is my 35th summer as a Beulah resident, and my recollection is that the thermometer seldom climbed much above 90 in those earlier summers. Not any more! It's still usually about 10 degrees cooler than Pueblo up here in these ponderosa hills, but it's still pretty hot, for Beulah. I spent some time this morning doing just what this hot day calls for - sitting under a shady tree and listening to the birds (I was merrily enjoying this with about 15 toddlers and their folks at our Nature Toddlers group).

I am off for a few days along the CO Trail - where, hopefully it will be a bit cooler...more details at www.rangerdavehikes.blogspot.com

Stay cool,

Ranger Dave

Ranger Dave hikes the CO Trail for Nature Education!

2010-07-05T21:38:00.004-06:00

Ranger Dave has hiked 117 miles for Nature Education so far (here's one of the many great mountain scenes from along the trail). Check out Ranger Dave's CO Trail Hike blog at http://www.rangerdavehikes.blogspot.com/ and read all about about Dave's fund-raising effort for Nature Education!!!

Summer 2010 Camps at MPEC!

2010-07-05T21:13:00.001-06:00

Summer camps are going well as July kicks in. I had the pleasure of leading a K-2 Camp last week, along with Ranger Ashley Samek (and Tyler's Mom, Amy). We all had a great time hiking, playing Nature games, searching for creatures in the pond, singing lots of songs, and playing in the creek. Ah, the joys of summer camp!

Hiking the South Creek drainage!

2010-06-21T12:23:00.005-06:00

Nine MPEC hikers enjoyed a great day along the South Creek trail on Saturday as summer was about to begin. Lots of wildflowers, some great views, a cool start over at the beginning of the trail, and a warming day all made for a terrific hike. Pictured here is a happy group of hikers, a lovely shooting star flower, and the treat that Dan Clements and I had on our drive back over to the Trailhead to pick up the van that we drove over in the morning. This huge chocolate colored Ursus Americanus was in the middle of the road and ran up into the trees as we approached. I zoomed in and got a few photos - a really big bear!!! ~ Ranger Dave

MPEC is now a better neighbor to the park's bears!

2010-06-14T13:33:00.006-06:00

It is common knowledge among wildlife aficionados that wild animals, especially bears, and people's trash should not meet. It is not good for bears or people - a "trash bear" becomes less afraid of people and more likely to get into trouble (hence, "A fed bear is a dead bear"). For so many years I've been observing way too many occurrences of bears successfully getting into the park's trash cans. When MPEC took over management of the park just under 2 years ago, I said to myself that we are going to remedy this situation.

I am so pleased to say that day has arrived -- Pueblo Mountain Park is now becoming a much more bear-friendly park. Thanks to a generous grant from the Johnston Foundation, MPEC recently purchased 26 beautiful Bear Saver trash receptacles that will replace the old green trash barrels throughout the park. (Can trash receptacles really be "beautiful"? Well, the bears they are meant to protect are!) We are still in the process of installing them, but the park is well on its way to being the responsible bear neighbor that I always knew it should be. Here are a few photos - unloading them, and one installed in front of the lodge.

Devil's Canyon Trail getting better all the time!

2010-05-24T09:13:00.004-06:00

Strong winds and less volunteers than expected did not stop MPEC and the great Denver-based organization VOC (Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado) from making a significant upgrade to the Devil's Canyon Trail this past weekend. Improved creek crossings, a 900 foot new trail re-route that brings the trail out of the rough, rocky and sometimes water-filled drainage into a lovely sun-dappled forest above the drainage, and closing off the old section of trail made for a busy weekend in Pueblo Mountain Park. The outcome is a wonderful improvement to the park's system of trails. While the adults were putting their sweat and muscle into the trails project, MPEC educators facilitated a "Young Stewards" camp for the youngsters. (Photos: VOC volunteer Glenn Ward instructing volunteers; moving a large rock into the creek bed; a happy volunteer digging new trail tread; where that large rock wound up as part of a new creek crossing.)

Colorado Trail here I come...

2010-05-07T21:04:00.003-06:00

In the morning I begin my Colorado Trail fund-raising hike for Nature Education...learn more about it at www.rangerdavehikes.blogspot.com.

Ranger Dave

Spring is exploding in Beulah!

2010-05-05T09:20:00.006-06:00

MPEC Board Member Mary Twinem, who lives across the Beulah Valley, emailed this morning that she was listening to the song of the black-headed grosbeak in the soft morning light. The black-headed grosbeak is an attractive migrant that has apparently just returned from its winter grounds south of the border. Its song is one of my favorites, long, sweet and very melodious. The last few May mornings have been magical - plants are greening, trees are beginning to bring forth their leaves, and birds are busy with breeding behaviours: pairing up, claiming or guarding territories through song, nest building, and bringing the sounds of spring to the days. Wildflowers coming into bloom include Nelson larkspur, creeping holly grape (mahonia), and I've been seeing lots of mountain candytuft. May is a lovely month in Pueblo Mountain Park and a great time to pay the park a visit.

