Redington Escape waders

First a disclaimer. If I don’t have to wear waders, I won’t. Simple as that. I’d rather wet-wade. But the weather doesn’t always make standing in trout water up to your midsection a practical proposition. Fall, winter and spring in the northern Rockies demand some protection from the elements, and good waders provide that protection.

Colorado has a water plan; now let’s fully fund it.

Finalized in 2015, the Colorado Water Plan is backed by rural and urban water providers, agricultural producers, conservationists and recreationists, and those on both sides of the political aisle. It is described by its authors as “a road map to lead to a productive economy, vibrant and sustainable cities, productive agriculture, a strong environment and a robust recreation industry. It sets

Hard work has payoffs

I recently went out with the Five Rivers TU chapter in Durango, Colo., to help plant willows along the banks of the Hermosa Creek. (Full disclosure: I’m on the board of the chapter). Closing in on the final steps, I couldn’t wait to get out there to see all the work completed so far and to help with the finishing efforts.  

Fishing and aging

Aging. We all do it — every minute and second of every day. Why is wisdom gained only with age? Hitting a rather large, round number earlier this year, I’ve been reflecting on life — how to spend more time living my life, how to spend more time with the people I love, and how to make the most of those minutes and seconds, every day.  Of course, one answer

National Park Service strives to create home for native cutthroat

What a thrilling prospect to catch native fish in a spectacular wilderness setting like in the picture above. That is what anglers’ dreams are made of. Years of hard work, planning and enduring partnerships strove towards this goal, but it’s still not quite a realized dream.   In 2005, Fred Bunch, chief of resource management at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, hatched a plan

Renewable energy, climate change, public lands and bipartisanship … Oh my!

Photo: USFWS/Joshua Winchell In this age of boundless partisanship, something remarkable happened this summer. A smart, forward-thinking piece of legislation addressing climate change was introduced that is sponsored by two Arizona congressmen from opposite ends of the political spectrum: Republican Paul Gosar, who rode the Tea Party wave into Congress in 2010, and Democrat Raul