Building Bridges - Literally and Figuratively

Guest blog post from Riley Tippet, Owner Aspen Ski Butlers

"Power of Team" was the theme for Ski Butler's Annual Meetings this year, and in no place was this more evident than our time spent volunteering with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies crew to install the winter bridges at Ashcroft.

It was the last day of our Meetings; an annual congregation of Ski Butlers to talk about the upcoming season, have fun and just be together.  Every year we try to incorporate a half day of community involvement, in honor of Ski Butlers' Core Value #7: make a difference in the community.  This is something we truly care about, and not only is it always an amazing experience, it's just plain fun.

A month or so prior to our meetings I contacted ACES' Community Outreach Director, Olivia, to see if they had a project we could help out with, and boy did they!  Helping out a great organization, with awesome people, in one of the most gorgeous places in the valley, while exerting ourselves physically, equaled a great afternoon.

We met ACES staffers Adam and Howie and their crew in the Ashcroft ghost town parking lot, made our introductions, split into two groups and headed out to build our bridges.  As we strolled through the old ghost town Howie gave us the run-down of Ashcroft's rise and fall. For better or worse, I'm sure the one fact every single person there can recall is that at one point Ashcroft had 14-20 saloons! This was hard to imagine as we walked around the few remaining buildings, but nonetheless this outlandish fact made everyone a bit thirsty.  As we approached the river and saw the crossing we saw the three gigantic, let's call them "trees," that needed to be put in as the bridge base.  By roping, pulling, dragging, lifting, grunting, and pushing we got all three in place, positioned the top planks and got our hammering on.  You couldn't help but feel as if the "the bridge went out and they can't get the medicine to town" and we were the crew sent up the pass to reinstate the route.  You know, "old timey" stuff; we were in a ghost town after all.

It was so great to jump into a large project with a group that had just met each other, move quickly and efficiently and, most of all, have fun doing it!  Once we had completed the work we collected our tools, took the obligatory "We did it!" photos and headed back to the parking lot to meet up with the other group and see how their bridge came out.  Thank you again ACES for showing us a great afternoon, getting us wet and dirty, and exemplifying the #PowerOfTeam.

So this winter, when you are snowshoeing up in Ashcroft, enjoying the splendor that is all around you and you come to a river crossing remember this: we deliver skis, we are not carpenters, cross at your own risk!

“To know the dark, go dark.  Go without sight and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings, and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.” Wendell Berry


We are getting to know the dark this winter at Rock Bottom Ranch.  Every new moon, the darkest time of the month, a ranch naturalist will host Winter Star Gazing, a chance to get acquainted with the night sky. Take advantage of the opportunity for the clearest star gazing of the month and get to know the beauty of the ranch at night. We’ll hone our night vision, learn stories of the winter constellations, and become inspired by the same stars that have guided civilizations for thousands of years
 
On Tuesday, December 11 at 7pm, we’ll learn the stories behind Orion, one of the most familiar winter constellations.  Cultures throughout the world have told stories about the famed hunter who, according to the dozens of myths and legends, lived a full and exciting life!  Come learn about how Orion was stung by a scorpion, shot by an arrow, and banished to the stars for pursuing the Pleiades, or Seven Sisters.    

Winter Star Gazing will also be offered on January 15, February 12, and March 12.  Programs begin at 7 pm and run for one hour.  Hot drinks and snacks provided.  Suggested donation is $10/family.  Call Rock Bottom Ranch at (970) 927-6760 with questions and for more information. 
Please RSVP at www.aspennature.org

~ Erin Griffin

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding

A couple of weeks ago I was able to experience a saw-whet owl banding project near Rifle, Colorado with Kim Potter, a wildlife technician with the US Forest Service and a licensed owl bander. Kim has been banding owls near Rifle for many years, and over a couple of nights throughout the fall Kim invites the public to come watch the banding.

When I arrived to the site, I noticed a small crowd gathered around a bonfire, with the red lights on their headlamps turned on. As I walked closer, I realized that Kim was holding a Northern Saw-whet Owl in her hand! She had caught this owl in a mist net by playing a recording of the species' call to attract it. After carefully removing the owl from the net, she outfitted it with a unique aluminum band on its leg, which identifies the individual. Kim recorded information such as age, sex, weight, and wing and tail length. After gathering the information Kim then released the owl back into the night by perching it on a tree branch. That was the only owl that was caught that evening (Kim suspects that the full moon made it easy for the owls to see the mist nets), but I was able to help out on a net run, checking for caught owls, and take down the nets at the end of the night. 

Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus) are one of the smallest northern owls (about the size of one’s fist) and are found in the western portion of Colorado year-round. They are found in most woodland habitats, with densities highest in coniferous forests at moderate elevation. Much remains to be learned about saw-whet owl populations, distribution and movements, behavior, and breeding biology. Efforts such as Kim's owl banding help us to learn more about this amazing Rocky Mountain bird.