A delightful spring afternoon hike!

2010-04-26T13:55:00.005-06:00

The temps were not that warm, it was kind of breezy, but yesterday's afternoon solo hike in Pueblo Mountain Park was still a delight to all of me. I first hiked to Devil's Canyon to see some major spring runoff. The video of "Devil's Dribble" (the name of the occasional creek that runs through the drainage) shows the waterfall at about as full as it ever gets (not counting floods from major storms). I then headed up the Northridge Trail. Blooming flowers I spotted along the trail included mountain bladderpod (pictured here), kinnikinnick (with more blossoms than I can ever recall seeing), spring beauty, golden smoke, and mountain candytuft. I sat up at the top of the canyon for about an hour and watched turkey vultures floating by, enjoyed a strengthening sun, and spotted (I heard it first) a yellow-rumped warbler, a migrant that just arrived from wherever it spent the winter.

We have a trails weekend scheduled for May 22/23 where we plan on doing some more work to the Devil's Canyon Trail. It's a great way to spend a day or a weekend, and it is being led by the wonderful folks at Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. Please sign up at www.voc.org - find your way to the Mountain Park Environmental Center project.

Happy trails, Ranger Dave

South Creek is running heavy through the park!

2010-04-20T08:11:00.004-06:00

I took this short clip of the creek, just above where it feeds into the park's pond, running heavy with snowmelt as spring grabs hold of the land. The pond is as full as it gets with the spillway roaring with overflow. Even when up on the Mace Trail, you can hear the roar of the creek - for a little while, anyway, it's trying to be a small river.

Busy day at MPEC!

2010-04-15T15:29:00.004-06:00

Pictured here is Maya Avina taking advantage of the warmer days to set the beautiful tiles on the new benches around the lodge's fire circle. Maya and several local artists created lovely Nature-themed tiles to decorate the stone pillars...come up and see for yourself just how beautiful these are. And here are a few of the 70 or so Earth Studies students (from Corwin and South Park Schools in Pueblo) finishing up a day of basic ornithology lessons (birding) with the necessary assessments that we do to quantify the impact of our programs on academics. We are pleased that this school year, students are performing an average of 48 percentage points higher on post-tests than they did on the pre-tests they took a few weeks earlier. And, I am also pleased to say that it sure feels and looks much more like spring in the park today - that is, spring minus the wind. We have a wildflower hike scheduled for Sunday the 18th at 10am, and a Lodge Open House set for Sunday between 2 and 4pm. Please join us for one or both of these. Happy trails, Dave

The wind howled through Beulah today!

2010-04-05T16:25:00.004-06:00

It certainly wasn't a still night last night, but as the morning grew older, the wind really picked up. Trees came down, being out was no fun, and the pond - well, its winter ice is now history. The wind began to calm as the afternoon wore on - it's still breezy out there, but not at all like it was mid-day, when it was really howling. I took these photos around 4:30pm today, so April 5 goes down as the day the winter ice was fully gone from the pond.

Easter brings the first pasqueflower after all!

2010-04-04T18:26:00.003-06:00

After writing in this morning's blog of my unsuccessful search for a blooming pasqueflower, I walked up the steps from my house (just across the road from the park), and there in the sunny grass was this lovely "Easter"flower. So, the park's should be popping out any day now. Happy spring!

"April, come she will...

2010-04-04T11:28:00.004-06:00

...when streams are ripe and swelled with rain" (or, snowmelt). The pond is now about 85% ice- free. The photos show the pond at around 11am today. A morning walk along the park's upper road revealed plenty of blooming spring beauties. I searched for but did not find any pasqueflowers (pasque means Easter in Latin, but the snowy March has many wildflowers, including pasqueflowers, moving slow). Mountain bladderpods are leafed out and are probably not too far from showing their little 4-petaled yellow flowers, and several others shouldn't be too long now either.

The wind continues...

2010-04-03T13:21:00.004-06:00

...as the ice diminishes. The large section of ice remaining in the pond used to be up against the left or far shore, but has taken to being somewhat mobile in its final stage. It is now lying across the shorter width of the pond as the sun and wind continue to do their slow but relentless work on it. Another day or two and I believe the pond will have fully shed its winter garb.

The melting continues...

2010-04-02T16:15:00.004-06:00

... as fickle April weather arrives - a cold day of sun, clouds, snow flurries, and lots of wind. These photos were taken this morning - some of the open water had a thin layer of ice after a chilly night. The remaining large sections of ice are moving around as they continue to melt.

April 1 at the pond!

2010-04-01T11:53:00.004-06:00

My granddaughter Scarlett helped me survey the melting of the pond ice this morning on a warm and breezy first day of April. I'd say the pond is about 60% ice free as of around 10am today.

