Colorado ( / ˌ k ɒ l ə ˈ r æ d oʊ , - ˈ r ɑː d oʊ / KOL -ə- RAD -oh, - RAH -doh , other variants; Spanish: [koloˈɾaðo] ) is a state in the Western United States . It is one of the Mountain states , sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona , New Mexico , and Utah . It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, and Oklahoma to the southeast. Colorado is noted for its landscape of mountains , forests , high plains , mesas , canyons , plateaus , rivers , and desert lands. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains , as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains . Colorado is the eighth most extensive and 21st most populous U.S. state. The United States Census Bureau estimated the population of Colorado at 5,877,610 as of July 1, 2023, a 1.80% increase since the 2020 United States census.
110-742: Scouting in Colorado has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day. Scouting got a brisk start in Colorado . The Denver Council was founded in 1915. In 1926 the name was changed to the Denver Area Council, and in 2022 the name was changed again to The Greater Colorado Council. The Colorado Springs Council was founded in 1916, and in 1922 changed its name to the El Paso and Teller Counties Council. That council in 1925 changed its name to Pikes Peak Council, which it remains to this day. Pikes Peak Council
220-689: A gunman killed 10 people , including a police officer, in a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder . In an instance of anti-LGBT violence , a gunman killed 5 people at a nightclub in Colorado Springs during the night of November 19–20, 2022. Four warships of the U.S. Navy have been named the USS Colorado . The first USS Colorado was named for the Colorado River and served in the Civil War and later
330-537: A high adventure base. The High Adventure Treks from Camp Tahosa lead Scouts into the adjacent forest. Tahosa is home to separate camping programs for both Summer and non summer usage: From September to Early May, TH offers OKPIK, Tahosa Challenge (COPE), and weekend camping. During the summer months, TH offers a variety of programs including National Youth Leadership Training , Mountain Men (provisional camping), Alpine Adventure, Tahosa Trek, and EaglePoint. Alpine Adventure
440-580: A 'light parade' around the lake at night. Ben Delatour Scout Ranch includes summer camp and year-round camping, with several buildings available for year-round use. The ranch has been an active site for sustainable forestry and in 2011, the ranch became protected from future development through a conservation easement with The Conservation Fund , the Longs Peak Council, and the Colorado State Forest Service . Chimney Park Boy Scout Camp
550-545: A Capital Fund Campaign was held to raise money for a new camp, Tomahawk Ranch. In 1960 Pikes Peak Council served as host to the 1960 National Scout Jamboree , held north of Colorado Springs adjacent to the United States Air Force Academy, in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Boy Scouts of America. There are five Boy Scouts of America (BSA) local councils and a single Girl Scouts of
660-569: A basic knowledge of backpacking/low impact camping, the program now offers more advanced training and longer, customized treks for the units of the Boy Scouts of America . Okpik is a weekend extreme winter camping experience design to train Scouts in winter survival. The program starts with a classroom session on Friday night to prepare the scouts. On Saturday, the scouts will load equipment and supplies into sleds before snowshoeing around Tumblesome Lake. On
770-413: A capacity of around 700 campers, offers dozens of merit badges and programs for scouts of all ages. Camp Dietler, founded in 1988 by William Eck, is a patrol style summer camp experience. While merit badges are offered, the main focus is on the patrol method. This is carried out through patrol cooking, events determined by the patrol leader's council, and a choice of two high adventure outposts. The camp
880-597: A major industry in Colorado. This period became known locally as the Carnation Gold Rush . Poor labor conditions and discontent among miners resulted in several major clashes between strikers and the Colorado National Guard , including the 1903–1904 Western Federation of Miners Strike and Colorado Coalfield War , the latter of which included the Ludlow massacre that killed a dozen women and children. Both
990-563: A patrol cook option where meals are cooked at your campsite. Elkhorn High Adventure Base is open to older scouts and Venture Crews for a week of backpacking the Rockies. Backpacking treks of various difficulty levels are offered on the ranch property and in the nearby Routt , Roosevelt , and Arapahoe National Forests. Shooting sports, C.O.P.E, climbing and repelling, a horse program, and white water rafting activities round out week-long treks or 10-day-long super-treks. Jack Nicol Cub Scout Camp
1100-628: A rapid decline in the organization's power, with membership waning significantly by the end of the 1920s. Colorado became the first western state to host a major political convention when the Democratic Party met in Denver in 1908. By the U.S. census in 1930 , the population of Colorado first exceeded one million residents. Colorado suffered greatly through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl of
1210-636: A significant portion of the extreme weather occurs in the least populated areas of the state. Thunderstorms are common east of the Continental Divide in the spring and summer, yet are usually brief. Hail is a common sight in the mountains east of the Divide and across the eastern Plains, especially the northeast part of the state. Hail is the most commonly reported warm-season severe weather hazard, and occasionally causes human injuries, as well as significant property damage. The eastern Plains are subject to some of
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#17330858661141320-558: Is a legend from Camp Tahosa. The Great Southwest Council serves the Durango and Mesa Verde areas of Colorado, and includes Cascade Boy Scout Camp on the National Register of Historic Places . Adventure West Council of the Boy Scouts of America is headquartered in Greeley, Colorado . Composed of the former Longs Peak Council (named after the tallest peak in the council territory) and