Why I Bought My Chevy Volt

It's time to get off foreign oil while creating American jobs!

For 13 years I've driven a Toyota hybrid-electric Prius. The Prius saved some gas and helped reduce smog. But with the Chevy Volt, the technology finally exists to go carbon (and oil) free in personal transportation.

I purchased a new Volt about a month ago and I have yet to use one drop of gas! From performance, luxury and functionality standpoints, the Volt far exceeds the Prius. But the real benefit with the Volt is its ability to drive without using gas. Unlike the Prius, which uses electricity and gas, the Volt uses electricity then gas. Each time you charge the Volt's 16 kWh battery pack, you get up to 50 miles of gas-free driving (note that the car is rated 38 miles per charge, but when I drive the speed limit, I easily get 45-50 miles per charge). If that charge runs out, a gas engine kicks in and powers a generator that supplies electricity to the electric motor. Thus, the driving range on the Volt is similar to any car (in excess of 300 miles). If you are an average commuter. who drives less than 50 miles per day, you can drive without using gas as long as you recharge each night.

In my case, I have solar photovoltaic panels on my house that generate 5,000 kWh per year. The Volt uses 10 kWh per charge, or 3,650 kWh per year, if I drive 50 miles every day of the year. With the solar panels supplying electricity to the grid in excess of the amount of energy my car uses in a year, I'm literally driving using the sun!

With the available incentives, the cost of a Volt is such that I could not afford NOT to buy it. Here's the simple math:

$39,212 (MSRP; includes destination fee)
-$3,000 (manufacturer's rebate on all 2012 models)
+$526 (handling fees)
+$1,667 (Basalt sales tax)
=$38,404 (subtotal and amount financed at 0% over 72 months no money down)
-$7,500 (federal tax credit)
-$5896 (state alt fuel vehicle tax credit)
=$25,008 net total cost to me

With 0% financing over 72 months and no money down (offered on all 2012 models; 0% over 60 months is available for 2013 models), I pay $533/month for 6 years. However, I am taking the two tax credits and the sale of my Prius ($10k) and putting those monies into one savings account totaling $24,396. Using this savings to pay my monthly payment of $533, I don't make a payment out of my own pocket for 45 months. By month 45, I will have paid $0 out of pocket and saved an additional $12,318 at $3,285 per year in gas cost (relative to an SUV at 20 mpg driving 16,000 miles/year or 45 miles per day). If I drive less than 50 miles per day, I will literally NEVER use gas again. The charge costs me zero out of pocket since my solar panels generate the electricity. However, a night's charge without solar power generation is 10 kWh or about 80 cents.

Even better, since the car rarely uses its brakes (it slows itself down with its regenerative braking) and since the engine rarely runs (resulting in no oil use, no filter, fluids, belts, engine ware, etc.), maintenance costs are essentially zero, saving at least $2,000 over 45 months. The car is genius:  Each month it sends me an email (yes, the car sends me emails - connected via satellite) of a complete remote diagnostic maintenance review of the car, informing me if it needs maintenance work. This includes informing me when the air in a tire is low.  From my iPhone, I can ask the car to warm its interior space so that on chilly mornings I get into a warm car. I can also check on the status of a charge, start the car, lock or unlock the doors, or find the car via satellite, among many other things. Standard options include free On Star (phone, satellite, emergency connection), free satellite radio, energy efficiency data screen, touchscreen controls, and the list goes on and on.

The car is absolutely silent with no combustion of fossil fuels. It feels more akin to flying a jet or playing some high-tech video game. Oh, and I did I mention that the car has a "sport" mode that makes it lightning fast and fun to drive? The perks seem endless!

But how can anyone afford such a car? When all costs and savings are tallied, if I sell the car at month 45 at the Kelly Blue Book estimated residual value of $18,000, I will literally make a net "profit" of $8,318. Here's the math on that:  At month 45 I will still owe $14,000 on the car (but again, no cash has come out of my pocket to this point; tax credits and the sale of my old Prius paid everything to that point), add to that the $18,000 sale of the car plus $12,318 in gas savings and $2,000 in maintenance savings, and you get $18,318 less the sale of my old Prius for $10,000 results in the $8,312 net profit.

Try the new American made Chevy Volt; reduce our dependency on Middle Eastern oil, create American jobs, reduce air and noise pollution, and save some money along the way.

Putting the Garden to Bed

Putting my garden to bed is almost as exciting as prepping my garden for spring planting.  It’s also my favorite time of year in the Roaring Fork Valley; colors ablaze on every horizon, the air crisp and the sunshine sharp, there is nothing more rewarding then harvesting the last of the season’s bounty and laying to rest that special piece of earth.

