Tuesday, March 19

The Crestone Eagle is a nonprofit monthly newspaper serving Crestone and the San Luis Valley

Recreation

Sacred Wyld: Pioneering a modern-day sacred harvest

By Anya Kaats. For twenty years, Wes Atkinson owned and operated a successful hunting outfitter business, but in 2012, after a life-altering psychedelic experience, he sold his company and walked away. “Continuing would have been out of integrity with what I had experienced,” Atkinson explained.  Subconsciously, he had already begun to question the ethics and motivations of the industry he was a part of, and the psychedelic experience brought his unfolding realizations to the surface. “Everyone talks about following your bliss, and doing what you love, but nobody talks about what happens when you start contaminating what you love with commerce....

Challenger and Kit Carson in the same day

On September 17, Sasha Petrovick of Moffat summited both Challenger Peak and Kit Carson Peak. The local mountains over fourteen thousand feet elevation are popular with climbers from across the globe. Petrovick began her climb at 7:30 am from Willow Lake and was back at the trailhead parking lot by 4 pm.

How the Great Sand Dunes were saved

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is a familiar site for residents of the San Luis Valley. The park includes almost 150,000 acres of protected land and hosts around half a million visitors each year. Its dunes, the largest in North America, reflect the unique geological history of the area. However, the lesser-known history of the park, and the activism of local women, is also worthy of recognition. In the 1920s, the threat of mining in the dunes began to worry locals in the San Luis Valley. The presence of gold, though small, sparked fear that the land would be...

The Monte Vista Crane Festival happens March 11-13

Cranes. Towering, snowcapped peaks. Small-town hospitality. The migration 20,000 or so greater Sandhill Cranes and a few thousand Lesser Sandhills. Besides the cranes there are thousands of waterfowl, numerous wintering bald eagles and other raptors which highlight the wildlife viewing. The mountains The towering peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountains serve as the backdrop to this epic migration. Golden fields and snow-covered ridge lines provide endless opportunities for photography enthusiasts. The people Experience the small-town hospitality of Monte Vista and the San Luis Valley. The 2022 Festival Due to the ongoing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the March 11-13 Monte Vista Crane Festival will be hybrid...

GIS data shows dangerous climbing patterns in the Sangres

The tragic death of a woman climber (Madeline Barharlou-Quivey) on Kit Carson Peak in the Sangre de Cristo Range this last October makes the research project completed in July 2021 by Kim Jones Thomas, a recent graduate of the Emily Griffith Technical College’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) program, even more relevant. Using GIS climbing incident data, Ms. Jones Thomas, also an outdoor climbing enthusiast, has discovered dangerous patterns in the Sangres that trip up experienced climbers, resulting in at least 1-2 fatalities every year, particularly in the Crestone Group (that includes the 5 northernmost 14ers in the Sangres: the...

Prime locations to view fall colors by foot or car

The last breaths of summer have nearly been taken here in the San Luis Valley. Golden seas of sunflowers signal that the precious months of wildflower blooms are almost complete. Busy birds, insects, and critters are stocking up to prepare for the cooler months ahead, some called to migrate, others to harvest and prepare for winter. Autumn is quickly approaching, and with it the miraculous turning of the leaves. Rich hues of gold, orange, and red will soon line our mountains and valley as temperatures drop and chlorophyl production wanes. Witnessing the colorful display of fall foliage is a...

Hopeful in the San Juan Mountains

Mosquitos swarmed around my head as I ate a hot, rehydrated chicken and rice freeze-dried dinner. A dozen elk grazed peacefully a few hundred yards away in the waning light on the other side of a large wetland. White snowball inflorescences of heartleaf bittercress lined the creek winding through the green sedges of the fen. Twelve to thirteen thousand foot ridges and peaks surrounded me on three sides. It was the first night of a three-day solo backpack trip up to the headwaters of one of my favorite drainages in the San Juan Mountains. The first four miles of the...

Penitente Canyon  Recreation Area: Geology, history, & outdoor fun

Summer is here and it is time to get out and enjoy the exquisite beauty of the San Luis Valley. The Penitente Canyon Recreation Area, located outside of Del Norte along the edge of the Rio Grande National Forest, presents endless fun to the adventurous spirit. Unique geology and human history coupled with incredible hiking, rock climbing, biking, and camping opportunities make this 7,529-acre recreation area a true gem. No matter your interests, budding ribbons of wildflowers, stunning panoramic views, and dynamic wildlife sightings are sure to charm you during your next visit to the recreation area.  Geology Visitors are quick...

Challenger and Kit Carson in the same day

On September 17, Sasha Petrovick of Moffat summited both Challenger Peak and Kit Carson...

How the Great Sand Dunes were saved

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is a familiar site for residents of the...

The Monte Vista Crane Festival happens March 11-13

Cranes. Towering, snowcapped peaks. Small-town hospitality. The migration 20,000 or so greater Sandhill Cranes and a...

GIS data shows dangerous climbing patterns in the Sangres

The tragic death of a woman climber (Madeline Barharlou-Quivey) on Kit Carson Peak in...

Prime locations to view fall colors by foot or car

The last breaths of summer have nearly been taken here in the San Luis...

Hopeful in the San Juan Mountains

Mosquitos swarmed around my head as I ate a hot, rehydrated chicken and rice...

Penitente Canyon  Recreation Area: Geology, history, & outdoor fun

Summer is here and it is time to get out and enjoy the exquisite...

A history of the La Garita Caldera: the supervolcano in your backyard

Passing though thirteen counties in southwestern Colorado, the San Juan Mountains are host to...

San Luis Valley Wetlands: Critical stopover habitat for bird migration and the ‘kidneys’ of the Earth

Each spring and fall, thousands of feathers slice through the brisk San Luis Valley...
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