The IPWA Winter Patrol Program starts in mid-November and ends in late May. This is an exciting opportunity for our Summer Wilderness Volunteers who want to enjoy the wilderness and patrol in the late fall, winter, and spring months. For more information visit the Winter Patrol Program page. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!

You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group and join us for a meet-up in Boulder, Colorado! We'll delve into the topics of wilderness, preservation, and conservation through reading, contemplation, and discussion. This group is open to all (IPWA volunteers, supporters, and the public). See our blog posts about previous reading selections. The upcoming meet up will be on January 23rd, 2025 Winter World: The Ingenuity of Animal Survival by Bernd Heinrich - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here

 Join the Colorado Mountain Club, Rocky Mountain Indigenous Dancers, IPWA, and other organizations for Nuture the Land, an evening of discussion about preservation, conservation, and regeneration of the Land we tread upon in Boulder County and how you can be part of its enrichment, and yours.  February 26, 6:30 - 8 pm at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder. Learn more and purchase tickets HERE. 

Each year, the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance (IPWA) funds 3-4 IPWA Paddon/Gelhorn Research Grants for up to $2000 each. Applicants must be graduate students attending any Colorado university and conducting research with a focus on issues affecting Colorado alpine and sub-alpine environments, with preferred study focus/areas in the Indian Peaks or James Peak Wilderness Areas or adjacent, such as at Niwot Ridge/CU Mountain Research Station.

The application window opens in early February and applications are due mid-March.  Awards will be announced in mid-April. Visit the Research Grants page for details and application instructions. 

You're invited to participate in the IPWA Reading Group and join us for a meet-up in Boulder, Colorado! We'll delve into the topics of wilderness, preservation, and conservation through reading, contemplation, and discussion. This group is open to all (IPWA volunteers, supporters, and the public). See our blog posts about previous reading selections. The upcoming meet-up will be on March 20th, 2025 – The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed, John Vaillant  - 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Rayback Collective in Boulder, Colorado - RSVP here

We offer two types of volunteer opportunities:

1. IPWA Wilderness Volunteers commit to completing annual training, are outfitted with a uniform, and commit to completing a minimum of “four service activities” per calendar year.

2. If you do not have time to volunteer for a full season/year, you may join us for one or more volunteer trail projects this summer!

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If you're interested in volunteering, please email us at hikers@indianpeakswilderness.org to be added to our email list. Please indicate if you are interested in trail projects and/or in applying to become a full Wilderness Volunteer, starting next season (summer 2025). 

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The window to apply to join us as a Wilderness Volunteer this summer is from April 1-15 2025. Also pencil in Saturday, June 7th, 2025 for the mandatory in-person training day. 

To learn more, visit our Wilderness Volunteer Program page. To learn more about other ways to help, visit the Volunteer Opportunities page. 

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IPWA Wilderness Volunteers are eligible to go on summer patrols as long as they have completed all annual paperwork and training requirements. Training will be held on Saturday, June 7th. The IPWA Summer Patrol season starts June 8th, 2025, and ends September 30th, 2025. To see current trail conditions, please visit the Public Trail Conditions page!