Just as any farmer needs the winter to rest and restore for the next bustling season, the garden, too, must lay dormant over winter and recuperate for spring planting. For the gardener, this process can be very simple, especially if you know what resources are available locally. The basic idea is to pull out this season’s crops, aerate the soil, load heaps of natural fertilizer and mulch on top, then water in. That’s it! The worms, microbial life and cool, dormant months of winter will take care of the rest. What’s more, year by year all that mulch you throw on top builds new soil and act as a natural weed barrier come spring.

ACES' Hallam Lake organic garden after being put to bed for winter.

Here’s the step-by-step how-to:

1) Take out all remaining crop residues and throw these in the compost for future soil amending. If you have livestock, you can feed sunflowers, brassicae stalks, and leftover greens to the animals. However, don't give your animals the nightshades, like potato plants, eggplants or tomato plants!

2) Once only soil remains in your beds, rake them out lightly to minimally aerate the top few inches.

3) Pile a whole bunch of manure atop your beds. Usually you can get manure from a local rancher or farm. Goat, llama and rabbit manure can go on the beds fresh. Horse, chicken, pig and cow manure should be semi-cured (at least 3 months). Add 1-6 inches of manure to your plots.

4) Tuck your plots into bed under a nice, thick layer of leaves. I find leaves to be the best mulch since they break down quickly, encourage healthy worm populations, and provide essential nutrients to the soil. I suggest oak, aspen, cottonwood, and my favorite, willow leaves. Willow leaves actually contain indolebutyric acid, a rooting hormone that promotes plant growth. Avoid conifers, as their needles are very acidic and will change the pH of your soil. Look for bags of leaves by driving through neighborhoods during an autumn weekend when everyone is raking their lawn. Or rake your own!

5) Finally, give your beds a good soak with the hose. After watering, let your beds rest until spring. You will find much of the manure and leaves have decomposed into rich topsoil in which seedlings will thrive!

What Could be Better Than a Powder Day?

Imagine something so monumental that residents of an entire town would drop everything to celebrate. An entire population would leave work, skip school, drop what they were doing, and party like there was no tomorrow.  Picture a parade, fireworks blasting from all directions, banquets, grand balls, open bars at local establishments, and bands playing throughout the night in town... What kind of event is cause for merriment of this scale?

125 years ago today the first passenger train rolled into Aspen. The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad Company had been making steady progress through the mountains, and on November 1, 1887, their arrival in Aspen caused the entire town to drop everything in boisterous revelry. Len Shoemaker, a longtime forest ranger in the Aspen area, describes this historic day in Aspen’s history in his book Roaring Fork Valley.  Len recalls the momentous occasion from the point of view of his mother and sister, who were passengers on the inaugural trip from Carbondale to Aspen. The pair also participated in the grand jubilee, along with the entirety of the Aspen community. Shoemaker writes, “ to them it was a spectacle beyond words, or for words, for they seldom if ever quit talking about it...”

Len also points out the Roaring Fork Valley’s appreciation for the railroad company “whose action had fulfilled their dreams and their hopes.”  “Many expressions of appreciation were made to the visiting [D. &R. G] officials,” says Shoemaker,  “but the real sentiment of Aspen’s citizenry was expressed by Judge Downing at the banquet, when in response to a toast, he raised his champagne glass and said:

"There, here’s to our Aspen, her youth and her age; 

We welcome the railroad, say farewell to the stage; 

And whatever her lot and wherever we be, 

Here’s God bless, forever, the D. & R. G."

What could cause this kind of celebration of hope and gratitude now?

Creepy Crawly Night, 2012!

Happy Halloween from Aspen Center for Environmental Studies! On the evening of Monday, October 22^nd, ACES hosted 'Creepy Crawly Night' for all Aspen Elementary School second grade students and their families. The Hallam Lake Nature Center was decked out in spooky decorations, spider webs, and information and crafts involving our favorite creepy crawly Aspen animals, like spiders and bats. Some of our resident indoor animals made a special appearance, such as the ball python, the Eastern box turtle, and the Western tiger salamander. Many 'creepy' animals ended up painted on second grader cheeks and across their noses!

Aspen Elementary School second graders have been studying animal adaptations in environmental education since the beginning of September. They have learned about the four different types of camouflage, and even created their own “Creature Features”, animals decked out in any 3 adaptations that the students can imagine – as long as they somehow help that creature to survive. This event gives them the chance to bring their families to ACES and demonstrate their knowledge on why animals have certain physical and behavioral adaptations: wings to fly, spots to camouflage, or a shell to hide. Fun was had by all, and it was such a treat to see the second graders and their whole families at Hallam Lake!

Enjoy the spooky day today!

