CATs to work in Red Rock Canyon this Summer

June 18th, 2010

Red Rock Canyon

The Coalition of Active Trail-Builders, or CATs, will be doing trail maintenance work regularly this summer in Red Rock Canyon Open Space. If you would like to volunteer with this group, contact goddess@gardenofthegoddesses.us!

CATs will begin their work on June 30th and then every 2nd and 4th Wednesday in July, August and September.  Typically, the group will gather at 3:30 pm, work for about 4 hours, and have an informal dinner afterwards.

For more information, visit the Friends of Red Rock Canyon website.

Upcoming Local Trail Workdays

May 27th, 2010

Below is a list of volunteer trail workdays in Colorado Springs. If you know of any others to add, please contact us!

Hiker

Saturday, May 22, 2010:

Cheyenne Cañon Workday

Sunday, June 13, 2010:

Intemann Trail Workday

Sunday, June 20, 2010:

Red Rock Canyon Workday and Solstice Celebration

Saturday, June 26, 2010:

Cheyenne Cañon Workday

Women’s Night at Mountain Chalet

April 8th, 2010

Last night, Mountain Chalet held its first ever event that was geared specifically toward women. This “Stonewear Night” featured wine and cheese, chocolates, tea, live music by members of the local band Edith Makes a Paper Chain, a raffle, and plenty of clearance items from the women’s lifestyle and yoga apparel company Stonewear Designs.

Thanks to everyone who came! We had a great time and look forward to hosting more events like this!

Stonewear Night

Mountain Chalet Announces Spring Event Series

March 24th, 2010

The Grand Canyon

Mountain Chalet has a full line-up of slideshows and other free events in the coming month:

Wednesday, Mar. 31st:  Grand Canyon Slideshow

Vince Cloward, program director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition, will be showing a free multimedia presentation: “The Big Ditch: Rafting in the Grand Canyon” at Mountain Chalet. Vince has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to the conservation of lands and waters throughout the west. Free! 7:00 PM

Wednesday, Apr. 7th: Women’s Stonewear Night

Stonewear Designs, a women’s specific yoga and lifestyle apparel company, will be coming to Mountain Chalet for a special after-hours shopping and socializing event for women. Enjoy free wine and chocolate, live music, a raffle for a free Stonewear outfit, and a trunk show of Stonewear clearance items from past seasons!  Free! 7:00 PM

Wednesday, Apr. 14th:  Mongolia Slideshow

Join us at Mountain Chalet as photographer and world traveler Dan Heidenreich presents his latest slideshow: “Inside Outer Mongolia: Photo Trekking through the Land of the Nomads.” Prints from Dan’s travels will be available for purchase. Free! 7:00 PM.

Saturday, Apr. 24th: Pikes Peak Earth Day 2010

Come to the Cornerstone Building on the CC campus for this Earth Day celebration, hosted by dozens of local green-minded businesses and non-profit organizations. There will be music, food, events, and activities throughout the day. Mountain Chalet is pleased to help sponsor this event. Look for more details at www.pikespeakearthday.org. Free! 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Banff Mountain Film Festival Sold Out

March 2nd, 2010

The Banff Mountain Film Festival this Saturday is now SOLD OUT!

Many thanks for helping us support the Rocky Mountain Field Institute! All proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to this terrific non-profit organization. If you weren’t able to get a ticket this year, we hope you can join us in 2011. Enjoy the show!

RMFI Announces Spring Volunteer Schedule

February 20th, 2010

Garden of the Gods

The Rocky Mountain Field Institute is looking for volunteers for their spring work in the Garden of the Gods and Fountain Creek.  Join in for one day or several!

GARDEN OF THE GODS WORKDAYS

ADULT WORKDAYS

  • Minimum age 16, or 13 if accompanying a parent volunteer
  • Continuing the work started in 2009 rebuilding the Strausenback Trail, including building retaining walls, steps and drainage structures. This is strenuous work and requires some heavy lifting.  Be prepared to get dirty!

