Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics July 2011 Issue

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics July 2011 Issue"

Donna Houston
5 years ago
Views:

Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics July 2011 Issue Special Interest Articles: Free Jazz Concert in Denver s City Park 1 Section Chair s Message 2 FREE JAZZ CONCERT IN DENVER S CITY PARK

will perform hits of the 40 s and 50 s up to the present day. Bring your picnic and gather near the bandstand pavilion at 5:00 PM for socialization prior to the concert.

1 Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics July 2011 Issue Special Interest Articles: Free Jazz Concert in Denver s City Park 1 Section Chair s Message 2 FREE JAZZ CONCERT IN DENVER S CITY PARK SUNDAY, JULY 31 Rain or Shine Yellowstone in Winter Wednesday Hiking 3 Other Day Hiking 3 Bicycling 4 Camping 5 Up Coming Activities 5 The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra big band with vocalists will perform hits of the 40 s and 50 s up to the present day. Bring your picnic and gather near the bandstand pavilion at 5:00 PM for socialization prior to the concert. The concert is from 6:00 8:00 PM. The pavilion is located east of Ferril Lake, usually referred to as City Park Lake, near 17 th and York. We won t know until the evening of the concert the exact location of our group. The park is huge, with hundreds of concert goers, so the earlier you arrive the easier it will be to find us. We will have red balloons with one black, I will wear a red shirt, and the Over the Hill Gang sign will be on display. Check out the orchestra website: Bring a blanket or folding chair, rain gear (umbrellas are ok), drinks in plastic or aluminum (no glass containers), your food (limited food items are available for purchase). Keep in mind you may be lugging your gear a fair distance from where you park. Parking - Please respect City Park's neighbors and park ONLY in these parking areas: Museum of Nature and Science parking lots, including the garage, as well as the extensive Denver Zoo parking lots. Enter off of Colorado Blvd. at 22 nd or 23 rd streets; signs for City Park Jazz parking are posted before the concerts. Also, there is free bike parking monitored by City Park Jazz volunteers at the Bike Corral next to the Pavilion from 4 PM until a half hour after the concert. For parking locations and map of City Park go to City Park Jazz contacts: phone or cityparkjazzdenver@gmail.com. We re on the Web! See us at: You Can Download The Newsletter There is no registration required for this event, but you are responsible for arriving early enough to reserve a space with the group. I will plan to arrive at City Park prior to 5:00 PM to secure a spot, but won t be able to hold a large plot without your bodies. You may call me at from 5:00 PM until 5:45 PM for help in locating our group. It will be a great concert, and I look forward to seeing you there. Sue Osborn

Hill Topics July 2011 Issue Page 2 of 6 SECTION CHAIR S MESSAGE It is hard to believe that the fourth of July is rapidly approaching. It seems like yesterday that I put away my skis for the season.

2 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue Page 2 of 6 SECTION CHAIR S MESSAGE It is hard to believe that the fourth of July is rapidly approaching. It seems like yesterday that I put away my skis for the season. As I was driving over Loveland Pass this week-end, I noted that Arapahoe Basin Ski Area is still open and snow drifts on top of the pass are still several feet deep. The hiking and biking groups are extremely popular with many participants signing up for every activity. As a result, for single hikes, hike leaders have been splitting these large groups into two or more sub groups. The hiking group now has more qualified experienced leaders to enable your club to offer multiple Wednesday hikes. The Other Day hike group has been scheduling more advanced and challenging hikes on Fridays. Please keep in mind when signing up for a more advanced hike that you are able to keep up with other hikers in the group. Please call hike leaders if you have any questions. Our biking group is in need of bike leaders for Terrapin or slower riders. The bike coordinators are also challenged with large groups on routes that involve a lot of intersecting trails with alternative turns. Dave Grimes, Wayne Tomasello, and Pete Spandau have done a wonderful job in planning routs and keeping these large groups together. I would have a hard time in riding these same routes on my own. On the social scene, the annual Summit County picnic was a huge success in spite of the unseasonably cool weather. Social coordinators Lue Fratantuono and Sue Osborn are busy planning future events. Your board of directors has appointed a nominating committee to recruit members interested in serving on the board. If you have any interest, please call Marion Dries or myself. Enjoy Colorado and be safe. Jim Stookesberry YELLOWSTONE IN WINTER 2012 Feb. 1 - Feb. 6, Steaming geysers, bison, elk, and other wildlife are all part of the experience of Yellowstone National Park in winter. Skiers, snowshoers, and photographers will enjoy the convenient trails leading directly from the lodge to geysers and waterfalls. The trip includes round-trip bus and snow coach transportation between Denver and Yellowstone, a one-night stay in Jackson, 3 full days and 4 nights at Old Faithful, snow coach drop-off fees, happy hours, and several meals (4 breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 3 buffet dinners), and all entrance fees and gratuities. We depart Denver by bus on Wednesday morning, February 1, stay overnight in a motel in Jackson, arriving in Yellowstone on Thursday afternoon. We leave Yellowstone and return to Denver late on Monday, February 6, Cost $ $1220 per person, depending on accommodations Trip Leaders: Rick & Deana Pratt Prices are per person, based on double occupancy. Most rooms have 2 double beds (we have 5 king sized beds) and private bath. If you sign up on your own, the leader will assign another solo participant as your roommate. The trip cost for the newer Snow Lodge hotel rooms is $1220, the Western cabin is $1195, and the rustic Frontier cabin is $1075. (The cabins are 300 yards from the lodge so you may be breaking trail to the lodge when it snows.) The lodge contains meeting areas, a coffee shop, and two restaurants. Cabin accommodations are limited so sign-up is on a firstcome, first-served basis for each level of lodging. Trip cost does not include remaining meals, (1 breakfast, 5 lunches, and 2 dinners), optional sightseeing excursions within the park, equipment rental, or trip insurance. There is a 3% guest fee for non-cmc members. Register with the leader by calling or ing rpratt905@gmail.com.

