Annual Meeting

Slate Lakes Work Trip 7/2021

5 volunteers, 3 USFS wilderness rangers and 2 llamas!

Sawyer Training

A dozen ESWA volunteers became certified crosscut sawyers

VWR Training

35 trainees received their USFS certification as Volunteer Wilderness Rangers

Cataract crew

A weekend crew packed in to Upper Cataract Lake and cleared 31 illegal campfire rings, plus more

Llama + friend

A mountain goat paid a visit during our work trip to Gore Lake

Lily Pad crew

A vigorous crew on a day trip work project cleared the popular Lily Pad trail and met Wilderness visitors

June visitors

Our VWRs encountered many visitors on this perfect June day

TH Hosting

Our Trailhead Hosts meet and greet Wilderness visitors as the arrive and depart, dispensing wisdom, guidance, and swag

Goodbye Columbus

It's now Indiginous People's Day, and Karn Stiegelmeier announces a plan to rename the Gore Range in honor of the original inhabitants

Gore Creek

Adopt-a-trail work on Gore Creek

VWR Training

Here Cyndi demonstrates how not to dress for patrolling the Wilderness

150 years

We celebrated the sesquicentennial of the first description of the Gore Range with Ute Chief Manuel Heart

XC Ski Trip

Skiing and lunch on Pebble Creek

VWR Dinner

At a VWR Appreciation Dinner, Mike vigorously recruited new Board members.

REI opening

REI Dillon opened with a fair celebrating all things outdoors

Farewell Mike Beach

A party for Mike Beach as he leaves the Eagle/Holy Cross RD for a new USFS position in Idaho

Gore Lake trip

An overnight work trip with llamas carrying tools and gear to Gore Lake

Dan Gibbs

We met up with Dan Gibbs, the new head of the DNR, and former country commissioner

Slate Lakes #1

Photos of the trip with llamas into Slate Lakes

VWR updates

Returning VWRs gather to hear the latest updates from the USFS about Wilderness status

Slate Lakes 2

Report of work trip to Slate Lakes

BC Hosting

A new programe at ESWA, backcountry campsite hosting by VWRs

Stuart Dodd

A full day Retreat to examine the way forward was guided skillfully by Stuart Dodd

Bighorn Creek

Rebuilding a cabin with traditional tools deep inside the Wilderness

June hikers

Hikers and backpackers headed to Boulder Lake

Our host Kate

Social night at Ollie's Pub in Frisco

Apprentice

VWR training in 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic, and wannabe rangers could accompany returning VWRs on patrols

VWR Dinner

VWRs gathered Jay's Cabin up on Vail Pass to celebrate a great year in the Wilderness

Boulder Lake

An overnight trip to clean up illegal campfire rings and rehabilitate camp sites

Backpackers+

A beautiful weekend attracted families of hikers and backpackers headed for backcountry lakes

Lost Lake

A weekend of trail maintenance and campsite rehabilitation deep inside Eagles Nest Wilderness

June homage

An evening's stroll around sunset revealed some of the beauties of June in the mountains

VWR Training

Freshly-minted VWR Melissa tries on her newly-issued ranger shirt