Peak Steward Handbook
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PEAK STEWARD HANDBOOK A Partnership for Preservation Updated May, 2013 Peak Steward Handbook Peak Steward Program . Program Information . 3 . Peak Steward Responsibilities . 4 . 5 Safety AuthorityInformation of theand Resource Emergency Protocols . Safety Response Protocol . .7 . Lightening Safety Protocol . 8 . Telephone CFI, Rangers, Sheriff, & Hospitals . 9 -15 Leave No Trace for Colorado’s Fourteeners . Ethics . .16-25 . Gear List . 26 Alpine Ecology Resource . Geologic History . 27 . Alpine Tundra, Zones, Plants & Animals . 27-33 . Words of Inspiration . .34-35 2 Peak Steward Program Information Climb With a Purpose! More than an estimated -foot peaks each year. This high attempt to minimize future, recreational hikers attemptimpacts toby climb encouraging one of Colorado’s hikers to practice , Leave No Trace skills and ethics. Thelevel Peak of use has resulted in dramatic impacts to the peaks’ fragile alpine environments. CF)’s educational programs hiking high-use Fourteeners, collecting valuable information, and educating fellow hikers about minimum-impact climbing ethics.Steward Program provides Fourteener enthusiasts with the opportunity to climb with a purpose by What is a Peak Steward? The - use Fourteeners. Peak Stewards initiate contact with other climbers and provide educational information about Fourteener-specificColorado Fourteeners Leave No)nitiative’s Trace minimum- Peak Stewards are a group of select volunteers who are trained to patrol high also document human and wildlife encounters, user behaviors, compliance with Forest Service regulations, and trail and resource conditions. impact principles for Colorado’s alpine environment. Peak Stewards Potential volunteers must have significant experience hiking at high altitudes, strong outdoor ethics, and a desire to educate others about responsible recreation. Volunteers attend an orientation session and workshops throughout the season to improve their knowledge and strategies for engaging the public. Examples of training opportunities include 14er specific Leave No Trace ethics, alpine ecology, mountain safety, Authority of the Resource training, and Forest Service regulations. Peak Stewards commit to volunteering a minimum of four days throughout the summer on the Fourteener(s) of their choice, with an emphasis on the high use front range peaks. How Can You Become a Peak Steward? If you are interested in becoming a CFI Peak Steward, please fill out a volunteer application (available at www.14ers.org) and mail it to: The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Attn: Education and Outreach, 1600 Jackson Street, Suite 352, Golden CO 80401. Or email it to [email protected] For more information or to have an application mailed to you, please contact the Education and Outreach Coordinator at 303-278-7650 or [email protected]. 3 Peak Steward Responsibilities Commitment A primary responsibility of the Peak Steward is to commit to four days throughout the summer toward visitor education of Colora interact with visitors. Extra attention is needed on the front range peaks due to high volume of users so it is requested that a Peakdo’s Steward Fourteeners. choose Peak a couple stewards of these can each choose season. to hike any of the peaks or remain at the trailhead to Before Your Trip 1. Safety and communication: Peak Stewards are asked to hike in teams of two or more whenever possible for reasons of safety. Peak Stewards must have a means of communication while on the trail. Each volunteer is responsible for their own personal safety and)f youequipment. choose to hike alone you must observe CF)’s Peak Steward Check in Policy. 2. Post to Google Calendar: Post your name and peak on the Google calendar prior to going out. This is our method of keeping the Forest Service aware of what Peak Stewards are active on their ranger districts. 3. Documentation: It is very important for the team to communicate with each other and decide who will be responsible for turning in trail logs. Logs should be completed within two days of your volunteer day. Using the electronic log is the best recording method 4. Pick up educational equipment if necessary: CFI has educational equipment available to be borrowed or distributed as needed; literature, including trail cards and ADA dog cards, can be given out to trail users. Educational materials can be checked out from the office before your hike. Please make arrangements with the Education and Outreach Coordinator at 303-278-7650 or [email protected] to pick up materials, trail cards, or anything else you may need. 5. Emergency Contact Information: Take with you the numbers for the county sheriff, CFI and a form of communication in the event of an emergency. On the Trail 1. Wear the Proper Uniform: Peak Stewards are asked to wear your official Peak Steward hat and clothing item with Peak Steward patch. It is important that you are recognizable and look official. We also suggest wearing tan ntry setting. 