The Pond on March 31!

2010-03-31T12:59:00.002-06:00

The melting continues...encouraged by a very warm and windy night, followed by a mild last day of March!

Spring is in the air - and the pond!

2010-03-30T16:01:00.004-06:00

Last year, the park pond's winter ice was officially broken up on March 10. Since 1999, the official ice free date ranged between March 10 and March 30. Yesterday (the 29th), it was still essentially all frozen at around 9am. These photos were taken today around 1pm, showing that the ice is breaking up, but still has a ways to go. I suspect it will take a few days before it is fully ice free, making 2010 a late year for the pond winter ice to disappear. Come on up and see for yourself - the roads are still muddy, but these warm days have the melt in full swing! By the way, unless we receive snow tomorrow, March will go into the books with 59.5" of snow, bringing the season total to 150" (35" more than average). And April's potential snow still lurks - so mud season may continue for awhile longer this year. Come on wildflowers!

An Afternoon Hike to a Favorite Place in the Park!

2010-03-15T21:09:00.004-06:00

After a morning of tasks, I borrowed a camera from Helene (since mine died) and hit the sloppy wet Tower Trail to witness for myself the emerging spring. A tug of war between the sun and clouds saw the clouds losing their hold on the sky as I sat and journaled at a cluster of exposed granite along the trail. I took this photo of my hiking companions under a fair sky amidst quickly melting snow at a place I call Lower Tranquility Rock, a place I have sat countless times -- to contemplate life, work out problems, watch the world go by, sing to hikers on full moon hikes, journal with students, watch birds...a favorite and special place in the park.

2010-03-15T10:10:00.004-06:00

The meteorologist-wannabe in me is enjoying the weather lately. We are certainly in a storm pattern...the last 3 weeks have brought just over 46" of new snow, containing over 4" of moisture. Along with the warmer temps, it is no wonder that the park roads, which have received band aids at best for a long time and are in need of significant improvements, are a mess. Several sections need some re-engineering, most need to be re-shaped, and then lots and lots of road-base, and all of this is much more expensive than our current revenues can handle - although we are scheming on what our next step should be for a real solution. To reduce additional damage (and folks getting their vehicles stuck), we have temporarily closed them until they dry out a bit. You can still get to the main parking area by the Horseshoe Lodge to access the park for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and to experience the emerging spring which is picking up speed each day. The birds have been especially vocal these days - ravens are pairing up, flickers are making a racket with their drumming and loud calls, and chickadees are singing. And all of this snow (we are right at 115" for the season so far, which is an average winter snowfall, and we still have several more weeks of potential snow) should make for a terrific wildflower show this year.

Late Winter / Early Spring!

2010-03-09T09:16:00.002-07:00

I used to play, and still do sometimes, this lovely guitar instrumental by John Denver called Late Winter / Early Spring. I ought to get my guitar out and play it, because Pueblo Mountain Park is most certainly experiencing the weather typical of this time of year, as winter begins to lose its hold on the land. Not that snow is not a part of that typical weather - in fact, wet, heavy snows, or what are often called spring snows, are the norm around here these days. We just reached the 97" mark for the winter for snow totals so far, and I am confident we will be getting more - soon, I believe. All the moisture in these wet snows has another sure sign of late winter / early spring in plentiful supply in the park - mud! My camera decided it doesn't like all this mud, or something, because it refuses to work - so, no photos in this blog. In spite of the mud, it's quite lovely out there as the days warm. Come up and see us, take a hike, enjoy the signs of spring - just where your mud shoes! Happy trails, Dave

Winter Continues to Unfold!

2010-02-22T15:40:00.003-07:00

This past weekend's 11" of snow brings February's snowfall to 17" and the winter total to 79" - so far. Last winter's total was only 4.5" more for the entire winter (83.5") than where we are at right now, and we still have our statistically snowiest month of March ahead. It's looking better that we'll get closer to an average 115", but, as we all know, anything is possible when it comes to the weather. Here's what the landscape looked like on my walk to the office this morning!

A Frosty Day at the Mountain Park!

2010-02-20T21:24:00.004-07:00

A foggy, frosty day greeted last evening's 3" of new snow that fell on Pueblo Mountain Park. I was fascinated by how the temps in the twenties and fog combined to dress everything in icy crystals that looked like white spiky thorns. Here are a few of the photos I took on a delightful afternoon hike along the Mace Trail.

A Bit More Snow!

2010-02-09T09:45:00.007-07:00

We were hoping for more, but we'll take whatever we get. This last storm brought only 4.3" of snow. Added to January's meager 3.8", December's 16.3", November's 11.8" and October's generous 30. 3", we are up to 66.8" for the season. Another 50" will bring us to an average winter's snowfall. Here are a few photos I took this morning of the lovely winter wonderland that Pueblo Mountain Park is right now. Lots of fox tracks, with a set walking across the very frozen pond - and people tracks along a trail. By the way, a blooming spring beauty was found on Feb 2, so the tug of war between winter and spring is officially underway.

