Mark's impossible dream coming true

Inaugural Mark Madsen Accessibility Celebration Day is successful beyond its founders' wildest dreams

Mark Madsen favored the song The Impossible Dream from the 1972 musical Man of La Mancha, which he performed during his storied career as a singer/performer. Madsen, who passed away in August 2015, was left a quadriplegic after a serious auto accident and was confined to a wheel chair for 14 years.

Before his accident, Mark loved to recreate in what is now Staunton State Park. So it was difficult for him to realize that hiking or biking in the place he loved so much would now be impossible. That was before volunteer and friend Ted Hammon introduced him to the Action Trackchair, borrowed from Craig Hospital in Denver. This magnificent vehicle made what was once impossible for Mark, to “hike' in Staunton again, a dream come true. And, thanks to generous donors, that same dream will now come true for other disabled lovers of nature.

The first annual Mark Madsen Accessibility Celebration Day, held at the GPA on August 13, was in the planning for six months and sponsored by Friends of Staunton State Park in cooperation with Mark's family. The purpose of the event was to raise funds to purchase a Trackchair for the park so that disabled visitors could access the trails and enjoy the beauty of nature.

After the chair is purchased it will be donated to the park by the Friends organization to be used exclusively for Staunton disabled visitors, according to Susan Festag, secretary.

President of Friends Wayne Parkinson said the organization has three goals: first, to purchase the initial Trackchair, which will cost about $13,000. Second, to purchase a transfer sling at a cost of about $2000 and finally to purchase a second Trackchair. Friends eventually would like to help other state parks get started with a similar endeavor by “expanding knowledge about the program,” said Festag.

“The purpose of purchasing a second chair is so that other disabled friends or family of visitors can go together on the trails,” Parkinson said.

The group will be researching which Trackchair will fit best for the park, and Friends hopes to purchase the vehicle and present it for use by summer 2017, according to Parkinson. It is hoped that a new volunteer program, the accessibility team, will be developed to help facilitate disabled visitors' use of the Trackchair in the park, according to park manager Zach Taylor.

Friends sold $10 tickets for the barbecue to help raise funds to buy the Trackchair. According to Parkinson, the hope was to garner enough funds within a six-month period to purchase the

The Marmot Messenger

STAUNTON STATE PARK

VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2016 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5

MARMOT MESSENGER 2 vehicle. So it was a pleasant surprise when several large donations came in along with good attendance for the event, and the goal of $15,000 was surpassed.

Mark's son Orion Madsen, who is a professional videographer, was present to videotape the presentation, which he hopes can be used as a promotional to obtain grants and help the Friends organization raise funds for the memorial to his dad. He was pleased the group initiated the annual Celebration.

“I think it is awesome,” he said and added, “My dad is memorialized and not forgotten, and other quads can also enjoy this park.”

During the Celebration, visitors were allowed to take a test ride in one of two Trackchairs that were on display. In addition, a slide show featuring Mark was playing. Later, a program featured various speakers including Bob Felker, a paraplegic from Aspen Park who told the audience that early on after his accident he found the outdoors was not accessible to him. He said the Trackchair program “bridges the gap between non-accessibility and the need for the disabled to be in nature.”

Zach Taylor said having accessibility on the Davis Ponds trail is a “first step in opening the parks up for disabled visitors' access and Tom Carr, director of Therapeutic Recreation and Adaptive Sports at Craig Hospital, who worked with Hammon to bring the Trackchair to Staunton, was pleased the park was opening up opportunities for those with serious injuries.

Marie Hensick, Mark's sister, presented a poignant look into his life, drawing on his love of the park and adding, “making the impossible dream of accessibility would please Mark.”

Allyson Finch, program director for Healthy Independent Leisure and Lifestyles (Hills), announced the group, whose goal is to create opportunities for disabled individuals to have positive experiences and meet others, is partnering with the Friends organization to bring people with disabilities to Staunton.

Later, a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a new wooden puncheon bridge on Davis Ponds trail took place. Alan Moutoux, Conifer High School student and boy scout, envisioned the bridge as an Eagle Scout project and built the structure with other scouts and volunteers.

