Outdoors – The Durango Herald

Colorado’s outdoor industry knows it could be more inclusive

The industry acknowledges that there’s a large population that doesn’t feel included

DATE: Jul 1, 2022 | CATEGORY: Sports

Rainbow Gathering picks remote area in Colorado for its angst-inducing 50th annual meeting of tribes

‘Largest non-organization of non-members in the world’ will reprise in Routt National Forest

DATE: Jun 15, 2022 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Purgatory Resort welcomes young pup to ski patrol

Ember, an 8-week-old black Lab, begins avalanche search and rescue dog training

DATE: Apr 6, 2022 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Fishing gear needs spring cleaning too

A clean and organized vest can make the art of fly fishing go easier

DATE: Apr 1, 2022 | CATEGORY: Sports

Authorities respond to report of avalanche on Berthoud Pass

First responders received a report that two people may have been buried but later determined that no one was caught

DATE: Mar 23, 2022 | CATEGORY: Local News

How Crested Butte’s first-ever extreme skiing contests birthed the freeskiing movement

Pioneering athletes transformed the resort industry with a push for wider skis and steeper terrain

DATE: Mar 17, 2022 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Colorado appeals court revives river access, right-to-wade debate

Angler Roger Hill is suing a landowner over a right to wade in the Arkansas River, arguing that historic commerce on the river proves navigability, which requires public access

DATE: Feb 14, 2022 | CATEGORY: Local News

Following a historic avalanche season, new tools aim to make backcountry travel safer

Durango-area woman creates rescue sleds that have other backcountry uses

DATE: Jan 18, 2022 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Family of Colorado avalanche victim drops one lawsuit, targets maker of air bag

Peter Marshall was killed in a January 2019 avalanche while taking a class near Red Mountain Pass

DATE: Dec 21, 2021 | CATEGORY: Local News

The mudslides that closed I-70 also muddied Hanging Lake’s crystal clear water

Hanging Lake’s pristine waters were spared from major damage last year when the Grizzly Creek fire engulfed the area surrounding the popular tourist destination, leaving only minor damage to...

DATE: Aug 6, 2021 | CATEGORY: Regional News

The Great Sand Dunes ‘are just a big mountain of sand’ and other 1-star national park reviews

Amber Share grew up in awe of national parks. Particularly The Grand Canyon. So when she found a negative review of the national park that said, like “A hole. A very, very large hole,” she w...

DATE: Jul 20, 2021 | CATEGORY: Outdoors

Down but not out, not by a long shot

I recently took a fly fishing vacation to Grand Bahama. The fishing was great. The travel to and from deserves a column on the nightmare of travel at the end of COVID-19. The trip, arrange...

DATE: Jul 2, 2021 | CATEGORY: Sports

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Fort Lewis College football takes on Arizona ChristianFLC drops first game of 2022, 52-12

FLC drops first game of 2022, 52-12

Pride parade and festival

Photos: Family fun at the La Plata County Fair

La Plata County Fair is off and running

La Plata County Fair schedule of eventsThursday8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding swine, market swine. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging open class home economics, horticulture, floriculture, creative arts.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA and open class fleeces.9 a.m.: 4-H poultry judging followed by open class.1 p.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA goat show, all classes followed by open class goat.5 p.m.: Fair Royalty speeches and modeling.7 p.m.: Talent contest, patio.7 p.m.: Livestock verification swine, poultry, goat, general project cards due.

Friday9 a.m.-8 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA rabbits.10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA breeding beef, beef showmanship.1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA market beef, grand champion and reserve grand champion market beef, champion selection.2 p.m.: Dairy cattle, all classes.3:15 p.m.: Pee wee showmanship.4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA livestock round robin, all-around showmanship.7 p.m.: Asleep at the Wheel concert.7 p.m.: Livestock sale verification rabbit and beef cards due.

Saturday9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public. 9 a.m.: 4-H dog show.9 a.m.: Judging open class beef all classes.10 a.m.: Rooster crowing contest.10 a.m.: FFA showmanship.11 a.m.: Open class dairy cattle, all classes.12 p.m.: Demolition Derby.12-4 p.m.: Community 4-H barbecue cook off (senior center lawn).2 p.m.: Rabbit costume contest.2 p.m.: Poultry costume contest.5 p.m.: Silver steaks, silver loin and silver chop award presentation.5:45 p.m.: Fair Royalty crowning.6 p.m.: Junior livestock sale pavilion.9 p.m.-midnight: Fair family dance.

