Grand Junction Outdoor News

National Park officials are gearing up for a year-long celebration as Colorado National Monument approaches its 100th birthday in 2011.The first-ever Serpents Trail Centennial Challenge is planned for Saturday, May 1, with registration fees going to the Colorado National Monument Association, and to support public events for the park's centennial.Two events are planned for the day: The Serpents Tour, from 8 a.m. to noon, is an invitation to take a leisurely hike up and down the Serpents Trail, with kid-friendly activities along the way.For more experienced or ambitious hikers, the Serpents...

"I didn't think I had it." With eyes filled with tears, these words came tumbling out in a low shaky voice from Jim, a big man of 41, as he sat clutching his mother's hand. There was a moment of stunned silence with tears welling up as the group in the room adjusted to this heartbreaking news. It was Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 in the parlor of the United Methodist Church at Fifth and White in Grand Junction where the Huntington's Disease support group was gathered for its monthly meeting. Jim had been positively diagnosed with HD by a blood test.For Jim, and others who have grown up with HD, he...

This weekend, Fruita and the rest of the world are getting set for the 15th annual New Belgium Brewing Fruita Fat Tire Festival presented by US Bank and supported by Shimano and the City of Fruita.Sunshine, singletrack, products displayed from the best in the bike industry, the ever-welcoming Beer Garden, the Clunker Crit, and more are what you can expect. SCHEDULE OF EVENTSFriday, April 30* 9 a.m.-6 p.m. - Expo opens, bike demos* 10 a.m.-6 p.m. - Registration opens at Fruita Civic Center* Rides (see bulletin board at Beer Tent)* 6-10 p.m. - Friday Party at Civic Center; Dry River Yacht Club...

The Sixth annual Palisade Classic Mountain Bike race is gearing up for May 15.The Grand Mesa Grind represents the evolution of five years of racing at the base of the Grand Mesa in the high desert surrounding Palisade. The Grand Mesa Grind has grown to be the ultimate grassroots race event starting and ending in downtown Palisade.The Full Grind MTB race is a unique and challenging mountain bike race climbing 4,800 feet through Palisade's watershed up the slopes of the Grand Mesa. Ride through beautiful meadows and wild creek crossings, descend a steep, rocky mining road back to Horse Mountain...

More than 30 nonprofit outdoor and sportsmen's groups, government agencies and outdoor-related businesses from across western Colorado will sponsor the third annual Outdoor Heritage Day in Palisade Saturday, April 24.The free event began in 2008 from the efforts of Colorado Division of Wildlife officer Frank McGee. McGee became concerned with how little time today's youth spend outdoors and organized the first Outdoor Heritage Day event to get kids and their families outside and experiencing what Colorado can offer."There are so many different things locally that families can enjoy," said...

National Park officials are gearing up for a year-long celebration as Colorado National Monument approaches its 100th birthday in 2011.The first-ever Serpents Trail Centennial Challenge is planned for Saturday, May 1, with registration fees going to the Colorado National Monument Association, and to support public events for the park's centennial.Two events are planned for the day: The Serpents Tour, from 8 a.m. to noon, is an invitation to take a leisurely hike up and down the Serpents Trail, with kid-friendly activities along the way.For more experienced or ambitious hikers, the Serpents...

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. - It's arguably one of the most unique and beautiful hiking trails in the state.But for three months this spring and summer, hikers will be turned away.The immensely popular Hanging Lake Trail will be closed starting May 1 through Aug. 1, and again from Sept. 15-20.The closure is for trail maintenance and the replacement of the boardwalk that goes around most of the lake, said Pat Thrasher, public affairs officer for the White River National Forest.It's been 18 years since the existing boardwalk was built. According to Thrasher, an estimated 1 million hikers have hiked...

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - It might be the only chance for decades to ski the Grand Mesa Thunderbird. The legend and existence of the Thunderbird couloir was my life-long passion which no one else seemed to share.I've looked up at the natural formation with wonder before I knew its name. I longed to view, hike, and perhaps even ski it up close.The Grand Mesa is not a mountaineer's typical query, but the North Turret has merit - if not for rugged shape and local proximity, then for the Ute's legend of the terrifying Thunderbird story played out in hieroglyphic form on its steep slopes. The local...

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - A man from Sullivan, Ind., has died of an apparent heart attack while hiking at 6,600 feet west of Fort Collins.Fifty-two-year-old Tommy Ray Harrison and his daughter were hiking Saturday near Horsetooth Rock trials when Harrison complained of back pain, and then chest pain and collapsed. His daughter dialed 911 and performed CPR for nearly an hour before Harrison was pronounced dead.Deputy Larimer County Coroner Greg Fairman said the altitude may have contributed to Harrison's death, with strenuous activities seriously affecting those from lower elevations who are...

