Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance

06/17/2026

‼️ALL of Indian Peaks Wilderness is now under Stage 1 fire restrictions. This means:
 
🚫 No campfires are permitted anywhere in Indian Peaks Wilderness. 
✅ Campstoves with an on/off switch are permitted.
 
To learn more about fire restrictions visit the Forest Service’s website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arp/alerts/fire-restrictions
 
Remember, campfires are always prohibited in James Peak Wilderness and on the east side of the Continental Divide in Indian Peaks Wilderness.
 
📸: Before and after shots of an illegal fire ring IPWA volunteer Ari D. cleared this weekend.

06/15/2026

LNT Series: Principle 3 – Dispose of Waste Properly 🗑️💧
 
We’ve planned ahead (Principle 1) and stayed on the trail (Principle 2). Now let’s talk about a classic outdoor mantra: Pack it in, pack it out. The waste we leave behind impacts wildlife, water quality, and the experience of every hiker who visits after us.
 
Here’s how to handle your waste like a pro:
 
Trash & “Micro-Trash”: It’s not just about the big plastic wrappers. Check the ground for “micro-trash”—twist ties, corner tears from snack wrappers, and even organic waste like apple cores, pistachio shells, or orange peels. (Did you know? An orange peel can take up to 2 years to decompose in the wild, and it’s not native food for local wildlife!) 🍊🐿️
 
Protect the Water: Doing dishes in the backcountry? Never wash them directly in a lake or stream. Carry your water 200 feet away from the source, use a tiny bit of biodegradable soap if needed, strain out any food scraps to pack out with your trash, and scatter the remaining gray water over a wide area. Also, lotion, sunscreen, insect repellent, and body oils can contaminate fresh water, so think twice before jumping straight into an alpine lake. 💦
 
Bathroom Breaks: While standard LNT guidelines mention digging 6-to-8-inch cat holes, let’s be honest, Colorado soil makes digging a proper hole nearly impossible. Because of this - and the high use of so many trails here - we always recommend packing out your solid waste with a WAG bag or similar. It might sound intimidating if you’ve never done it, but it’s the absolute cleanest, most responsible way to protect our mountain ecosystems (and save a fellow hiker from a terrible surprise). 💩🎒🧻
 
Leaving a space cleaner than you found it is one of the greatest gifts you can give to the outdoors. Consider packing an extra trash bag and gloves to pick up any litter (“trash flowers”) left behind by others! 🌸
 
📸: IPWA volunteers clearing out trash we’ve found on the trails and teaching about LNT principle 3!

06/12/2026

IPWA officially kicked off our 2026 summer patrol season ☀️🥾 with in-person training day on Saturday, June 6th! Participants included new volunteers, returning volunteers, and representatives from the Boulder Ranger District of the USFS. 🌲
 
Nearly 100 volunteers arrived bright and early  for a light breakfast, a coffee bar , and social time with fellow volunteers 🌅. Training Committee members then led small groups through 8 stations throughout the day.
 
Station topics included: volunteer portal navigation 💻, USFS, trail work program 🛠️, sawyer program 🪚, patrol prep 🎒, ATR, LNT 🍃, visitor interactions 💬, patrol counts, volunteer handbook 📚, backcountry zones 🏔️, permits, BLRA parking 🅿️, IPWA policy, Trailhead Host program🤝, Outreach program, fire rings 🔥, active violations ⚠️, and scenarios.
 
Following training day, IPWA hosted a social hour at Harlow Platts Community Park. Over 40 volunteers gathered for pizza and great conversation to end the day. 🌳🍕
 
Thanks so much to the support from our returning volunteers 🙏 and we would like to officially welcome aboard our new volunteers for the 2026 summer patrol season! 🥳

06/06/2026

Cue dramatic music - Our winter season is officially over!
Huge shout our to our Winter Warriors who have patrolled 1,060 miles of trail!!!🥷❄️ Even with the limited snow, it has been a record year for our winter team with 144 patrols this season! 🏆 In addition, our sawyer crew has removed 84 trees from trails with more work to be done this summer! 🪚 Thank you all for weathering the winter winds to educate the public and support our incredible Wilderness areas!

Even though our team is onto the summer season, the conditions above 10,000 feet continue to have snow and ice. Check out ipwa.org/trail-conditions for the latest information. We also have quite a few reports of downed trees up at elevation that our sawyer team is working diligently to remove. Please step over logs and avoid creating social trails where possible.

