New Vista students passing logs to each other during their fire mitigation project

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Team Bonding through Fire and Ice

New Vista students did lots of bonding on their spring overnight, whether by fire or by ice. Written by Field Instructor M Tormasi. Upon arriving at Cal-wood’s Solitude Camp, New Vista High School CAP students displayed their excitement and dedication through an efficient and coordinated unloading of the vans. From the moment our clean boots… Read more »

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Tips For Your Child’s First Camping Trip

Ready for your child’s first camping trip? Follow these tips for a great experience! Written by experts at Global Emergency Medics. Camping is a wonderful way to spend uninterrupted quality time with your child, free from technology and the constant distractions of daily responsibilities. Spending time in the outdoor world is a valuable experience for… Read more »

CHS fire spring overnight. Students looking out at a view

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Centaurus’ visit to Left Hand Fire Station

Centaurus High School students explore questions about fire and visit a wildland fire station on their overnight. Written by Field Instructor Jarrod Gaut. Becalmed atop a hill, the group surveys a wide and snowy vista. The wind whispers hello as it heralds a frosty moisture. Clouds marshal themselves above snowy peaks and hurry towards the… Read more »

Lauren Guthrie Legacy Scholarship Bash 2023

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Still Glowing from the 2023 Base Camp Bash

Colorado environmental education nonprofit Cottonwood Institute hosted its spring benefit, the Base Camp Bash, in April. Thank you to all of our attendees and sponsors! Check out photos from the 2023 Base Camp Bash Here. The 2023 Base Camp Bash was fire and we are still glowing from an amazing evening to support Cottonwood Institute,… Read more »

Changemakers show off their newly screenprinted shirts!

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The Environmental Impacts of Fashion

Changemakers spend their spring overnight exploring the environmental impacts of fashion and screenprinting their own t-shirts. Written by Instructor Chelsea Tossing. Escrito en español más abajo. Cheap t-shirts may seem like a steal, but do you know what your clothes really cost? Changemakers set out on our spring overnight trip to learn more about the… Read more »

Lost Creek Wilderness

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Best Spring Hikes near Denver

It’s spring in the Front Range! The grass is green, the birds are singing, there’s snow in the mountains…wait, there’s still snow in the mountains?!? If you’re craving some warm sunshine before the high country has melted out, check out these trails close to home for some of the best spring hikes near Denver. The… Read more »

A student reaches the top of a climb!

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Climbing with Sims-Fayola Foundation

Written by Field Instructor Ruthie Cartwright. Hands and feet hit the rock wall before names had even been exchanged. Rock climbing, a sport which can often intimidate even the most versatile athletes, was clearly a welcome new adventure to the youth from the Sims-Fayola Foundation. Bodies were flying up the wall, and even clinging to… Read more »

A group of AXL students posing at Calwood

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Let the good times roll with AXL

AXL Academy students build a quinzhee and roll down hills in the snow on their winter overnight at Calwood. Written by Field Instructor Jarrod Gaut. Escrito en español más abajo.   How do you move a ping pong ball into a bucket twenty feet away without touching it? You scoop it in your shoe! This… Read more »

Jessie at LHOC explaining how to build a snow shelter

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Emergency Snow Shelters with Lefthand Outdoor Challenge

Cottonwood Instructors Jessie and Ruthie joined Boulder County for a Lefthand Outdoor Challenge winter skills day at Caribou Ranch. Written by Ruthie Cartwright.  We’ll invite you into the same scene that we offered the Lefthand Outdoor Challenge students on Saturday: imagine that we just sat down to take a break after a long snowshoe hike…. Read more »

Three Centaurus students at Caribou Ranch

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It’s time to build a quinzhee with Centaurus!

It’s time to build a quinzhee! Written by Field Instructor Jarrod Gaut. Escrito en español más abajo. The marvelous CAP class at Centaurus High were ready; they donned their snowshoes and trudged out to Caribou Ranch lugging their snow shovels. Complete professionals, and hard set to their task, they piled up snow as tall as… Read more »