“I wanted to do something for the park, “said Moutoux, whose brother Brian also completed an Eagle Scout project by building the horseshoe pit behind the GPA. The new bridge, which replaces a rock bridge, will make it easier for wheelchairs and strollers to use the trail.

So, the dream will soon become a possibility, just as Mark may have imagined. Ted, his friend whose appropriate moniker is the godfather of the program, took great joy in what has been accomplished so far. He mused, “How proud Mark would be of this. How many smiles we will be able to put on people.”

is currently publishing a weekly series by and about people living with disabilities.

MARMOT MESSENGER 3

MANAGER’S MESSAGE

Amazed but not surprised

I met a family at the Mason Creek parking lot on Monday August 8. They had just returned from locating the Granite Mushroom Rock Earth cache east of Mason Creek. They were not only excited to find it, but were looking up more caches

in the park to search for. They were on their own treasure hunt and loving every minute of it. I pointed them in the direction of Davis Ponds and the kids took off before the parents knew what to do.

Saturday August 13 might go down as the second best day in the history of Staunton (the opening of the park being the first). Our illustrious Friends group held a phenomenal event celebrating the life of Mark Madsen. It was during this event that we all joined together, not just as a park, but as a community. We came together to support a cause that will provide to all visitors the same enjoyment of hiking the trails in this beautiful park.

I took the opportunity to join the weed warriors along Staunton Ranch Trail in the climbers access area to remove musk thistle and mullen on Tuesday August 16. I knew the crew did amazing work, but I never realized how quickly and quietly they moved. Their stealth-like demeanor was incredible. Before I knew it, we had moved nearly ¾ mile from the starting point and I had only been there half an hour. It took me almost 18 months before I joined in pulling weeds and now I am addicted. Not a day goes by that at least one musk thistle gets beheaded. Thanks a lot weed warriors.

On Friday August 19, I met with our intrepid Education and History teams in initial preparations for Living History Days September 17 and 18. Mark your calendars. The History team has reached out to numerous historical societies all excited to bring their knowledge of Staunton and Elk Creek Valley to our

event and each having different stories to bring to life. The Education team has some great ideas for stations/booths to set up, demonstrating the amazing lives the homesteaders lived. It was great to get these two teams back together again to plan out another event to be hosted at Staunton.

A member of our Rock Climbing team put his knowledge and skills into assisting Grand View Landscaping with a troubling spot along Elk Falls Trail on August 23. A section of the trail abruptly stopped at a rock out-cropping. The crew could not chip the rock enough to create stairs and the step was treacherous. Our Rock Climbing team was called in to drill anchors into the rock which would hold a chain hand railing to aid in the descent and ascent of this section of trail. Good work.

On Wednesday August 24, a rugged group of five tackled a project to place a bridge over the treacherous North Elk Creek. During a driving rain storm they accomplished this task which will provide much-needed access via ATV for additional weed management and forestry control. Team USA might have the Final Five, but we certainly have our Fantastic Five.

Each day as I drive into work, I am reminded of how lucky I am. Not only do I get to call Staunton my place of work, but I get to call each of you my colleagues. Please continue expressing your passions and your enthusiasm for Staunton as it is extremely contagious.

The mountains are calling and I must go.”--John Muir

What’s Inside

De-evolution 5

Ask Frannie and Birdie 6

Friends 7

New Trails 9

Team Work 11

Birds of a Feather 15

Getting to Know You 16

Team Coordinators and Staff 18

MARMOT MESSENGER 4

Visitors Center on hold The Visitors Center is temporarily on hold, according to park manager Zach Taylor. He told volunteers at the August meeting that all plans came back from the architects over budget.

An additional $300,000 was needed but denied. GOCO extended the deadline for current monies allocated to December 2017 with an additional six months to June 2018 if necessary. Architects will have to redraw the plans to cut costs.

According to Zach, the building size, including cutting the multi-purpose room, was shrunk but still did not come in under budget.

