Podcast: Episode 139: Heidi Redd - 56 years at the Dugout Ranch

Many climbers and hikers visit Indian Creek and the Needles District of Canyonlands NP each year; they run a trail for 10 miles, or climb a few 200 foot routes, then leave, feeling pretty good about their accomplishment.  Heidi has been everywhere on 350,000 acres for 56 years, winter and summer.  She knows every spring, every route, and countless Anasazi petroglyphs you never knew existed.  

Dugout Ranch is an icon of the American West located in the heart of the Colorado Plateau, at the entrance to Canyonlands National Park.  It is so iconic, Heidi supplemented the ranching income by leasing it as a location for movies and TV commercial; countless short documentaries have also been made, such as this one.  In 1997 it was purchased from Heidi and her ex-husband by the Nature Conservancy, fulfilling her goal of preserving the landscape. 

"I owned the Indian Creek Cattle Company until we partnered with the Nature Conservancy. When I pass on, this will always be an undeveloped piece of land, and will always be preserved."

"Not only that, but they established the Canyonlands Research Institute here. Learning about how our climate is changing, and how we can adapt to it, will be of benefit to future generations."

"There are people coming from all over the world. We all have to respect each other, and not think our own use is the most important. It isn't climbing, it isn't ranching, it isn't running marathons, it isn't any activity.  It's the landscape itself that is the priority."

"What does that mean? Bears Ears National Monument was created with no funding or organization.  Maybe it's time for permits. I have to have a permit to graze cattle, the exact number, which has been reduced. Shouldn't climbers and everyone else who impacts public land also obtain a permit, so the land is not impacted?"

You need to listen to and learn from Heidi Redd.