As January Ends at Pueblo Mountain Park!

2010-01-30T13:36:00.004-07:00

It's the middle of winter, and right on schedule, Claytonia rosea is not too far away from presenting its first blooms. Underneath a clump of naked Gambel oak along the Tower Trail, I've been watching several plants of spring beauty the last couple of weeks - I've found leaves but no buds or blossoms (I have found spring beauty blooming as early as January 18 a few years ago). This morning, I took this photo - conditions allowing, it won't be too long to this year's first blooming wildflower in the park, a sure sign that winter will not last forever. Speaking of winter, the prolific snows of the early part of winter have given way to several dry weeks. January's sparse 4" of new snow was a big shift compared to the nearly 60" we received through the end of December. But, there's still plenty of winter left.

Art meets Fire Circle at MPEC!

2010-01-11T11:23:00.004-07:00

Maya Avina and several local artists and art students from CSU-Pueblo teamed up to make a beautiful series of Nature tiles. These tiles will soon adorn the rock work at MPEC's new fire circle benches in front of Horseshoe Lodge. This past Friday, Maya delivered the tiles...here are photos of some of them. As soon as we get a stretch of milder weather and schedules allow, we will get these added to the circle benches.

Students Return to MPEC's Outdoor Classroom!

2010-01-05T14:26:00.007-07:00

Today MPEC resumed the Earth Studies program when our 2 buses with about 70 5th graders from Hellbeck and Morton Elementary Schools arrived at the park. Today's lesson included basic orienteering, where students learn about using a compass, and then navigate their way through one of several courses we have set up in the park. The photo with the card illustrates one of the activities they do as they reach a point along the course, in this case reinforcing the tree identification lesson from the fall. It feels so good to see and hear these young people happily and actively learning while spending the day out in Nature and these big beautiful ponderosa pines.

MPEC drums in the Winter Solstice!

2009-12-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

About 30 of us acknowledged the "return of the light" drumming around a warm fire in front of MPEC's Horseshoe Lodge as daylight began to slip away on Sunday evening. Winter solstice, the day of the year with the least amount of daylight and the most amount of darkness, marks the lengthening of each day as the sun begins climbing in the southern sky.

MPEC's Winter Wonderland

2009-12-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

Winter has arrived with gusto to Pueblo Mountain Park (and lots of other places, so I've heard). The last few days' snow, not to mention the 14 below temps the other night, say that autumn is now just a memory. Snow total for this season is 55" so far, the snowiest start to winter the park has seen in several years. I took this photo this morning: sun not yet shining on the landscape, temp at 2 below, looking out over the park and mountainous backdrop from my property just east and up the hill from the park.

Happy winter, Ranger Dave

It's been snowing!

2009-11-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Winter snowfall is off to a good start so far...October saw around 30", and this past Sunday's 12" brings the total past 40". And to think, the entire 2002 winter saw only about 48" of snow...yes, that was a dry year! Average for the park for an entire winter is around 115", so here we go. The pond was trying to put on its winter ice several weeks ago, but a warm early November kept the ice at bay. The cold temps that followed the last storm just may have the pond "officially" frozen for the year...I'll keep watching. Here's what the pond looked like this morning, plus a yucca in the snow.

Horseshoe Lodge hosts first overnight retreat!

2009-11-03T13:37:00.001-07:00

After months and months of so many details and so much work creating MPEC's new Retreat Center at Horseshoe Lodge, we got to do a hands-on test of the new facility. I am so pleased to say that it went really well...comments from 13 women who travelled from many places, including North Carolina, Florida, California, British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario were very positive and confirmed what we already believed...MPEC has built a beautiful facility that has taken the 1930s work of the New Deal Era workers who built the Lodge and made it into a lovely facility that will be a lovely place to retreat to Nature for many many years.

Upon returning home to Wisconsin, Lee Miller put at her blog, "What did I experience? No hub-bub. Beauty everywhere. Clean air. Brilliant stars at night. Pine trees that tower high into the sky. Animal tracks. Hiking trails. Ponds and bubbling brooks. Beautiful snow. Sunshine. And the lodge - full of cozy comfort. It was majestic, just majestic."

Jo Hatcher said, "Wow. What an honor to be the first person to sleep in the beautiful Hideaway Room. The bear decor in the room kept me company and I felt peaceful and relaxed. Seeing the snow right outside the windows was like magic, an elixir that I needed for my tired and weary self. It was simply a treasure to be in this cozy room. Knowing that it had been decorated by loving hands from a special community of people was sacred to me."

It's been a long time since I blogged...