“It was disheartening, but there is hope,” Taylor said.

In other business it was noted that Living History Days is Sept. 17-18. Claudia Gunn, who is heading up the yearly celebration, has sent out an email asking volunteers to sign up to help.

Other Phase II updates include:

• The new campground will be staked out by late September or October and should be ready to open next June. It will include 26 back country sites. No camp fires will be allowed. Cook stoves can be used and bear proof containers will be placed at each site.

• The Rock Pile parking lot will be developed with about 60 sites and a vault toilet and information kiosk will be placed at this location.

• Forestry work on the Dines property was completed to removed harmful mistletoe, Thinning was also needed to ensure a healthy forest and hazard trees were removed.

• An archery range (no firearms) will be constructed near the area where the maintenance facility is to be built. It will include eight targets and 3 D range. The Friends organization and local archery clubs will help fund it with donations.

• The maintenance facility will be built close to the Boyd House and the maintenance road will be reconstructed.

Your help is needed for Living History Days. Please

sign up to help at the September volunteer

meeting.

MARMOT MESSENGER 5

Devolution, de-evolution, or backward evolution - to

degenerate through a gradual change or backward

evolution; the notion that any process of formation or

growth can revert into more "primitive" forms over time.

Vestigial features - structures or attributes that have lost some or all of their ancestral function, but have been retained during the process of evolution. The loss of function of a feature that is no longer subject to positive selection pressures when it loses its value in a changing environment.

Innovative use of pre-owned trailers found on Craig’s List

The visitor center and the theory of de-evolution

VISITOR CENTER

Oops, can only afford one trailer

Having an enclosed structure determined to be an extravagant luxury

Oh just use what you have

Needs to be smaller

VISITOR CENTER

MARMOT MESSENGER 6

Ask Frannie and Birdie… Frannie: Birdie, I hear that the Shaffer Family had a big reunion in our park in late July. How many people came?

Birdie: There were so many, it was hard to count. I think I heard them say there were around 120. People came from far and near. Young children, parents and grandparents attended the three day-event. They were descendants of Samuel and Sarah Shaffer, who moved to the Elk Creek Valley in 1902.

Frannie: So, what did this big family do in our park? I bet they were really impressed with the beautiful scenery. I wonder if they got to see Elk Falls.

Birdie: Well, several Staunton State Park volunteers came over to help with parking and serve as hosts. Ray Shaffer, who owns a ranch in Thermopolis, WY, was the main organizer of the

reunion. Dean Shaffer has spent years researching family history and had lots of information for his many cousins and their children and grandchildren. Nancy Verthein of Indiana brought a large, impressive scrapbook collection consisting of extensive genealogical records, photographs, and other memorabilia. Ray, Dean and Nancy are grandchildren of Charlie Shaffer and great-grandchildren of Samuel and Sarah Shaffer.

Frannie: So what did our volunteers do? Did they take Shaffer descendants to see the old Shaffer stone house near Mason Creek?

Birdie: Mary Beth Carpenter

led the hike to the stone house, and Carol Phelps accompanied her with her camera.

Carol and husband Bob served as hosts, along with Deborah and Jack Darnell.

Frannie: I heard that Donna Long Beck, Betty Long, Carla Mink and Hank Alderfer, representing the Conifer Historical Society, joined the reunion at the GPA. Donna’s grandparents knew the

Shaffer children, and her family has photographs of the Longs and Shaffers working together as neighbors on a logging project.

Birdie: Some of the family members toured a couple of remaining buildings at Shaffers Crossing and then visited the cemetery where Rollo and Lila Shaffer are buried. A reporter from the High Timber Times wrote a nice article on their historic reunion. The family had a wonderful time reconnecting.

Frannie: Birdie, is it true that some of the Shaffers spent an extra day and met at the Scudder’s house next to the park?

Birdie: Deborah Darnell and Carol McAllister joined Bonnie as hosts. Of particular interest was learning more about Samuel Shaffer’s mining endeavors. Ray and Dean Shaffer would like to visit again this fall to see the stone house and mining sites on Carol’s property, after Dean researches mining claims further.

