Meet Longmont’s Equitable Climate Action Team: Margarita Soto
Margarita Soto, a member of Longmont’s Equitable Climate Action Team (ECAT), shares her story about connecting with nature. To learn more about ECAT, visit the City’s website or call 303-774-4820.
My passion for the outdoors started in my childhood. My father instilled love and respect for nature in me. He also taught me that it’s important to take not only your whole family, but also your neighbors and friends on excursions to learn from Mother Nature. Thanks to my parents, I’ve had a great connection to the Rocky Mountains that run from the Sierra in Chihuahua, Mexico, through Colorado and beyond. I enjoy summiting 14er peaks in Colorado and I have great respect for nature and love taking care of it.
When I first started living in Colorado, I was fascinated by hiking around Lake Macintosh in Longmont and going to El Dorado for family outings with my children. Years later, a friend invited me to hike in Button Rock. I feel like that was the day my life restarted. I felt my spirit unleashed in that place, and that’s where my life in Colorado began anew. In 2019 and 2020 I hiked the trails in Button Rock three times a week. It’s now a place I know like the back of my hand or a map in my head: Button Rock, Professor Ranch, Hall Ranch, Ralph Price’s Reserve, Sleeping Lion; these trails are all connected. Although I have now hiked every peak in Boulder and explored many trails in Boulder County, I love the hiking area of the Longmont dam. Our drinking water comes from the Longmont dam at Ralph Price’s Reserve. It is the purest and most delicious water I have ever tasted.
My advice for hiking the Longmont dam and any area open to the public, whether a short or long hike, mountain or lake, is to always be respectful of nature, of other hikers and our wildlife; and to always come prepared for the hike. Always obey the rules. Read the instructions and guidelines at the trailheads. Obey and respect the rangers in the area. This is all for our safety. Don’t litter, and if you see any trash, pick it up, put it in your pack and put it back in the trash containers. This is to protect the natural areas, so they remain beautiful and accessible to us hikers and nature lovers. Most importantly, we must not disturb the ecosystem and protect the wild animals from what we leave in the forest. Let’s love our land, take care of our lives and protect our forests and wildlife. Never forget the outdoors golden rule of leaving no trace behind, which means “take nothing and leave nothing”. Don’t let anyone know you were there because of the trash you might have left behind. Leaving what we find is respect for nature and for human and wildlife life; it’s love for Mother Earth.
Enjoy without destroying and teach everything you learn to others. In this way, we guarantee that others learn to love nature, are educated, respect our earth and live in better connection to her. It is also important to know the area, be aware of the existing risks and be prepared to encounter wildlife. Know what to do and what not to do. Also, know that you should carry: enough water, snacks, a first-aid kit, safe footwear, and appropriate clothing all for your safety. Remember, the key to success in any outdoor adventure is being prepared and having knowledge of the area as well as first aid. Never underestimate a trail, no matter how easy or simple it may seem. I’ve taught my hiking friends who’ve accompanied me over the years, many of them for the first time, everything I’ve mentioned when we go on hikes together and our experiences have been wonderful.
The City of Longmont is preparing several fun and educational projects for the public this year, great for families and people of all ages. These fun and enriching activities are very well organized to ensure a safe and enjoyable outing for everyone who wants to connect with nature. I invite you to stay tuned for what the City of Longmont will be offering soon!
Su amiga de senderos y lider voluntaria de Longmont (Your hiking friend and volunteer leader of Longmont),
Margarita Soto.
