Our friends and partners at Cal-Wood Education Center need your support. Cal-Wood is a Boulder County institution, inviting hundreds of students and families into the mountains each year to connect with nature and learn about their world. They have graciously allowed Cottonwood Institute to run program trips on their land for many years. Now, having… Read more »
As we know at Cottonwood Institute, difficult times often present us with our greatest opportunities for growth. How do we show up when things get tough? How do we use struggle to deepen our connections to one another? Amid the challenges, this year has given us the chance to reflect on ourselves, our communities and… Read more »
At Cottonwood Institute, we’ve got reasons to love every time of year. Winter means plenty of snow for building quinzhees, spring is time for projects in the garden (or more quinzhees if the snow decides to stick around), and summer brings us down to Westcliffe for adventures at Mission: Wolf. But our favorite time of… Read more »
We love to see the Cottonwood Institute community getting recognized for the great work that they do, and we had two great examples this month! Read on for two recent news items spotlighting friends of CI, and be sure to get in touch if you have a story to share! “From a Bad Ass Teen… Read more »
I wipe the sweat away from under my mask, take a swig of Gatorade, and get back to work breaking down boxes at Re:Vision Co-op. The CI staff decided to join the finely tuned operation that is Westwood’s No Cost Grocery Program this past Wednesday. The program has been operating to distribute rescued food boxes… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute (CI) is excited to announce our brand new partnership with local cycling club in Denver, CO called We Ride 4. This cycling club is committed to fostering a sense of community through biking. Their mission is to create an experience-based cycling community that shares a passion for riding, socializing, and supporting non-profits that… Read more »
If you’re familiar with the Leave No Trace framework, you may have heard of the first principle: “Plan Ahead & Prepare.” At Cottonwood Institute (CI), we use wilderness as a tool for teaching skills that we hope transcend a weekend on the trail— from navigating weather to finding water, we try to instill in our… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute is tracking the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and we look forward to resuming our field programs and getting back outside as soon as it is safe to do so. Until then, we are working hard to support our Front Range communities so that students can continue to build their connection to the natural… Read more »
Cottonwood Institute kicked off the upcoming trip season by convening new and returning staff for a spring training weekend packed with learning, community—and of course—good food. Like any great night, Friday started with pizza. Instructors met, some for the first time, and immediately hit it off over slices of ‘za and an amazing loaf of… Read more »
It has been a whirlwind since accepting my new position as Cottonwood Institute’s Program Director. Not only did I get to learn about our CI programming and meet the incredible staff, but I was able to attend educational sessions at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020. As if that wasn’t exciting enough, the cherry on top… Read more »