Frannie: From what I hear, the reunion was quite a success. I think the Shaffer family will remember this reunion for a long time, and I suspect they’ll come to visit the park, too.

MARMOT MESSENGER 7

Friends of Staunton State Park

Friends Fundraising in Action

Imagine, if you could, suddenly no longer enjoy hiking or even being in the park safely. That is a reality for people who become disabled. They may love the outdoors but never be able to safely enjoy a wilderness opportunity.

Track Chair Project – Priority for 2016-17 Friends of Staunton State Park is actively raising funds to purchase a track chair (this goal has been accomplished), the motorized wheelchair loaned by Craig Hospital that rides on ‘tank treads’ and is operated by hand controls. This specialized chair offers safe mobility on most trails for people who are disabled or injured – true access to the outdoors not otherwise possible. The track chair showed its stuff first hand at Marmot Fest in June, where even the most able bodied visitors had a chance to ‘hike’ a trail in comfort and safety. According to Wayne Parkinson, “If you can do a video game, you can drive this chair”. (OK, that leaves some of us out, but we could probably learn).

A top-priority goal for Friends in 2016-17 is to raise $15,000 to purchase a track chair with accessories and the sling lift that will be able to safely move the rider into the track chair. This entire system will be donated to Staunton, making SSP the first State Park in the system to offer this kind of accessibility to disabled visitors or even fractured trail-hosting volunteers.

Where will the money come from? Fundraisers like the August 13 Mark Madsen Accessibility BBQ (see

story below) Friends of SSP memberships – annual $30 for individuals and $50

for families (see Friends of SSP website ‘How to Help’ page) From individual donations (also on the Friends of SSP website ‘How

to Help’ page) Partnering with interested organizations (think Wounded Warrior,

etc.) Your ideas (send ideas or contacts to Friends via the website or to

Wayne Parkinson directly)

Upcoming HILLS Fishing Days at Davis Ponds HILLS, Inc. is a Denver-based nonprofit organization that helps developmentally disabled persons and those with special health needs have opportunities to learn and grow. And spending a day outside in the sunshine fishing at Davis Ponds is just the ticket. Friends of SSP is partnering with HILLS to sponsor three fishing clinics at Davis Ponds that will give 24 (three groups of eight) young and older adults an opportunity to have fun practicing their fishing skills and enjoying a day outdoors. Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s ‘Partners in the Outdoors’ generously provided a $2000 grant to fund the three events to be held on August 21, September 18, and September 24 at the new wheelchair-accessible picnic area and ramp at Davis Ponds.

Adopt-A-Marmot Friends still has a few of the furry little guys that need a home (OK, really cute stuffed toy marmots in case you were wondering). Ask any one of the Friends of SSP about how to adopt a Marmot.

Eagle Scouts Busy on Davis Ponds Trail Davis Ponds trail is the perfect easy trail, right? You see families, kids, dogs and babies in strollers. Well, not everyone with a stroller or walking with a cane is comfortable crossing the ‘rock bridge’ below the main parking lot. So, the weekend of August 5-6, local Boy Scout Troop 400 based out of Conifer Community Church, constructed a wooden bridge over the current rock work on Davis Ponds trail to allow a safer crossing for strollers, wheelchairs and folks who may be unsteady on the rocks. The bridge was constructed from durable composite material provided by a donation from Friends of SSP and Moore Lumber in Bailey. The Boy Scouts, led by scout Alan Moutoux (the younger brother of a previous Eagle Scout organizer at Staunton), practiced their carpentry skills and seemed to enjoy

Fishing at Elk Falls Pond – track chair makes it possible!

MARMOT MESSENGER 8

the ‘hard labor, in spite of some typical Colorado August weather.

This is not the first Eagle Scout Project at SSP – the horseshoe pit behind GPA was another Eagle Scout project completed by the Boy Scouts in 2015. If you get a chance, make sure to thank the members of Troop 400 for their contributions to Staunton. We don’t take them for granted.

