Trout Unlimited banquet set for today at museum

The annual Five Rivers Trout Unlimited Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. today at the Durango Discovery Museum, 1333 Camino del Rio.

This annual fundraiser supports the organization’s efforts to preserve, protect and restore local rivers. Auction items will include guided fishing trips on area rivers, a wide array of fishing gear as well as art items and home furnishings for the nonangler.

Tickets are $40 each or $75 for couples and are available at Duranglers, 923 Main Ave., and at San Juan Angler, 200 Main Ave. Tickets are $50 at the door. Tickets include three drinks and dinner at the fajita bar.

For more information, call Preston Knight at 769-7734.

Kid’s Outdoors Day Camp offered in July

The San Juan Mountains Association in partnership with San Juan Public Lands is offering Kid’s Outdoors Day Camp, a four-day camp July 9-12 for children ages 8-12.

The camp will take place at historic Farmer Cabin along Cascade Creek in the San Juan National Forest. Topics will include water ecology, local history, orienteering, geology, mountain lion olympics and more.

Transportation from Durango will be provided. Most classes will be led by certified interpretive guide and outdoor educator MK Thompson.

Call 759-9113 or e-mail MK@sjma.org for more information.

Vallecito Reservoir offers anglers variety

Anglers looking to add variety to their fishing experience should consider heading to Vallecito Reservoir. The reservoir has rebounded strongly from the effects of a major forest fire in 2002 and is supporting good populations of sport fish, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reports.

Trout continue to be the top target for anglers. Also available are kokanee salmon, small-mouth bass, northern pike and walleye,

For more information about fishing in Colorado, visit: http://wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing/Pages/Fishing.aspx.

Vallecito boat-ramp restrictions announced

The Bureau of Reclamation, in cooperation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife the Pine River Irrigation District and the U.S. Forest Service, announces Vallecito Reservoir boat ramp-use modifications to prevent the spread of invasive mussels.

Because of the potential risk to the reservoir, one of 20 state water bodies ranked as “very high” for risk of a zebra or quagga mussel invasion based on its proximity to infected waters, only the Sawmill Point boat ramp is open for public use. All other launch sites on Reclamation land are closed, and violators will be cited.

The Sawmill Point boat ramp will be open daily this summer, and Rocky Mountain Recreation Co. will operate a watercraft inspection and decontamination station. Inspection of all watercraft is mandatory before launching.

The boat ramp will be closed overnight during the summer and seasonally from fall to spring. Signs will be posted with the boat ramp schedule.

For information about boat ramp operating hours, call Hal Pierce with PRID at 884-2558 or Mark Chiarito with the Bureau of Reclamation at 385-6577.

To report illegal launching of trailered watercraft, call the La Plata Sheriff’s Office at 385-2900.

Seniors Outdoors! announces events

Seniors Outdoors! announces these activities:

An easy to moderate hike on the lower Engineer Mountain (“Larkspur”) trail will meet at 9 a.m. Monday. RSVP to Clark Lagow at 259-9337 or clagow@rmi.net;

The Wednesday Wanderers will meet at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday for a moderate hike at Sale Barn. Dogs on leash only. RSVP for non-members only to the Rodmans at 382-9600;

A difficult hike/climb to the summit of Helmet Peak will meet at 7 a.m. Thursday. RSVP to Susan Beck-Brown at 375-0948 or sbeckbrown@yahoo.com;

A difficult hike on the Upper Hermosa Trail will meet at 8 a.m. June 15. The trail is rated difficult because of length, but it is not steep. RSVP to Lynn Coburn at 247-0914 or harrisoncoburn@gmail.com.

herald staff