Spartan Times

Time to pack up: Backpackers head south for Break

By Peter Targos, Reporter

A small group of students pack it up during Spring Break: from L-R, Peter Targos, Caleb Richie, Laurie Sorensen, math instructor Garth Butcher, residence life director Bailey Borman, and Razaiah Dahn. Photo by Jim DeLung.

Florida is nice. So are Mexico and Los Angeles. So is going on a long backpacking trip through some of the nicest parts of Arizona and Utah.

What’s that you say? Oh, yes, sorry. That is what seven people did during Spring Break, from Sunday, March 13 to Friday, March 18. › Continue reading

Tags: Backpacking trip, ORP

The thrill of the chill: Beginning ice climbing class tackles Ouray

PED-152, the Beginning Ice Climbing class, took their first foray out onto Ouray ice last weekend. Above, student Peter Targos comments, “Ungadoish!” Photo by Jim DeLung.

By Peter Targos, Reporter

When I came to Rangely, I knew there would be opportunities not available in my hometown of Chicago. Never did I expect that I and a bunch of my friends and classmates would be going to what is arguably the best ice climbing spot in the world: Ouray, Colo. › Continue reading

Tags: Ice Climbing, ORP, Ouray

ORP Aspen ski trip means deep discounts for students

By Meagen Lish, Editor in Chief

While the Winter X Games are going on at the Aspen Ski Resort Jan. 27-29, the Outdoor Recreation Program (ORP) will taking CNCC students to the same place at the same time. John Bottelberghe, the project manager and director of the ORP, is in charge of taking the group on the trip.

“Basically, we take the people where they need to be and they do what they want,” Bottelberghe says. “Those who go will share the mountain with the Winter X contestants; they just need to avoid the area with the X Games.” › Continue reading

Tags: Aspen, News, ORP, Ski Trip, X Games

Students trade turkey for trails

Compiled by CNCC ORP

Caption: (L to R) Freshman Jaryd Copley, instructor Jim DeLung, sophomore Haley Stevenson, instructor Garth Butcher, freshman Dwayne Cooper, sophomore Laurie Sorensen, and sophomore Ryan Cramer pose for a photo on Slickrock Trail in Sand Flats Recreation Area just outside of Moab, Utah. Photo Courtesy of Spruce Creek Multimedia.

While many students were at home, eating turkey, and spending time with family during Thanksgiving break, a small group of adventure-seekers from CNCC went on a mountain biking trip to Arizona and Utah. › Continue reading

Tags: Mountain Biking, ORP, Thanksgiving break

Rafting and caving and biking, oh my!

By Shelby Almond

The sophomore baseball boys river raft through Glenwood Canyon in August. Left to right: Travis Moody, Tyler Matrisciano, Galen Phillips, Austin Tipton, and Roman Chavez. Photo by Sam Torno on behalf of Nextraztus Industries,LLC.

In the Outdoor Recreation Program (ORP), you can really experience some great adventures. This program has many different outdoor activities that go beyond what you may do on an everyday schedule. In fact, for some of us, these different opportunities may be once in a lifetime. › Continue reading

Tags: Features, ORP

Hangin’ out and hangin’ loose at the Havasupai tribal lands

Garth Butcher poses for a picture close to the border separating Havasupai Tribal Lands and Grand Canyon National Park. In the bottom right, Michael Stoner enjoys the view of Havasu Creek. The creek’s unique blue-green coloring is caused by large amounts of calcium carbonate in the water. Photo by Jim DeLung

Michael Stoner enjoys swinging over Havasu Creek on a rope swing during the group’s hike back from Beaver Falls. Photo by Jim DeLung

A view of Mooney Falls in the afternoon. Mooney Falls is a 210 foot waterfall located directly below the main campground area. To visit the bottom of Mooney Falls, one has to go through a small cave-like tunnel and descend a steep series of rock steps and ladders. Photo by Jim DeLung

Tags: Arizona, CNCC students, Havasupai, ORP, Spring Break trip, student activities

On the river again: Students anticipate annual Yampa trip

The annual CNCC rafting trip down the Yampa River is an opportunity for students new to the campus to experience the Outdoor Recreation Program (ORP) that the school offers. While students who have already gone on the river trip in past years and plan to go again continue to make memories that last long after they graduate. photo by Michelle Snowden.

On April 15, CNCC begins its annual Yampa river trip. Early on this Thursday morning, students, faculty, and river guides will begin the four-day trip down the Yampa River.
Everyone going on the trip will leave the Weiss parking lot at 6:06 a.m., as the sun is coming up, and make the 45-minute drive to Deerlodge Park boat ramp, found upstream of Dinosaur National Monument on Highway 40.
Here, everyone will choose which raft they would like to be in, which guide they will trust in. Unlike last year, where one could choose to be in either a raft or a ducky (inflatable canoe), everyone will be in a raft this year.
During last year’s trip, the group consisted of those who have years of experience on the river and those who had never been on a raft, let alone camping. › Continue reading

Tags: ORP, student activities, Yampa River Trip

ORP’s 2009 Thanksgiving adventure

 
   Ryan Haugh and Bobby Burns probably don’t know it, but they played a vital role in making the Outdoor Recreation program’s Thanksgiving tripa success.

   It was Saturday, Nov. 21, and the van was packed.  Stephan Boleng, Jim DeLung, Travis Moody, and Myles Spencer thought they were ready to go when DeLung, the trip leader, noticed something very important was missing: snow chains for the rear tires.

› Continue reading

Tags: hiking, ORP, Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving ORP Trip 2009: Rocky Mountain High

CNCC students and staff took a week-long trek into Rocky Mountain National Park over Thanksgiving. See next week's print issue for a full-length story and more pictures. (From L to R): Michael Stoner, Myles Spencer, Stephan Boleng, Travis Moody, and Darnell Thompson pose for a shot after snowshoeing out to Left Hand Reservoir in Brainard Lake State Recreation Area. In the background is Shoshoni Peak and various other peaks of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. (Photo by Jim DeLung)

Travis Moody enjoys the summit on Twin Sisters Peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. In front of him are the cloud covered peaks of Mount Meeker and Longs Peak. (Photo by Jim DeLung)

(From L to R): Jim DeLung, Stephan Boleng, Myles Spencer, and Travis Moody take a break during their hike to Gem Lake to point towards Twin Sisters Peaks (far left), where they were hiking the previous day. (Photo by Chris Votruba)

(From L to R): Myles Spencer, Stephan Boleng, Travis Moody, Michael Stoner (above), Darnell Thompson, Garth Butcher, and Jim DeLung take a break on their way to the top of Twin Sisters Peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Photo by Derek Mogensen)

Tags: hiking, ORP, Thanksgiving

A natural approach to education: Part 4 of the 5-part series on Vision 2010

One way the college hopes to improve the student experience is by making the Outdoor Recreation a hallmark program that offers both fun and education. Here, the ORP takes students skydiving in Moab on Oct. 23. (Photo by J.R. Robinson)

  The Outdoor Recreation Program is one aspect of the college that is being changed through Vision 2010 in order to improve the student experience at Colorado Northwestern. Vision 2010 is a revisioning of different aspects of CNCC, from programs to technology.

A big aspect of all of Vision 2010 is incorporating more of the environment into the student experience, and Vision organizers hope that ORP trips will help make that happen.

    “Students might come here for the outdoor opportunities the college has; they need to have the best educational experience we can provide,” CNCC Vice President of Instruction David Smith stated.

   As a result, the ORP committee for Vision 2010 is trying to bring more students into the ORP programs. › Continue reading

Tags: ORP, Vision 2010