What Does Friends Do With All Those Donations? Good question. Did you know there is a ‘Park Want List’? These are the things that may be a low priority for Staunton in terms of actual budget allocation, but items that would help SSP become a true ‘state of the art’ park more quickly. If you have an idea for a park improvement project, work with Park Manager Zach Taylor. He may have already scheduled the project. And, if not, maybe he will put the word out to the Friends of SSP. Like good friends, they are on the lookout for ways to benefit Staunton State Park. Here are a few items donated to SSP from funds raised by the Friends group over the past couple years:

E-bike (2016) – The electric motor powered (and whisper quiet) bicycle that helps rangers patrol steep trails and more quickly reach areas of need (dogs off leash, dehydrated people, etc.). So if you think the rangers suddenly acquired ‘superpowers’, listen for the quiet hum of the motor – and see if they are pedaling at all.

PA System (2016) – The voice amplifier used at Marmot Fest (and you thought those were real marmot chirps.). The Education Team also uses the PA system for school programs – talking over a bunch of excited 4th graders is a challenge (especially if you add in rain and hail from May/June storms). The PA is available for use within the park for any event that requires a voice to be heard over a large crowd or long distance. And, this PA system is smart: it allows two people to speak via hand mic and/or lavalier.

Ice Rescue Equipment (2015) – We have ponds . . . and visitors who don’t ‘get’ the concept of thin ice. Although nobody wants to think about ice at this time of year, this equipment will allow rangers to respond to emergencies or even initiate searches. Let’s all hope this equipment gets dusty before it’s ever needed.

AED machine (2014) - AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. It is state of the art First Aid device used to revive a person with probable heart failure. AEDs are smart: they tell you what to do and guide you through the right sequence of steps to successfully resuscitate a person in need. Today, you see them all over the place – gyms, grocery stores and maybe even your work place. It’s OK to hope you never have to use one, but know that if you are called to help save a life, the AED can make it happen.

And now there’s more. Take a look at the list of ‘Accomplishments’ under the ‘Who We Are’ page on the Friends web page friendsofstauntonstatepark.org.

Mary Beth Carpenter has joined the staff of the

Messenger as Friends of Staunton State park contributor.

And now for the rest of the story…

In the July – August SSP Newsletter I wrote an article about Locoweed in which I talked about the sometimes deadly effects of this beautiful native wildflower on cattle and horses.

At the Shaffer Family Reunion, I learned from Dean Shaffer that when Samuel Shaffer and his family arrived at what was to be known as Shaffers Crossing in 1902, Samuel brought along with him 200 head of cattle and 500 horses. Dean felt that the cattle were probably shipped but he recounted how four Shaffer sons drove the horses down from Wyoming and most likely came up through Morrison and Conifer. He could only imagine what the locals thought of the sight of so many horses being driven through their area. Thoughts of rich Wyoming ranchers arriving to take over their peaceful part of Colorado must certainly have gone through their minds.

They arrived with the horses in the fall and went to work preparing them for the winter. Unfortunately, they learned too late that the area was abundant with locoweed. They found dead cattle and horses the following spring and realized that their land and adjacent federally-owned land was not the ideal pasture land for their stock. They ended up selling off almost all of the animals.

Dean Shaffer said that on the 1903 Jefferson County tax records for Samuel Shaffer, he owned only 10 cows and 30 horses. ~~Deborah Darnell

MARMOT MESSENGER 9

New trails enhance beauty of park

Staunton Ranch, Chimney Rock and Elk Falls Trails are gems added to the park's

already precious features

If Staunton State Park is considered the crown jewel of the Colorado State Parks and Wildlife system ( and it is), then its trails are sparkling facets spectacularly arrayed for the enjoyment of its visitors.

This summer, due to the implementation of Phase II projects, several new trails are in process of construction, while old trails are being re-routed or improved. By fall, much of the work will be completed and Staunton's reputation as a hiker's paradise close to Denver will spread even more.