Sunday8 a.m.: Cowboy church. 8 a.m.: Carcass animals loaded.9 a.m.- 2 p.m.: Exhibits open to the public.1:30 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Catch-It contest.2-3 p.m.: Payment of premiums. 2-3 p.m.: Exhibits released in all departments. 2-5 p.m.: Booths taken down.2-5 p.m.: Poultry and rabbit exhibits released.2 p.m.: Animals released.Beer garden is open Thursday through Saturday.

La Plata County Fair schedule of events Thursday 8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA breeding s...

Patriotic drone show unfolds above Durango’s night skyAbout 1,200 people watched production from city Transit Center

One hundred forty drones took to the skies above Greenmount Cemetery at 10 p.m. sharp Saturday in a glowing and patriotic spectacle featuring vibrant images colored red, white and blue against the black backdrop of night.About 1,200 people gathered Saturday at the Durango Transit Center to watch the city’s premiere drone show produced by Verge Aero after a street dance and band performance by McCurry Trio and Desert Child for Independence Day celebrations.Spectators were treated to drone depictions of the American flag, star patterns, a soaring bald eagle and a homage to the city with drones flying in formation to spell out “Durango” to close out the street dance that started at 6 p.m. Across the valley from Greenmount Cemetery, the headlights of cars shined from Rim Drive near Fort Lewis College where more spectators watched.

Ellen Babers, Durango community events administrator, said the show went well. She heard “Ooh’s” and “ah’s” from the crowd when the drones transitioned from one image to another.She said a segment that consisted of stars rotating at various intervals, shrinking into smaller stars before expanding into the shape of a larger star, appeared to be a crowd favorite.“People really liked the Durango part,” she said. “When it spelled out Durango, people seemed surprised. Like, ‘Oh, this isn’t just a generic show, this is about us.’”Other images included an outline of the continental United States, the letters “USA,” and a spinning globe shape that gave the drone show a 3D feel.

The drones were laid out earlier in the evening in a square grid, with each drone placed 4 feet apart. Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer of the drone show, worked with a crew of about six people, including volunteers. Saturday evening at Greenmount Cemetery where the drones launched and landed, Peter Smiatek, pilot and designer with Verge Aero, and his crew of about six people, including volunteers, had laid all the drones out on the grass in a square grid. Each drone was placed four feet apart. Smiatek synced the drones to a GPS and radio tower in preparation for the evening’s show. Six minutes before takeoff, a deer wandered straight past the drone grid, narrowly avoiding stepping on them.“That could have been a disaster,” Smiatek said as his crew scanned the nearby area with flashlights. No other deer were visible.Two minutes before takeoff, the crew’s portable generator shut off – out of gas.

“We have double secure power,” he said. “The generator fell off two minutes before the show started. It’s like Murphy’s law, anything that could happen will happen. So it’s best to be prepared.”During prep, the crew ran several tests with the drones. The drones shot up 3 to 4 meters, hovered for about one second and then dropped back to their designated grid space on the grass.

Smiatek worked from a makeshift command station where his laptop and transmission tower were perched.“The base station is the heart of the show,” he said. “It’s a computer and it’s a distribution system connected to radios and an antenna. And that’s it, basically. Very flexible and a good system.”Chris Lutts, vice president of sales at Verge Aero, said he thinks Durangoans enjoyed the performance. From Greenmount Cemetery, he could hear the cheers and whistles of the audience at the Durango Transit Center.“The people we’ve been working with have been great,” he said. “Clearly, the city enjoyed it, so that’s awesome. That’s why we do this. It’s no different than any other entertainment, man. You love that feedback. It’s validation that what you’re doing is something that people really like.”cburney@durangoherald.com

About 1,200 people watched production from city Transit Center

Photos: BurroFest in Mancos

Fun times at the Ute Mountain Roundup rodeo in Cortez

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Hobby Horse Community Bike Ride

Photos: Iron Horse Bicycle Classic Sprite Kids Race

Colorado’s outdoor industry knows it could be more inclusive

Rainbow Gathering picks remote area in Colorado for its angst-inducing 50th annual meeting of tribes

Purgatory Resort welcomes young pup to ski patrol

Fishing gear needs spring cleaning too

Authorities respond to report of avalanche on Berthoud Pass

How Crested Butte’s first-ever extreme skiing contests birthed the freeskiing movement

Colorado appeals court revives river access, right-to-wade debate

Following a historic avalanche season, new tools aim to make backcountry travel safer

Family of Colorado avalanche victim drops one lawsuit, targets maker of air bag

The mudslides that closed I-70 also muddied Hanging Lake’s crystal clear water

The Great Sand Dunes ‘are just a big mountain of sand’ and other 1-star national park reviews

Down but not out, not by a long shot

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