Colorado Mesa University Outdoor Recreation Industry Studies (OREC) faculty members represented Mesa County from the summit of Maroon Peak as part of Summit 2026. The statewide effort brought together teams from across Colorado to climb each of the state’s 58 fourteeners in celebration of Colorado's 150th birthday.
CMU OREC Program Director and Instructor Sarah Shrader, who also serves as president of the Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition and is the founder of Bonsai Design, was selected to lead the team assigned to Maroon Peak, one of Colorado’s more technically demanding fourteeners.
“It felt like a great way to celebrate Colorado turning 150,” Shrader said.
Shrader was joined by CMU OREC Instructor Adam Bavier, Grand Valley Outdoor Recreation Coalition Board Member Tina Ooley, Bonsai Design CEO Thaddeus Shrader and local acupuncturist and Rooted Gypsy Farms founder Sara Beckner.
For Shrader and Bavier, the ascent was also a chance to advocate for the public lands that connect communities across Colorado.
“It was great to be part of an initiative to bring people together across the state of Colorado,” Shrader said. “Nature — and especially the mountains — are a great equalizer, reminding us that we are all connected.”
Shrader said the ascent also highlighted the importance of outdoor recreation to the region.
“The outdoor industry is a key economic driver in Mesa County, and one of the main reasons people want to live here,” Shrader said. “Our team was excited to be part of a statewide effort to promote outdoor economies and celebrate our public lands, because both are the foundation of a strong community and economy here in Mesa County.”
The team started before dawn and reached the summit before noon. Shrader described it as a perfect weather day, but the final stretch demanded careful navigation.
At about 13,400 feet, the terrain shifted into what Bavier called an "alpine moonscape." The final 700 feet wound through loose gullies and fragile ledges. The team had to move beyond their uncertainty and commit to the climb ahead.
“There is nothing like pushing through the moment of hesitation. To commit to an objective you are not certain you can complete and to be willing to try,” Bavier said.
Shrader said the group encouraged one another, spotted teammates through difficult sections and shared plenty of laughs along the way. Reaching the summit was an emotional moment for her.
“When I reached the summit with the team, I couldn’t help but tear up,” Shrader said. “I feel so lucky that I can pursue adventures in the outdoors like this one, and I am so inspired by the people around me who have dedicated their lives to getting others outside, especially those who haven’t had easy access to wild spaces.”
The climb marked Shrader’s 46th fourteener and Bavier’s second. Both faculty members brought their extensive experience in outdoor recreation, climbing and mountain travel to the team. The two agreed that the experience offered lessons they can bring back to their OREC students.
“In the CMU OREC Program, we discuss a great deal about how outdoor adventures mirror life — because tackling a steep trail, unpredictable events, or a long journey requires the exact same resilience, pacing, and mindset needed to overcome personal and professional challenges,” Shrader said. “After all, steep mountains test our grit and remind us that we can overcome life’s hardships one step at a time.”
For Bavier, the lessons of the ascent were found not only at the summit, but also in the difficult hours along the way.
“It is very easy to love the mountains when you are standing on the summit,” Bavier said. “It is harder to love the trail in hour six of a steep and loose descent, when you cannot keep your feet and are heavy with fatigue.”
The additional work, he said, is holding onto the perspective gained in the mountains once the adventure is over.
“The great challenge for the outdoor adventurer is to carry with you the joy you feel in the heights back below,” Bavier said. “And when we bring those open vistas with us, back into our day-to-day, our hour-to-hour, we are better people for it.”