Columns

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Ranger Trails: Star Power: Taking some inventory of the night sky

Strangely enough, most Americans find ourselves in the dark on the subject of light pollution. I used to figure light pollution was a minor toxic spill — just made fish dizzy without actually killing them. Wrong. NASA, the federal ...

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Ranger Trails: Littlejohn will never forget his start as cook for workers

His voice sounds like a Louisiana barbecue sauce tastes: sweet and tangy, but strong as a mule’s kick. The words come so fast, it’s hard to believe they describe memories that Mr. Littlejohn must reel in from 70-odd years ago. ...

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Snooks Bottom ponds built for endangered native species

All those slick new ponds at Snooks Bottom aren’t for you; they are nurseries for endangered native river fishes. There are 22 of what are called “grow-out ponds” (self-explanatory, right?) built by the Bureau of Reclamation ...

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Ranger Trails: Ute Canyon: a perfect place for the serious hiker

Ute Canyon is defined by natural splendor. You might say that about every nook and cranny at Colorado National Monument. Still, Ute’s broad-shouldered expanses instill a sense of awe in the most experienced of hikers. A Wisconsin friend ...

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Ranger trails: A natural stairway 
to heaven

No Thoroughfare Canyon sticks out among the dozen or so canyons at Colorado National Monument as a special place for hikers and campers in search of something different in the high desert. Red-spotted toads live there. So do frogs, collared ...

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Get Out! 3-for-1 deal

If you’ve been thinking all summer about taking that first real backpacking trip, there’s still time to get one in. One area that has been our jumping off point for several backpacking trips is the Thirty Mile Campground/Rio ...

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Ranger Trails: Hike leads GJ woman to discover family ties to national monument

Last year, Leslie Spurlin took a hike at Colorado National Monument that piqued her curiosity about her own past. Led by a park ranger, Spurlin found herself at Buffalo Spring, a stone masonry trough where bison once drank. There was ...

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Ranger Trails: Rattlesnake sighting can be adrenalin rush, but keep safe distance

When a great white shark showed up near Cape Cod this summer, human herds flocked to the beach in hopes of glimpsing that big dorsal fin knifing through the surf. And “Jaws” remains one of the most popular movies ...

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Tipton puts party before constituents when it comes to vote on Bush tax cuts

No need to ask how Rep. Scott Tipton will vote on the Senate bill passed last week to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, while extending them for tax-payers making less than $200,000 ($250,000 for couples) per year. As he did ...

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Ranger Trails: ‘Tween Extreme’ campers thrive in 10-week program

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God.” — Diary of Anne Frank As young Anne realized when her freedom to go ...

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