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2015 – A Year of Adventure and Hiking

By Remi Mateo

Ever since I began the #52HikeChallenge the first weekend of January this year, I’ve looked forward to my Sunday hikes. Prior to this year,  I had done some local hikes, like Runyon Canyon and Griffith Park in Los Angeles. This year, however, has been an adventure – hiking new trails, seeing waterfalls, hearing streams, and enjoying majestic views from some of the highest peaks in Southern California. Before joining the Sunday Hiking Crew, an informal Facebook group that some friends of mine started this year, I didn’t know many people who passionately enjoyed hiking. It’s because of this group I can say that I have found my hiking tribe. It helps to have knowledgeable people that can introduce you to parts of Southern California as well as teach you how to be safe in the wilderness.

The #52HikeChallenge, an initiative started by an Orange County couple, Karla Camador and Phillip Stinis, was a project to get people hiking once a week and to use the hashtag to connect and engage with others on social media. In the last 11 months, my hiking tribe and I hiked Mount Wilson, Cucamonga Peak, Topanga State Park, Bridge to Nowhere, Mount Baldy, San Jacinto – just to name a few.  The beauty of the #52HikeChallenge is that anyone can participate and find a group of friends and start a weekly hiking group or join a few that are out there like the Sunday Hiking Crew, 213 FB Hikers, and other groups out there that you can easily find on Meetup.

During this hiking challenge I’ve gained a heightened consciousness of environmental awareness, I’ve connected with other like-minded people who are willing to go on hiking adventures, and also my mental health has improved by being out in the wilderness and taking all of what nature has to offer. I also feel that by hiking and exploring our natural lands people become more invested in their environment and have more of a reason to become environmental advocates.

It’s November and I’m currently on my 34th hike. I’m doing everything in my power to complete 52 hikes this year because I love a challenge. As a former high school football player, I would typically spend my Saturdays and Sundays watching football. I now look forward to my Sunday hikes – even throughout football season!

It’s funny how I’ve changed this past year. Even when I go out on Saturdays for a social outing or a bar, I make sure to be back at a decent hour so I can get enough sleep for my Sunday hike.

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So what’s next for me on this journey? I’ve signed up for the Sierra Club Wilderness Travel Course which is a yearly course that teaches people how to be safe and survive out in the wilderness. I plan to use this information to share with others and hold bilingual workshops in order to get more Latinos out and exploring. 

I encourage everyone to find their hiking tribe. Get  your non-hiking friends to check out the outdoors, find a hiking group on Facebook or Meetup, carpool together and post those pictures on Instagram. I’ll be looking for your hashtags. @mateo_remi213

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

Remigio “Remi” Mateo has been hiking on and off for years. He lives in the Silverlake/Rampart District of Los Angeles. He loves to hike, bike, meet new people, and volunteer his time to various non-profit organizations. Remi is also a member of Voces Latinas Toastmasters where he has honed his public speaking skills and is working toward becoming a professional speaker.

Bird is the Word: Birding Adventures by Nydia Gutiérrez

Here in the northeast the foliage has well begun to showcase the variance of colors as the trees are beginning their “sleep-cycle” and our summer migrators have left for their voyage south. Looking back at these successful seasons in birding, I see my “Birding Life List” is increasing with the various warblers and songbirds I would have otherwise not seen if I hadn’t gotten up early morning (I mean early) and get outdoors! During breeding season in spring birds are active locating a fruitful, suiting territory while showcasing their best tune to increase their chances of finding a mate. For birders and enthusiasts alike, this provides an ample opportunity to seek out certain species as (let’s be real) they are loud and a bit easier to spot. Below are a few short “bird stories” covering some of the adventures I have had with friends and colleagues here in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area otherwise known as the “DMV”.

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(March 21, 2015) During this birding adventure on Kingman Island in D.C. we spotted everything from the tiny Downy Woodpecker to the majestic Wood Duck and a flock of Red-winged Blackbirds along with a Ruby-crowned Kinglet whose distinctive red mark over the head helps with the identification.

 

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(April 11, 2015) In the woods of NPS: Prince William Forest Park we identified a pair of highly active Blue-gray Gnatcatchers and learned that the Carolina Chickadee and Black-capped Chickadee are hard to distinguish as they successfully interbreed and appear to look identical.

 

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(April 13, 2015) Urban birding can be a great escape from the same ol’, same ol’. On this day we spotted a Red-bellied Woodpecker hard at work outside the courtyard of a luxury hotel in the Woodley Park area. Notice the famous Cherry Blossoms in bloom.

 

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(April 25, 2015) This outing was certainly one for the books. Out in Fletcher’s Cove we spotted a Prothonotary Warbler with it’s distinct solid black beak, mostly yellow body and gray wings. 

 

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(May 2, 2015) The U.S. National Arboretum serves as an excellent location to learn about the local flora and fauna. On this outing I learned the distinct call of the Indigo Bunting. Learning calls can be a direct form of identifying a bird when visuals are not available at the moment. 

 

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(May 31, 2015) When on a group outing (photo on the left) can be a familiar sight. Birder who spots the bird passes the word along to the group and points out the species. Here in Fort Dupont Park we were in search of D.C.’s state bird, the Wood Thrush which was not spotted that day. Some days are hot, some days are not. 

 

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(August 15, 2015) On this very special day, I got to take my niece out on her very first birding trip! We spotted large waterfowl such as the Great Blue Heron (pictured above) at the NPS: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. #LatinasOutdoors

 

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(November 22, 2015) Here is a preview of what fall birding will look like. As the birding adventures continue so do the great times outdoors. We spotted Ring-necked Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Bufflehead Duck and a Great Blue Heron at Luther Goldman Birding Trail in Maryland.