Join us for ACES' Annual Harvest party at Rock Bottom Ranch

This Saturday Rock Bottom Ranch hosts a harvest festival like no other! Enjoy pumpkin carving, face-painting, ranch games and pony rides. Party-goers can learn how to press their own apple cider and visit with our beloved farm animals! But this party isn't just for the little ones: a delicious lunch by Crystal River Meats and Whole Foods will complement beer and wine sponsored by Four Dogs Fine Wine and Spirits, and hard cider generously donated by Blossomwood Cidery. Perhaps the most exciting addition to this year's party will be live music by Grammy-nominated band Missed the Boat, who are traveling from Steamboat Springs to entertain our Harvest Party crowd!

So please join us Saturday, October 20th, from 12 - 4pm. This is a car free event. Ticket and shuttle information below. See you at the Ranch!

• Tickets $10/person
• Members’ kids free
• Kids under 2 free
• Membership starts at $50/year 

This is a car-free event! 


Please ride your bike, walk, or horseback ride down to RBR.

- OR - 


Park at one of our FREE SHUTTLE LOCATIONS to hitch a ride to the Ranch:


-El Jebel 'Park and Ride (on El Jebel Rd behind the Wendy's)


-Basalt Middle School

Questions? Please call RBR at 970-927-6760

Backpacking with Kids: A Whole New Adventure

“Mami, are we there yet?”

Right. If you’re a parent you know exactly what that means. And no, we are NOT on a road trip. “Mami, really, we must be there soon, right?” Luka, my 4-year old son echoes the earlier statement from Zala, my 6-year old daughter. We are about two and a half hours into our backpacking trip. It’s been raining on and off, luckily just a drizzle for now, though ominous looking clouds lurk too close for comfort.  It’s the last weekend before school starts and we haven’t backpacked yet this summer. So, sunny or not, we’re going for it.

Summertime in the Rockies is simply magical, and we love all things outdoors – be it car camping, short exploratory hikes, biking, floating down the river, or backpacking. The latter takes a bit more preparation and a LOT more patience. Backpacking with kids is a whole new adventure no matter the level of experience in your previous life (remember, that life before kids?). We attempted our first backpacking trip as soon as our kids were big enough to walk with a backpack for about half an hour. Knowing our limitations of low mileage and low carrying capacity made this a fun challenge. But little people mean little impact, so off the trail we went and found wilderness experiences about half a mile away from the car, perfect. Filtering water, finding firewood, looking at stars and waking up to greenness around us was magical. The kids were hooked! Or so I chose to see it...

“MA-MIIII!!” Right, time for a snack. Time for yet another break, just short enough to put something in their mouths as I frantically try to change the flow of energy from exhausted to excited: “Wow, look at these ants carrying a big leaf" and, "oh, this flower has such an interesting pattern. Do you think you can count the petals? Oh, see how the shadows make this tree look so giant? Wow, this rock looks like an egg…” Constant mouth diarrhea as I try to distract, change focus, pack up and get going before they realize they’re walking again. We make up funny stories, rattle off nature facts, do math, talk, listen, be quiet and just keep walking. Then somehow, like a miracle, there we are. Just at the right time. We find an awesome spot, this time in real wilderness, quite a few miles away from the sounds, lights, and busy-ness of everyday life. Kids get it; they play, explore, and run around as if the last four hours didn’t happen. Crazy.

The tent goes up and soon we’re cozy and exhausted in our sleeping bags. “Mami, can we hike some more tomorrow?” My heart sings as I hear that. But as Zala and Luka drift off in their sleep I can’t help but think that the reality of hiking tomorrow will again be the schizophrenic pattern of happiness and overload, just like today. Walk and bask in the excitement of Zala’s voice as she watches the little butterfly land on a flower just so. Walk and listen to Luka’s whiny voice telling you how he REALLY can’t go any further. Walk, laugh, distract, try to be patient as they ask “Are we there yet?” for the fiftieth time. Walk and keep walking. Because magic happens at every step and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Being Bear Aware

One of the most enjoyable aspects of living in Aspen is the ease of access to nature.  The close proximity also gives many animals easy access to the city. As Aspen dwellers, we must live responsibly in this place in order to facilitate safe urban/wildlife interactions.

In September, bear activity goes into hyperdrive.  Bears will begin hibernating in late October/early November, so now is their final push to gain as much weight as possible. This time of year, bears feed for up to 20 hours per day, hoping to consume at least 20,000 calories before heading into a hibernation that may last 7 months.  In fall, bear encounters in town are not uncommon, especially after a dry winter and summer that yielded low crops of berries and other natural food sources. Bears will eat almost anything, which is why we must be so careful.

How can Aspenites be more bear friendly? I'm glad you asked:

• Obviously, do not feed bears!
• Safely dispose of trash in bear proof trashcans. If unavailable, do not move trash out for pickup until immediately before garbage truck arrives (Since June 1, 2010 the city of Aspen has required residents to utilize bear-resistant containers for "day of" pick-up.)
• Store pet food indoors
• Do not use bird feeders from March to November. Or, hang bird feeders in a bear-inaccessible location like off of a strategically hung wire, instead of from a tree (easy pickings for a black bear)
• Do not leave food in your car and be sure to lock your car doors
• Keep your dog on a leash
• When camping, store food properly in bear canisters or bags far from campsite
• Do not leave marinated steak on your porch for weeks on end...

