Archive for month: January, 2024
In Memoriam – John Litz, PLAN Jeffco Founder
John Litz at the PLAN Jeffco 40th Anniversary celebration, 2012
It is with heavy hearts that we come to you with news of the passing of one of our own, John Litz. There are some people for whom words are just not enough.
John was an original founder of PLAN Jeffco, the keeper of Open Space histories and teacher of conservation methods. His accomplishments are too numerous to list, his encyclopedic knowledge of land and conservation opportunities profound.
When I joined the PLAN Jeffco Board in 2006, I was in the company of Open Space legends – the very people, ordinary citizens all, who had the foresight and the energy to manifest Jeffco Open Space. They had fought long and hard to make Open Space what it is today, a national gem in Open Space programs. They nurtured and guided Open Space through the decades. Margot Zallen, Bette Seeland, Ann Bonnell and John Litz took me under their wings, tutored me in how to become a conservation activist, how to ensure that Jeffco Open Space stayed aligned with the Enabling Resolution. I will be forever grateful for their patience and their guidance.
When Margot left Colorado to join her family in Oregon, she handed me the reins to PLAN Jeffco. She knew that she was leaving me in good hands with John, who was there, every month, every time I had a question, every time I needed to understand how to do something. His departure, expected and inevitable, has left a huge hole in my heart, and a strong desire to live up to his faith in my ability to carry the torch of PLAN Jeffco.
For John, I will do my very best. …Michelle Poolet, President ProTem
I wrote the following poem in tribute to John and Ann while I was in Berlin with the attached photo of the location where I happened to be in Berlin when I learned of John’s passing. The photo, however, is from 2018 as explained in the poem.
Bodestrassee, Museum Island, Berlin, Germany
In memoriam for John Litz and Ann Bonnell
Speaking of marvels, I [was] alive together
with you, when I might have been alive
with anyone under the sun . . .
—Lisel Mueller, Alive Together.
IN PASSING
I’m on Bodestrasse when I get the news about John. I’d already known about Ann but it takes a bit of time to write about how lovely it was to have been alive together with the two of you.
John, no one I’ve met displayed a fiercer intelligence on each and every subject you cared about, including the preservation of the natural world.
Ann, the same can be said of you—who suffered no fools or challenges in your pursuit of all things ornithological, ensuring that there will always be birds.
You know, I’ve been at this spot before. It was during a wonderful summer visit with my cousins, Leo and Linda. We watched a young woman reading under the light here.
It was the perfect evening to a beautiful day. I still like to think that she was reading Hegel or Heidegger or that whatever it was, it was something beyond me:
few ever say it—and you’d both think it impolite—but this is safely said: those whom we admire and thus choose to point the way, are the smarter among us. …Peter Ruben Morales, Vice-President ProTem
CCC Gateway Segment Cable Cutting 20210925 – Jean, Michelle & John
When I think of John as a person, the words that come to mind are: pragmatic, visionary, and persistent. His passing, after half a century of applying those traits to the betterment of Jefferson County’s open spaces, leaves a huge void in the ranks of our effective environmental advocates and in our knowledge of how our open spaces came to be as they are. John did not just think about, or appreciate, or talk about the value of open spaces for their ecological and human values, he acted on their behalf. His presence and all that it embodied will be missed. …Jean Tate, Treasurer ProTem
PLAN Jeffco in the cemetery, 1972
Remembering John.
John was a quiet leader. You could always count on him to come to well-reasoned decisions.
He knew how to research and gather the information needed to make good decisions.
He was a team player. He always did more than his share, although it was hard to get him to share responsibilities.
He was generous – with his time and resources.
