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Show The Park Record Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues, December 12-15, 2020 B-7 Continued from B-6 Bill Silliman Photography Avalanche awareness were reporting record interest by a growing horde of skiers eager to explore beyond resorts. Ritter had her messaging machine at the ready. So she corralled the state agencies that help manage outdoor recreation and crafted the new campaign. “People are seeking the outdoors in unprecedented numbers this summer and the concern is that most people may feel the same call for getting outside in the winter, but may not realize all the risks involved,” she said. Nearly 50 Colorado Search and Rescue teams conducted almost 2,900 missions in 2019, all driven by volunteers who spent more than 350,000 hours on rescues and training. And 2020 is shaping up to be even busier, thanks in large part to hordes of people visiting public lands this summer. Jeff Sparhawk with the Colorado Search and Rescue Association said those teams — made up of about 2,800 volunteers — are in a “prepare for anything mode,” right now. They are watching ski resorts control crowds as state leaders clamp down on activities in an attempt to slow the spread of nthe coronavirus. As they wait for snow that will ultimately ,define the avalanche hazards din the backcountry, they are sgetting some rest after a hectic rsummer and hunting season. . Earlier this year, before the wpandemic, bipartisan legislation swound through the statehouse rthat would have developed a plan to better support the state’s roverworked search and rescue volunteers. The bill was lost in athe summer’s COVID crush. - “Since that bill went down, hthe work for us has dramatically BEN OLSON/PARK RECORD Officials in Colorado are hoping a backcountry safety campaign will encourage users to be recreate responsibly this winter. increased for most areas around the state,” Sparhawk said. “We essentially got no relief while the requests for our work increased.” Alongside the safety pledge, the new backcountry campaign on Colorado.com encourages users to support the Colorado Search and Rescue Association, which represents the state’s dozens of volunteer rescue teams around the state. (A 5-year Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search and Rescue Card only costs $12.) Sparhawk is hopeful that this summer’s record-setting traffic on public lands showed the value of a well-supported search and rescue community. “People are becoming aware of the bigger picture. It’s inspiring to see how valued our mountains are. This is where people turn and we need to protect the mountains and the people who are there,” Sparhawk said. “The way we see it, search and rescue is a vital piece of Colorado.” And a single exposure to contagion can shut down a team, which could be disastrous. If the number of calls for help stays high through the winter, teams could be stretched thin, Sparhawk said. So he’s hoping the state’s innovative safety campaign will spur more responsibility among backcountry users. Use a guide or find a mentor, Sparhawk said. Take a class and check the forecasts. Help those in need and be mindful of other people in the backcountry. Be respectful. “While we are maybe trying to get away from people … we are all pretty much like-minded in the backcountry and we have to watch out for each other,” he said. Ritter is quick to point out that the safety campaign is not, in any way, intended to push people into the backcountry. “We are being very careful not to promote backcountry activities,” she said, describing a flood of national media inquiries pouring into her office from out-of-state reporters eager to write about “all the things to do in the Colorado backcountry.” As you know the Park City Holiday Bazaar was canceled this year. If you are seriously looking for local holiday gifts you are invited to make a reservation to see my local Park City photos. I have participated in the bazaar the last several years as well as the Sunday Market. I have photos of the Four Seasons of Old Town Park City, a framed 25” x 87” fall photo of Old Town on my wall, Mt. Timp backside fall colors, polar bears, brown bears, Rwanda gorillas, Serengeti cheetahs & elephants, Yellowstone bison, elk, moose, my huge selling 2017 Total Solar Eclipse composite & my 2019 Utah State Fair 1st place panoramic barn photo. Only two people maximum at a time and you must wear a mask. 10% off all matted photos and 5% off all framed photos. For an appointment call or text to 435-659-6680 or E-mail me bsillimanphoto@aol.com See photos at billsillimanphotography.com (Not affiliated with Park Silly) Where do I find the resources? Nathan Fey, director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, tapped his lengthy list of outdoor business partners to create an online resource of guides and outfitters. He also helped compile a roster of online and in-person avalanche education opportunities, from speaker series and awareness clinics to more formal avalanche courses. 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