Bears are wild animals, but they will make use of any food source they can find.  When bears find an easy food source in town, they quickly become habituated, thus endangering themselves and potentially the community.  Bears associating food with humans, trashcans or towns causes the overwhelming majority of conflicts. Please do your part to help!

To learn more about how to live "Bear Aware" visit these two helpful sites:
http://www.aspenpitkin.com/Departments/Police/Aspen-Bears/
http://wildlife.state.co.us/WildlifeSpecies/LivingWithWildlife/Mammals/Pages/LivingWithBearsL1.aspx

Smuggler Mountain Restoration Work

ACES' For the Forest Program is excited about upcoming collaborations with local and federal government agencies to promote healthy,

Overgrown gamble oak on Smuggler Mountain

resilient forests.

Beginning today ACES, the City of Aspen, and Pitkin County Open Space are working together on three restoration projects in the wildland-urban interface on Smuggler Mountain. Each project seeks to improve wildlife habitat, and reduce fuel loads in different vegetation types: Gambel oak, lodgepole pine, and aspen. These projects will be visible from popular hiking and biking routes on Smuggler.

In the absence of periodic, natural disturbances such as fire, vegetation in this area has become old and overgrown, leading to increased fuel accumulation and lower quality forage for wildlife. The restoration projects taking place next week seek to mimic natural disturbance events by mechanically opening up the understory and stimulating new growth.

If you're hiking or biking on Smuggler in the next few weeks, keep an eye out for ACES' interpretive signage detailing the ecological benefits of each of these projects. The signs will be located at the site of each project, so you will be able to track progress.

Further questions about ACES' collaboration with the City of Aspen and Pitkin County on these restoration projects can be directed to Jamie Cundiff, ACES' Forest Health Programs Director, at jcundiff@aspennature.org.

A Sapsucker's Busy Work

When scanning a cluster of river-side serviceberry bushes through my binoculars on a recent birding excursion, a light honeycomb-shaped mosaic caught my eye. After closer inspection (and a hint from ACES' Naturalist Rebecca Weiss) we decided the grid was the result of a busy red-naped sapsucker. The serviceberry trunks in front of us were home to multiple generations of sap-wells; some barely visible scars of wells from seasons past, and others brand-new, still oozing sap and darkening the bark around them.  Rebecca began to explain the fascinating details about these sap-wells. To begin with, they are feeding hot-spots; not only for the red-naped sapsucker, but also for an array of other species that come to rely on the bird's work. There were two kinds of wells littering the surface of this particular serviceberry stand; some were the diameter of a quarter and are holes that the sap-sucker must continually maintain to keep sap flowing. The others holes and bark scars showed punctures, akin to a Parcheesi board and no wider than a pen, where the sap suckers uses its bill to probe the tree looking for sap.

The gallery of holes, regardless of size, were all carved in the soft bark of the tree by a bird no bigger than my hand. The red-naped sapsucker, Sphyrapicus nuchalis, is a medium sized-woodpecker. These industrious creatures are denizens of lower elevations of the Rocky Mountains.  Both male and female boast red feathered throats; perhaps their most identifiable characteristic. However the red-nape that their name suggests refers to a tiny patch of red at the back of the head/neck. The red-naped sapsucker seek out nooks in soft-barked trees like willow, aspen, poplar and fruit trees where decay has softened generous spaces. Sap suckers develop real estate in their chosen trees over the years: beginning by building out hollows close to the ground and subsequently building spaces higher and higher in the tree. Like all sapsuckers, they eat insects, fruit and sap which flows within trees' cambium layer, the living tissue just beneath the outer protective bark. Insects and other sap-feeding bird life come to rely on sapsucker feeding holes. One might call this crucial behavior characteristic of a keystone species, which by definition, is an organism in the ecosystem that many other species depend upon for continued survival and support. However the opportunistic sapsuckers will also eat the insects attracted to their wells, doing so by the dramatic fly-catching technique made possible by their small tongues. The sap sucker will use its beak and tongue to poke, pry and tap bark for insects, and it's tongue to fly-catch and sip or lick sap.

Next time you hear a slow, irregular tapping in the lowland forests of the Rocky Mountains, keep your eyes peeled for these beautiful creatures and the feeding hot-spots they create.