Each week the Free Press profiles a Grand Valley citizen for its "Meet Your Neighbor" series. Look for a new "Neighbor" each Monday in the Free Press.Tom Ela set off to see more of the world after he graduated from high school.Ela left his native Colorado for 15 years, collecting a variety of job experiences - working in restaurants, as an orderly in a state mental hospital, and as a furniture mover with a band of musicians. He spent eight years in Boston enjoying the cultural amenities of a big city. Ela first graduated from Pomona College in southern California with a degree in English.

"Fly fishing is the most fun you can have standing up." - Arnold GingrichGRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - The 12th annual Western Colorado Fly Fishing Exposition is back again Saturday, April 10, in Grand Junction. The event is sponsored by the Grand Valley Anglers Chapter of Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers. The Expo will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel located at I-70 and Horizon Drive. Doors open at 9 a.m. and the Expo runs until 4 p.m.In recent years, the event has been geared toward introducing young people to fishing. There will be fly-tying instruction for kids all day, casting...

Colorado limited license applications for big game, goat and sheep must be postmarked by midnight on Tuesday, April 6. Hunters are encouraged to apply online, saving time and postage costs. Applying online also cuts down on errors that could disqualify one from the drawing.Questions regarding the application process can be directed to the Colorado Division of Wildlife customer service center at (303) 297-1192. For more information, visit www.wildlife.state.co.us.

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) - Colorado wildlife officials are considering nearly doubling the number of bear hunting licenses available to try to control the animals' population and reduce run-ins with people.The Aspen Times reports that the Colorado Wildlife Commission will consider a proposal by the end of the month to issue 1,200 bear tags this year. The proposal comes a year after wildlife officials killed 20 bears in Aspen because of human encounters. That number was a record.Colorado Division of Wildlife spokesman Randy Hampton says hunters killed 33 bears last year. The licenses are issued for...

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) - Ice fishing in Colorado is off to a good start this season.The ice fishing season is just getting started in the Colorado mountains, and fishermen say their catches are looking nice so far.At Stagecoach State Park in Routt County, a reservoir was stocked with 50,000 trout last month. Rangers say they're hearing good reports this season.Rangers say the ice is plenty thick for ice fishing, but that anglers should always wear life jackets just in case.

ALLENSPARK, Colo. (AP) - An Allenspark man accused of poaching black bear with a bow and arrow is epxpected to plead guilty to wildlife charges next week.Police say 55-year-old Craig S. Archer killed a black bear and a deer without a license. A neighbor called authorities in September after spotting a trail of blood by Archer's house.Wildlife officers later found frozen bear meat in Archer's home.According to court records, Archer had purchased archery hunting licenses for deer, elk or antelope several times in the last 13 years but not this season. Authorities say they may seek a lifetime...

A guide to road and mountain biking in Mesa County, Colorado. Read the magazine here

DURANGO, Colo. (AP) - A southwestern Colorado water district is developing a plan for recreation facilities at the new Lake Nighthorse reservoir.An Animas La Plata Water Conservancy District subcommittee is negotiating with a consultant for a preliminary plan.Water began flowing into the reservoir in March. Officials say it will take 18 months to three years to fill.The conservancy district took on the recreation planning after state and local officials said they had no money for it.Colorado State Parks estimated it would cost about $25 million to build recreational facilities. It's not clear...

My first pet (that wasn't imaginary) was a cat. When I was about 7 years old, friends of the family brought over a new litter of kittens in search of a good home. They were frisky and fuzzy, and with their little claws of needles, they scurried up our living room drapes. Unable to reverse that maneuver, we had to peel each kitten off like Velcro, which only enhanced their cuteness.From the display on the curtains, my sister and I picked our favorite, much the same as picking a lobster out of a tank. We named her Smokey for her different shades of gray, dressed her in a tiny collar, and...

To cultivate my inner musician, my mom arranged for weekly piano lessons after school. She was a terrific piano player, and I was excited to learn so we could sit side-by-side on the piano bench and play show tunes together. I thought I was pretty good already, so the lessons would be a cinch: I could knock out the popular five notes of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" over and over again with varying tempo and volume that no doubt made my parents wish a UFO really would hover over our house and take me away.I knew nothing about the piano other than you could always find a plastic egg in...

One of the keys to a successful training schedule is flexibility. By allowing yourself the freedom to switch, move, substitute, or cancel a scheduled workout eases the mental load of an otherwise rigid routine. Being overloaded at work or just plain overcommitted can result in less "you" time, and exercise can be the first to go.I keep a bottle of Wite-Out close to my training schedule for that specific purpose: to adjust and alter my workout routine to better accommodate my weekly work and/or social schedule. I get out the little bottle with the spongy-tipped stick and make frequent...