2009-10-28T15:58:00.000-06:00

...to say we've been busy is an understatement. The last couple of months have been so full at MPEC, dominated by gearing up for and starting the 2009/2010 Earth Studies program for all Pueblo City Schools 5th graders, and completing Phase 2 of the Horseshoe Lodge.

Painting, furniture, kitchen needs, and creating the many systems to support our new overnight facilities are why I haven't blogged. I am very happy to write that the west wing's 11 overnight rooms plus 8 restrooms plus a couple of breakout rooms plus the fully upgraded kitchen plus the beautiful dining area all look great. Many generous volunteers and donors stepped forward to bring this home stretch part of Phase 2 to completion. We just put it all to the test with a 5-day retreat rental this past weekend, when 13 women from around the US and Canada arrived for a retreat-coach training. All in all, the Lodge and our systems performed very well - the rooms were warm and the showers were hot (thanks to our biomass heating system), the food was great, and all had a great time. We still have a few kinks to work out, but Phase 2 of the Lodge is essentially complete, save for a few projects currently in the works.

Simultaneous with all of this has been a great start to our Earth Studies program...nearly every week day since the last week of August, 60 - 75 students are in the park for hands-on environmental education. New this year, all students from the Beulah School are participating in Earth Studies as well (we modified the curriculum to accommodate all K-8 students).

The park itself has seen October bring quite a bit of snow. This morning's 1.8" brought the total snowfall for the month to almost 19", and it's been snowing all day, with projections for snow through tonight and into tomorrow. October 2009 snowfall looks like it will top 24", which is more snow than October has seen in many years. This may be a great year or snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the park.

I hope to blog a bunch more in the coming weeks, sharing photos of the recent weeks of programs and lodge efforts...the rooms have turned out beautiful, and we'll soon be ready to take rentals. And blogs on the park's natural areas, as this fall morphs into winter (which seems to be happening early this year). Happy (snowy) trails, Dave

It's a Colorful Painting Festival at the Horseshoe Lodge

2009-08-16T13:02:00.000-06:00

We've just completed 9 days of painting fun with volunteers coming from all over to help us paint the 21 rooms and 340 feet of hallway : one coat of primer and one and two coats in some rooms. YES..IT'S HUGE AND PAINT IS FLYING EVERYWHERE.

Plus on Saturday local artists came to create murals and others special art pieces to grace some of the rooms. This is going to make the Retreat Center at MPEC the place to come for rest, learning, and inspiration. Here are some of the views of the past few days.

The hallway was killer...and took primer plus paint by the 5 gallon bucket.
Here is our weekend Park Caretaker Beth Walsh donating time to help with the task.

It got fun when the Artists arrived to get creative. Pictured above is two of them in the Celestial Seasons room that will inspire it's guests to contemplate the night sky.

Butterflies are important ways to learn about Nature and are something we teach about at MPEC. What a better way to help people see some of the local species than to create a Butterfly Bath for moments of contemplation at the end of a long hiking day?

Even some of the much neglected historic picnic tables cried out for sanding and paint renewal and our volunteers popped to it and responded with gusto.

AND NEXT? the 25 new doors arrived and Tuesday, August 18 the staining and polyurethaning of all of them will begin. stop in for an hour before your hike if you can...every hour could help make a huge difference with these doors

MPEC's Summer Busier Than Ever!

2009-07-29T11:35:00.000-06:00

So much is happening at MPEC these days (except lots of blogging, apparently). A sampling: we are facilitating our final 2 camps this week; the overnight rooms in the west wing are nearly ready to paint; July's rain continues a nice wet summer; and our Yoga in Nature Hike went very well this past Saturday. And so many other programs have taken place, including Nature Toddlers, Sketching in Nature Workshop, and Family Nature Gathering. MPEC continues to be busy busy busy providing opportunities for people to learn about and connect with Nature.

MPEC Drums in the Summer!

2009-06-26T15:33:00.000-06:00

A cool wet day turned into a gorgeous solstice evening at Pueblo Mountain Park. The fair skies brought many folks, youngsters through not-so-youngsters to our summer solstice drum circle. Rhythms, dancing, singing, and hoola-hooping were some of the ways 50 or so folks welcomed summer.

Volunteers Transform Devil's Canyon Trail!!!

2009-06-01T21:52:00.000-06:00

On May 30 and 31, over 100 volunteers came to Pueblo Mountain Park to work...and work they did. Guided by the terrific Denver-based group, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC), these volunteers transformed the tired and badly-eroded first few hundred yards of the Devil's Canyon Trail into a beautiful, welcoming trail. After improving the muddy first couple of hundred feet, crews closed off the old trail and constructed a few hundred yards of brand new trail, built right into the steep slope of Douglas and white fir. The result is a trail we all are very proud of. Pictured here are crews getting ready on Saturday morning in front of the Lodge; getting down and dirty on the trail; MPEC's Ranger John Oates teaching a game to the project's Young Stewards (lots of families came out for the weekend - parents worked on the trails while the youngsters learned about Nature and did their own service project in the park); and the finished trail! Please come up and hike the new trail for yourself!!!

