INDIAN PEAKS WILDERNESS ALLIANCE

The IPWA achieves this mission by managing several programs aligned within its four strategic goals of Wilderness Restoration, Education, Advocacy, and Patrolling.

All of our programs are directed toward preserving and protecting the IP/JP Wilderness Areas. At the same time, our goal is to also instill wilderness values and ethics with our volunteers, while also reaching out to a younger generation of individuals who may not understand the challenges of protecting wild lands today in the United States. As we have recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of the iconic 1964 legislative Wilderness Act - which created the Wilderness Preservation System in the United States - our desire is to continue the goals of this act through preserving and protect wilderness forever so that our children (and their children) may enjoy the benefits of having wilderness in the Front Range of Colorado.

Our strategies for achieving our goals are to:

* Build off of the strong legacy of the IPWA in the Front Range community that has been in existence since 1985,

* Leverage the strengths of our 100% volunteer base,

* Expand the scope of existing programs, and bring new programs to the community while working with a broader coalition of local organizations (e.g. University of Colorado, Boulder Valley School District, and other local non-profit groups), and

* Increase our community outreach via newsletters, social media, and community events.

The Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance is a 100% Volunteer organization with roughly 150 Active Volunteers and over 75 Members who may only participate on a limited basis but provide financial support.

Despite smoky days, the ongoing pandemic, the new USFS timed entry system at the Brainard Lake Recreation Area (BLRA), and a new IPWA schedule and reporting system, our Volunteers did not miss a beat and were out in the field helping to keep the wild in Wilderness. After a recruiting hiatus in 2020, we welcomed 14 enthusiastic new volunteers to IPWA, and during the 2021 season, the IPWA Volunteer Rangers were able to achieve the following:
- Performed 380 patrols (summer and winter);
- Dismantled 105 fire rings;
- Patrolled over 3355 miles of trail, encountering over 35,709 hikers and 5,648 dogs.
These numbers represent a significant increase over 2020 levels and are on par with pre-pandemic activity levels.

From an organizational standpoint, the IPWA achieved the following in 2021:
- Fund two graduate level research grants focused on environmental issues
- Funded and staffed 4 trail restoration projects