ASPEN, Colo. - Aspen Skiing Co. officials felt they were "on the right track" this season after suffering through one of the worst winters in years in 2008-09.Customer visits probably increased a small amount, business was more robust for the ski and snowboard school, and travelers' wallets "have loosened up," Skico Senior Vice President David Perry said Friday."I would say it met expectations for us," he said, touting "slight improvement and stabilization."However, Perry stressed that the economy remains weak, and Aspen-Snowmass has a long way to go to recover from the recession."We're not...

VAIL, Colo. - Vail is seeing another spring powder day as a storm that's expecting to continue today has already dropped more than a foot of fresh snow on Vail and Beaver Creek mountains.Vail Mountain reported 13 inches of snow overnight while Beaver Creek reported 14 inches. It has been a bountiful spring, with Vail Mountain reported 29 inches in the last seven days and Beaver Creek reporting 25.The National Weather Service expects another 4 to 8 inches to fall in Vail today and another 1 to 2 inches is possible tonight. Another few inches could fall Wednesday before the storm moves on.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. - April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring smiles to the faces of skiers and riders in the Roaring Fork Valley.With five fresh inches of snow at Sunlight Mountain Resort over Wednesday night, and continuing through Thursday, riders will have fantastic spring conditions for Easter weekend at the local ski mountain.And they will get the bonus of an extra weekend to boot.That's right, Sunlight Mountain Resort announced Thursday that the mountain will push back its scheduled closing date of April 5, and reopen for skiers and riders for the weekend of April...

ASPEN, Colo. - Aspen's ski season will be extended by two extra weekends.The Aspen Skiing Co. will keep the lifts running on Aspen Mountain on April 17-18 and and April 24-25, company Senior Vice President David Perry told the Aspen Chamber Resort Association board of directors on Tuesday morning."We have enough snowpack. Even if we start to lose snowpack at the bottom, we've got enough up high," he said.Tuesday's snow report indicated a 54-inch base at the top of Aspen Mountain. Aspen Highlands has an 88-inch base up top and Snowmass boasts a 79-inch base, but the Silver Queen Gondola at...

KEYSTONE, Colo. - A Zamboni slipped through the cracks at the Keystone Lake Tuesday night.Crews were smoothing the surface of the popular skating spot around 6 p.m., when the machine fell part-way through the ice. Workers successfully extricated the Zamboni from the lake the same night and closed the ice to skating.No one was injured during the incident, and the Zamboni "fired right back up" once it was retrieved, according to Keystone spokesperson Ryan Whaley.Skating is now done for the season, since temperatures will likely be too warm by the time the hole in the ice is repaired. The ice is...

"I didn't think I had it." With eyes filled with tears, these words came tumbling out in a low shaky voice from Jim, a big man of 41, as he sat clutching his mother's hand. There was a moment of stunned silence with tears welling up as the group in the room adjusted to this heartbreaking news. It was Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 in the parlor of the United Methodist Church at Fifth and White in Grand Junction where the Huntington's Disease support group was gathered for its monthly meeting. Jim had been positively diagnosed with HD by a blood test.For Jim, and others who have grown up with HD, he...

This weekend, Fruita and the rest of the world are getting set for the 15th annual New Belgium Brewing Fruita Fat Tire Festival presented by US Bank and supported by Shimano and the City of Fruita.Sunshine, singletrack, products displayed from the best in the bike industry, the ever-welcoming Beer Garden, the Clunker Crit, and more are what you can expect. SCHEDULE OF EVENTSFriday, April 30* 9 a.m.-6 p.m. - Expo opens, bike demos* 10 a.m.-6 p.m. - Registration opens at Fruita Civic Center* Rides (see bulletin board at Beer Tent)* 6-10 p.m. - Friday Party at Civic Center; Dry River Yacht Club...

The Sixth annual Palisade Classic Mountain Bike race is gearing up for May 15.The Grand Mesa Grind represents the evolution of five years of racing at the base of the Grand Mesa in the high desert surrounding Palisade. The Grand Mesa Grind has grown to be the ultimate grassroots race event starting and ending in downtown Palisade.The Full Grind MTB race is a unique and challenging mountain bike race climbing 4,800 feet through Palisade's watershed up the slopes of the Grand Mesa. Ride through beautiful meadows and wild creek crossings, descend a steep, rocky mining road back to Horse Mountain...

A new bicycle advocacy group wants to make bicycle transportation safer in the valley. When Jocelyn Mullen and her 5-year-old daughter ride to school from their home in the Redlands, the bike path suddenly ends and the route becomes less safe.In many areas of town, bike paths "woo you in on either side, but then don't provide safe passage (between the two bike paths)," said Mullen, a founding member of the advocacy group Grand Valley Bikes.The group is an offshoot of Grand Junction's Urban Trail Committee, an advisory group that works on urban trails issues. Mullen has been a cyclist for 40...

A guide to road and mountain biking in Mesa County, Colorado. Read the magazine here