1430-512: Is a mix of high plains, foothills, and mountains. Northwest and west Colorado are predominantly mountainous, with some desert lands mixed in. Southwest and southern Colorado are a complex mixture of desert and mountain areas. The climate of the Eastern Plains is semi-arid ( Köppen climate classification : BSk ) with low humidity and moderate precipitation, usually from 15 to 25 inches (380 to 640 millimeters) annually, although many areas near
1540-477: Is a six night mountaineering adventure in the high country of Colorado, combining the training facilities of Tahosa High Adventure Base with the lakes and vistas of the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. The Scout will be members of a 12-person team, learning and applying skills to conquer the strenuous challenges of the program in a dynamic mountain environment. Tahosa Trek was started in 1995 to provide
1650-611: Is a troop run camp with access to the Tahosa High Adventure Base facilities. With a small staff, troops can build their own schedule and do whatever they would like for their week at camp. This program had a predecessor that started as early as 1991 called Eagle Quest. Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch (PV) is the main camping location of the Greater Colorado Council of the Boy Scouts of America . The camp, built in
1760-508: Is also available for rental by outside groups, and is often frequented by groups such as Denver's High School ROTC and girls groups from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Tahosa Lodge #383, chartered in 1948, serves 1218 Arrowmen as of 2004. It is the largest lodge in Colorado. The lodge totem is a coney ( Pika ), and the name translates to "Dwellers on the Mountain Tops" in
1870-547: Is available in the camp and in the nearby Medicine Bow National Forest , including to the top of Laramie Peak. The elevation at the Camp is approximately 8,000 feet (2,400 m), and summer temperatures range from the 40s at night to the 90s during the day. Camp Patiya is a 30-acre camping and day-use camp about seven miles west of Boulder, Colorado . Camp Patiya was started by the Camp Fire Girls. The Camp Fire Council purchased
1980-806: Is drained by the Colorado River. The South Park of Colorado is the region of the headwaters of the South Platte River. In south-central Colorado is the large San Luis Valley , where the headwaters of the Rio Grande are located. The northern part of the valley is the San Luis Closed Basin , an endorheic basin that helped created the Great Sand Dunes . The valley sits between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and San Juan Mountains . The Rio Grande drains due south into New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. Across
2090-659: Is flat and rolling land. East of the Rocky Mountains is the Colorado Eastern Plains of the High Plains , the section of the Great Plains within Colorado at elevations ranging from roughly 3,350 to 7,500 feet (1,020 to 2,290 m). The Colorado plains are mostly prairies but also include deciduous forests , buttes , and canyons. Precipitation averages 15 to 25 inches (380 to 640 mm) annually. Eastern Colorado
2200-533: Is generally accessed through artesian wells . Heavy usage of these wells for irrigation purposes caused underground water reserves to decline in the region. Eastern Colorado also hosts a considerable amount and range of livestock, such as cattle ranches and hog farms. Roughly 70% of Colorado's population resides along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains in the Front Range Urban Corridor between Cheyenne, Wyoming , and Pueblo, Colorado . This region
2310-739: Is higher than the high elevation points of 18 states and the District of Columbia. The Continental Divide of the Americas extends along the crest of the Rocky Mountains. The area of Colorado to the west of the Continental Divide is called the Western Slope of Colorado . West of the Continental Divide, water flows to the southwest via the Colorado River and the Green River towards the Gulf of California . Within
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#17330858661142420-570: Is home to the oldest continually-chartered troop in the state of Colorado, Troop 2, originally chartered to Colorado Springs' First Presbyterian Church in October 1917. The Greeley Council was founded in 1916, and in 1924 changed its name to the Weld and Morgan Counties Council. That council in 1928 changed its name to Longs Peak Council, which it remains to this day. The Fort Collins Council and Longmont Council, each founded in 1917, merged in 1919 into what
2530-521: Is known as "The Western Slope") are the cities of Grand Junction , Durango , and Montrose . Download coordinates as: To the west of the Great Plains of Colorado rises the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains . Notable peaks of the Rocky Mountains include Longs Peak , Mount Blue Sky , Pikes Peak , and the Spanish Peaks near Walsenburg , in southern Colorado. This area drains to the east and
2640-564: Is located in Elbert, Colorado . The second, smaller camp, is Camp Tahosa , located near Nederland, Colorado . Camp Tahosa (TH) is a camp near Ward, Colorado , serving the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America . It was the primary camp for the Denver area until the later 1970s, when it was shut down because of damage caused by environmental factors, where It was replaced by Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch . The camp now serves as
2750-630: Is located in the Snowy Range Mountains , approximately 33 miles (53 km) west of Laramie, Wyoming on US Highway 230 and about 6.4 miles (10.3 km) west of Woods Landing, Wyoming . The approximate coordinates for the Baldwin Lodge are 41° 4' 19.78" N 106° 6' 29.2" W (NAD83/WGS84). Chimney Park Boy Scout Camp offers year-round camping, especially winter camps, at an altitude of about 9,000 feet (2,700 m). The winter snow depth varies typically from 30 to 150 cm (1 to five feet), and
2860-459: Is more complex than states outside of the Mountain States region. Unlike most other states, southern Colorado is not always warmer than northern Colorado. Most of Colorado is made up of mountains, foothills, high plains, and desert lands. Mountains and surrounding valleys greatly affect the local climate. Northeast, east, and southeast Colorado are mostly the high plains, while Northern Colorado