Sources:
    •    Rebecca Weiss
    •    http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/definitions/Keystone+species
    •    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-naped_Sapsucker
    •    http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-naped_Sapsucker/id 

View looking North from the peak of Mt. Elbert, taken June 23, 2012

Mt. Elbert Thoughts

The rocky alpine zone witnessed on the approach to Mt. Elbert is speckled with

blue and purple Phlox flowers. They offer a stark contrast to the Earth tone rocks

which cover the landscape. The individual rocks if viewed closer are much like the

larger landscape of which they are a part of. They too are accented with colorful

minerals and crystals that sparkle in the sunlight which give the rocks a more vibrant

character. Standing atop the Rocky's tallest peak is like standing on the bow of a

great ship, looking out over a stormy sea frozen in time.

Taking deep breaths of cool crisp mountain top air quenches the primal thirst for high country exploration.

Outlook over Tivoli Bay, Hudson River, and Catskill Mtns

Choose Your Own Adventure

What's more important in life than surrounding yourself by beautiful people? The answer is nothing, however a close second goes to beautiful places. The conclusion of this summer was a difficult period for me. Leaving not only an amazing group of individuals at ACES but the natural beauty in which Aspen is nested, to move East to New York was challenging and forced me to reconcile my inner conflicts caused by this life decision. 

As someone who has felt a deep connection with high and wild places since the first time my boots gripped the side of a mountain, I was unsure if my new home could satiate my hunger for exploration. I soon discovered that it in fact could and to a degree I never thought imaginable. 

The forests are vast and dense, the rivers are plentiful and come in all varieties, and the landscape teems with life. The land may not rise and fall quite as dramatically as it did in Aspen, but the moderate terrain hides many secrets. It was only a couple months ago that Blue Columbine captivated me as I strolled along Colorado trails. Now it is the 400 year old White Oak trees, climbing vines, and Red Efts which draw my attention. Beauty through pure diversity.

That is one of the most magnificent qualities of this country. The ability to travel from one incredible place to the next without even having to go through a customs officer making you feel guilty for something you have never done. No matter where you go in life and what preconceived notions you carry along the way, always seek adventure. Look for the amazing things happening around you, big and small. Be inspired and take a moment to appreciate the uniqueness of a place.

I often wish I was still in the West, but I have found another horizon here in the East and it is a horizon largely unexplored by my mind, body, and spirit until now. The Aspen idea applies no matter where you find yourself. The adventure always awaits.

Unnamed ridge in the Maroon Snowmass Wilderness

Don't Leaf Aspen Without Peeping Those Colors!

Leaf Peeper: (n.) One who travels to view and photograph changing leaf colors in the fall.

Examples: off-season fall tourists populating the Maroon Bells; that relative that refuses to come visit you in Aspen unless it is the third week in September.

The Catto Center at Toklat, a site of ACES, is located up Castle Creek, a prime leaf-peeping location.
Join us there for our annual membership potluck and fall colors celebration on Thursday September 20th at 5pm. RSVP here.

Ever since Labor Day passed, the influx of summer-season tourists has slowed—we have officially entered the off-season.  Streets are calm, darkness comes a little earlier in the evening, and the grocery stores are navigable after five o’clock.  However, the Roaring Fork Valley's fall foliage produces an ephemeral golden light-show that brings one last burst of visitors before the winter. 

When asked about timing a visit to Aspen to see the changing leaves, locals consistently point to the third week in September as the height of the color.  It’s this time when the mountainsides are blanketed with the vibrant yellow of Aspen leaves, intermittently mixed with the dark green of the conifers.  But exactly why do the Aspen leaves (and other leaves, too!) change color in the fall?

Most people are familiar with the fact that leaves contain chlorophyll—that’s the component that gives them their green pigment and allows for the process of photosynthesis.  Chloroplasts are the little green engines of plant cells which capture sunlight to synthesize carbohydrates and sustain plant life. These chloroplasts contain the green chlorophyll which breaks down easily, and yellow carotenoids which are more durable. As nights lengthen and plant metabolism slows, the chlorophyll breaks down and allows the yellow carotenoids to shine through. With slower metabolism, leaf veins begin to clog and red anthocyanin sugars concentrate in the leaves, shining through like the carotenoids. Leaves high in carotenoids are yellow, those with a blend of carotenoids and anthocyanins are orange, and those high in anthocyanins are red. 

So, grab your cameras… now is the time!  Luckily for all the leaf peepers out there, I recently learned that the United States Forest Service maintains a Fall Colors Hotline, complete with updates on peaking colors in different National Forests around the country and suggestions for color-seeking activities.  Feel free to embrace your inner leaf-peep and give it a call at 800-354-4595. Or give ACES a call for suggestions on local foliage hot-spots in the Roaring Fork Valley!

Meet ACES 2012-2013 Educators

Clockwise, beginning bottom right: Myles Somerville, Sarah Onstad, Melanie Poole, Sarah Schmidt, Andrew Hays, Betsy DeFries, Kendall Reiley, Erin Cushner, Chris Cohen.
Not pictured: Erin Griffin, Betsy McMichael.