Staunton Ranch

The newly constructed Staunton Ranch Trail now winds through the Dines property and crosses the drive to the house which is also in the process of renovation. Recently, this area went through a forestry management process with mastication to eliminate dead and damaged trees and harmful mistletoe. The result is a healthier and more beautiful forest with more open views for hikers to enjoy.

As of press time, a section of the new trail just above Black Mountain Creek was closed as a new bridge still needed to be constructed across the creek. The new section continues from Old Mill Trail and eventually switchbacks up close to the climbing walls, passing close to the Whistle Pig climbing area.

The new upper Staunton Ranch section adds character

and more challenge for bikers, closer access for climbers (with a climber's information kiosk in place) and a more aesthetic experience for hikers. Marmots also inhabit the area near the trail. Eventually, the new section re-joins the service road and continues to the junction with Marmot Passage and Bugling Elk Trails.

Chimney Rock

The new Chimney Rock Trail, which is multi-use, can be accessed either at the lower end or upper part of the Lions Back Trail. Hikers/bikers who are only interested in hiking to Elk Falls should begin at the lower trail head, located just beyond Elk Falls Cabin. Users who desire a loop hike should access the upper trail head, about two thirds of the way up from the Lions Back trail head and head down unless they are looking for a real challenge. Hikers/bikers who only want to access the Falls overlook should avoid the uphill switchbacking and lengthier east side of Chimney Rock Trail and head up Lions Back Trail.

This trail has everything, including excellent close-up views of Lions Head, lovely, open-pine forests, spectacular views of the mountains to the south of the park, including Pikes Peak and the valley below and rocky overlooks that make great lunch spots.

One biker on his first visit to the park was impressed with the rock work on this trail. Several areas required intricate and time-consuming placing of rocks to smooth the trail.

MARMOT MESSENGER 10

The trail, appropriately named Chimney Rock, offers a close up view of the tower including its summit, although the landing place for aliens was not visible.

Eventually, a hitching post for horses and bike lock-ups could be added at the junction to the new Elk Falls Trail, which can be accessed just at the lower end of a set of switchbacks on the eastern side of the ridge.

Elk Falls

This trail, longed-for since the opening of the park, was to be completed with the ribbon-cutting set for September 16. The 2,000 plus foot trail, which should be rated as difficult and hiker-only, is steep and rocky with many switchbacks and deep rock steps considered treacherous for horses and nearly impossible to navigate for all but the most adept (and crazy) mountain bikers. The trail ends at a rocky platform affording hikers a spectacular view of Elk Falls.

Reid Lewis, (Lew's son) who is working on the construction of trails this summer, is a member of a four-man crew who helped build this incredible trail. He noted the entire trail was built by hand without the aid of any machinery. Reid said crushed rock was utilized as a base underneath the dirt on parts of the trail. Also, trees had to be removed to construct the trail and come-alongs were employed to move huge rocks.

Lewis said one day while two members of the crew were working the trail, a mountain lion ran between them. Hikers will be advised to keep their eyes open for sightings.

Some improvements

• Davis Ponds re-routing including stepping stones across Black Mountain Creek at the upper pond

• trail clean-up on one of the climbing access trails • construction of new upper climbing access trail • small gravel added to the eastern trail head of

Marmot Passage Trail to eliminate muddy, rutty area

In addition, the trail to the summit of Lions Head re-opened August 1. It had been closed due to falcon nesting. Also, construction of the new East Cliffs Trail branching off Mason Creek Trail was to begin August 15.

MARMOT MESSENGER 11

Team Work

BEFORE

AFTER

Weed warriors in action

MARMOT MESSENGER 12

Trail crew

Pond trail work

Quote from Ron, “Mike H., Gary S. and I were swinging picks and decided that three guys in their mid-seventies were holding their own. “

I think it’s obvious who was really doing all the work.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these trail volunteers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Not only did they finish the bridge, they delivered a baby too.

You think they would look a tad more concerned when there’s a man down.

Who’s the oddball wearing

blue?

The bridge on the river Kwai does not service the park’s trail system. It’s believed to provide access to Mark Fisher’s secret vacation home in the back of the park.