2970-410: Is named for Cortlandt Dietler, who donated the money to build the camp commissary. Magness Adventure Camp is the Denver Area Council's Cub Scouting camp. The camp has three shelters, each with a campsite housing eighty tents. The program includes lake activities, a BB Gun range, an archery range, recently added a slingshot paint ball range and a firewatch tower that overlooks Elbert County. The camp
3080-582: Is now the Longs Peak Council. The Boulder Council, also created in 1917, was merged into the Council in 1920. The Southeastern Wyoming Council of Cheyenne merged into Longs Peak Council in 1928. The Trinidad- Las Animas County Council, founded in 1917, changed its name to the Las Animas County Council in 1924. This and the Arkansas Valley Council, founded in 1924, merged in 1927 to become
3190-827: Is officially no apostrophe in the name, due to a ruling about the mountain itself by the Board on Geographic Names . On board the Space Shuttle Challenger when it disintegrated in 1986 was an American flag that was sponsored by Troop 514 of Monument, Colorado . When the Challenger wreckage was retrieved from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, this flag was found, sealed in a plastic bag, intact and completely unscathed. Colorado The region has been inhabited by Native Americans and their ancestors for at least 13,500 years and possibly much longer. The eastern edge of
3300-460: Is partially protected from prevailing storms that blow in from the Pacific Ocean region by the high Rockies in the middle of Colorado. The "Front Range" includes Denver, Boulder , Fort Collins , Loveland, Castle Rock , Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Greeley, and other townships and municipalities in between. On the other side of the Rockies, the significant population centers in western Colorado (which
3410-546: Is presently mainly farmland and rangeland, along with small farming villages and towns. Corn , wheat , hay , soybeans , and oats are all typical crops. Most villages and towns in this region boast both a water tower and a grain elevator . Irrigation water is available from both surface and subterranean sources. Surface water sources include the South Platte , the Arkansas River , and a few other streams. Subterranean water
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3520-541: Is still active, though). Additionally, in 2005, the Boy Scouts of America Denver Area Council acquired a large section of land adjacent to Peaceful Valley, and is the location of their Magness Adventure Camp for Cub Scouts. Facilities include the Travis Shooting Sports Facility, which contains an Olympic shotgun shooting range, the Gates Aquatic Center, a horse corral, BB Gun range, two lakes, and
3630-457: Is the highest point in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains of North America. Colorado is the only U.S. state that lies entirely above 1,000 meters elevation. The point where the Arikaree River flows out of Yuma County, Colorado , and into Cheyenne County, Kansas , is the lowest in Colorado at 3,317 feet (1,011 m) elevation. This point, which is the highest low elevation point of any state,
3740-511: Is the newest resident camp on the ranch, completed in 2001. It offers age-appropriate programs that are not necessarily designed for rank advancement. Camp Nicol consists of 3 major themed program areas (Fort Unfug, Castle Walker, and the Everett Seaport) and offers a summer program featuring a new camp-wide theme each year. The 2014 theme is Time Travel. Program activities include BB gun and archery shooting, hiking, handicrafts, hiking, games and
3850-557: Is today the State of Colorado has been inhabited by Native Americans and their Paleoamerican ancestors for at least 13,500 years and possibly more than 37,000 years. The eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route that was important to the spread of early peoples throughout the Americas. The Lindenmeier site in Larimer County contains artifacts dating from approximately 8720 BCE. The Ancient Pueblo peoples lived in
3960-432: Is very prone to droughts. Most of the precipitation comes from thunderstorms, which can be severe, and from major snowstorms that occur in the winter and early spring. Otherwise, winters tend to be mostly dry and cold. In much of the region, March is the snowiest month. April and May are normally the rainiest months, while April is the wettest month overall. The Front Range cities closer to the mountains tend to be warmer in
4070-561: The Adams-Onís Treaty of 1819. The treaty took effect on February 22, 1821. Having settled its border with Spain, the U.S. admitted the southeastern portion of the Territory of Missouri to the Union as the state of Missouri on August 10, 1821. The remainder of Missouri Territory, including what would become northeastern Colorado, became an unorganized territory and remained so for 33 years over
4180-574: The Asiatic Squadron , where it was attacked during the 1871 Korean Expedition . The later three ships were named in honor of the state, including an armored cruiser and the battleship USS Colorado , the latter of which was the lead ship of her class and served in World War II in the Pacific beginning in 1941. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor , the battleship USS Colorado was located at
4290-704: The Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The Elbert post office has the ZIP Code 80106. At the United States Census 2020 , the population of the Elbert CDP was 188. The Elbert post office has been in operation since 1875. The community takes its name from Elbert County. The most significant flood events in Elbert County occurred in 1935, 1965, 1997, and 1999. The most damaging flood
4400-547: The Great Lakes region to hunt across the High Plains of Colorado and Wyoming . The Spanish Empire claimed Colorado as part of Nuevo México . The U.S. acquired the territorial claim to the eastern Rocky Mountains with the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803. This U.S. claim conflicted with the claim by Spain to the upper Arkansas River Basin . In 1806, Zebulon Pike led a U.S. Army reconnaissance expedition into