Spring Arrives!

2009-05-13T09:33:00.000-06:00

If you love spring, it's hard not to love these splendid May days in Pueblo Mountain Park. Wildflowers are kicking in a bit later than usual, but the last half of May looks like it should be terrific for seeing lots of different species in bloom. Pictured here is Larkspur Violet, fairly widespread in sunny grassy areas among ponderosa pines, but actually quite rare outside of the park. The snag (standing dead tree) sports several cavities (created by woodpeckers over the last few years) and a violet-green swallow on one of the branches. As I was taking this photo, several swallows were swooping around the tree, and a couple of pygmy nuthatches were noisily checking out one of the cavities as a nest site. The green landscape, wildflowers, birds in breeding mode all say spring - what a joy is spring!

MPEC's Biomass Boilers are burning!

2009-04-15T10:25:00.001-06:00

Our new biomass boilers are being put into operation this week. Here are some photos of MPEC Maintenance Supervisor Rick Langdon and Director Dave Van Manen firing up one of the two GARN 2000 boilers that we installed this winter. Each boiler is surrounded by 2000 gallons of water that is heated by burning wood. The heat is transferred into the Lodge's hot water heating system as well as into the domestic hot water tanks. The wood comes from thinning our very overgrown forests. Ponderosa pine forests, prior to being managed to eliminate all fires, used to burn every 10 - 15 years (usually started by lightning). These fires kept the forest much less dense than it is today; less fuel usually kept the "cool" fire on the ground (ponderosa pine trees have thick bark and can handle being scorched and still survive), resulting in an open forest with a grassy understory. A century of fire suppression has created dense overcrowded forests that are much more prone to catastrophic wildfires. By removing some of the trees, we are creating a healthier and safer forest, plus fuel for heating the Lodge (reducing our propane consumption to almost nothing). A win win for all!

Spring Wildflowers!

2009-04-08T18:34:00.000-06:00

I took a hike on yesterday's lovely afternoon and was happy to find several blooming wildflowers along the trail. Since February's first spring beauties, the dryness had kept many other species from blooming. But the recent moisture has brought many plants to bloom. Here are three species I saw along the Tower and Mace Trails: mountain bladderpod (the yellow flower), kinnikinnick (white and pink), and Pasque flower (lavender). Bladderpod is a mustard that can bloom as early as mid March. Kinnikinnick flowers become red berries that are a favorite food of bears (it is also called bearberry). And "Pasque" means Easter in Latin - true to its name, it is in bloom as Easter approaches. Happy Spring!

Spring snow at Horseshoe Lodge!

2009-04-03T16:18:00.000-06:00

Here's a couple of photos taken Thursday morning, April 2, on my morning walk to the office (after 3" of now fell the evening before...a lovely early spring morning - early spring in this part of the world usually means snow), including the morning sun over a snowy Horseshoe Lodge. When I think of my many years of commuting to Pueblo, or getting to various places around the country for work as a musician, or my subway or bus commutes to Brooklyn Tech High School, Hunter College, and A & R Recording Studio in New York, I must say, my five minute walking commute to the office is a real treat!

As March Becomes April at MPEC!

2009-04-03T15:53:00.000-06:00

It has been quite a week here at MPEC...along with our Earth Studies program getting back in gear with CSAC testing and spring break behind us, Phase 2 of the Lodge Project has begun. And, Phase 1B (Biomass Boiler Project) is about complete...we still have to pour some cement around the new building, but the boilers are in and this coming Monday (April 6), we plan do do the first firing of the boilers. Here are photos taken around MPEC and Pueblo Mountain Park this past week (spring snow, west wing framing, biomass boilers).

FINALLY, SOME SNOW!

2009-03-27T18:54:00.000-06:00

I am happy to say that the winter storm that just moved through Colorado dropped 14" of snow on the Mountain Park. We're still way below an average year on our snowfall totals, but the snow's 1.26" of moisture should do wonders for greening up the landscape as the new spring unfolds.

Pond is Ice-Free!

2009-03-11T10:40:00.000-06:00

The pond in the Mountain Park is officially free of its winter ice on March 10 of this year. Looking back over my records, this is over 2 weeks earlier than usual. Last year the ice free date was March 29, which is more typical, as it is usually the last few days of March when the pond's winter ice disappears. A dry winter so far, and an early thaw for winter 2009. Might we have a wet spring?

Busy times at MPEC!

2009-03-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

The last month has been full of many projects and activities at MPEC. One thing we haven't been doing is shoveling or plowing snow - less than 3" of snow fell in the park in February. We are all hoping that March delivers lots of wet snow, although the first few days of March have been so warm with lots of wind. Our fingers are crossed. Here's a picture of the park's "ready-for-lots-of-snow" landscape!