MARMOT MESSENGER 13

Jr. Rangers

Indigent group of hippie vagabonds found living in the park near the Cub Creek connector trail.

Peace baby.

Of course they know where they are.

Checking out the new Chimney Rock and Elk Falls trails

Deer dare Jr. rangers to take aim.

Fun with Dick and Jane on the Cub Creek connector trail.

Yeah, we just told them to fire away.

MARMOT MESSENGER 14

Lew’s had bear sightings reported to him, seen bears, followed bears, had bears follow him, had a bear eat a

bear burger at his cabin etc. That’s a lot of time together. Sounds like true

A sneaky bear also got into the Elk Falls cabin through a window. He was positively identified when he foolishly left his tell-tale bear print in the sour cream.

A peeping bear was reported looking in the window of the Chase cabin.

Marmots doing what marmots do best.

Why, I’m pretty sure

you can smoke this.

Never get into a bar fight with a marmot. You won’t come out looking pretty.

Marmot monitors doing

what they do best. Whatever that is.

MARMOT MESSENGER 15

Williamson’s Sapsuckers - do they really suck sap?

Sapsuckers are a specialized group of woodpeckers. They peck neat rows of tiny holes, called wells, in the trunks of trees. The oozing sugary phloem sap traps small insects. The sap and insects provides food for the sapsuckers. They don’t actually suck sap. Sapsuckers have tongues tipped with stiff hairs instead of the spear like tongue of other woodpeckers, and their tongues don't extend nearly as far out of their bills.

If you’ve ever gotten tree sap on your fingers, you know how sticky it is. So why doesn’t a sapsucker’s beak get glued shut? Scientists surmise that the bird’s saliva contains a substance that prevents sap from solidifying. When a sapsucker drills holes in a tree’s bark, the sap flows freely. But when researchers do the same, they can’t get the sap to flow nearly as well.

In most species of woodpecker the sexes differ in appearance only subtly, usually with the male having red somewhere the female doesn't. Williamson's Sapsucker is unusual in having the male and female looking drastically different. The two sexes look so unalike that they originally were described as different species.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Williamson's Sapsuckers form monogamous pairs, often with their mate from a previous year. The male excavates a new nesting cavity each year, sometimes reusing the same tree. The same aspen in a grove in the Mason Creek drainage was home to a nesting pair this year and last year. They were likely the same birds. This year’s hole was excavated on the opposite side of the trunk at about the same height.

Mating pair – Staunton Ranch trail

Carnal knowledge pictures by Fred.

Birds from Mason Creek

MARMOT MESSENGER 16

Getting to Know You

This former Midwesterner loves hiking the park

Volunteer Densch is one half of the Dick and Jane hikes

Although he lived much of his life in Illinois, Dick Densch is passionate about living in Colorado and even more passionate about his duties as trail host and a co-leader of the always popular Dick and Jane hikes.

“The best part about being a volunteer is helping others enjoy the park,” he said.

Densch was born and raised in Aurora, Illinois, where he graduated from East Aurora High School. He attended Waubonsee Community College and National College of Education where he earned a BA in Applied Behavioral Sciences.

Later, he married Jane (Not Nault) who he says “has put up with me for 34 years.” The couple has a daughter Cyndee, son in law Jim and granddaughter Hanna.

Before the Denschs moved to Colorado in 1984, Dick says he held some “weird” jobs.

“My first job was on a farm where we grew produce that we sold to Campbell Soup and on a farm stand,” he said. He also worked as a farm migrant, drove a truck and sold produce at the stand.

Eventually, Dick worked at Hansen Mattress Company where he built and sold custom mattresses before he was hired by Safeco Insurance (later Liberty Mutual) at the Chicago claims department. As part of the job, he held various positions in the Special Investigation Unit.

“We investigated arson and fraud claims. I worked on auto and property theft, staged accidents, legal/medical fraud, organized crime and arson,” Densch said. The company transferred him from Chicago to Colorado in 1984 and he retired in 2013.

Like many retirees, Dick was looking for something rewarding to do with his time.

