IPWA Calendar of Events

Join us for a trail project day on Saturday, August 17th, 2024 (more details to come).

These projects are open to volunteers and members of the public who are at least 18 years old (or younger with parental consent) who meet the following criteria:

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• Can do light- to medium-level trail work and are in good physical condition

• Prior trail work experience a plus but not necessary

• Bring own gloves, food, water; other tools provided

• Not required to be a registered IPWA volunteer

If interested, please email ipwatrailcrew@gmail.com. To learn more, visit our Trail Restoration Projects page.

Each summer & fall, the IPWA holds 3-4 Trailhead Host Days where volunteers host an informational booth at popular trailheads into the Indian Peaks or James Peak Wilderness areas. Stop by the Hessie Trailhead booth between 7:30am - 1:30pm to talk to our volunteers about hiking routes, wilderness regulations, local wildlife, Leave No Trace best practices, and to learn about our organization. The booth will be near the historic 19th century cabin close to the parking area and the junction of the Hessie and 4th of July roads. 

Each summer & fall, the IPWA holds 3-4 Trailhead Host Days where volunteers host an informational booth at popular trailheads into the Indian Peaks or James Peak Wilderness areas. Stop by the booth between 7:30am - 1:30pm to talk to our volunteers about hiking routes, wilderness regulations, local wildlife, Leave No Trace best practices, and to learn about our organization. The booth will be near the East Portal/Moffat Tunnel Trailhead (James Peak Wilderness).

You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group and join us for a meet-up in Boulder, Colorado! We'll delve into the topics of wilderness, preservation, and conservation through reading, contemplation, and discussion. This group is open to all (IPWA volunteers, supporters, and the public). See our blog posts about previous reading selections. The September 2024 selection is The Wild Places by Robert McFarlane - RSVP here.

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Join us for a trail project day on Saturday, September 21st, 2024 (more details to come).

These projects are open to volunteers and members of the public who are at least 18 years old (or younger with parental consent) who meet the following criteria:

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• Can do light- to medium-level trail work and are in good physical condition

• Prior trail work experience a plus but not necessary

• Bring own gloves, food, water; other tools provided

• Not required to be a registered IPWA volunteer

If interested, please email ipwatrailcrew@gmail.com. To learn more, visit our Trail Restoration Projects page.

The summer patrol season starts June 2nd, 2024, and ends September 30th, 2024. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page! Note that our volunteers do not patrol between October and mid-late November (during hunting season) so during that window trail conditions are not reported. We will resume posting trail conditions when our volunteers start-up patrols again for the winter season in mid-late November. 

The IPWA holds an Annual Photo Contest to showcase the beauty of the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness Areas. This contest is open to IPWA supporters and volunteers. Each individual may submit a maximum of 2 scenic photos (no people or dogs may be in the photos).  Visit the Photo Contest page for more information.

You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group and join us for a meet-up in Boulder, Colorado! We'll delve into the topics of wilderness, preservation, and conservation through reading, contemplation, and discussion. This group is open to all (IPWA volunteers, supporters, and the public). See our blog posts about previous reading selections. The November 2024 selection is Losing Eden: Our Fundamental Need for the Natural World and Its Ability to Heal Body and Soul by Lucy Jones - RSVP here.​

Each year, the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA) funds 3-4 IPWA Paddon/Gelhorn Research Grants for up to $2000 each. Applicants must be graduate students attending any Colorado university and conducting research with a focus on issues affecting Colorado alpine and sub-alpine environments, with preferred study focus/areas in the Indian Peaks or James Peak Wilderness Areas or adjacent, such as at Niwot Ridge/CU Mountain Research Station.

The application window opens in early February and applications are due mid-March.  Awards will be announced in mid-April. Visit the Research Grants page for details and application instructions. 

We offer two types of volunteer opportunities:

1. IPWA Wilderness Volunteers commit to completing annual training, are outfitted with a uniform, and commit to completing a minimum of “four service activities” per calendar year.

2. If you do not have time to volunteer for a full season/year, you may join us for one or more volunteer trail projects this summer!

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If you're interested in volunteering, please email us at hikers@indianpeakswilderness.org to be added to our email list. Please indicate if you are interested in trail projects and/or in applying to become a full Wilderness Volunteer, starting next season (summer 2025). 

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The window to apply to join us as a Wilderness Volunteer this summer is from April 1-15 2025. Also pencil in Saturday, June 7th, 2025 for the mandatory in-person training day. 

To learn more, visit our Wilderness Volunteer Program page. To learn more about other ways to help, visit the Volunteer Opportunities page. 

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The IPWA Winter Patrol Program starts in mid-November and ends in late May. This is an exciting opportunity for our Summer Wilderness Volunteers who want to enjoy the wilderness and patrol in the late fall, winter, and spring months. For more information visit the Winter Patrol Program page. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!

IPWA Wilderness Volunteers are eligible to go on summer patrols as long as they have completed all annual paperwork and training requirements. Training will be held on Saturday, June 7th. The IPWA Summer Patrol season starts June 8th, 2025, and ends September 30th, 2025. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!