4510-542: The Kiowa language. The lodge is divided into seven chapters which correspond with the seven districts of the Denver Area Council. Tahosa Lodge holds their ordeal weekends and other events at the two council camps, Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch and Tahosa Scout Camp. Many patches from the lodge feature a character known as the Purple Bishop, and delegates of the lodge to NOAC can often be seen wearing purple cloaks. The Purple Bishop
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4620-696: The Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson on August 24, 1859, but this new territory failed to secure approval from the Congress of the United States embroiled in the debate over slavery. The election of Abraham Lincoln for the President of the United States on November 6, 1860, led to the secession of nine southern slave states and the threat of civil war among the states . Seeking to augment
4730-605: The Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas. In 1848, much of the Nuevo México region was annexed to the United States with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo . The Pike's Peak Gold Rush of 1858–1862 created an influx of settlers. On February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed an act creating the Territory of Colorado , and on August 1, 1876, President Ulysses S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 , admitting Colorado to
4840-513: The Sangre de Cristo Range to the east of the San Luis Valley lies the Wet Mountain Valley . These basins, particularly the San Luis Valley, lie along the Rio Grande rift , a major geological formation of the Rocky Mountains, and its branches. The Western Slope of Colorado includes the western face of the Rocky Mountains and all of the area to the western border. This area includes several terrains and climates from alpine mountains to arid deserts. The Western Slope includes many ski resort towns in
4950-441: The Spanish Peaks Council. The Pueblo Council was founded in 1920, and in 1928 changed its name to the Rocky Mountain Council, which it remains to this day. The Spanish Peaks Council merged into Rocky Mountain Council in 1932. The Western Colorado Council was founded in 1942, and is one of the very few councils that did not undergo a name change or merger in its entire history until 2019. May 1, 2019 Western Area Council merged into
5060-435: The Territory of New Mexico , and the Territory of Utah . On April 9, 1851, Hispano settlers from the area of Taos settled the village of San Luis , then in the New Mexico Territory , as Colorado's first permanent Euro-American settlement , further cementing the traditions of New Mexican cuisine and New Mexico music in the developing Southern Rocky Mountain Front . In 1854, Senator Stephen A. Douglas persuaded
5170-456: The U.S. Congress to divide the unorganized territory east of the Continental Divide into two new organized territories, the Territory of Kansas and the Territory of Nebraska , and an unorganized southern region known as the Indian Territory . Each new territory was to decide the fate of slavery within its boundaries, but this compromise merely served to fuel animosity between free soil and pro-slavery factions. The gold seekers organized
5280-428: The Union as the 38th state. The Spanish adjective "colorado" means "colored red" or "ruddy". Colorado is nicknamed the " Centennial State " because it became a state 100 years (and four weeks) after the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence . Denver is the capital, the most populous city , and the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor . Colorado Springs is the second most populous city of
5390-448: The Union cause. In 1862, a force of Texas cavalry invaded the Territory of New Mexico and captured Santa Fe on March 10. The object of this Western Campaign was to seize or disrupt Colorado and California's gold fields and seize Pacific Ocean ports for the Confederacy. A hastily organized force of Colorado volunteers force-marched from Denver City, Colorado Territory , to Glorieta Pass , New Mexico Territory, in an attempt to block
5500-432: The Ute Indian reservation in southwestern Colorado. The Ute people were removed from the San Juan Mountains the following year. The United States Congress passed an enabling act on March 3, 1875, specifying the requirements for the Territory of Colorado to become a state. On August 1, 1876 (four weeks after the Centennial of the United States ), U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting Colorado to
5610-417: The free Territory of Colorado . The original boundaries of Colorado remain unchanged except for government survey amendments. In 1776, Spanish priest Silvestre Vélez de Escalante recorded that Native Americans in the area knew the river as el Rio Colorado for the red-brown silt that the river carried from the mountains. In 1859, a U.S. Army topographic expedition led by Captain John Macomb located
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#17330858661145720-404: The question of slavery . After 11 years of war, Spain finally recognized the independence of Mexico with the Treaty of Córdoba signed on August 24, 1821. Mexico eventually ratified the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1831. The Texian Revolt of 1835–36 fomented a dispute between the U.S. and Mexico which eventually erupted into the Mexican–American War in 1846. Mexico surrendered its northern territory to
5830-427: The 1913–1914 Coalfield War and the Denver streetcar strike of 1920 resulted in federal troops intervening to end the violence. In 1927, the 1927-28 Colorado coal strike occurred and was ultimately successful in winning a dollar a day increase in wages. During it however the Columbine Mine massacre resulted in six dead strikers following a confrontation with Colorado Rangers . In a separate incident in Trinidad
5940-404: The 1930s, but a major wave of immigration following World War II boosted Colorado's fortune. Tourism became a mainstay of the state economy, and high technology became an important economic engine. The United States Census Bureau estimated that the population of Colorado exceeded five million in 2009. On September 11, 1957, a plutonium fire occurred at the Rocky Flats Plant , which resulted in
