The act of making a fire connects us back to our ancestors of more than 100,000 years ago. Huddling around a fire for warmth, sustenance and community is something that too few of us get to experience in our modern world. But on a snowy day at the end of January, in a sheltered grove… Read more »
The sun peaked in on the Cottonwood Institute instructors as they trekked up the steepest part of the hike to Francie’s Cabin, near Breckenridge, CO. Within minutes the temperature change took them from cold to sweating, shedding their early morning layers. A short time later they broke into a clearing just below the hut, revealing… Read more »
“If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.” – Eleanora Duse Despite a mid-winter summer in the Front Range, the… Read more »
Eight months ago, Cottonwood Institute embarked on a new journey, Mini CAP, with a group of sophomores from FAST Tracks, a dropout prevention program at Lakewood High School. Mini CAP is a spin off of our core curriculum at New Vista High School in Boulder, the Community Adventure Program. We took our CAP curriculum and… Read more »
It’s hard to think about winter survival skills when its been in the 60’s recently here in Denver. But only a few weeks ago, we had enough snow to build some serious quinzhees. Amidst the gently falling flakes at Brainard Lake Recreation Area, a quintessential group of outdoor educators gathered together for Cottonwood Institute’s annual… Read more »
As Community Adventure Program (CAP) students reflected on another amazing quarter, they came together as a class and had a blast learning and playing on their overnights and at school. They researched food issues and developed a great sense of what goes into making and eating quality food. But, as usual, the main takeaway was… Read more »
The Community Adventure Program hit the road last weekend for their first winter camping overnight. With the use of a 15-passenger van we were able to seek out the snow for some winter activities, despite the warm temperatures. The 10 students, 2 student leaders and 2 Cottonwood Institute Instructors had a great time bonding as… Read more »
Amidst the bustling halls of Lakewood High School, 10 brave students stood outside waiting for a school bus dressed in their winter best: winter hats, coats, and snow pants. Their indoor classroom was a thing of the past as they headed out with the Cottonwood Institute for a day trip to Echo Lake on Mt…. Read more »