It was a privilege to know and to work with him. He leaves a large gap, impossible to fill. …Bette Seeland, Founder Board Secretary
Academy Team at the Mountaineering Center – Academy 2023-04-29
I first encountered John at an information session hosted by my state representative – the topic was land preservation and John spoke on the history of PLAN Jeffco and the origins of JCOS. Only then did I realize that a dedicated group of citizens was responsible for establishing the Open Space park system that I had enjoyed all these years. When the opportunity came my way to join PLAN Jeffco, I was thrilled for the chance to learn from these rock stars! I came to know John as extremely knowledgeable – I think he knew every parcel of land larger than 40 acres in the county, who owned it, what it was used for, whether it was a candidate for preservation, and how it might be obtained. John was also a kind and decent man – warm, and generous with his time and expertise. His departure leaves a gaping hole in the Jeffco conservation community. I’m sure that there’s so much more that I could have learned from John, but I am grateful to have had this blessing in my life. …Catherine Schramm, Board Member
John Litz field tripping in Clear Creek OS Park circa 2021
I did not know John all that long, so there’s not a lot of history with him to remember. He was skeptical of me joining the PJ Board, ostensibly because he didn’t know me. He warmed a little over time, but I can’t say we were friends. All that said, he was impressive, not only for his accomplishments, but for being remarkably knowledgeable about so many things! He could tell you about virtually every little corner of the County, particularly the JCOS parks, not to mention being up-to-speed on the current County and JCOS affairs. I will miss him for his encyclopedic knowledge, and I’m sure most people whose paths crossed with him will feel the loss. …Fred Naess, Board Member
John Litz named to the Jefferson County Hall of Fame 2022
John was a key member of the group who got Jefferson County Open Space started and was a lifelong member of OSAC. Everyone who walks, runs, bikes, rides, etc. on our wonderful open space parks here in JEFFCO owes him and his comrades a huge debt of gratitude. The greatest honor we can do him and the beautiful open space he helped create is to be grateful for it, and to think about the legacy he left. Please be more selfless, compassionate, patient in his honor, and think about what YOU can do to protect the legacy, both in how we treat each other but also how we treat the land, the trails, the flora and fauna that live in these open spaces. Please be courteous. For 2024 let’s all be more selfless and less selfish, in small ways, in big ways. They all count. Thank you. For John. For me. For you. For the baby birds. For the deer. For everyone. …Lydia Andrews-Jones, Board Member
John Litz, JCOS Volunteer Picnic, circa summer 2021
As a pioneering member of PLAN Jeffco, John Litz was one of our touchstones with the past. Not only did he possess deep knowledge of the evolution of Open Space and PLAN Jeffco, he was also the person who volunteered the most loyally and prolifically. He was unassuming but brilliant at the same time. John was both treasurer as well as newsletter editor. He was a member of the Open Space Advisory Commission for 30 years. John regularly volunteered his living room for meetings and hosted the annual Christmas party. He helped with the marketing and sale of artwork for PLAN Jeffco’s outdoor painting fund-raiser, In Plein Sight. He never said he was too busy to do one more thing. His work identifying desirable parkland and staving off development over the years has vastly improved the quality of life for thousands of Jefferson County and Front Range residents. …Vicky Gits, Board Member
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A Volunteer Park Patroller’s Perspective
Fred Naess, 30-year Volunteer Park Patroller & PLAN Jeffco Board Member
What’s it like to be a Volunteer Park Patroller with Jeffco Open Space?
With over two dozen parks, more than 270 miles of trails and nearly 60,000 acres in the system, a Volunteer Park Patroller has many options. Once you’ve been vetted and trained as a Park Patroller, you can sign up for a specific date and time at a park of your choice, but there’s no rule that says you can’t spontaneously “stop by” a park on the way home from work. It’s unlikely you’ll see another Volunteer Patroller, except perhaps on a busy summer weekend, but if you do, there are plenty of other alternative parks to visit for a patrol, none of them very far away.
The range of park experiences is huge. There’s the beautiful suburban Crown Hill Park, located in Wheat Ridge at an elevation of about 5,600 feet, with both paved and natural-surface trails winding around a waterfowl-studded lake. The nearby ponds are preserved as a National Urban Wildlife Refuge. The main lake is stocked with rainbow trout during the ice-free months, providing fishing opportunities for both people and raptors. During the winter months, I’ve seen two bald eagles perched in the stately cottonwood trees beside the lake, near patches of open water.
South Valley Open Space Park, photo courtesy of CarbonFibrePhoto
Moving up into the foothills, there’s South Valley Park near Ken Caryl and C-470, which has numerous red sandstone rock formations scattered along the trails. They provide a visual feast of stunning shapes and colors, constantly changing as the sun progresses across the cobalt blue Colorado sky. Prairie falcons often nest on narrow ledges high on the rock faces, and golden eagles soar from their nests on the rocks overlooking the Lockheed Martin facility, which is the adjoining property to the west.
