Backcountry Patrollers:
This is going to be a good training day, close to home (for most of you.) On The Hill training is not mandatory but the information we’ll provide will answer a good number of questions that you may have about backcountry patrolling. Ned Fire is 18 miles up Boulder Canyon, a large brick building on the west side of town. You can’t miss it. Park on the west side or out on the road.
Please wear your vests/jackets. Hard to tell about the weather so be prepared for slop and wind as well as a bright sunny day and anything in between. Bring a brown bag lunch and a water bottle. Hats and sunscreen are a good idea too. Tell your spouse, SO, or Dad that you will be home by 6:30pm…or not
Saturday, October 14.
8:00 am—Meetup at the Justice Center in Boulder (Canyon and 6th) to car pool. Approach the parking lot from 6th street going north. Canyon is under construction adjacent to the Justice Center and somewhat of a mess. Mill around in your vest so others can see you.
8:30 am—Sign-in, and Introductions and a review of Operations Plan, 24-Hour Pack and Q&A on —Bear. We have 12 candidates and 9 new members, this will be the time to share your experiences, but please be succinct and don’t blather on about your personal endurance or heroics.
9:30 am—Forest Service briefing—Jon Brooks
9:45 am—Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance briefing—Andy Gupp
10 am—Sat Phone operation review—Bear
10:15 am—Break
10:30 am—SPOT operations—John
11:00 am—Radio operations and protocols—John
11:30 am—Lunch
12 am—Travel to Brainard Gateway—14 or so miles north on the Peak to Peak highway. Go past Ward and take your first left (west).
12:30 pm—Indian Peaks Fire orientation—Sequoia (may be the new fire chief). When we call for help the first folks to get there will be Indian Peaks Fire and their snowmobile, following by RMR folks on backcountry skis who live in the mountains followed by the RMR snowmobile crew.
1 pm—Warming hut and jump bag/sled orientation—Bear/John
1:30 pm—Trailhead orientation and walkabout.—Dave. The locations of trailheads is tricky, particularly just west of the Brainard Gateway. Simultaneously, we’ll ask everyone to make a radio call with a relay person (on top of the first hill on the Brainard Road west of the Gateway) or with Dispatch in the Gateway parking lot. Our backcountry protocol is to use your first name to identify yourself and NOT the radio number as we do at DTR.
3:30 pm—Meet back in the parking lot and count heads—Dave. Then on to Bridget’s house for a taco dinner and the telling of lies. To get to Bridget and Matt’s house queue-up your navigation to 101 Hickok Trail Ward CO 80481 or go Left out Brainard’s road onto the Peak to Peak… head North.. take that a few miles and look for the R turn onto Overland Road (dirt road). It’s the road that takes you to Jamestown. Stay on that road until it turns to pavement.. the SECOND it turns to pavement make a SUPER sharp R turn into the Bar-K Ranch.. road is Ranch Road. Take that up a hill and go L at the Y in the road… go about 1/4 mile to your 2nd Left on Hickok Trail. We are the 1st house in the Left on Hickok.. the A-Frame.. 2 driveways into our place – take your pick.
Bear