6050-443: The 1960s by the Army Corps of Engineers, was a replacement to the original camp, Camp Tahosa . The camp is located just outside Elbert, Colorado . Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch is home to three separate camps: Camp Cris Dobbins; Camp Cortland Dietler; and Magness Adventure Camp. Like Tahosa, Peaceful Valley also hosted a troop-run camp also called EaglePoint; however, as of 2009, EaglePoint is defunct (the EaglePoint program at Tahosa
6160-415: The Denver Area Council. The new area council will now serve 24 counties, which includes more than 34,000 youth. The former council area is now the Majestic Mesas District of the Denver Area Council. During World War II , Japanese Americans interned at the Granada War Relocation Center set up a separate Amache District for Scouts at the camp, after the camp's unofficial name Camp Amache . In 1952,
6270-538: The Greater Wyoming Council to form the Adventure West Council in 2021. The council's territory is divided into seven geographic districts: Adventure West Council - Districts Map Encompassing 3,200 acres (13 km) at 7,200 feet (2,200 m) to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in elevation, Ben Delatour Scout Ranch near Red Feather Lakes, Colorado is operated by the Adventure West Council and includes four Scout Camps: Camp Charles Jeffrey and Soaring Eagle features several summer program areas including Rock Climbing at
6380-399: The Green River briefly crosses over into Colorado. The Western Slope of Colorado is drained by the Colorado River and its tributaries (primarily the Gunnison River , Green River , and the San Juan River ). The Colorado River flows through Glenwood Canyon , and then through an arid valley made up of desert from Rifle to Parachute , through the desert canyon of De Beque Canyon , and into
6490-414: The Pancake Climbing Base and on some of the many peaks in the camp, C.O.P.E. (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience), Shooting Sports, Scout Skills, Handicraft, and Nature Studies offered through a traditional Merit Badge program. The camp also has a Scouting Museum and Chuck Wagon Cooking area where traditional dutch oven meals are prepared daily. Scout units can choose between a dining hall experience or
6600-409: The Rocky Mountains and towns west to Utah. It is less populous than the Front Range but includes a large number of national parks and monuments. The northwestern corner of Colorado is a sparsely populated region, and it contains part of the noted Dinosaur National Monument , which not only is a paleontological area, but is also a scenic area of rocky hills, canyons, arid desert, and streambeds. Here,
6710-527: The Southwestern United States. In 1864, Territorial Governor John Evans appointed the Reverend John Chivington as Colonel of the Colorado Volunteers with orders to protect white settlers from Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors who were accused of stealing cattle. Colonel Chivington ordered his troops to attack a band of Cheyenne and Arapaho encamped along Sand Creek. Chivington reported that his troops killed more than 500 warriors. The militia returned to Denver City in triumph, but several officers reported that
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#17330858661146820-421: The Territory. The Union Pacific linked up with the Central Pacific Railroad at Promontory Summit, Utah , on May 10, 1869, to form the First transcontinental railroad . The Denver Pacific Railway reached Denver in June of the following year, and the Kansas Pacific arrived two months later to forge the second line across the continent. In 1872, rich veins of silver were discovered in the San Juan Mountains on
6930-466: The Texans. On March 28, the Coloradans and local New Mexico volunteers stopped the Texans at the Battle of Glorieta Pass , destroyed their cannon and supply wagons, and dispersed 500 of their horses and mules. The Texans were forced to retreat to Santa Fe. Having lost the supplies for their campaign and finding little support in New Mexico, the Texans abandoned Santa Fe and returned to San Antonio in defeat. The Confederacy made no further attempts to seize
7040-408: The U.S. with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo after the war in 1848; this included much of the western and southern areas of Colorado. Most American settlers first traveled to Colorado through the Santa Fe Trail , which connected the U.S. to Santa Fe and the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro southward. Others were traveling overland west to the Oregon Country , the new goldfields of California , or
7150-481: The USA council in Colorado, merged from an original five. The first National Wider Opportunity for Senior Girl Scouts, "Recall the Riches restore the Ruins," was held in Central City in 1973. In 1979, "Sky Hi Ski," a National Wider Opportunity, was held at YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch near Granby and a Senior Girl Scout troop from Mile Hi Council participates in the opening ceremonies at the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. As of October 1, 2007, all Girl Scouts from
7260-399: The Union as the 38th state and earning it the moniker "Centennial State". The discovery of a major silver lode near Leadville in 1878 triggered the Colorado Silver Boom . The Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890 invigorated silver mining, and Colorado's last, but greatest, gold strike at Cripple Creek a few months later lured a new generation of gold seekers. Colorado women were granted
7370-442: The Western Slope can be found at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Western Colorado University in Gunnison, Fort Lewis College in Durango, and Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs and Steamboat Springs. The Four Corners Monument in the southwest corner of Colorado marks the common boundary of Colorado, New Mexico , Arizona , and Utah ; the only such place in the United States. The climate of Colorado
7480-447: The Western Slope. Grand Junction and Durango are the only major centers of television broadcasting west of the Continental Divide in Colorado, though most mountain resort communities publish daily newspapers. Grand Junction is located at the juncture of Interstate 70 and US 50, the only major highways in western Colorado. Grand Junction is also along the major railroad of the Western Slope, the Union Pacific . This railroad also provides
