Winter seems to come and go in lower elevation communities like Durango and Cortez, but our snowpack (although low for the year) at Andrews Lake Winter Recreation Area keeps sparkling with life, offering many gifts to those who come to wander among its beauty. It really is a magical place up there, and San Juan Mountains Association is dedicated to helping people connect to the land, learn how to protect it and become stewards themselves. It is more important than ever that we the people work diligently to educate, protect and care for these special places.
From hot cocoa barista-ing to helping fit snowshoes for the first time, SJMA’s snow ambassadors take great joy in helping people recreate responsibly and enjoy their time among the magic. When people have a great time out in nature they are more likely to want to help take care of it, and protect it for generations upon generations. The societal world is a wild place right now, and the serenity, love and awe of Andrews Lake is still there just waiting for the next visitor to bestow its gifts on.
When we stop to catch our breath (physically and metaphorically), we are gifted with the opportunity to become aware of the magic. It is always there, always giving to us and lights up with joy when we take that moment to intentionally become aware. The Japanese prescribe these experiences in their hospitals. It’s called Shinrin-Yoku, Forest Bathing. In their cities, they have designated nature areas and walking paths for people to go sit in nature, breathe, put their phones on silent and just be. We are so lucky to be surrounded by these places here, but we must be intentional to go be with them and help protect them. The nurturance that comes from nature flows like an infinite source, and all it requires to keep this flow happening is a little love and respect. Practicing simple Leave-No-Trace principles goes a long way, and a bit of education is paramount to keeping the flow going.
Just the other day a visitor came to Andrews Lake with a pack of dogs in the back of his truck. Our snow ambassador went over to see if he needed any doggy poop bags to pack out their droppings. The man seemed to have recently inherited these dogs and honestly admitted he didn’t know why he needed to pack it out. Education with love in the heart is the name of the game. Our snow ambassador thanked him for his honesty and went on to explain how E. coli is often present in dog droppings, and when left on the surface to break down, the E. coli works its way into streams, rivers and lakes, contaminating our local water systems. The man was taken aback by this knowledge and quickly asked for some bags and said he would absolutely be packing all of it out from the forest from now on. The interaction was positive, respectful and educational. This is stewardship. It is a beautiful thing when education comes from the heart, it sticks, and there is no reason to repel it.
Make some time to come practice Shinrin-Yoku at Andrews Lake, join us for one of the last couple of Snow Science & Social tours, educate yourself and others about the simple seven Leave-No-Trace principles to help keep our wild places beautiful forever; and remember the magic is always there.
Colin Courtney works as the snow ambassador at Andrews Lake Winter Recreation Area for SJMA and is passionate about protecting our natural places and spreading the joy of playing outside.
