Walk for Wilderness thanks

Dear Editor:I’d like to acknowledge and thank the many people who made the Sept. 25 Walk for Wilderness from Ashcroft to the Pine Creek Cookhouse such a fun and successful event.Lynne Mace of the White River Interpretive Association did an incredible job organizing everything at the Ashcroft end and along the walking route. Assisting her were WRIA volunteers Judy Schramm, Joanne Lyon, Garrett Bouton, Bill Frazer, Jane Frazer, Ted Forke, Sam Johnson, Marcia Johnson and John Emerick. Clare Bastable was awesome in leading the Colorado Mountain Club contingent, including Josh Hmielowski, Gail Caruso, Rick Mandell, Sharon Dequine and Ann Johnson. For the U.S. Forest Service, Martha Moran, Alex Wisniewski and Ralph Swain all went above and beyond the call of their government duties.Wilderness Workshop executive director Sloan Shoemaker and board members/friends Mark Fuller, Tim and Donna McFlynn and Cindy Houben provided indispensable help on the day.Trevor Washko of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies did enormous work helping organize the event, while Morry Hollenbaugh of the Aspen Historical Society assisted with the Ashcroft Ghost Town during the event.Huge thanks to Dan Sheridan, who provided such perfect musical accompaniment up at the Cookhouse; Bob and Laurie Harris of Blazing Adventures for providing the bus and van, and Renee Fleisher for volunteering to drive; John Wilcox, Andrew Lodge and David Campbell for all their help at the Pine Creek Cookhouse; Rich Walker of the Aspen Ambulance District for his assistance; Paul Perley of the Ute for help with water bottles; Pete Barnes for doing the live remote; and Scott Cooper of the Aspen School District for allowing our participants to park at the middle school.Finally, thanks to the presenting sponsors who made the event possible – Toklat Gallery and Elk Mountain Lodge – as well as the other sponsors of our Wild for Good series, the Ute Mountaineer, Lost Marbles Ranch, Reese Henry & Co., Bristlecone Mountain Sports, KSNO and the Aspen Daily News.Dave ReedWilderness Workshop