7590-597: The Wyo-Braska Council. In 2021 Kola Lodge absorbed Tatokainyanka Lodge #359 of Greater Wyoming Council. The Pathway to the Rockies Council, formerly known as the Pikes Peak Council, of the Boy Scouts of America , headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado . Named after the most famous peak in the council territory, upon which ' America the Beautiful ' was written, Pathway to the Rockies Council provides Scouting to youth in east-central Colorado, including Park , Teller , El Paso , Elbert , Lincoln , Kit Carson and Cheyenne Counties . As with Longs Peak Council , there
7700-499: The alpine snow melts by mid-August except for a few snow-capped peaks and a few small glaciers. The Colorado Mineral Belt , stretching from the San Juan Mountains in the southwest to Boulder and Central City on the front range, contains most of the historic gold- and silver-mining districts of Colorado. The 30 highest major summits of the Rocky Mountains of North America are all within the state. The summit of Mount Elbert at 14,437.6 feet (4,400.58 m) elevation in Lake County
7810-403: The arid desert of Grand Valley , where the city of Grand Junction is located. Also prominent is the Grand Mesa , which lies to the southeast of Grand Junction; the high San Juan Mountains, a rugged mountain range; and to the north and west of the San Juan Mountains, the Colorado Plateau . Grand Junction, Colorado , at the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers, is the largest city on
7920-506: The base of Black Mountain near Wheatland, Wyoming , offers summer camp and year-round camping. It was purchased in 1920 by a group of volunteers wanting a place to take Scouts in the wilderness. The rugged terrain, rambling brooks, and mountain backdrop offer Troops a place to experience the traditional camp experience including the merit badge camp program. The camp also offers a first-year camper program, horseback riding, rock climbing, ziplines, mountain boarding, and mountain biking. Hiking
8030-462: The biggest hail storms in North America. Notable examples are the severe hailstorms that hit Denver on July 11, 1990, and May 8, 2017, the latter being the costliest ever in the state. Elbert, Colorado Elbert is an unincorporated town , a post office , and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Elbert County , Colorado , United States . The CDP is a part of
8140-493: The boundaries of the new Territory of Colorado exclusively by lines of latitude and longitude , stretching from 37°N to 41°N latitude, and from 102°02′48″W to 109°02′48″W longitude ( 25°W to 32°W from the Washington Meridian ). After 163 years of government surveys, the borders of Colorado were officially defined by 697 boundary markers and 697 straight boundary lines . Colorado, Wyoming , and Utah are
8250-625: The confluence of the Green River with the Grand River in what is now Canyonlands National Park in Utah . The Macomb party designated the confluence as the source of the Colorado River. On April 12, 1861, South Carolina artillery opened fire on Fort Sumter to start the American Civil War . While many gold seekers held sympathies for the Confederacy , the vast majority remained fiercely loyal to
8360-478: The council. These districts are: National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is a week-long youth oriented leadership training experience held for three weeks during the summer. This camps aims to shape youth scouts into full trained scouts and was previously named Bighorn, now it is called NYLT at Bighorn, symbolizing the area that it takes place in. The Denver Area Council operates camps in two locations in Colorado. The primary camp, Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch ,
8470-466: The disputed region. Colonel Pike and his troops were arrested by Spanish cavalrymen in the San Luis Valley the following February, taken to Chihuahua , and expelled from Mexico the following July. The U.S. relinquished its claim to all land south and west of the Arkansas River and south of 42nd parallel north and west of the 100th meridian west as part of its purchase of Florida from Spain with
8580-526: The entire Great Basin and all lands drained by the rivers Green , Grand , and Colorado . The federal government of the U.S. flatly refused to recognize the new Mormon government because it was theocratic and sanctioned plural marriage . Instead, the Compromise of 1850 divided the Mexican Cession and the northwestern claims of Texas into a new state and two new territories, the state of California ,
8690-492: The far shore of the lake, participants use the remainder of the day to construct quinzhees which they spend the night in. Tahosa Challenge is part of the Project COPE program that encourages youth and adults to expand mental creativity, increase physical abilities, promote leadership skills and instill personal confidence. EaglePoint is the newest addition to Tahosa. Founded in 2000 at Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch, EaglePoint
8800-554: The former Greater Wyoming Council, the Adventure West Council supports Scouting youth in northeastern Colorado north of Denver, central and eastern Wyoming and the panhandle of western Nebraska, and is chartered by BSA to organize, extend, support, and control the Scouting program within its exclusive territory. The WyoBraska Council of Scottsbluff merged into the Longs Peak Council in 1975, and Longs Peak Council merged with
8910-479: The infamous Columbine High School massacre in 1999 which made international news, where two gunmen killed 12 students and one teacher, before committing suicide. The incident has spawned many copycat incidents . On July 20, 2012, a gunman killed 12 people in a movie theater in Aurora . The state responded with tighter restrictions on firearms, including introducing a limit on magazine capacity. On March 22, 2021,
9020-567: The interior of the Rocky Mountains are several large parks which are high broad basins. In the north, on the east side of the Continental Divide is the North Park of Colorado . The North Park is drained by the North Platte River , which flows north into Wyoming and Nebraska. Just to the south of North Park, but on the western side of the Continental Divide, is the Middle Park of Colorado , which
