If you’ve been out hiking recently, you have probably seen this striking flower blooming in the summer wind. The pale-blue to lavender sepals, the delicate white petals, and the golden pistils is the signature look of Aquilegia caerulea, or, more affectionately, Colorado Blue Columbine. Want these articles delivered right to your inbox every week? Click here to sign up! This eye-popping flower was first spotted
DetailsMilkweed is becoming a popular buzzword in the gardening community and the push to plant it in gardens and on public lands seems greater than ever. While admittedly the flower has a lovely bloom, why does milkweed get so much attention? It’s all because of the monarch butterflies. Monarch butterflies are currently experiencing such a rapid decline in population that
DetailsIt’s easy to take in the grand vistas and exquisite scenery of the valley, but often we pass over the smaller features of our dynamic environment. Hiding just underfoot nearly everywhere we go is a complex and fascinating organism that has lived on this planet for millions of years. Long before trees shaded our slopes, mushrooms occupied and enhanced Earth’s
DetailsWalking Mountains Science Center is proud and excited to celebrate another year of major accomplishments with their 2016 annual fundraising event, A Taste of Nature, on Wednesday, July 6th. This year’s theme is “La Dolce Vita: The Sweet Life,” and the organization will welcome more than 400 guests to its campus in Avon, Colorado to support their mission and honor
DetailsHiking a trail that meanders through the brilliant reds, yellows, purples, and oranges of emerging wildflowers, I feel a sense of wonder and awe. As I stop to enjoy the beauty of these blossoms, I hear the sound of a small bee buzzing by my ear. “Stay cool. Stay still. Stay calm,” I tell myself, but I feel that sense
DetailsKristen Hartel, former Project Manager for Active Energies, helped Active Energies become Actively Green certified in 2014. We asked Kristen about her experience and she shared some thoughts and insights about the program. Enjoy! Walking Mountains Science Center (WMSC): What is your favorite green practice? Kristen Hartel (KH): My favorite green practice at work is finding creative and innovative ways
DetailsWalking Mountains Science Center is thrilled to announce they have formally adopted Buck Creek Trail in Avon. They are looking forward to getting boots on the ground to inspire the next generation of trail stewards. Their Science Center in Avon opened along Buck Creek in 2011 directly below the trail head and Walking Mountains staff have been working with Forest
DetailsBike season is in full swing in the valley! If you haven’t already, it’s time to retrieve your bicycle from its winter resting place and get out there. The trails are dry, the roads are swept, and the excuses not to go are tenuous. Whether it’s to save on gas by pedal-powered commuting, to feel the adrenaline rush of a
DetailsGrilling out with friends and family, playing competitive yard games until late in the evening, hiking or walking the dog after work, and finishing the day with a breathtaking sunset. These are just a few of the moments we treasure on those long summer nights. Tomorrow marks the longest day of the year, the summer solstice. Here in the northern
DetailsAlthough the physics of magnets are widely understood and magnets themselves have been part of our lives for centuries, they are still sure to surprise and delight! First noticed by the ancient Greeks and Chinese, the magnetic field is a naturally occurring force harnessed by humans for both practical and entertainment value. Whether used to power tiny disk drivers, lifting
DetailsHow would you like to eat and sunbathe all day during the summer and then sleep through the cold winter months? The yellow-bellied marmot of the high regions of Colorado and the West do just that. At up to two feet long and weighing 15 pounds, they are the biggest of the squirrel family and live at high elevation between
DetailsThe thing about living in the Eagle River Valley in the summer, and I’m not complaining, is that there’s too much to do. Honestly, that’s a large part of the reason why I moved here. Why commute thirty minutes or more (much more) to the mountains when you can live nestled amongst them with virtually no travel time to your
DetailsAs fast as the winter snow gives way to budding aspens and blooming wildflowers each year, another school year has wrapped up and unfolded into summer. Throughout the academic year, Walking Mountains Science Center has the pleasure of working with thousands of students in Eagle County through our programs. Whether discovering crinoid fossils that indicate the ancient oceans of Colorado’s
DetailsHave you spent too many summers inside? Join forces with Walking Mountains Science Center and rescue this summer from the indoors. Their entire Summer Programs calendar is now online. Ignite your curious nature beginning June 13th when all of their locations are open daily. In addition to their fun and educational summer science camps for kids, Walking Mountains also offers
DetailsHave you been counting down the days until your kids get out of school with a little less anticipation than they are? Those two little words are lurking in the background, behind the shouts of joy over having no homework, and promises to call friends … “I’m bored.” How long will it take your kids to utter this time-honored phrase?
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