fire on the mountain

So maybe you've heard--there's a pretty big fire raging right out of Colorado Springs.  The fire started last Saturday (two days ago now) in Waldo Canyon.  Waldo Canyon is just west of Manitou Springs and one of my favorite hiking spots.

I was at the Garden of the Gods Club when the fire started ;) and looked out the window to witness the first plumes of smoke.  The Waldo Canyon Fire has now burned 4500 acres, there are 600 personnel on the fire, and there is (finally) just 5% containment. Fortunately, no lives or structures have been lost.

The first view I had of the fire on Saturday.  Looking west from Garden of the Gods Club

trouble in paradise

The following photos were taken Saturday night from my boss Tracy's house in Manitou Springs, just west of Red Rocks Open Space.  We were on a hill, across Highway 24 from the fire.  I was using a 270 mm lens.  We were safe!  It was amazing to watch the fire in such close proximity.  There was a constant, orange glow with many flare ups on the ridge as new trees caught fire.

the view from Tracy's house Saturday night

flare ups on the ridge...I was a safe distance away!

homes and fire trucks to the right

Sunday night, I went down to the athletic fields at school to watch the fire.  I didn't expect to see much because it was so hazy from the smoke.  The sunset was amazing, and when it got dark, we were able to see multiple flare ups.  It smelled like a campfire.

Today (Monday), was clearer and less stinky because the winds have shifted.  The fire is growing wider north-south than east-west.  And it's growing more to the east than toward Colorado Springs.

I have had a few freak out moments...what will I put in my car if I have to evacuate and go home?  What do I really care that much about?  The fact is, as I have been assured by many people, that Colorado Springs will most likely never be evacuated.  The fire would have to jump a huge interstate (25), and that is highly unlikely.

To compare: the current High Park Fire in Ft. Collins has burned over 83,000 acres to date.  Ten years ago in 2002, the Hayman Fire burned 130,000 acres out of Woodland Park.

I've been up to the Hayman recently and while many of the dead trees still eerily stand, there is new life on the ground.  Wild flowers, grasses, and small shrubs are slowly making their way up through the destruction.  There is life after fire.  In fact, many trees and plants NEED fire for seed dispersal and germination.  This forest actually needs to burn; it's necessary for its health.  I have mixed, confusing feelings regarding this fire...

Some resources: 

• http://inciweb.org/
• http://www.geomac.gov/index.shtml, go to the GeoMAC viewer
• http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20934186, interesting size/personnel/cost comparison

work and play

After two weeks of staff training at Catamount Institute, the summer camps finally started this week!  This week, we've been leading Creepy Crawly Safari for 6-8 year olds.  It's been so much fun, and so exhausting!  The work environment (people, place, activity) is so much fun, and way more my style than last summer!  We went on a backpacking trip off of Old Stage Road, and we visited all of our sites where we take kids.  I'm definitely getting an insider look into the "real people" outdoorsy crowd of Colorado Springs--and I'm pretty pumped about it!

julia and jesse caught a little fish!

at red rocks group out of woodland park

colorado spring's mini-utah!

with jesse and tracy at red rocks

Jesse reading a story to the campers

summer staff at the Cave Sim!

I have been struggling with the fact that my internship is unpaid.  There are sooo many perks...I'm working with amazing people, doing amazing things (rafting, climbing, backpacking), and learning so much...but not making money is worrying me a little bit.  Living sure does add up!  So I'm scheming to make some money this summer... if you have any ideas please let me know!

Of course, I've been cooking a lot!  Lots of veggies are in season in Colorado right now, and I'm taking full advantage.  In addition to shopping at Mountain Mama, I get part of a Venetucci Farm share.  I've been shopping smart in order to avoid waste and get the most out of what I'm buying--I even shared my  smart shopping expertise the other day to an excited friend!  The Venetucci share is fantastic even though the farm is just bouncing back from an awful hailstorm that hit last week (my lettuce has some holes in it).  My good friend Mel (pictured below) is an intern at the CC Student Farm, so that's where I get my eggs and whatever else they have in excess.

farmer mel

Let's see what have I been cooking?...

• I recently re-discovered cooking with coconut oil (healthier than olive oil at high heat) and have been reheating rice and frying eggs with it...YUM!
• Miso paste--Mel told me about this one.  It makes great dressing (with oil and water/lemon juice), and makes it easy to make miso soup!
• Salad, salad, and more salad.  I love salad.  
• Cabbage salad is another favorite--cabbage is durable and can be stored for a while without going bad.  It goes great with carrots, cucumbers, and onion!  Add miso dressing too!
• Homemade lara bars (mine are called Sarah bars) are super easy to make, and WAY more cost effective than buying individual bars.  Just use a food processor to mix up dried dates, any nuts you like, chocolate (duh), and anything else you like!  It's about $2 for one Lara Bar, and I made 12 for about $10!  You can too!
• I've stopped buying bread because it's just too easy to make.  So if I want it, I have to make it.  Baguettes are easy (3.5 cups flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1.5 teaspoons yeast, and however much water you need; bake at 400 for 20 minutes).  Flour tortillas are also super easy to make, and they're fantastic for breakfast burritos.  I adore this recipe I discovered last summer, and have been wanting to make variations (herb and garlic infusions) of it.
• Chocolate Avocado Cake.  Sounds weird, but actually so delicious!  It's a vegan cake, so the avocado acts as an egg/butter substitute.  It has an amazing texture and consistency.  A highly carnivorous friend couldn't get enough of it the other night!

CHOCOLATE AVOCADO CAKE

 Last but not least: the summertime adventures are sweet, and I've been lucky to have so many great friends living in Colorado Springs too.  Last weekend, I went to Snowmass for the Chili Pepper and Brew Fest with a bunch of ladies (see below).  It was awesome.  Great music (Galactic, Gogol Bordello), delicious chili (I even got to judge the red chili competition for the International Chili Society's regional competition), and fantastic beer (microbreweries from all over Colorado).  I also went to a This Must Be the Band (Talking Heads cover band that was so good!) show in Aspen.

my gal pals in Snowmass!

Snowmass Chili Pepper and Brew Fest

amazing views of colorado

Well that's all for now, stay tuned!