Rule ends reign at San Juan Ski Co.
After 15 years, Bob Rule, owner of San Juan Ski Co., is hanging up his boards.
After 15 years, Bob Rule, owner of San Juan Ski Co., is hanging up his boards.
Last week, Rule and wife, Carrie, announced that the cat-skiing operation, which operates out of Durango Mountain Resort, is for sale. According to the Rules, it is Colorado’s largest snowcat-skiing operation, with almost 60 square miles of terrain.
“Bob’s been doing this for 15 years, and we’re ready to do something else,” said Carrie Rule. “We are ready to explore other mountain ranges and business endeavors.”
The operation has been on a La Niña roller coaster this season, opening in December but being forced to go on hiatus in January and re-opening a few weeks later. “December had incredible skiing, but were forced to close after howling winds blew all our snow to Wolf Creek and beyond,” said Carrie. “Since we reopened in mid-January, we have been hit with weekly storms and have had some of the best snow conditions in years.”
Carrie said the winter was a good one to end on but that as of now, the future of SJSC is uncertain. “We hope to sell the company and business will continue as usual,” she said.
The sale will include all the equipment, including four snowcats, a four-wheel drive van, 10 snowmobiles and one avalauncher, as well as the U.S. forest Service permit, good through 2020.
And while the Rules are sad to say goodbye to the 36,000 acres that have been their playground over the years, the most difficult part of leaving is saying goodbye to all of their customers.
“We will miss skiing with you,” said Carrie. “Like an unforgettable run or a stellar ski day, this season will be the one that we will remember ’till senility sets in.”
Dolores spill meeting set for March 21
Spring run-off may still be several weeks away, but Dolores River runners already have water on the brain. In an effort to keep the public ahead of the spill, next week, the Bureau of Reclamation will host a public meeting on the planned operating schedule for McPhee Reservoir in advance of the upcoming season. The meeting takes place Wed., March 21, at 7 p.m. at the Dolores Community Center, 400 Riverside Ave., in Dolores.
The public-format of the meeting strays from years past, where flow schedules were discussed by the Dolores Spill Committee, made up of members of the Dolores River Dialogue. Instead, next week’s meeting will bring together disparate groups and individuals with an interest in the Dolores River Project, from farmers to environmentalists, fish and wildlife specialists and boaters.
“We wanted to do an open meeting for the whole public, where we could discuss the reasoning behind what we’re trying to do with the spill,” said Vern Harrell, Bureau of Reclamation liaison for the Dolores River Project. “It’s different from what we usually do, but I think it’s going to be really good.”
Among the topics being addressed will be projected flows in and out of McPhee Dam. As of March 1, the Dolores above McPhee was at 82 percent of historic inflow. An updated projection will be released March 15 on the Dolores Water Conservancy’s website, www.doloreswater.org. “I suspect it’ll probably go down a little bit, but it’s hard to say,” said Harrell.
Jay Loschert, the Dolores River Stewardship Assistant for American Whitewater, said he welcomes the open meeting format. “The BuRec is really wanting to make this an opportunity to educate the whole public on how, why and when the spill is going to happen,” he said. “The meeting is a good way to let everyone know what the snow levels look like and how the boating season is shaping up.”
In addition, the meeting will also include updates on the downstream fishery and municipal, agriculture and industrial water allocations. American Whitewater will also speak about the expectations of the boating community and an online survey being planned for the season. “This is an important opportunity for the boating community,” said Loschert.
The following Saturday, river runners who want to show their support but are unable to make Wednesday’s meeting are asked to partake in a Dolores River restoration effort, west of Gateway, on the Utah-Colorado border. Sponsored by the Tamarisk Coalition, the daylong restoration will be in conjunction with the Moab BLM office, which recently removed tamarisk in the area. Volunteers will replant the area with native plants and grasses, fence cottonwoods from beavers and protect sensitive archaeological sites. A similar volunteer day last year resulted in the planting of 700 native plants.
The work site is fairly remote, although primitive camping is plentiful. The Tamarisk Coalition will provide breakfast and coffee, tools, and safety equipment. Volunteers are asked to bring their own lunch and water, adequate clothing (sturdy boots/shoes, long pants, layers) and to carpool. Reservations are required. To RSVP or for more information, contact Bill Cooper, restoration coordinator for the Tamarisk Coalition at 256-7400 or wcooper@tamariskcoalition.org.
And last but not least, American Whitewater will be hosting a Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop Sat., March 31, from 9 a.m. -4 p.m. in Joe Rowell Park, in Dolores.
Loschert said the training is taking place at the request of the BLM, which lost its Lower Dolores River ranger years ago due to budget cuts. The idea is for river runners to “self-police” on Leave No Trace ethics for Western River Corridors.
“The goal is to get 12 people to take the training and spend the day either at a put-in or on the river visiting campsites to spread the message,” said Loschert. “The idea isn’t to go around busting people but policing ourselves before someone has to do it for us.”
The training will be conducted by former Dolores River ranger Rick Ryan. “We’re excited to have Rick’s vast Dolores River experience and credentials,” said Loschert.
Interested volunteers should sign up by contacting Loschert at jay@americanwhitewater.org or 970-799-1475 by March 24.
Local teacher wins green award
A Durango schoolteacher has been recognized for her outstanding efforts at bringing the outdoors into the classroom.
Last week, Project Learning Tree, a program of the nonprofit American Forest Foundation, named St. Columba middle school science teacher Lu Boren one of five “Outstanding Educators” throughout the country. Every year, the program provides more than 30,000 educators with tools and training to incorporate environmental education and service-learning into their curriculum. The activities use trees and forests as “windows” on the world to help teachers strengthen their teaching of core subjects, take their students outdoors to learn, and grow stewardship. The Outstanding Educators are selected for their commitment to environmental education and their exceptional teaching skills.
Boren, who teaches science, chemistry and physics, to grades 6-8, was commended for using environmental topics and activities to engage her students in learning and “energizing” the entire school community in new approaches to learning.
Through her efforts, St. Columba became a Project Learning Tree Green School in 2011, and students and faculty have worked on improving the school’s environmental footprint. Boren also works with natural resource agencies to develop localized curriculum for science teachers throughout the Four Corners on topics such as forest management, fire ecology and watershed health.
“Lu understands that students learn best through field experiences and hands-on activities,” said Craig Goodell, a fire ecologist at the San Juan Public Lands Center. “She has created outstanding learning opportunities for her students, as well as her peers.”
St. Columba Principal Kevin Chick concurs. “Lu is responsible for having a direct and lasting impact on students’ interest in science and the environment, and on our overall school culture,” he said. “Most of all, students develop a real-world understanding of how their decisions impact the environment in which they live.”
Among her other activities, Boren is involved in the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education and serves on the Durango Nature Studies Advisory Board. She recently attended the National Green Schools Conference held in Denver to learn about “greening” schools as a way to save money, improve student health and achievement, and inspire students.
She will accept her award at Project Learning Tree’s annual conference in Deadwood, S.D, in May.
– Missy Votel