9130-617: The local and state Democrat and Republican parties , particularly in the governor's office and city governments of Denver, Cañon City , and Durango . A particularly strong element of the Klan controlled the Denver Police . Cross burnings became semi-regular occurrences in cities such as Florence and Pueblo. The Klan targeted African-Americans, Catholics , Eastern European immigrants, and other non-White Protestant groups. Efforts by non-Klan lawmen and lawyers including Philip Van Cise led to
9240-673: The mayor was accused of deputizing members of the KKK against the striking workers. More than 5,000 Colorado miners—many immigrants—are estimated to have died in accidents since records were first formally collected following an 1884 accident in Crested Butte that killed 59. In 1924, the Ku Klux Klan Colorado Realm achieved dominance in Colorado politics. With peak membership levels, the Second Klan levied significant control over both
9350-542: The midst and aftermath of the Civil War, many discouraged prospectors returned to their homes, but a few stayed and developed mines, mills, farms, ranches, roads, and towns in Colorado Territory. On September 14, 1864, James Huff discovered silver near Argentine Pass , the first of many silver strikes. In 1867, the Union Pacific Railroad laid its tracks west to Weir, now Julesburg , in the northeast corner of
9460-516: The naval base in San Diego, California, and thus went unscathed. The most recent vessel to bear the name USS Colorado is Virginia-class submarine USS Colorado (SSN-788) , which was commissioned in 2018. Colorado is notable for its diverse geography, which includes alpine mountains, high plains, deserts with huge sand dunes, and deep canyons. In 1861, the United States Congress defined
9570-848: The new Mormon settlements of the State of Deseret in the Salt Lake Valley , avoided the rugged Southern Rocky Mountains , and instead followed the North Platte River and Sweetwater River to South Pass (Wyoming) , the lowest crossing of the Continental Divide between the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Central Rocky Mountains. In 1849, the Mormons of the Salt Lake Valley organized the extralegal State of Deseret , claiming
9680-473: The only states that have their borders defined solely by straight boundary lines with no natural features. The southwest corner of Colorado is the Four Corners Monument at 36°59′56″N , 109°2′43″W . The Four Corners Monument , located at the place where Colorado, New Mexico , Arizona , and Utah meet, is the only place in the United States where four states meet. Approximately half of Colorado
9790-461: The original twenty acres for the camp in 1960 and began holding group and family camps shortly thereafter. All the buildings on site were constructed between 1963 and 1981. In 1977, an additional ten acres of land was donated, bringing the camp to its present size. Camp Fire continued to hold group camping year-round and Day Camps in the summers. In the 1980s, membership in Camp Fire declined. In 1987, it
9900-620: The plains and into the foothills, there is a wide variety of climate types. Locations merely a few miles apart can experience entirely different weather depending on the topography. Most valleys have a semi-arid climate, not unlike the eastern plains, which transitions to an alpine climate at the highest elevations. Microclimates also exist in local areas that run nearly the entire spectrum of climates, including subtropical highland ( Cfb/Cwb ), humid subtropical ( Cfa ), humid continental ( Dfa/Dfb ), Mediterranean ( Csa/Csb ) and subarctic ( Dfc ). Extreme weather changes are common in Colorado, although
10010-608: The political power of the Union states , the Republican Party -dominated Congress quickly admitted the eastern portion of the Territory of Kansas into the Union as the free State of Kansas on January 29, 1861, leaving the western portion of the Kansas Territory, and its gold-mining areas, as unorganized territory. Thirty days later on February 28, 1861, outgoing U.S. President James Buchanan signed an Act of Congress organizing
10120-444: The population of Colorado resides, lies in a pronounced precipitation shadow as a result of being on the lee side of the Rocky Mountains. In summer, this area can have many days above 95 °F (35 °C) and often 100 °F (38 °C). On the plains, the winter lows usually range from 25 to −10 °F (−4 to −23 °C). About 75% of the precipitation falls within the growing season, from April to September, but this area
10230-483: The right to vote on November 7, 1893, making Colorado the second state to grant universal suffrage and the first one by a popular vote (of Colorado men). The repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in 1893 led to a staggering collapse of the mining and agricultural economy of Colorado, but the state slowly and steadily recovered. Between the 1880s and 1930s, Denver's floriculture industry developed into
10340-405: The rivers are semi-humid climate. The area is known for its abundant sunshine and cool, clear nights, which give this area a great average diurnal temperature range . The difference between the highs of the days and the lows of the nights can be considerable as warmth dissipates to space during clear nights, the heat radiation not being trapped by clouds. The Front Range urban corridor, where most of
10450-471: The significant plutonium contamination of surrounding populated areas. From the 1940s and 1970s, many protest movements gained momentum in Colorado, predominantly in Denver. This included the Chicano Movement , a civil rights , and social movement of Mexican Americans emphasizing a Chicano identity that is widely considered to have begun in Denver. The National Chicano Youth Liberation Conference
10560-477: The so-called battle was a blatant massacre of Indians at peace, that most of the dead were women and children, and that the bodies of the dead had been hideously mutilated and desecrated. Three U.S. Army inquiries condemned the action, and incoming President Andrew Johnson asked Governor Evans for his resignation, but none of the perpetrators was ever punished. This event is now known as the Sand Creek massacre . In