Of note, I do not have many photos of actual birds. For photos, especially for the smaller guys, it is necessary to have a professional lens one that my smartphone camera does not have.

I encourage folks to get out, dust off dad’s old binoculars from the garage and take a look at what you may find. Happy to help folks identify the birds, send me a note here: Nydia@LatinoOutdoors.org

¡Feliz Birding!

 

About Me:

Nydia Gutiérrez is a Texas native, hailing from the Rio Grande Valley, a major bird migratory corridor. Ornithology became a passion after taking it as a course in college which required students to enjoy the outdoors and identify birds. Gutiérrez currently resides in Washington, D.C. where she continues to chase the sun and follow the birds.

 

Latino Outdoors Interview: A Conversation with Luis Guillermo Benitez

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Tell us your story, what is your connection to the land and conservation?

My connection to lands and conservation started as a young boy in Ecuador. My father’s family all grew up on a ranch outside of Quito and that is where I also spent most of my childhood. I was taught at a very early age if you take care of the land it will also take care of you.

How is this connection celebrated? How is it understood or misunderstood in our community and culture—as well as in the broader conservation community?

This connection is celebrated in my community and culture mostly by being outside! But in the larger conservation community I think we have a responsibility to ask ourselves some larger questions. The Latino culture has always faced challenges with accessing some of our outdoor resources in Colorado. They are a huge resource here in our state and when you start to ask the question of what access could or should be, I think access is trying to understand if there is a better way to approach permitting and access on federal lands because when you think about it, for smaller rural towns, that access translates into economic development opportunities. When it comes to workforce training, within the outdoor industry the path to a functioning and usable education can sometimes be a bit disjointed. We are exploring everything from trail building to advanced manufacturing and trying to assess if there is a way to codify some of these amazing skill sets into a quantifiable education.

Latino identities are connected to the outdoors, the environment, and conservation—how are those words reflective of YOU and how is it expressed?  

I will always remember as a young boy in Ecuador, my Tío took me to a hillside overlooking our family’s ranch and told me that wherever I went and whatever I did with my life that this tierra, this land, will always be a part of me and be there for me. That gave me a tremendous sense of place and of pride. I feel that our culture and community here in Colorado also has that sense of place and pride. It is a feeling of home and of what is possible.

What needs to change and how do we grow, celebrate, and have the broader conservation movement connect with the role and values Latinos bring to the field?

If you look at the current demographics, Latino/Chicano culture will be the predominant cultures of our state in the near future. We need to understand from an education perspective what we are doing to engage the next generation of adventurers and conservationists. I share this with most people I talk to: EVERYONE needs to have a succession plan! Who will replace me? You? What will their passions be? Their education? How will we make conservation important to them? I feel that it is the connection to the lands we recreate on and utilize that will be an important first step.

Luis Benitez. Photo by Didrik Johnck.

Luis Benitez. Photo by Didrik Johnck.

Why does this issue and work matter to you?

It matters to me because the outdoor industry in Colorado has given me so much. It has given me a community, an education, a job, and a purpose. It has allowed me to connect who I am with what I get to do every day. Imagine if more people felt that sense of purpose and tenacity, what our world could be.

What does success in all of this look like to you? 

Success to me looks like more of us out there in the workforce within the outdoor industry. I used to joke with other Latino friends that conservation was left up to people who worked the lands directly, and not people in the city. I think success will be when everyone understands how interconnected the lands and our cities really are. How important green space is to a culture and a community.

 

How has your work with the current office of Outdoor Recreation been reflective of all this?

I have 4 primary goals for my office here in Colorado:

  1. 1. Economic Development:Understand who is here and who isn’t here. If we can help companies move here or existing companies that are growing relocate within the state, that plays a huge part in the health and viability of the industry within the state. Also, try to help companies that may be struggling. Ensure that people remain connected to this amazing community the outdoor industry offers within Colorado. Sometimes this help comes in the shape of fiscal help with tax credits or incentives, sometimes it is simply ensuring that people are connecting to those best positioned to help. I believe this should apply to for-profit and nonprofit companies alike.
  2. Conservation and Stewardship ( Access ):We have to take care of the product that allows us to HAVE viable businesses and lands to recreate on. I truly believe there is a better way to allow access to our federal lands. As individual users, Colorado has access that is unmatched in most other states, but when it comes to trying to start an outfitter and/or potentially a wilderness education school, or a mountain bike guide service, basically anything that requires permitting, it is incredibly hard. My goal is to help start this conversation for Colorado at a state and hopefully federal level to see if we can’t have a different conversation about access.
  3. Education: I mentioned before we have a Ski Area Management degree here in Colorado. What about a Trail Building Degree? Advanced Sewing for Outdoor Apparel? Advanced Manufacturing? The possibilities are limitless. This also ties into what we are doing for the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts. We have to understand the legacy we are leaving and the support structure we are creating to empower the next generation with the great ideas to rise up and thrive. We need to focus on the demographics of our state, and the power that holds.
  4. Industry Anchors:I call this goal Industry Anchors because these are some of the things that anchor industry sectors in our state. We have the American Mountaineering Center in Golden, among other amazing companies whose headquarters are here. How can we impact those that are here and thinking about coming here? Not to mention industry trade shows and large events like the GoPro Mountain games. Colorado is a nexus for disruptive innovation within the outdoor industry; I want to ensure that stays anchored here in Colorado for decades to come.

A final thought…

If you truly are willing to challenge yourself, you can change your world.

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Luis Guillermo Benitez is the Director of the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. He is also one of the more experienced and respected professional guides in the outdoor field and leadership development. He has summited the top of the famed “Seven Summits” 32 times, including being a six-time summiteer of Mt. Everest.

This post was originally posted on La Madre Tierra. Check out LMT for more work on amplifying the Latino narrative and voices supporting our public lands.