Page 3 of 6 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue The weather has been very cooperative for our Wednesday hikes, however, now we must deal with trail conditions.

views, flowers, lakes, waterfalls and cooler climates. We recently had a Wednesday hike leaders meeting. Our leaders of "A" and "B" hikes have again volunteered to lead some wonderful hikes for July.

3 Page 3 of 6 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue The weather has been very cooperative for our Wednesday hikes, however, now we must deal with trail conditions. So far, we are experiencing very warm weather and that means we are anxious to get to the higher elevations where it is cool and offers many of the aesthetic reasons we love about hiking in Colorado: views, flowers, lakes, waterfalls and cooler climates. We recently had a Wednesday hike leaders meeting. Our leaders of "A" and "B" hikes have again volunteered to lead some wonderful hikes for July. On many of the days we may offer your choice of hikes. We ask that you commit to only one. Also, some of the hikes are in Wilderness areas and may have restrictions to only 12 people. If you can't get on the list, we hope you and a friend will take time to visit that area on your own. Often it will be at peak season for viewing. WEDNESDAY HIKING If you are not on our master Hike List and are interested in hiking with us, please contact your coordinators listed below. We ask that you be equipped for hiking with sturdy boots, no cotton, the 10 essentials in your pack and plenty of water. An about the hike will be sent to you a few days before the hike and it is up to you to sign up. If in doubt about your ability to do the hike please call the listed leader for more information. Have a great July outing! Remember, all hikes listed are subject to change due to trail conditions, weather and unexpected situations. Hiking coordinators: Marion Dries mjdries@ymail.com Jim Stookesberry stookesberry@msn.com Reynolds Park Tentative July Wednesday Hikes July 6 th Mesa Cortina July 13 th Geneva Mtn...limited to 15 2nd hike TBA July 20 th Wheeler Lakes-Copper Mtn. July 27 th Lake Dorothy...limited to 12 Lake Isabella...limited to 12 Columbine Lake OTHER DAY HIKING Three hikes took place on Fridays in June: Walker Ranch Loop with Carl Slater leading, Beaver Brook with Dave Riter leading and Hells Hole with Frank Burzynski leading (see picture). Between 12 and 15 people participated in each of these hikes. Hike leaders for these B & C hikes have been left scrambling as snow still covers many of the high country trails. As various leaders checked with the Rangers in these areas, they were told that trails are hazardous, with snowdrifts described as "humongous" or "ginormous" and crossing a drift dumps you out into 2 feet of water. In other places, besides steep snow, bridges have been taken out and will not be replaced until the runoff is over. (Thanks to Jim Petersen for this information). Given these conditions, our first July hike, Three Little Indians, is a postponement from June, and two hikes are being rethought because of the conditions. Carl Slater Tentative July Other Day Hikes July 1 Three Little Indians Marc Hasfjord July 8 To be decided July 15 To be decided July 22 Arapaho Glacier Carl Slater July 29 Booth Lake Dave Riter

4 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue Page 4 of 6 BICYCLING On Top Of Chatfield Dam RMOTHG Cyclists are having fun and getting exercise on its weekly rides. To increase the fun portion, we ll be participating in the Moonlight Classic, Saturday, July 16 th in downtown Denver. Molly Ackert and Dorse Cooper have offered to host a pre ride Pep Rally at their home which is not far from the ride starting point. Signup for the ride at moonlight-classic.com and on a future CMC trip. More details later. Our rides are usually about 20 to 30 miles at a speed of 10 to 12 mph in the mornings and finish with an optional lunch at a nearby restaurant. Occasionally, we ll have a leader for a slower group of riders. Watch for notification of this slower rider group in the weekly s. Most of our trips are on paved, level bike paths. Occasionally we encounter some hills and gravel trails. The essential items for participating are plenty of water, necessary tools to repair a flat tire (replacement tube), appropriate clothing for changes in the weather, and carrying ID and a medical card. The wearing of a helmet is mandatory. notices are sent out several days prior to the excursions to describe the weekly ride and the meeting location. Both groups will start at the same time and hopefully finisher together. Most meeting times are 8:30 AM with departure at 9:00 AM. Guests are allowed with signing of a wavier form. Guests may participate in two of our activities before joining Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang (RMOTHG) section and the Denver Group of CMC. If you are interested in riding, please contact Pete Spandau by at bicycling.list@rmothg.org to have your name added to the cycling list. Only RMOTHG members will be added to the list and you ll receive weekly reminders to sign up at Pete Spandau Tentative July Bike Rides: July 1 st Highline Canal Tollgate Loop July 8 th Mouse Trap Loop July 15 th S. Platt River - Foxton to Pine July 16 th (Sat) Moonlight Classic July 22 nd Boulder 360 July 29 th DeKoevend Park Highline Canal to Hampton

