Providing free nature outings and adventures to youth who would other wise not have such opportunities, Boulder Valley ICO is entirely volunteer run.

See our new website for more information on our program.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Great trip planning websites


Around Colorado : "A Photographic Diary of Colorado Adventure," this site is beautiful and informative. Incredible pictures, great trip reports, and links to other resources. Worth a look, even though it seems not to have been updated since 2006.

CoTrip : Current statewide road conditions from state officials

Weather service: National weather service has the most straightforward forecasts.

TrailCentral: Trail overviews and user comments, caters to mountain biking.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Gear Drive at REI, Boulder



ICO NEEDS GEAR!

We lend our participants all the equipment they need for our outings. This trip served 19 youth backpacking in Canyonlands National Park, requiring scrounging around for lots of gear! If you have gear in functioning condition just taking up space in your closet, please consider donating that gear to ICO.

The REI Store in Boulder will collect used gear for Boulder Valley ICO during the months of July and August. If you have new or used gear that you would like to donate to ICO, just place the gear in the donation bin located near the entrance of the Boulder store.



GEAR WISH LIST
Although we will gratefully accept any useful outdoor gear, the gear we most need (in order of need from greatest to least) is listed below:

Base layer shirts (youth medium to adult large)
Hiking pants (youth medium to adult large)
Hiking boots (sizes 5 through 13 – waterproof or which can be waterproofed)
Snowshoes
Packable rain jackets (youth large to adult medium)
Sleeping bags (20+ rating or colder, under 3.5 lbs)
Inflatable or foam sleeping mattress (¾ length)
MSR Simmerlite stove and fuel bottle (or other brand)
Water filter for backpacking
Lexan water bottles (with standard lid)
2-person or 3-person, 3-season backpacking tents
Two-burner propane-canister stove
Internal frame packs
Winter boots (sizes 5 through 13)
Yak-tracks
First aid kits for backpacking
Compasses
GPS unit
Satellite phone
Telemark skis and boots
Climbing helmets (small to medium sizes)
Trekking poles
Sleds

Contact us at boulderico@gmail.com with any gear-related questions you might have.




Angevine video draws recruits for fishing trip

Our partner agency Angevine Middle School has been attracting lots of new kids for our outings with videos like this one, which are aired on the school's closed-circuit TV. And of course, these videos are posted to YouTube.



What are your ideas for recruitment?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Welcome to the Boulder Valley Inner City Outings!

WHO WE ARE:

Boulder Valley Inner City Outings (ICO) is a community outreach program of the Sierra Club that provides free nature outings to children (and adults) who would not otherwise have these opportunities. We take participants backpacking, hiking, fishing, snowshoeing, camping, mountain biking, skiing, canoeing, etc. We also run a water sampling and fly fishing program in partnership with the Sierra Club’s Water Sentinels program and Trout Unlimited. And our Compass Youth Leadership program teaches more advanced outdoor leadership skills, critical thinking skills, the basics of environmental stewardship, and basic earth and life science to kids with leadership potential.

We are proud to be part of this community and are psyched to have our own Inner City Outings group in Boulder! We were formerly part of the Denver Inner City Outings Group.

Boulder Valley ICO is entirely run by volunteers and funded by donors like you. Won't you consider making a donation? Donations are tax-deductible, and you will receive an acknowledgment of your gift from the Sierra Club Foundation. Online donations will be available soon, but in the meantime you can mail a check to the address below. If you have questions, please contact us at boulderico@gmail.com.

Checks payable to "Sierra Club Foundation - Boulder Valley ICO" may be mailed to:

Sierra Club Foundation - Boulder Valley ICO
637 B S Broadway
Suite B, No 117
Boulder, CO 80305

Please watch this space for news, trip reports, photos and more!