For over 35 years ACES has partnered with schools in the Roaring Fork Valley to bring environmental science education to pre-school through high school students. ACES provides 350 field programs and 2,067 classroom lessons throughout the school year. 

This week you will see ACES Educators teaching geology to 5th-graders at the Maroon Bells, teaching tree identification to 6th graders at Hallam Lake, teaching kindergarten through 4th grade Environmental Science Education classes at Aspen, Basalt, or Crystal River Elementary Schools, and teaching preschoolers about the farmyard at Rock Bottom Ranch!

ACES is fortunate to have amazing educators to lead our programs. Learn more about our current staff here. Interested in applying next year? See our job description here. For parents in the Roaring Fork Valley, come visit us at Back to School Night on Wednesday at Aspen Elementary School and on Thursday at Basalt Elementary School.

Getting to Work

I registered for Pandora (internet radio) in the Bay Area, where I grew up.  Every so often, they’ll play a commercial for California’s ‘Spare the Air’ program, which encourages residents to leave their car at home and take alternative transportation when the local Air Quality Index reaches unhealthy levels.  This index was developed by the EPA and establishes a minimum threshold for when ground level ozone pollution, commonly known as smog, reaches unhealthy levels.  Their commercials pose a series of alternative commuting scenarios (carpooling, public transportation), asking ‘What is the favorite part of YOUR commute?‘

Those commercials and that world seem like a whole other lifetime ago.  These days, the favorite part of my commute is waking with the sun and taking an 11-mile ride to work that many consider one of the best in Colorado.  On the weekdays, it’s complete solitude as the blood sings in your ears and your muscles work in concert to bring you, your bike and your belongings from 8,000 feet to just over 9,500.  On the weekends, the camaraderie of shared experience makes for a euphoric bonhomie among riders.  I’ve come to enjoy each in their turn.  As our time here in Aspen comes to an end, I’m coming to realize that the days of meeting horses or passing waterfalls on my morning commute are also coming to a close.  Whatever my next commute has in store for me, whether car, bike or public transportation, I know that I’ll find the silver lining eventually.  It just may take a little longer than it did here in Aspen.

Rounding the bend on Maroon Creek Road

Owl Creek Trail and a curious onlooker

Rio Grande Trail, on the way back to ACES from Snowmass Village

  

Who's That Dipping Under My Bridge?

"He is the mountain streams' own darling, the hummingbird of blooming waters, loving rocky ripple-slopes and sheets of foam as a bee loves flowers, as a lark loves sunshine and meadows.  Among all the mountain birds, none has cheered me so much in my lonely wanderings, none so unfailingly." - John Muir, The Mountains of California

Who's under the bridge?  No, it's not a hungry troll... it's an American dipper, one of our most unique and specialized local birds.  Specifically adapted to live in and around mountain streams, dippers spend their days swimming and foraging in the clear, cascading waterways that give life to the Colorado high country.  Here's a short list of adaptations that make dippers special, as chronicled by Janis Huggins in her field guide Wild at Heart:

• dense plumage for feeding underwater without excess heat loss
• stout, strong bill for foraging between rocks
• waterproof feathers
• short wings for easier maneuvering, used like flippers
• large strong clawed feet for walking in strong currents
• nostril flaps to keep water out
• elevated hemoglobin for more efficient oxygen consumption in water
• vision that compensates for the refractive index of water
• dark plumage for camouflage.

Watching dippers has been a favorite pastime of naturalists from John Muir to Matt Reed, a fellow ACES summer naturalist, who tracked down an active nest in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness Area.  The mossy nest and its inhabitants seem much more in tune with the spray of West Maroon Creek than with the clomp of hiking boots on the bridge above them.

Last week I snuck under the bridge to see what was dipping!  How many of the dipper's special adaptations do you see in the video?

Aspen's Perfect Storm

I've never been so happy to see a storm roll in.  This felt counterintuitive to me after spending a long winter on the grey, misty Oregon Coast.  All winter, I'd wake up to another day of rainy mist swirling in off the coast, and groan about how I had to be deficient in Vitamin D by now.

When I arrived in Aspen, I welcomed the days of Colorado sunshine with layers of sunscreen and a big smile.  As the weeks rolled by and I paid close attention to the flowers and plants along the tours I led, I began to notice the effect of this year's unseasonable dryness.  The fields of aspen sunflowers on Richmond Ridge wilted, then began to look crispy.  The graceful blue columbine that I loved to show visitors on the Snowmass Nature Trail were done blooming by the end of June.  The beaver dam along the same trail seemed irrelevant when the stream was bone dry.

A few weeks ago, however, things began to change.  I clearly recall the first afternoon storm.  The deep smell of rain rose from the earth, so strong I could almost taste it.  Rain drummed on the ground for at least ten minutes, leaving a feel of renewed energy that was impossible to ignore.  Everyone who worried about imminent fire danger breathed a giant sigh of relief.