Page 5 of 6 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue The annual RMOHG campout will once again be at Turquoise Lake near Leadville. We have reserved a limited number of sites for the three nights.

Amenities at the campground include flush toilets and drinkable water but no showers or electrical hookups. The beach and beautiful lake are easily accessible from the campsites.

RMOHG will provide the meat for dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings; wine for all "happy hours"; paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils.

WHERE: Baby Doe Campground. SITES: Shared; will be assigned upon your arrival at the campground DATES: Check-in: Monday, August 8 th, 2:00 PM. Check-out: Thursday, August 11 th, 12:00 noon.

RESERVATIONS: Accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, only upon receipt of ALL of the following: Your check for $25/person (made payable to Marta Rodeheffer) Your contact information CAMPING

5 Page 5 of 6 Hill Topics July 2011 Issue The annual RMOHG campout will once again be at Turquoise Lake near Leadville. We have reserved a limited number of sites for the three nights. These will be "shared sites". You are encouraged to make reservations as soon as possible as the sites fill up fast. Amenities at the campground include flush toilets and drinkable water but no showers or electrical hookups. The beach and beautiful lake are easily accessible from the campsites. Activities include hiking, biking, fishing, boating (bring your own boat), happy hours and campfires. RMOHG will provide the meat for dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings; wine for all "happy hours"; paper plates, napkins and plastic utensils. Participants will provide their own dinner on Monday evening; make potluck contributions to dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday; and bring snacks to share for "happy hour" each evening. WHERE: Baby Doe Campground. SITES: Shared; will be assigned upon your arrival at the campground DATES: Check-in: Monday, August 8 th, 2:00 PM. Check-out: Thursday, August 11 th, 12:00 noon. COST: $25/person. RESERVATIONS: Accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, only upon receipt of ALL of the following: Your check for $25/person (made payable to Marta Rodeheffer) Your contact information CAMPING including: name, mailing address; telephone numbers (day and evening); address. Whether using a tent; van; RV (indicate length); or sleeping in your vehicle. Names of all in your party and anticipated number of vehicles (Note: parking is limited). Any special needs. MAIL TO: Marta Rodeheffer RMOHG camping Coordinator P.O. BOX 2435 Evergreen, Colorado Marta will send confirmation of your reservation; directions to Baby Doe Campground and other organizational details via . Address any questions or comments to martarodeheffer@msn.com or (Voice Mail Box) Marta Rodeheffer July 16 th July 31 st August 8 th 11 th September 25 th December 11 th UP COMING ACTIVITIES Moonlight Classic Bike Ride Free Jazz Concert in Denver s City Park Camping at Baby Doe Campground at Turquoise Lake RMOTHG Annual Dinner at the Mount Vernon Country Club Holiday Party and White Elephant

6 Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang A Section of the Colorado Mountain Club Denver Group July 2011 RMOTHG Section Board Members Section Chair Jim Stookesberry Section Vice Chair Marion Dries Secretary Dorse Cooper Treasurer Barbara Schwarz Members at large Connie Carroll Lue Fratantuono Kathy Malone Dave Grimes Wayne Tomasello CMC Denver Council Rep Jeff Flax Activity Coordinators Membership Connie Carroll Snowshoeing Pete Spandau Jeff Flax Sue Henley Elaine Kallos Joe Leahy Barbara Schwarz Biking Pete Spandau Jeff Flax Wayne Tomasello Hiking Marion Dries Joe Leahy Jim Stookesberrry Carl Slater Marc Hasfjord Activities Lue Fratantuono Sue Osborn Newsletter Wayne Tomasello wtomasello@comcast.net ROCKY MOUNTAIN OVER THE HILL GANG 9531 Cedarhurst Lane Unit A Highlands Ranch, CO PLACE ADDRESS LABEL HERE

Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics

Rocky Mountain Over The Hill Gang Hill Topics July 2010 Issue Special Interest Articles: Summit County Pot Luck Picnic 1 Section Chair s Message 2 Camping 2 Hiking 3 Other Day Hikes 3 Biking 4 Full Moon