06/01/2026

🌲 Whether it’s a day hike or a long trek, the 10 Essentials are the non-negotiables that stay in your pack so you stay safe.
 
Today let’s talk about illumination 💡
 
Ever planned a “quick afternoon hike” only to find the sun setting faster than your pace? Navigating a rocky trail in the pitch black is no joke. While nature is beautiful at night, relying solely on your phone’s flashlight is a recipe for a dead battery—and a badly stubbed toe.
 
IPWA’s approach:
🔦 Headlamp over flashlight: Going hands-free is a game-changer. It keeps your hands available for trekking poles, balancing on uneven terrain, or checking your map.
🔋 The “Plus One” rule: We always carry spare batteries or a portable power bank. Cold mountain air can drain battery life much faster than you’d expect!
🔴 Go red: Use your headlamp’s red-light mode when hanging out at camp or passing other hikers. It preserves your natural night vision and won’t blind your trail buddies.
🔒 Lock it down: Many modern headlamps have a “lock” feature. Use it so your light doesn’t accidentally turn on and drain itself inside your backpack.
 
Did you know? Using your phone as a flashlight scatters light poorly and drains the battery you might desperately need for navigation or an emergency call. A dedicated headlamp with at least 200–300 lumens is the sweet spot for safely finding your way down the trail after dark!

05/27/2026

Get Free for Three Trail Projects This Summer!
 
Free up a Saturday — or three! — to help IPWA and the U.S. Forest Service do light maintenance along wilderness trails.  It’s another way you can give back, meet fellow volunteers, and enjoy the backcountry.  Save these dates and stay tuned for project details and signups: July 11, August 22, and September 19.
 
Questions?  Email Jere (“Jerry”) Paulmeno, IPWA Trail Projects Coordinator, at [email protected]

05/22/2026

LNT Series: Principle 2 – Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
 
You’ve packed your 10 Essentials and checked the regs (Principle 1 ✅). Now that you’re at the trailhead, it’s time to put one foot in front of the other. Here’s how to stay on the right track:
 
🥾 Stick to the Trail: Even if it’s muddy! Walking around snow or a puddle might keep your boots dry, but it creates social trails cause that widen the path and destroy trailside plants. Wear waterproof boots or gaiters and walk right through the muck!
 
🌱 What’s “Durable”? If you have to step off-trail, aim for rocks, gravel, snow, or dry grass. Avoid “living soil” (crusty desert dirt) and fragile alpine flowers that can take decades to recover from a single footprint.
 
⛺ Found, Not Made: When it’s time to sleep under the stars, look for established campsites that are already clear of vegetation. Keep your campsite - and your impact - small.
 
💦 🦌The 200-Foot Rule: Keep your kitchen and your tent at least 200 feet (about 80 large steps) away from lakes and streams. This protects the water quality and gives local wildlife a clear path to get a drink. (Note: All backpackers are required to camp at least 100 feet away from lakes, streams, and trails in IPW/JPW)
 
Check out more at lnt.org/why/7-principles/travel-camp-on-durable-surfaces/ and help keep it wild!

05/18/2026

IPWA is pleased to announce this year’s four Paddon/Gellhorn Wilderness Research Grant recipients.
 
Rachel Billings is a PhD student using bioacoustics to explore whether individual American pikas in the Indian Peaks Wilderness can be identified by their unique vocal “acoustic fingerprint” — with exciting potential for long-term population monitoring.
Nyika Campbell is an incoming MA student at Niwot Ridge investigating what drives seed germination and early establishment in native Colorado alpine plants — a critical piece of understanding how these communities will respond to a changing climate.
Christian Couch is a PhD student using DNA barcoding to document nocturnal moth pollinators in Colorado’s alpine and montane ecosystems, building the first comprehensive database of moth pollinator diversity in the region.
Seth Raynor is a PhD student conducting foundational taxonomic and genomic work on the lichen family Lecideaceae in the Southern Rocky Mountains, building on prior IPWA-funded research in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.
 
We’re grateful to play a small part in their important work — and can’t wait to share their research videos with you in the fall!

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day from the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance! Today, we are celebrating incredible moms, like this moose with her calf.

Spring is a sensitive time for wildlife as mothers are busy protecting and raising their young. Whether it’s these moose or nesting birds, these families need extra space. Staying on designated trails and keeping dogs leashed helps ensure these wild families stay safe and undisturbed.

We also want to give a special shout-out to the moms who are part of IPWA! Thank you for your time and for teaching the next generation of stewards how to love and care for our public lands.🪻🌼

05/08/2026