Clear Creek aerial view
At the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon, and just west of Golden, is the Gateway Trailhead, entrance to the ambitious Peaks to Plains Trail, which will ultimately stretch all the way up to the Loveland ski area on the Continental Divide and beyond. The paved beginning of this trail meanders right along Clear Creek, whose waters sing to the visitor and provide fishing and kayaking opportunities. Keep a sharp eye out for Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep grazing in the sun-drenched meadows above to the north.
Further into the foothills is Mt. Falcon, with the west trailhead at nearly 8,000 feet elevation, nearly 2,000 feet above the Morrison trailhead. The main Castle Trail has a spur leading to the historic John Brisben Walker’s castle.
Deer in hoarfrost, Hildebrand Park
In the Evergreen and Conifer area, there are five Jeffco Open Space parks, all between 7,000’ and 8,000’: Elk Meadow, Alderfer/Three Sisters, Flying J Ranch, Meyer Ranch, and Reynolds. These mountain gems offer something for virtually everyone—picnicking, hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and wildlife watching. Even in winter, you will likely spot chickadees, juncos, two types of nuthatches, hairy and downy woodpeckers, flickers, Townsend’s Solitaires, robins, and ravens. During the summer months, you can hear—but likely not see—the elusive hermit thrush. This is undoubtedly an incomplete list. Deer, elk, and moose—even the secretive mountain lion—inhabit this diverse ecosystem, delighting the lucky visitor who spots them. At the time of this writing, considerable forestry work is underway at these parks, thinning the overly dense Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forest to restore it to its original density, making it more wildfire resistant and enhancing the health of the forest and wildlife habitat.
Baehrden Lodge overlooking Pine Lake, photo courtesy of MAPoolet
Finally, there’s the unique Pine Valley Ranch, my personal favorite. Located near the quaint village of Pine, it straddles the North Fork of the South Platte River at about 6,800 feet elevation. A historic rustic mansion (Baehrden Lodge) was used as a summer retreat by its builders, and overlooks the river and lake, but is not open to the public at the time of this writing, due to health concerns. The main trail runs along the former rail bed of the historic Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad, which serviced the mining communities dotting the Colorado Rockies in the mid 1800s. The east end of the trail extends through a spectacular gorge, with boisterous cataracts and winter ice jams. A sharp eye might spot through the trees the ice wall which forms in freezing weather on the steep little creek on the far side of the river. During the ice-free months, numerous waterfowl use the lake, including mallards, and mergansers, even an occasional osprey. A pagoda, located among the stately spruce trees beside the river, can be reserved for wedding ceremonies, with nearby picnic shelters for receptions.
This is certainly not a complete list of the Jeffco Open Space parks, but it does include the highlights from my perspective. As for being a Park Patroller, my experiences on the trails are almost without exception enjoyable. I meet many enthusiastic visitors and take pleasure in answering questions about flora and fauna, trail conditions, and park rules and information. It is gratifying to have such folks thank me for being on the trails. An occasional contact with a visitor “stretching the rules” usually has a positive outcome, with the visitor understanding the logic behind the pertinent rule. Jeffco Open Space provides enjoyable and thorough initial training, both for the Patroller duties and First Aid/CPR, then annually afterwards.
Jeffco Open Space offers multiple volunteer programs, some of which have won nationwide acclaim: Park Patroller, Park Host, Cliff-Nesting Raptor Watch, and Information Specialist, to name just a few. Personally, I am finishing up my 30th year as a Volunteer Park Patroller. I would like to think that this statistic is a strong endorsement of the program.
For those who would like more information about the Park Patroller program—and who wish to sign up—there will be recruiting open houses and interviews on Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 4:30-6:30 PM, and on Saturday, February 17, 2024 from 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM (my shift!) For more information, the Open Space main office Welcome Center, open Mondays through Thursdays from 8AM to 5PM, can be reached at (303)-271-5925.
By Fred Naess, 30-year Volunteer Park Patroller and PLAN Jeffco Board Member
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