Along with lots of Earth Studies sessions (we're teaching the basics of birding this session), Thursday evening yoga, guided hikes and other programs, we've been working on our Interpretive Center. We've been building display booths and getting displays put together. Here is our bird display coming together. There are feeders outside the windows for up close viewing, which the birds have happily found.

I am most pleased to report that we have successfully raised the funds for Phase 2 of the Lodge Project. So, as the biomass boiler project progresses towards completion (I cautiously project that we'll be heating the lodge with our new biomass boilers by the end of March), we will begin construction on the west wing in just a couple of weeks. By this fall, the west wing's overnight rooms should be up and running, along with our kitchen and dining area. We are beginning to look at planning some multi-day programs for the fall, and, if you have an event (e.g. family reunion, business or other retreat, etc.), please give us a call if you'd like to schedule a rental. This photo of the west wing is one of the "before" photos, and I look forward to sharing the "after" photos in the not-too-distant future.

Biomass boiler building coming right along!

2009-02-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Wildflowers already!

2009-02-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Today's warm afternoon sun beckoned me to head up the Tower Trail, with a particular destination in mind. About this time every year, a few Claytonia rosea (spring beauty) plants decide that spring is too far away to wait, so they decide to bloom right in the middle of winter. I checked a week ago, and found some C. rosea leaves, nothing more. The last few days of very warm weather had me thinking the time may have arrived, and sure enough, there were 2 little flowers, smiling like it's the middle of May. We certainly need lots more winter (snow) so the spring offers a wide variety of flowery blooms, but seeing these little plants in bloom serve as a reminder that the planet is steadily marching towards the spring equinox and beyond.

Come on, snow!!!

2009-01-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Some parts of Colorado sound like they are getting some decent snow, but, sad to say, Pueblo Mountain Park and vicinity have seen a pretty dry winter so far. The reports say that tomorrow, January's last day, will be a warm, dry day, which means that January's snow total will be 19.8". Add that to December's 17.6", November's and October's combined (and measly) 5.5", and Winter 2009 through January is only 42.9" of snow. For comparison, through January of last winter (which ultimately ended up at 130" for the entire winter, a bit above the park's average winter snowfall of 115"), we had received 63" of snow. Of course, this can all be turned around by a big snow or two, or a snowy March (often our snowiest), so it's way too early to say just what Winter 2009 will go into the record books as. But, we'd like to snowshoe and x-country ski a lot more this winter, and have less worries about water and fire this summer, so, come on snow! (Pictured is the park's official NOAA precipitation measuring station, showing a quickly diminishing snow cover.)

Biomass boilers arrive at MPEC!

2009-01-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

MPEC is one step closer to heating the Horseshoe Lodge not by burning a fossil fuel, but by burning biomass, in the form of wood collected through forest-thinning fire mitigation efforts in Pueblo Mountain Park. Ponderosa pine forests were significantly less dense in pre-settlement days, kept that way through frequent low-intensity fires, usually started by lightning. Decades of fire suppression have resulted in unnaturally dense conditions more prone to catastrophic wildfire. Carefully thinning the park's forests will result in a healthier ponderosa pine forest ecosystem, less chance of a destructive wildfire, and fuel to heat the Horseshoe Lodge. Here are photos of the delivery of our 2 GARN 2000 boilers. We hope to have these in operation soon. Many thanks to the Governor's Energy Office, the SEP grant program, the Stepp Foundation, the Frank Lamb Foundation, and all the individual donors for supporting this worthy "green" project. Keep visiting MPEC's blog for more updates on this and other MPEC projects and programs.

Come on in, the snow is fine!!!

2009-01-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

The first weekend of 2009 brought 9 inches of powdery white, making for a lovely landscape and some wonderful snowshoeing and x-country skiing. Here are some photos of Sunday January 4 in the winter wonderland of Pueblo Mountain Park.

MPEC's Biomass Boiler Project!

2008-12-24T12:05:00.000-07:00

A break in the weather allowed for the pouring of the foundation of our Biomass Boiler Building on this Christmas Eve. We project that before winter is over, we will be heating Horseshoe Lodge utilizing our new Biomass Heating System. We already have a hot water system installed in the Lodge, currently buring propane as fuel. The biomass system will utilize 2 GARN 2000 boilers that burn wood (which will initially come from fire mitigation and other forest cleanup efforts in the park) to heat the water that heats the lodge (as well as domestic hot water needs). We calculate that this will save us nearly 70% of the cost of burning propane for our heat. And, it is much more environmentally friendly, burning a renewal fuel instead of a fossil fuel. According to the forestry and energy scientists, "utilization of woody biomass for bioenergy can help mitigate greenhouse gases, contribute to the development of healthier forests, bolster rural economies, and reduce our nation’s dependency on foreign oil." A win-win for all of us!