Saturday, April 3
Saturday, April 10
Sunday, April 11
Saturday, April 17
Sunday, April 18
Saturday, April 24   (full)
Sunday, April 25

Saturday, May 1
Sunday, May 2
Saturday, May 8
Saturday, May 22
Sunday, May 23
Saturday, May 29
Sunday, May 30
Note:  Custom workdays for groups may be arranged during the week.  Call us!

TIME:  8:30 am to 3:00 pm

YOUTH WORKDAYS

  • For middle and high school students, parents are also welcome.
  • Work on the Palmer Trail, moving rocks and dirt in bucket brigades to fill erosion gullies near the trail. This is strenuous work geared for youth.  Be prepared to get dirty!

Saturday, April 10  9 am to 12:30 pm
Sunday, May 2, 12:30 to 4 pm.

FOUNTAIN CREEK WORKDAYS

  • Minimum age 16, or 13 if accompanying a parent volunteer.
  • Work on stabilizing and revegetating the banks of Fountain Creek in Memorial Park, Manitou Springs

Saturday, April 24
Sunday, April 25
Saturday, May 8

TIME:  8:30 am to 3:00 pm

FOR ALL PROJECTS:

BRING: Bring water bottle, sack lunch, work gloves, rain gear ; wear sturdy & weather-appropriate clothes, work shoes or boots (NO open toes!!!), sunscreen. RMFI has work gloves to loan.

WAIVER: All volunteers must sign a legal release form for each day worked.  Those under 18 must have a parent’s  signature.   A release will be sent to you when you register.  You will need one for each day you volunteer.

REGISTER: Advance registration is required.  Please call or email for details and to register, at least one week in advance (if possible).   Some days fill well in advance, so early registration is encouraged. You will be emailed directions, maps and a release form when you register.
Contact Liz Nichol,  471-7736 or  rmfi@rmfi.org

“The Wildest Dream” comes to Colorado Springs

February 15th, 2010

The Wildest Dream

“The Wildest Dream” will be playing in Colorado Springs this Friday as a benefit for El Paso County Search and Rescue!

Friday, February 19, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Cheyenne Mountain High School’s Lloyd Shaw Auditorium
1200 Cresta Road, CO Springs

Tickets: $20, available online through Mountain Chalet or EPCSAR.

“The Wildest Dream” is a breathtaking mountaineering adventure and a tragic love story, filmed at 26,000 feet on Everest with a crew of 60 IMAX cameras. In 1924, Englishman George Mallory was obsessed with becoming the first person to climb the highest mountain on earth. Dressed in gabardine and wearing hobnailed boots, Mallory was last seen alive, in rolling clouds, just 800 feet below the summit.

75 years later, mountaineer Conrad Anker’s life became intertwined with Mallory’s after finding his frozen body with all his belongings intact. The only thing missing was a photograph of his wife, Ruth, which Mallory had promised to place on the summit. Haunted by Mallory’s story, Anker returned to Everest in 2008 to unravel the mysteries surrounding his death, using the same difficult route and the same antiquated clothing and climbing equipment available to Mallory in 1924.

For more information about the film, visit http://thewildestdream.com

Our Indy "Best of" Photo

December 27th, 2009

Thanks again for voting us the best local outdoor outfitter in the Independent’s 2009 “Best of” awards! Here is a photo that was taken by Kin Scott for the occasion.

The Crew at Mountain Chalet

The Crew at Mountain Chalet

Banff Mountain Film Festival Tickets Available Now!

December 17th, 2009

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour 2010, a collection of the world’s best outdoor films, will be coming to Colorado Springs at 7:00pm on Saturday, March 6, 2010.

Tickets cost $15 each, and 100% of the proceeds go to the Rocky Mountain Field Institute, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of wildlands and key natural areas. Tickets can be purchased at Mountain Chalet or online!

Give a Hand–Or a Shoe

November 25th, 2009

logoS4S

This season, help Mountain Chalet support two great organizations!

First, we are collecting gently used footwear for Soles4Souls and Birkenstock, who are partnering to collect the shoes for those in need around the world.  Also, enter to win a trip to travel with these organizations when they deliver the shoes.

OneNationLogo2

Second, we are collecting coats and jackets for One Nation Walking Together, an organization that benefits Native American communities.

Just bring your donations to Mountain Chalet, and we’ll take care of the rest!