“I saw a notice in Pinecam about an open house (for Staunton State Park volunteers).” He said he attended and met “a great bunch of folks who were already

volunteers and I signed up.” Densch says the best part is “unlike working for a big corporation, everyone is here because they want to be, not because they have to be.”

Since joining the corps of volunteers, Dick has involved himself in various projects and opportunities and has been able to utilize his passion for hiking.

“Before volunteering, I really liked hiking the park,” Dick noted, adding, “Some of the most fun has been 'Exploring with Dick and Jane' hikes.” He gives credit to his partner Jane Nault, who has great “off the beaten path” ideas to check out.

MARMOT MESSENGER 17

“We take other people to those places. So far, we haven't gotten too terribly lost with the groups,” he said.

Dick also enjoys raptor monitoring and has also participated in marmot monitoring. He credits leader Dick Prickett for teaching him a wealth of information about birds.

“When I started with this (raptor monitoring) I only knew the difference between a Stellar Jay and crow,” he laughs.

Dick and Jane (his wife) love to travel and have visited some interesting and faraway places, including Fiji, Easter Island, Norway, Chile, Argentina, Singapore, Thialand, Viet Nam, China, Columbia, Panama, Cayman Island, Costa Rica, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Germany, Italy and Mexico.

When he is home in Colorado, there is no place he would rather be than trail hosting at the Staunton Ranch trailhead. Part of his job is to familiarize visitors to the park.

“Every weekend that I trail host, a pretty high percentage of the visitors are first-timers who just heard about Staunton,” he noted. “With new trails and camping coming soon, Staunton could be the go-to place for locals and people from the metro area.”

You can bet Dick will be at his post making sure these visitors know how best to recreate at the park.

MARMOT MESSENGER 18

Volunteer Team Coordinators

Staunton State Park Staff

Education: Claudia Gunn – cmarygunn@gmail.com

Annie Thran – annie.thran@state.co.us

Fencing: Susan Festag – kpfestag@wispertel.net

Wayne Parkinson – wayne.sally.96@gmail.com

Chainsaw: Scott Aaronson – sea_b5@yahoo.com

Ted Hammon - ted@urotek.us

Newsletter: Nancy Coburn – peakbagger10@gmail.com

Elaine Rideout – elainer_9@msn.com

Small Construction: Ed Samberg – ed@sambergs.org

Jack Gunn - jharoldgunn@gmail.com

Trails: Gary Sims – simsgry@comcast.net

Plants: Jack Darnell – jackrdarnell@earthlink.net

Deborah Darnell – deborah_darnell@yahoo.com

Raptor Monitoring: Richard Prickett – cyclevetd@yahoo.com

Wildlife: Ron LaLone - ronlalone@yahoo.com

Elaine Rideout – elainer_9@msn.com

Park History: Bonnie Scudder - bscudder@evcohs.com

Deborah Darnell – deborah_darnell@yahoo.com

Rock Climbing: Dave Montgomery - rockymontyd@yahoo.com

Entrance/Office: Susan Festag – kpfestag@wispertel.net

Trail Host: Jane Nault – jfnault@msn.com

Sally Parkinson - sally.parkinson.96@gmail.com

Wayne Parkinson – wayne.sally.96@gmail.com

Weed Warriors: Mark Fisher - fisher@wispertel.net

Patty Warnick - plwarnick@yahoo.com

Scouts/Eagle Scouts: Randie Boldra - rcwbold@yahoo.com

Mark Fisher - fisher@wispertel.net

Ron LaLone - ronlalone@yahoo.com

Gary Finley - gmfinley@wispertel.net

Geocache: Jack Darnell – jackrdarnell@earthlink.net

Parking: Mike Mladjan – mladjanmike@gmail.com

Zach Taylor Park Manager

Dave Stigall Park Resource Technician

Mark Lehman Park Ranger

www.parks.state.co.us

Newsletter Team:

Nancy Coburn

Bonnie Scudder

Elaine Rideout

Marmot Mascot Designer:

Meagan Webber

Special Thanks to

Zach Taylor