Eleven years ago several EWI members sat around my dinner table and came up with a plan that would become an integral part of the success of  an important public/private partnership called The Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation.   That plan resulted in ten annual fundraising hikes to help fund the reclamation of quarry scars on our mountain backdrop.  To further explain I must take you back in history.

Sixty-five million years ago a movement called the Ute Pass Fault pushed a layer of limestone to the surface.  Limestone outcroppings appeared in the Pikes Peak region with the largest outcroppings found where the Pikeview, Oueens Canyon and Snyder Quarries are now located.  This unique occurrence provided a convenient, inexpensive source of building material for people who began to settle in the area in the 1850s. 

The City of Colorado Springs was founded in 1871. Significant quarry operations began around 1874 by the Snyder brothers north of Manitou Springs. Some say that Snyder may be the oldest quarry in the state.

In 1906, the first mining claim was staked on land at Pikeview Quarry.  The Pikeview Coal Mine used limestone from the quarry in its operations.  The coal mine was located in what is now Rockrimmon.

In 1955 Castle Concrete Company began operations at Queens Quarry located above Garden of the Gods.

Since 1954, the material from the quarries has been used to build the Air ForceAcademy, the new Colorado Springs Airport, the Norwest building, NORAD, thousands of single-family homes and apartments in Colorado Springs.  It has been estimated that 70% of our city's infrastructure was built with material from the quarries.  Not the least of these is the massive current construction of the

As the city grew the quarries grew and public opposition grew.  Opponents objected  to the adverse aesthetic and visual impact on our most important community asset i.e. the mountain backdrop.  Public controversy became extreme and was often referred to as "The Scar Wars" during the 70s and 80s.Numerous attempts to include visual impact criteria in state reclamation laws were unsuccessful.

However, momentum grew to find a solution at a local level and a remarkable community effort was initiated to develop visual objectives for the reclamation of the quarries to recapture the scenic quality of the disturbed land.  The efforts involved city, county and state government, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, private citizens and Castle Concrete Company, the owner of the quarries.

The result of these efforts was the formation of The Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation whose purpose is to "enhance reclamation of the three front range quarry sites in El Paso County, improving the visual impact of the mountain backdrop, using public and private resources in partnership with the quarry owners."

Since 1995 Colorado Mountain Reclamation Foundation's (CMRF) community volunteers have planted 7,000 Pinon Pine and Rocky Mountain Juniper on Greg Francis Wildlife Habitat (Queens Quarry) and 1,500 Pinyon Pine and Rocky Mountain Juniper on Snyder Quarry.

This brief history is not only for new EWI members but for those many EWI friends that have volunteered so much time to the fundraising hikes, and for you all to know how you have helped this community become a better place to live.

Jeannie Roblewsky organized and led the registration team every year for ten years!  Sally and her people at Accent Photo have been so good to CMRF with the advertising etc. Kathy Kelly has put in hours and hours organizing, recruiting, collecting goodies and being our master of ceremonies.. Bea and Sinton Dairy with the juices; Cathie and Kathy at Lane Sales. I could go on and on and list at least 20 other members i.e. the Broadmoor, Linda; Wallace Vision, Kathy; Catchet Basket, Beth; Joan and Joan, etc, etc.

On a side note: the 2005 hike on Queens was a real example of what EWI women can do.  I had broken my arm a few days before the hike and I was having a severe reaction to pain pills. I could not be at the hike..  My board of directors was in a panic!  They decided to be at the hike (they rarely are) for fear something would go wrong!    With more than 750 hikers and EWI in charge of course nothing went wrong!  Everything worked like a well oiled machine!   

Having completed reclamation at the Queens Quarry, CMRF is now ready to show the public the reclamation work done at the Pikeview Quarry. On Saturday, August 25^th, hikers can view the 5,000 trees and shrubs at the 2.5 mile 1st Annual Quarry Quest Hike.  For the first time the public will be permitted to hike the 2.5 mile loop road of moderate ascent to see spectacular scenery and healthy re-vegetation..  As the hike ends there will be breakfast, country western music and prizes.

I encourage new members to sign up at the July meeting to become involved in this important community improvement project by helping at the 1^st Annual Quarry Quest Hike on Saturday, August 25^th.  Planning meetings will include dinner at my place.