A group of eight people walked up to us from the parking lot – kids and parents – with a small backpacks, wearing tennis shoes and holding a couple plastic water bottles. “Welcome to Ice Lake trailhead!” I called out, letting them know we’re here to help. Chatting with the group, we learned they were from out of town, here on a 5 day trip. Their dream was to see an alpine lake – ideally Ice Lake and Island Lake. They had seen photos of the blue water, the fields of wildflowers, and snowy mountain peaks. They were excited to hike but didn’t know it’s a steep 3.5 miles uphill with almost 2500 feet of elevation gain before seeing blue water. “That sounds hard!” said one of the kids. We agreed.

We made sure they knew how much water to bring (at least 2 liters per person), the potential rain in the afternoon forecast, and how to protect Ice Lake from human impacts (pack out your trash, stay on the trail, and give wildlife plenty of space). In 15 minutes, the families were heading out on the trail with big smiles – prepared with some additional water, snacks and rain jackets packed into their bags.

This is a glimpse into a typical Saturday morning in July around 9 a.m., for San Juan Mountains Association volunteer trail ambassadors who sign up for a shift at Ice Lake trailhead near Silverton. Standing at the SJMA tent at the trailhead, an SJMA volunteer and I spent the day sharing information about Ice Lake trail and how to responsibly recreate in this fragile alpine environment. Later, a volunteer climbed the trail to chat with visitors at the lake, answering questions, guiding backpackers to durable camping spots and advising hikers to get off the ridge by midafternoon as the threat of afternoon monsoons grew.

Working in partnership with the San Juan National Forest and other federal land management agencies, our SJMA volunteer trail ambassadors are often the first line of contact at popular places like Ice Lake trail, Blue Lakes trail, Chicago Basin, and more. As these places keep getting more attention, more people will keep coming to the San Juans to see our beautiful landscapes every year!

With support from you, our community, as volunteers and SJMA members, we are able to protect these places by sharing helpful and friendly information about how to recreate responsibly and leave no trace.

If you’d like to be a part of this effort to protect our iconic locations, join our volunteer community by signing up at sjma.org/volunteer to become a volunteer trail ambassador this summer! Or reach out to me directly with questions or ideas at msaunders@sjma.org.

Marly Saunders is the Volunteer Coordinator for San Juan Mountains Association and is excited to see you out on the trails this summer!

The first time I worked with conservation volunteers, I led a group of high school students on a long-term volunteer trail project. As my students learned to use tools, cut tread, and spend all day in the woods, I watched something amazing happen. At first, they were hesitant and shy, holding back when hikers came down the trail. I talked to all the hikers and bikers and trail runners, educating them about our trail work. As the weeks went by, my group started to open up. They became knowledgeable and articulate and excited about what they were doing. Even my shyest students started jumping at the chance to chat with hikers, and those hikers became SO engaged. Hearing directly from volunteers why we should stay on the trail, why this work matters, and why we should leave no trace created a powerful connection to the land for recreationists. They saw how hard my students were working, and I saw it make a huge impression on many trail visitors.

As spring turns to summer, San Juan Mountains Association (SJMA) is hard at work preparing for a successful season. At SJMA, we want to create those experiences where volunteers can share their perspective with San Juan National Forest visitors. I know that volunteers can have a huge impact on how people connect to and use our public lands. Visitors see how you care for the land and know you are there because of that passion.

This summer, we’ll have six different ways to volunteer with SJMA on our public lands. There is so much to do, but so many different ways to contribute! If each SJMA volunteer plays to their strengths, we can accomplish even more. If you’re interested in helping out, but don’t know where to begin, I’ve created a quick overview that will help you decide!

Do you love chatting with strangers, always excited to hear a new story and make a new friend?
Volunteer to be a San Juan Trailhead Ambassador at Blue Lakes or Ice Lakes!

Do you typically work alone, prefer to roam the forest in silence, drawn to the quiet parts of our Wilderness areas?
Volunteer to help with Wilderness solitude monitoring!

Do you live for summer backpacking months, riding the train into the Weminuche Wilderness, and hiking to new alpine lakes every year?
Volunteer for the basecamp at Chicago Basin!

Do you light up when you work with kids, love helping the next generation explore the San Juans, and feel passionately about science education?
Volunteer with our education program – After-School Science Ramblers or school field trips!

Are you always the “host” friend, looking for any chance to welcome friends, new and old?
Volunteer as a Durango Nature Center docent – a program returning for the first time since SJMA merged with Durango Nature Studies!

Are you one of those hikers who loves to identify each flower, tree, and rock, talking about ecology and our environment?
Volunteer as an interpretive naturalist on our summer nature walks!

Do you want to protect our public lands, but prefer to work on your own schedule and drive rather than hike?
Volunteer with our Adopt-A-Road program!

However you decide to volunteer, know that we couldn’t do any of this without you! Sign up for volunteer training & shifts for this summer at https://sjma.volunteerlocal.com. This will also ensure that you are notified of emerging opportunities. You can reach me directly at msaunders@sjma.org if you have any questions or ideas!

Marly Saunders is the Volunteer Coordinator for San Juan Mountains Association & is excited to see you out on the trails this summer!

By Shannon Daily

Here at San Juan Mountains Association, we have experienced a bustling, exciting and fulfilling summer and fall. Whether it be our educators running science-based summer camps for youth, our Forest Ambassadors hitting the trails to spread the message of Leave No Trace, or our Visitor Information Specialists educating visitors about our forests, all of us at SJMA have experienced great satisfaction in working towards our mission to inspire and empower connection to and responsible use of the spectacular public lands of Southwest Colorado.  

