Tag Archives: High Park Fire

Our Thoughts and Prayers Go Out to Aurora

Posted by Helena Bowen in Colorado and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

It is incredibly sad that Goat Show Doc’s time in Colorado was book-ended by two local tragedies: The High Park and Waldo Canyon Fires and last night’s The Dark Knight Rises shooting.  Our thoughts go out to the families in Denver who suffered horrific losses last night.  Thank you to everyone who texted, called or emailed me this morning to check to see if we were okay.  All of us are shaken by the terrifying proximity of the massacre (we were only a few miles away in Denver at a different theater at a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises) and heartbroken for all the families who weren’t so lucky as we were.  This marks a second horrific Colorado shooting in my life time – the first being Columbine on April 20th, 1999.  We all hope this is the last.

If you are in the Denver area, please consider donating blood.  I know Denver area hospitals are desperately in need of blood for the 50+ shooting victims.

http://www.bonfils.org/index.cfm/news-and-events/newsroom/news-releases/2012/pr-07202012/

25 Fun Things to Do During the National Show! #2: Horsetooth & Arthur’s Rock

Posted by Helena Bowen in Colorado, Fun Things to Do in Colorado and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

#2: Horsetooth Reservoir and Arthur’s Rock

I’ve been delaying posting about these two activities for a while because of the uncertainty surrounding the High Park Fire.  Their status is still unknown, but if we find out that they’re open to the public during Nationals, I highly recommend taking a day trip just west of Fort Collins for some fun in the sun!

The trail to Arthur’s Rock is one of my favorites in Lory State Park.  It is 1.7 miles unpaved and of modern difficulty.  The trail winds through beautiful meadows and forested areas and ends at the top of Arthur’s Rock, which overlooks Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir.  I’ve taken many out-of-town friends to the top and they’ve loved it!  That is crew member Trevor Taylor pictured above on a trip to Colorado last summer.  Below is Angelo Cella, my best friend from Boston.

Don’t worry, he’s just posing for the picture.  There is no bouldering required on this hike.  Here is the view from the top:

You can see Horsetooth Reservoir in the foreground and Fort Collins and beyond in the background.  Horsetooth is a 6.5 mile long reservoir surrounded by 1,900 acres of public land.  FUN FACT: There is a ghost town at the bottom of Horsetooth Reservoir!  To build the Reservoir in 1949, they flooded the town of Stout, Colorado.  When I was young, I was terrified that bodies would float up from Stout while I was in the reservoir.  Clearly, though, they didn’t drown all the people during construction.

Horsetooth has it all – hiking, boating, grilling (gas only no charcoal), swimming, biking, rock climbing, camping – you name it!  You can find more information about activities at Horsetooth here: http://www.co.larimer.co.us/parks/horsetooth.htm

High Park Fire Update: The Show Will Go On!

Posted by Helena Bowen in Colorado and tagged with , , ,

Hundreds of people have called asking whether the National Show is canceled in light of the High Park Fire in Fort Collins, Colorado.  The answer is no!  The show will go on.

An equal number have expressed concern about the animals in the High Park Fire.  I found this article in The Coloradoan and thought you all would enjoy it.  (Also note, that the location of this donkey and her friends is The Ranch- pictured below):

Donkey Saves Four Other Animals From High Park Fire

Written by Elizabeth Willner for The Coloradoan

What can a donkey that has faced down a bull elk, a moose and a bear do to one-up her accomplishments?  Face down the High Park Fire.

This past week a 5-year-old mammoth donkey named Ellie saved herself, three Percheron draft horses and another donkey from the wildfire burning west of Fort Collins.  As the fire burned into Paradise Park, forcing residents to evacuate, Ellie and the other animals kept calm in an area pasture.

By the time Larimer County sheriff’s deputies and volunteers arrived three days later to evacuate the five animals to The Ranch in Loveland, they found the animals grouped together in the same area where they had been left.  One other horse had fled to a nearby pasture, but the five, including Ellie, were safe.

When help arrived, Ellie walked right up to one of the rescuers and put her head against his chest, said owner Greg Van Hare.

He said he’s convinced that Ellie, a “very smart donkey” who loves people, was one of the main reasons all his animals pulled through: she leads the other animals and takes charge in dangerous situations.  “Ellie doesn’t put up with crud,” Van Hare said, describing one of Ellie’s encounters with a couple of neighboring stallions. “She put her ears back and starts walking toward them. She gets about 10 feet away, and the stallions turn and leave. I don’t know if its attitude or what it is.”

Continue reading →

Colorado Needs Your Help!

Posted by Helena Bowen in Colorado and tagged with , , , , ,

As many of you know, devastating wildfires in Colorado continue to spread by the hour, destroying huge expanses of land and dozens of homes in the process.  Over 2,700 Coloradoans have been evacuated since the fire started on Saturday.  As of Thursday, over 100 homes were destroyed and one elderly woman perished in her home.  The fire is particularly hard to contain because instead of one growing mass, it consists of hundreds of little fires spread over 52,000 acres.  Wind continues to blow sparks long distances, which allows the fire to literally jump over rivers and highways.  Currently, 1/3rd of the Nation’s firefighting force is in Colorado desperately battling the fire, which is 15% contained.

Check out this terrifying video from 9News of the fire’s progress:

http://www.9news.com/news/article/272432/188/WATCH-High-Park-Fire-dramatic-moments

I’m sure many of you are concerned about the state of the hundreds, maybe thousands, of animals in the burn zone.  You’ll be glad to know that The Ranch, the very location of the 2012 ADGA National Show, is providing temporary housing to refugee animals in conjunction with the Colorado State Veterinary Hospital.  So far at least 140 alpacas, 30 goats and 50 sheep are staying at The Ranch.  Volunteers are working to rescue hundreds of horses still in the burn zone.  Check out this news article and video for more:

http://www.9news.com/news/local/article/272422/346/Animals-displaced-by-fire-find-refuge-at-The-Ranch

Thank you so much to the thousands of firefighters, volunteers, business owners and individuals who are risking their lives to save the people, animals and homes of Colorado.  Your services are invaluable.

Check out this page for more information on how you can help:

http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20120613/NEWS01/306130034/Donate-Help-High-Park-Fire?odyssey=mod|defcon|img|FRONTPAGE

If you are interested in donating to the Colorado Red Cross, The Coloradoan reminds us to PLEASE specify that your donation go to the High Park Fire.