Now, even through we're still in the throes of an unprecedented drought, the more consistent afternoon rains have noticeably perked up the landscape.  The flowers hold themselves with a bit more strength and brightness, and the dust has settled to a manageable level.  The stream at Snowmass is flowing again, giving the beavers more of a reason to work on their elaborate dam, creating the riparian habitat that most wildlife in Colorado couldn't live without.

Last week, I stood on Aspen Mountain and watched a dark wall of rain slowly envelop Mount Sopris, Pyramid Peak, and the Highlands Bowl.  I answered question after question from visitors: "How long will the gondola be closed?"  "Is the next tour still happening?"  "How long will it rain for?"  The honest answer to all these questions is, always, "I don't know."  It's exciting not knowing.  The best we can do it to watch in awe as the storm rolls closer, greeting us first with fierce gusts of wind and sporadic chunks of hail.  I couldn't be happier than be to "stuck" on top of Aspen Mountain, watching the needed rain invigorate and awaken the landscape.

Unprecedented RF Peak Flows

Bell Mountain tells the story. Old timers know that as the last patch of snow melts off of Bell, the Roaring Fork at Aspen hits high water for the season. 

It may be too early to call but we could be in uncharted waters as far as Roaring Fork River peak flows go. Bad pun.

Possible Peak of Roaring Fork at Aspen, 128 cfs 4/27/12.
Previous lowest peak 202 cfs in 2002. (47 years of record keeping)
Last year peak was 816 cfs.
Historical Peak Stream flow complete record here: Roaring Fork at Aspen
  
Possible Peak of Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs 1230 cfs 4/27/12.
Previous lowest peak 2480 cfs in 2002. (106 years of record keeping)
Last year peak was 9220 cfs. 
Historical Peak Stream flow complete record here: Roaring Fork at Glenwood 

What's Where When

It's never too late to start observing nature and keeping records. Phones, cameras, and social media make it easy to share. Collective observations by all of us (citizen science) can be a powerful tool for understanding the landscape. Citizen science and phenology are gaining attention. An ACES goal is to facilitate our community's observations and reporting of nature. Direct engagement with the natural world connects us to our environment, providing intellectual, spiritual, and physical sustenance. Additionally, these observations may allow scientists to better understand the changes occurring in our ecosystems due to climate change. As the Director of Naturalist Programs at ACES, I am excited to share my findings. What have you seen? From May 10-12 a few observations were made on the Rio Grande Trail near Aspen, on the Hunter/Smuggler loop, and at the Maroon Bells.

A great example of the different colors black bears may have. One individual may display different coloration at different stages in its life. This bear and her cub (yearling) were turning over rocks looking for insects, larvae, and grubs; flipping rocks down the hillside as they traversed the slope. This time of year they also seek out young, nutritious shoots of emerging plants. This behavior contradicts the myth of the "bloodthirsty" bear emerging from hibernation. They are actually most hungry in the fall when they eat up to 25,000 calories a day of acorns and other fatty foods.

Calypso orchids are making an early showing. Look for them on shady, north-facing road cuts just below 9,000 feet in elevation. Red columbine are beginning to bloom. I saw some just over the Benedict Bridge where it meets the Verena Mallory trail.

To see more of my photos of these days in May, please visit this set on ACES' Flickr page.

Way down below the snow is an area called the subnivean zone

“February is pitiless, and it is boring. That parade of red numerals on its page adds up to zero: birthdays of politicians, a holiday reserved for rodents, what kind of celebrations are those?” – Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

February seems a cold and trying month to get through, but contrary to Tom Robbin's beliefs, some rodents give us cause for celebration. We may not see them, but many creatures are active all winter long underneath the snow, braving the long cold winter with us. They are in an area called the subnivean zone. This zone is created when ground heat melts the thin layer of snow above it, leaving sections of airspace usually no more then 4 cm in height.

Once we get just six inches of snowpack the subnivean zone will provide insulation and help prevent heat loss. Regardless of the temperature outside, it will stay 32 degrees in the subnivean zone.

Just to the left of the snowshoe hare print are some tiny mice tracks!

And who are these subnivean residents? Mice, voles and pocket gophers spend most of their time down there, but its not all eating and cozy temperatures. Several animals use the subnivean zone as hunting grounds. Weasels run around down below the snow to catch their dinner, and foxes and larger owls can hear movement beneath them and pounce from above.

Want to try it out for yourself? Build a quinzee, a shelter made by piling and then hollowing out a mound of snow. Just pile up some snow about head height and then wait a few hours for the snow to settle. After, hollow out the middle leaving about a foot on both sides. Crawl inside and spend some time in the warmth of your insulating snow quinzee. Maybe even spend the night!

February is our shortest month but can often feel like one of the longest. So this February take a cue from our some of our active winter rodents and spend some time under the snow instead of just on top of it!