Winter at MPEC!

2008-12-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

MPEC held its first Winter Festivity Day on Saturday, Dec 21, a very cold Winter Solstice Day. Santa, some fun games, and s'mores around the fire were a part of this next to last MPEC program of 2008 (we had a Solstice Drum Circle later that same afternoon). What a year it has been for MPEC - we started and completed Phase 1 of the Horseshoe Lodge Project while facilitating a record 322 program sessions for 7971 participants. Happy Holidays from all of us at MPEC!

Out in the Snow!!!

2008-12-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

With the recent snows, MPEC's Earth Studies students have been experiencing our outdoor classroom decorated in its winter garb. This month we've been working on using a compass, so students got to find their way around with snowshoes strapped to their feet (a first for essentially every one of them). Winter has finally arrived, and one thing MPEC does with it is teach that it is perfectly OK to be outside when it is cold or snowy (a real eye-opener for many more of our students than you'd think). We teach them that as long as they are properly prepared with the right gear (we're using lots of our donated hats and gloves lately), being outside in winter can be wonderful! Here are a few photos tken over the past few days here at MPEC!

First Real Snow of the Season!!!

2008-12-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Dec 8 & 9 brought 14" (with nearly 1.5" of moisture) to Pueblo Mountain Park. Come on up, it's a winter wonderland!

Colder nights evident with pond ice!

2008-11-12T14:15:00.000-07:00

As a closet phenologist, I like to keep track of when certain natural events take place, especially as they relate to the changing seasons. In spite of a mild fall, the shortening of the days and the chilly and longer nights are making their mark on the landscape. This morning, I took a "scenic" route to the office, and noticed ice on the pond. It certainly isn't solid, and the ice will probably disappear during this relatively warm day. But the earth is definitely tilting our little part of it further away from the sun, and the ice on the pond will eventually become solid. Last year, the pond was "officially" in its winter ice garb on November 24 (and became officially ice- free on March 29 of this year).

Horseshoe Lodge opens in a grand fashion!

2008-10-20T14:04:00.000-06:00

A gentle warm mid-autumn day was the backdrop for MPEC's celebration of completion of the first phase of the Horseshoe Lodge Project. An estimated 300 people showed up to celebrate, enjoy some delicious goodies, tour the Lodge, and learn a bit about what comes next for MPEC at Horseshoe Lodge. Words of wisdom, story and insight were shared by Pueblo City Councilman Randy Thurston, MPEC Board Member Anne Warren and her son, MPEC camper Zach Warren, camper Jackson Reed, founding MPEC Board Member Tim Sandsmark (now Director of Lookout Mountain Nature Center in Jefferson County), Pueblo County Commissioner Jeff Chostner, and MPEC Founder and Director Dave Van Manen. A surprise visit by Dudley McFarland, a CCC worker who worked in Pueblo Mountain Park in 1935 (he's now 95) and a donation by the National Automobile Sales Association presented by Barbara and Bill Vidmar added to the day's delight. A few youngsters from our Nature Toddlers group cut the ribbon that officially opened the Horseshoe Lodge as MPEC's new home. The day was both a celebration of the completion of Phase 1 and a kick-off of fund-raising for the remaining phases of the exciting Horseshoe Lodge Project - which we already have quite a bit of the necessary funds to get Phase 2 - the overnight rooms in the west wing - started and completed! Click the ribbon-cutting photo on the right to see lots of Grand Opening photos.

2008-10-13T09:37:00.000-06:00

Many people remember the old dining hall of the Horseshoe Lodge as this big dark dungeon of a place. We can't wait for you to see the transformation of this space which will become the gathering spot for many children and adults in the near future... a place for eating delicious healthy meals after a day of hiking and learning. With the help of Pueblo Artist Jean Latka (and many hours of framing interior walls, insulating for warmth, dropping the ceiling and cleaning like mad) the Dining Hall has amazing paint and is sparking. Dave and Jean created animal track templates and will make the downstairs of Horseshoe Lodge another inspired place for learning.

October color in Pueblo Mountain Park!

2008-10-01T16:04:00.000-06:00

October arrives with lots of color - from many flowers still in bloom and leaves as colorful as flowers in their autumn look. I finally have another camera (thank you, Helene) and have stolen a few moments to try it out. Here is some of what Pueblo Mountain Park has to offer these soft autumn days: Lots of members of the Sunflower Family, and, yes, that is poison ivy (the Sumac Family). The deer are very plentiful - I saw this one walking home from the office yesterday evening around 6pm right at the entrance to the park.

Autumn Equinox Fire Drum Circle at Horseshoe Lodge

2008-09-24T10:47:00.000-06:00

In seed time learn
in harvest teach
in winter enjoy.
-William Blake

2008-08-20T13:15:00.000-06:00

Painting Volunteers Make A Huge Difference

2008-07-30T22:42:00.000-06:00