Dec 4th is Colorado Gives Day – Remember MPEC!

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 Colorado Gives Day is a great day to make your donation to MPEC. 

We hope you will choose us as your favorite place to give on December 4th

Through the Giving First organization, 100% of your donation goes to MPEC, and we will also receive a proportionate share of the $300,000 incentive fund raised by this excellent organization.  You can view our profile  at the Giving First site to read more about what we are about and donate directly online at any time during the 24 hour period of December 4 to give where you live!

These children were campers this past summer and learned so much during their time backpacking just outside the Pueblo Mountain Park. Without your support, they would have never been able to come to this camp. We are proud of the work we do and know that you would be so delighted if you got to see up close all the learning that happens for children most every day at MPEC.

 

HikeandLearn.org Best Viewed using a Modern Browser

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Modern Technology needs a Modern Window to view it

Those of you that have an older computer with Internet Explorer installed may be having trouble viewing our site or see a security warning when visiting our site.

This problem is caused by your current version of Windows Internet Explorer.  The Microsoft Corp makes it very hard to keep up with current versions of Internet Explorer without buying a new computer.  Only the newest version of Internet Explorer (9.0) has even attempted to keep up but it is far from what is considered a “Modern Browser”.

Microsoft has now scrapped plans to develop Internet Explorer in favor of it’s new Browser powered by the new Microsoft Tablet called Surface.

Windows based computers are now often loaded with a Modern Browser by Google called “Chrome“.  You may already have this on your computer and can use it anytime.  Go to your start menu and look for it under your Program List.  The icon should look like this:

 

 

 

Many modern Internet Browsers are offered for free on the Internet.  These browsers are perfectly safe and use modern browser technology to view websites.  If you would like to switch to a more modern browser Mozilla Firefox is the best option for a Windows Computer.  Please click the image below for a perfectly safe and free Modern Internet Browser that you will love!

Mozilla Firefox

 

Remember the MPEC Nature Gift Shop for Holiday Gift Giving

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Before long we’ll have an online gift shop for your ordering ease but till then we’ll have to support you the old fashioned way.

MPEC welcomes you to stop in to see many of our new items in the gift shop designed for your holiday gift giving.  A blend of items that you have requested including “Buff Headwear” for our outdoor enthusiasts, along with handmade and locally made items will make your gift giving easier. Plus your purchases will help us at MPEC.  We have some beautiful seasonal Zena Moon Candles, a variety of salves and balms made by a Pueblo Herbalist – Kierra Duran, handmade mittens from recycled sweaters and the best selection of Nature t shirts in southern colorado.

We are happy to shop and ship for you. We think you’ll love our fleecy mountain lodge style throw blankets for only $22 – these are just like the ones we have gracing the bunks in the east wing. They are warm and a high quality fleece and everyone that visits MPEC loves them.  All of this and even homemade Horseshoe Lodge Pumpkin Granola and Devil’s Canyon Trail Mix made in our own kitchen is available.

MPEC is also proud to offer a wide variety of nature education books including titles from local authors. David Martin, Marc Praterelli, Maria Westy Bush and Carol Fortino are all accomplished authors who live and write inspired by the Beulah mountains and are included our ” local author” offerings.

Plants of The Pueblo Mountain Park by Dave Van Manen is a direct project of MPEC and gives you an opportunity to learn local plants that grow not only in the park but the area’s bioregion.

To order any items in the gift shop please email retreats@hikeandlearn.org or call the office and someone will help you with your shopping needs  719-485-4444

 

Family Camp Weekend a Big Success!

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What a fantastic weekend we had at MPEC with 7 families learning about Nature and enjoying the beauty of the November warmth. Children ages 3 to 12 had the chance to learn from Rangers Greg Smith and Audra Goodsell in all kinds of activities both inside and outdoors. These children were all so engaged and their parents and grandparents joined in the classes too. All of this was underscored by a cozy night in the newly restored dorms after songs and stories at the fire circle. This program will be one that MPEC continues to offer and we hope all MPEC members who have children in their lives will plan to come to our Winter Family Camp ( dates TBA)

Earth Studies moves into 3rd Session at MPEC

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If you have a 5th grader in Pueblo Public School this year you have already had the enjoyment of listening to him or her as the wonderful experience of learning in the Pueblo Mountain Park is described in detail.

In this session you will be as amazed as your student to find out we don’t have to cut down a tree and count its rings to find out how old it is.  You may see the same relief on their faces that we did when a method using simple math and a string is revealed.  The wise old Ponderosa Pines in our park wait in quiet serenity as student’s measure and calculate the years of their lives.

A Beautiful Fall in the Mountain Park

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The Pueblo Mountain Park in the Fall is a wonder to behold.  Laced between the Ponderosa Pines hikers can hear the laughter of children and a sweet whisper as the wind finds its way through the park.  The beautiful thing about this park is no matter when you visit your heart, mind and senses enjoy a totally new experience from day to day and season to season.

Matt Rayne
Pueblo Mountain Park Caretaker
Dedicated employee of the Mountain Park Environmental Center

MPEC Launches new website

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Yes! We birthed a new website this week and so you may be seeing it for the first time!  We outgrew our old site and with the renovation of the Horseshoe Lodge now complete and people wishing to make reservations on line for overnight rooms and programs, we had to upgrade. Naturally, there are some kinks that we are addressing but our tech team is working literally 18/7  ( yes we let our staff sleep sometimes!) to fix the bugs as they show up. If you try to register for a program, or make a donation and have trouble, just send us an understanding email and our Tech Pros will get on it right way. For the most part, the transition has been seemless and we are thrilled with what the site will allow you to do ( and will bring our office administration up to the next level of efficiency)

We know you’ll love the many photos at the site and we’ll be changing them often so you can see what is happening at MPEC along with the seasonal changes. Plus we’ll be posting late breaking happenings and if you take a great photo and can submit to us, we’ll consider it for one of the web pages. As always, we are dedicated to serving you, our members and community and please drop in and see us at the Horseshoe Lodge soon or come and spend a restful night!

 

 

Earth Studies for 5th Graders starts Sept 4th

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What is the Earth Studies Program?

Earth Studies, now in its 11th year, is a comprehensive, outdoor-based Nature education program that takes place among the ponderosa pines of the 611-acre Pueblo Mountain Park.  MPEC’s Nature Educators are busy training and getting organized for our first class to arrive on Sept 4th!  If you live in Pueblo and have a 5th grader in Pueblo City Schools, then your student will be coming up to spend 6 full days over the course of the upcoming school year. They will learn to identify birds, explore what bioregions are near where they live, hike the Pueblo Mountain Trails and experience MPEC’s wonderful outdoor classroom. Parents are welcome to join their child’s class for the day so we hope to see you!

This photo is from an Earth Studies Day during winter 2011 where eager students gathered during snow falling. ES Students love seeing MPEC’s outdoor classrooms in many different weather forms and cold and snow don’t deter them from being willing to learn!