10670-643: The southeast, ultimately either via the Mississippi River or the Rio Grande into the Gulf of Mexico . The Rocky Mountains within Colorado contain 53 true peaks and 58 named peaks that are 14,000 feet (4,267 m) or higher in elevation above sea level, known as fourteeners . These mountains are largely covered with trees such as conifers and aspens up to the tree line , at an elevation of about 12,000 feet (3,658 m) in southern Colorado to about 10,500 feet (3,200 m) in northern Colorado. Above this tree line, only alpine vegetation grows. Much of
10780-578: The southwest via Elbert Road and U.S. Route 24 . During the summer, Elbert is much busier due to a nearby Boy Scout camp, Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch , which has 10,000 visitors annually. 2.8 miles (4.5 km) south of Elbert lies the JCC Ranch Camp, a Jewish camp owned by the Denver Jewish Community Center . The Elbert CDP has an area of 303 acres (1.227 km ), all land. The United States Census Bureau initially defined
10890-600: The state are joined as Girl Scouts of Colorado Council . The Greater Colorado Council, previously named Denver Area Council, of the Boy Scouts of America is headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado , and supports Scouting units and youth in an area of central Colorado from Arapahoe and Adams Counties east to the Continental Divide . For traditional units, the council is split into districts related by school districts. These districts are: The council, also, has non-geographic districts to support non-traditional programs operated by
11000-456: The state. Residents of the state are known as Coloradans , although the antiquated "Coloradoan" is occasionally used. Major parts of the economy include government and defense, mining, agriculture , tourism, and increasingly other kinds of manufacturing. With increasing temperatures and decreasing water availability, Colorado's agriculture forestry, and tourism economies are expected to be heavily affected by climate change . The region that
11110-468: The three above mentioned camps. The camp also has a bronze boot print casts of Robert Baden Powell located near the main camp office. Camp Cris Dobbins is the flagship camp of Peaceful Valley. The camp is home to The Travis Shooting Facility, which includes an Olympic shotgun range, the million dollar Gates Aquatic Center, a dining hall which underwent a nearly twelve million dollar renovation and expansion in 2019, and over twenty campsites. The camp, with
11220-416: The town at its closest. The tornado destroyed a barn at a farm and damaged an airplane hangar. In Elbert today you can find a small community with a lot of ranchers and farmers. The Elbert School was rebuilt. Elbert is located in the valley of Kiowa Creek. Elbert Road leads north 10 miles (16 km) to Kiowa and south 11 miles (18 km) to Eastonville . Colorado Springs is 37 miles (60 km) to
11330-495: The tracks for Amtrak 's California Zephyr passenger train, which crosses the Rocky Mountains between Denver and Grand Junction. The Western Slope includes multiple notable destinations in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, including Glenwood Springs , with its resort hot springs, and the ski resorts of Aspen , Breckenridge , Vail , Crested Butte , Steamboat Springs , and Telluride . Higher education in and near
11440-805: The valleys and mesas of the Colorado Plateau in far southwestern Colorado. The Ute Nation inhabited the mountain valleys of the Southern Rocky Mountains and the Western Rocky Mountains , even as far east as the Front Range of the present day. The Apache and the Comanche also inhabited the Eastern and Southeastern parts of the state. In the 17th century, the Arapaho and Cheyenne moved west from
11550-496: The winter daytime high temperatures vary typically from -9 to +7 °C (+15 to +45 °F) The winter nighttime low temperatures vary typically from -26 to 0 °C (-15 to +32 °F). A lodge with a stove and fireplace are available. Lodge use must be reserved through the Longs Peak Council Office. There is a usage fee. See https://campreservation.com/062/Camps/909 for more information. Camp Laramie Peak , at
11660-467: The winter due to Chinook winds which warms the area, sometimes bringing temperatures of 70 °F (21 °C) or higher in the winter. The average July temperature is 55 °F (13 °C) in the morning and 90 °F (32 °C) in the afternoon. The average January temperature is 18 °F (−8 °C) in the morning and 48 °F (9 °C) in the afternoon, although variation between consecutive days can be 40 °F (22 °C). Just west of
11770-548: Was determined that the goals for operating the camp could best be met by transferring the ownership to Adventure West Council. Kola Lodge #464, chartered in 1951, serves over 100 Arrowmen as of 2022. The totem of this Lodge is the Fire of Friendship centered in a gray arrowhead with a red feather and an antelope antler in the background, and the name translates to "Friend" in the Lakota language . In 1973, Kola Lodge absorbed Wiyaka Luta #403 of
11880-486: Was held in Colorado in March 1969. In 1967, Colorado was the first state to loosen restrictions on abortion when governor John Love signed a law allowing abortions in cases of rape, incest, or threats to the woman's mental or physical health. Many states followed Colorado's lead in loosening abortion laws in the 1960s and 1970s. Since the late 1990s, Colorado has been the site of multiple major mass shootings , including
11990-451: Was in 1935, when flooding on Kiowa Creek destroyed three-fourths of the structures location in Elbert and resulted in nine deaths, seven of them in Elbert. All bridges were lost, 59 buildings were destroyed, water was 8 to 15 feet (2.4 to 4.6 m) deep, and there were 5 feet (1.5 m) of sand. Three-fourths of the town of Elbert was destroyed and not rebuilt. On 11 January 1998 a fireball
12100-462: Was seen over Elbert County. On 4 March 2000 a stone of 680.5 g was found in a field by the-five-year old Dustin Riffel on the property of his family. It was officially named "Elbert" and it was classified as an ordinary chondrite LL6 . On June 15, 2009, at 1:46 p.m., a large three-quarter mile-wide, EF2 tornado touched down in rural fields west of the town. The tornado came within 2 miles (3 km) of
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