SNOW SUNDAY: MOUNTAIN CLUB TURNS 25

02 Dec SNOW SUNDAY: MOUNTAIN CLUB TURNS 25

Drumroll please: The Telluride Mountain Club is turning 25!

And to celebrate we are putting on a party. The event takes place Thursday, December 6, 7 p.m., the Last Dollar Saloon. Local band “The Great Funktiers” will play two sets, one mellow so we can mix and mingle; the second, a rocker.

I can practically hear you scratching you head: Telluride Mountain Club?

Our nonprofit is all about preserving access to facilitate outdoor activities such as hiking, backcountry skiing, ice and rock climbing, all human-powered endeavors. The top priorities of our nonprofit: personal responsibility, self-sufficiency, and environmental stewardship.

Over the next few months, the Telluride Mountain Club plans to continue to collaborate with U.S. Forest Service, the Telluride Ski Area, San Miguel County, and private landowners to reopen the backcountry access gates that were closed on top of Gold Hill.

We will also open the high school indoor climbing wall to the public three nights/week during ski season.

Over the past decade, Telluride Mountain Club has a lot of crow about.

• Coordinated with the Forest Service to preserve Telluride’s Via Ferrata route. (We continue to provide education for climbers and management for this unique climbing route.)

• Worked with The Trust for Public Land and the U.S. Forest Service to preserve access to climb Wilson Peak.

• Worked with The Access Fund and a private landowner to preserve the Society Turn bouldering area and took over area management.

• Worked with the U.S. Forest Service, the Telluride Ski Area and local governments to include the addition of backcountry access gates for the expansion of the Telluride Ski Area permit boundary in the Prospect Basin expansion in 2001.

• Worked with Idarado Mining Company and the Town of Telluride to create access to ice climbing at Bridal Veil Falls. (Currently provide information and education for ice climbers to use this resource.)

The night before we celebrate our silver anniversary, on Wednesday, December 5, Noel Night, Patagonia  chose the Telluride Mountain Club as its pet non-profit. As the beneficiary of the store’s “1% To The Outdoors Program,” we receive 1% of the evening’s profits.

We thank you in advance for your support and please note: memberships and season passes to the high school climbing wall are now available – $100 members; $125 non-members.

And the Telluride Mountain Climb wants to hear from you about access challenges, improvement ideas for trails and climbs and fundraising ideas.

Start the conversation at the Dollar on Thursday.

And look forward to updates on Telluride Mountain Club activities on Telluride Inside… and Out.