As our busy field season winds down and the golden leaves have turned to brown, we find ourselves ramping up for our biggest fundraiser of the year, Christmas Trees for Conservation. We would like to invite you to join us on the Tree Lot this year. You can volunteer by working a shift at the Tree Lot or stop by to purchase your Christmas tree from us and browse our Pop-Up Shop for some local stocking stuffers. Here are a few reasons why we operate the Tree Lot.

First, the Christmas trees! SJMA sells both freshly cut local white fir and farmed balsam fir trees from Wisconsin. The local white firs grow right here in the San Juan National Forest, which means an almost nonexistent transportation carbon footprint.  There are no pesticides, fertilizers, or irrigation used so the white firs are not as full as trees from a tree-farm, and have smaller trunks. A large group of SJMA volunteers goes into the forest and cuts these trees from a designated area. Working in conjunction with our partner, the San Juan National Forest, thinning white fir along the road helps prevent catastrophic fires and protects the overstory trees from a crown fire. White firs represent the locally-grown option on our lot and bring a little bit of the San Juan National Forest into your home. We also sell farmed balsam fir trees which are grown in Wisconsin. The ideal growing conditions and fertilization allow the balsam trees to reach a perfect shape and size. 

A second reason that we operate the Tree Lot is the camaraderie felt from working toward a common goal. Volunteering for a 3 hour shift at the sale is a wonderful way to spend time during the holiday season. Likely, you’ll see people you know from around the area and help them purchase the perfect tree.

Lastly, the proceeds from the Tree Lot go to supporting SJMA’s mission, and serves as our largest fundraiser of the year. We are deeply grateful for all the support from the community. The Tree Lot opens on Friday November 26th at noon and is open every day until the trees sell out. Last year, we sold out in under three weeks, so don’t delay! The hours are  Sundays – Fridays from 12:00pm – 6:00pm; Saturdays from 9:00am – 6:00pm. The lot is located at the corner of Camino del Rio and College Avenue in Durango. 

Whether it be volunteering or shopping, we hope to see you at the Tree Lot!  Learn more and sign up to volunteer at www.sjma.org.

Another way to support SJMA? Check out Sticker Mule for the fastest and easiest way to buy custom stickers​ and other printed products! Thank you Sticker Mule for your support!

December 13, 2020 by Brent Schoradt

This year, getting outside became a lifeline for Americans of all stripes, and our public lands became more popular than ever.

For me, a long hike anywhere on our public lands is the one activity that brings a sense of normalcy to my daily and weekly routines. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve all been reminded how important our forests and public lands are to our personal well-being, both physically and spiritually. Here in Southwest Colorado, we’re lucky to enjoy relatively easy access to millions of acres of public lands.

Unfortunately, a recent surge in visitors to our public lands has come at a cost. Many forest visitors are not aware of best practices and aren’t accustomed to visiting areas without bathrooms or trash facilities. As a result, human waste, toilet paper, trash and graffiti have become an increasingly common site at some of our most beloved local places. That’s why San Juan Mountains Association has stepped up its efforts to care for our local public lands.

Since its founding in 1988, SJMA has been committed to cleaning up and caring for our most treasured public lands, such as the Weminuche Wilderness and Ice Lakes Basin. This summer, SJMA volunteers made an immense difference by posting up at our Ice Lakes Educational Basecamp to educate hikers about how to responsibly visit the area.

All told, these local volunteers contributed 475 hours to contact 9,200 hikers and remove hundreds of pounds of trash while providing “wag bags” and dog poop bags to encourage folks to pack out their own waste. During one encounter in August, SJMA volunteers found an abandoned campfire that was quickly extinguished, potentially avoiding a peak season wildfire in Ice Lakes Basin.

After all these efforts, we were devastated to see the Ice Fire occur in late October, just a few weeks after SJMA’s Educational Basecamp was taken down for the year, when the area has normally received at least some initial snowfall. We know our efforts make a difference for the landscape, and we are eager to help facilitate the area’s recovery from the fire and this unprecedented busy season.

Because of local donations to SJMA’s newly formed Weminuche Wilderness Stewardship Fund, SJMA was able to improve conditions on the ground in 2020 and achieve these outcomes in the Weminuche:

Partnered with Southwest Conservation Corps and the Colorado Trail Foundation to remove avalanche debris from the Colorado Trail at Elk Creek, improving access to one of Colorado’s iconic through-hikes.Naturalized 298 illegal campsites.Installed eight designated campsites at Rainbow Hot Springs, while naturalizing unsustainable sites.Removed more than 70 downed trees from the Needle Creek Trail to improve access to Chicago Basin.Packed out more than 260 pounds of trash from the wilderness.In these times of great uncertainty, SJMA recognizes that one thing is for sure: Our public lands face growing threats, from persistent drought, catastrophic wildfire, climate change and surging numbers of visitors.

In response to these mounting threats, SJMA is doubling down on its efforts to stand up for public lands by educating visitors, empowering volunteers and instilling a land conservation ethic that will stand the test of time.

We know that caring for the land and protecting our forests and watersheds are core values of Southwest Colorado, and we are committed to digging deeper and standing taller in the face of growing challenges. After 32 years, SJMA’s work is just beginning.