2. Initiating Visitor Contact: As a volunteer Peak Steward you are an ambassador for the Colorado Fourteeners orInitiative, green pants the Forest or shorts Service, while and you the are fragile hiking. alpine These environments colors are seen of asthese authority popular inFourteeners. a backcou Because of this, good communication skills and proper techniques for initiating contact with other visitors are essential to the success of your hike and the overall success of the Peak Steward Program. The following tips should help you in your efforts to initiate positive visitor contacts: DO . Keep in mind, our top priority is to educate. Before initiating visitor contact: 1. Observe 2. Discuss situation with your partner, or formulate plan to approach 3. Approach the visitor . Three key factors when approaching a visitor: 1. Your approach 2. Your attitude 3. The impression you leave behind . Ease the tension that may exist by: 1. Smiling to establish rapport 2. Being understanding 3. Being sympathetic and kind 4. Being calm, friendly, and polite 5. Remove sunglasses. StandUsing shoulder icebreakers: to shoulder. introduce yourself, talk about the weather, visitor’s pet, etc… . Talk to visitors on their level. If they are standing, stand with them, if they are sitting, sit with them. Keep the situation on a positive note. BeLead a good up to listener. the situation, don’t be abrupt. 4 . Be consistent in dealing with all people. Ask the visitors if you can share information with them about the preservation of our wild areas. have no policing authority. AnswerFocus on all the questions Authority if possible. of the Resource If you cannot not the answer Autho theritym, of say the so. Agency or Law. Remember Peak Stewards . Distribute CFI/Leave No Trace trail card. Get to the point as soon as possible; be courteous, but be firm. Offer to help move camp if it is located in an inappropriate location. Avoid what may appear to be a dangerous situation 1. If conversation gets confrontational and/or unmanageable, carefully and politely walk away. 2. Contact a Forest Service Officer. Document the situation on your Peak Steward Daily Report. DON’T . Ge . Display an overbearing attitude. Be tcritical, too close harsh, or in or a visitor’ssharp. face. Be abrupt, hurried, or impatient. Be self righteous. Assume a threatening or aggressive posture. Lose your cool; never respond to abusive language in anger. Be an elitist. Authority of the Resource By Dr. George N. Wallace nature can be said to have its own authority. Nature has her own rules, operates in certain ways, and has certain laws;According there to are Webster, consequences authority when means we violate the power that ord toer. influence Wilderness or command areas are thought, among the opinion few places or behavior. on earth Wild where we have agreed to allow nature, for the most part, to operate on its own terms. Desirable behavior is more likely to occur if people understand how their actions affect the way nature operates. Much of the undesirable behavior which managers must deal with in the wilderness is behavior that disrupts the natural order or the ability of others to experience wild nature. All too often, in dealing with visitors who are causing some sort of impact to soil, vegetation, water quality, wildlife or the experience of others, we tend to focus on the authority of the agency. By this we mean the visitor ends up thinking about laws, regulations, badges, and the ranger’s presence, rather than focusing on the natural authority in the requirements of a healthy ecosystemhe. authority (or that which asks a person to think or behave in a certain way) from the manager, ranger, or agency, to thoseThe Authority things in natureof the Resource (resources) Technique that have ART their ownattempts requirements. to compensate Where for Hammed this tendency. and Cola )t transfers (1997) and t Headed et al. (1990) have rightly emphasized the need to explain the reasons for wilderness regulations and the expected behavior, the ART goes one step further and asks the ranger/manager to subtly de-emphasize the regulation and transfer part of the expectation back to the visitor by inte The following is a comparison of the two styles of addressingrpreting a visitor nature’s who requirements.is camped 30-feet from a stream in the wilderness. Wilderness regulations prohibit campers from being any closer than 200-feet from any water source. The PeakAuthority Steward approachesof the Agency the visitor’s camp: Peak Steward Fourteeners Initiative (pause for small talk). I noticed your camp is about 30-fe to have to ask: youGood folks afternoon, to move my your name camp. is Billy The Bob,Forest )’m Service a volunte haser regulations, Peak Steward which with are the clearly Colorado posted at the trailheads, that all campsites must be at least 200-feet from any water source.et from the stream. )’m going Visitors: We always camped as close to water as possible, it just makes it a lot easier to wash our dishes, and get water for camp.