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The Nature Connection
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HOTCHKISS

397 Miners Way
Hotchkiss, CO 81419
970-872-5910

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As our friend from Garnet Mesa said, cross-country As our friend from Garnet Mesa said, cross-country skiing is “actually pretty fun!!” and we agree ❄️💚❄️ We had fun filled trips with Garnet Mesa’s 4th graders last week and are so excited to see them on the Mesa again in 6th grade! 🎉 #kidsgrowbetteroutside #generationwild #getoutside #kidsnordicskiing #grandmesanordiccouncil
Welcome to the team Jess Finnigan! Jess has had a Welcome to the team Jess Finnigan! Jess has had an exciting start to her new position as Executive Director of Nature Connection! Her first days on the job were spent sharing and learning alongside fellow @generationwildcolorado coalitions at @greatoutdoorscolorado's (GOCO) annual conference, breaking down barriers to outdoor access for kids and families across the state. The conference was followed by a busy day of cross country ski lending on Grand Mesa. Jess brings a wealth of experience and perspective to the team and we are thrilled to have her on board!
Tomorrow looks beautiful on the Grand Mesa. Join t Tomorrow looks beautiful on the Grand Mesa. Join the Nature Connection and the Grand Mesa Nordic Council at County Line Trailhead for a beginner and family friendly ski day. Ski gear is provided by donation⁠ ⁠ Special thanks to our sponsors: Elevation Tea, Rubicon Coffee and Big B's Juices and Hard Cider for providing the hot drinks.
The Crimpanzees! The Crimpanzees are the competit The Crimpanzees! The Crimpanzees are the competitive climbing club representing Delta County in the American Scholastic Climbing League! In the early 2000s a competitive high school and middle school climbing league started up, bringing kids from all over Colorado to compete in four different regions: West Slope, Denver Northwest, Denver Southeast, and Southern Colorado. With the completion of the Cedaredge climbing wall, CMS teacher, Mike Long, started a team and they continued to grow until the pandemic. In Fall of 2022, the club was able to start back up with Randall Chapman and Brian Hollis taking over the reins as coaches. - They are currently half way through the season and there are some awesome kids doing a great job representing Delta County- with many of them already qualifying for regionals and several may make it to state! Make sure you cheer them on as they finish out the season continuing to make Delta County proud! - While not officially affiliated with the schools or Nature Connection, the Crimpanzee Climbing Club is open to every high school or middle school kid in Delta County, we even welcome older elementary school kids to come join to get a jump start on competition. While the season is half way over, it’s not too late to join in the fun for next season, or just to have fun and learn more about climbing. - For information on how to join the team or to get more details on our open Community Nights check out our website https://thenatureconnection.net/community-nights/
What is a climbing route? - Last week we posted ab What is a climbing route? - Last week we posted about new routes being set on the climbing walls up at the Cedaredge Middle School Gym but what does that mean? You may have noticed in the pictures the different colored plastic pieces that were attached to the walls that we call grips or holds. These holds are shaped in several different ways to either make them easier or harder to hold onto, making the “route” or path to the top either more accessible or more challenging. When we set the routes, we work to set at 4 different levels (beginner, advanced beginner, intermediate, and advanced) so that everyone coming to climb has something to work on to develop their skills as a climber. Tags at the beginning of the route indicate the difficulty making it easier to tell if a route is at the level you want to work on. - We even have local teenagers starting as climbing wall interns learning to set routes, operate the gym and instruct safe climbing! - If you are new to climbing, our Rock & Ropes Community Nights are a great opportunity to recieve professional-level coaching on routes that are just like climbing a ladder. As you progress, we have even more routes increasing in difficulty to always provide a challenge.
Who should come to our Rock & Ropes Community Nigh Who should come to our Rock & Ropes Community Nights? - Indoor rock climbing is a sport that can be enjoyed by kids both young and old! We sometimes see kids as young as 3 but find that it’s hit or miss for kids between 4 and 7 with most of them really enjoying it but some that just aren't sure. Once they turn around 8, it really starts to click and there is no limit to how old you can be to enjoy the fun. If you have no experience don’t worry, our staff can help get you started with about 15-20 min of instruction. - Thanks to support from @deltacountyschools and @westerncoloradocommunityfoundation we are able to offer our Rock & Ropes Community Nights at a discounted rate of only $5 or $20 for a 5 punch pass making it more accessible to everyone. Thanks to our sponosrs- we also offer scholarships for any kid or family needing financial assistance. For more details head over to our website https://thenatureconnection.net/community-nights/
Rock and Ropes Crew Spotlight: Randall Chapman “ Rock and Ropes Crew Spotlight: Randall Chapman “My primary goal is to help build and bolster a strong and well-educated climbing community. It starts with building up an indoor program where people can come to learn the ropes and get stronger and hopefully it expands into more. I do my best to provide a good experience for anyone that comes to climb whether it be a first timer, intermediate, or advanced climber I work to be able to cater to them all so everyone can advance their skills.” - Heading up our Rock and Ropes climbing program is former gym owner and professional route setter, Randall Chapman. For over 20 years Randall has worked in the climbing industry as an instructor, coach, advocate, indoor route setter, outdoor route developer, gym owner/manager and he’s also one of the organizers of the Adaptive Climbers’ Festival. Now Randall brings all of that experience to our program as a coach and instructor while also providing professional level route setting to keep everyone entertained. - Come check out our latest reset of routes on Monday and Wednesday nights up at the climbing wall at the Cedaredge Middle School Gym. For more details check out our website https://thenatureconnection.net/community-nights/. You can also find a link in our Bio
Nature Connection staff are gearing up for a full Nature Connection staff are gearing up for a full season of Skis For Kids starting in January! We're so excited!⁠ ⁠ Did you know that every 4th grader from Delta County and Olathe will learn to Cross Country Ski with us this winter? Support our work by visiting the link in our bio.
❄️ All I want for Christmas is more snow ❄️ ⁠ ⁠ We're getting excited to start skiing with 4th graders next month. Would you like to volunteer with us? Visit the link in our bio ☝🏽
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© 2023 The Nature Connection.

  • Home
  • About
    • Position Openings
    • About The Nature Connection
    • Our Team
    • Place Development
  • For Families
    • Family Events
    • Summer Camps
    • Explore Local Bike Trails
    • Explore Local Ski Trails
    • Climbing
    • Swim Programs
  • For Educators
    • School Programs
    • Gear to Go
    • Learn to Bike
    • Skis For Kids
  • For Students
    • HS Summer Jobs
    • Lifeguard Training
    • Explore Outdoor Jobs
  • Events
  • Support
    • Donate
    • Volunteer