What's New
Thursday September 2, 2010

Bat Information: September 2nd update - the bats may be on their way out. The outflight on September 1st started at around 7:25 pm and was quite dense - lots of bats for about 10 minutes, though they flew out at a much higher altitude than normal (which could indicate migration instead of normal feeding). And this followed two nights where there were dramatically fewer bats and one night with another large, high-altitude outflight, so it is possible / probable that they have started to migrate south. Please call 719-256-4315 for up-to-date info and current bat tour times. We may or may not have have any more guided tours at this point - this is still being determined. If you are coming from outside Valley View please arrive by 5:45 so you have time to check in at the Welcome Center and start the hike to the cave by 6:00 in order to get there by 7:00 pm. See here for general information on the bats and the hike to the cave.

Weather forecast for northern San Luis Valley       Current Colorado road conditions  

Campfires permitted ONLY at these three communal fire pits: PAVILION, SOAKING POND, and TENT CAMPGROUND (Not at individual campsites)

Memorial Music Celebration for our late friend Richard Reed. See here for details about a memorial jam session to help celebrate the life of long-time Oak House musician Richard Reed at Neil and Terry's residence at Valley View on Saturday evening, 9/11/10. Everyone is welcome, musicians and non-musicians alike. Admission to Valley View is not required... though if you ARE planning on using the hot springs, normal rates and policies apply - please call for reservations.

Employment Opportunity at OLT - Facilities Manager. The Facilities Manager position has been filled... thank you for your interest!

Check out the latest OLT info in our July 2010 e-Newsletter. This was e-mailed on July 15th to recent visitors on our e-mail list. See here for a web version of the e-Newsletter.

Partial Fire Ban has been lifted at OLT / Valley View. Campfires are now allowed again at all three communal campfire locations - the Pavilion, the Tent Campground, and at the Soaking Pond. We do not permit campfires at individual campsites, but OLT now has two electric grills and one propane grill for cooking in the Pavilion.

2010 Summer Rates took effect on May 1, 2010. Adult day visits are $15 per person, overnight stays are $30 per person plus lodging. See Rate Information page for complete details and lodging prices.

OLT becomes a Colorado certified land trust! Orient Land Trust became a State certified land trust through Colorado's Division of Real Estate in December. This means that OLT met the criteria and is following proper procedures to be able to accept conservation easements from property owners. If you would like more information about putting a conservation easement on your property, please contact OLT Executive Director Suzanne Ewy at suzanne@olt.org. See the State of Colorado Conservation Easement Oversight Program certificate.

Reminder - 10 day monthly limit. Because OLT has a visitor quota to keep Valley View from getting too crowded, we end up turning away many people who would love to stay here, especially on weekends and during the summer. Because of this we have a 10 day monthly limit for all visitors. For any given stay, this translates to the number of nights, plus one (because everyone has use of the hot springs all day on the day of their departure). For example, a 3-night stay counts as 4 "days", so if you are here for two 3-night stays in a month you would have used up 8 days. It sounds complicated, but it isn't! Please check with the front desk if you are confused about any given reservation. Also, there is a 10 day "waiting period" between stays of a week or more to keep guests from staying 20 days straight at the end of one month and the beginning of the next. We are trying to balance fairly long stays at Valley View (up to 9 consecutive nights) while trying to make it more available to everyone who wants to come here.

OLT 2009 Annual Report / 2010 Spring Newsletter. Download a .pdf version of the 2009 Annual Report and Newsletter, our most interesting one yet! This was mailed out to all recent visitors and contributors in early April. Of particular interest is a long article about the history of Valley View with photos and memories from OLT founders Neil & Terry Seitz. Click here to download OLT 2009 Annual Report.

Orient Land Trust "Articles of Incorporation". This is the legal document that defined the structure of the nonprofit corporation, Orient Land Trust, with the Colorado Secretary of State in 2003. This document defines the responsibilities of the Board of Directors, among other things. See the OLT Articles of Incorporation.

Everson Ranch photo and OLT interview in the Land Trust Alliance "Saving Land" magazine. The Spring 2010 issue of Saving Land has a beautiful photo of the Sangres as seen from the Everson Ranch, along with a brief article about OLT and interview with OLT Board chairperson Dan Jones.

Important - Orient Land Trust "Naturist Deed Restriction". This is the legal document - part of the Seitz donation of Valley View Hot Springs to Orient Land Trust - that will protect Naturist / Clothing Optional use of Valley View forever! See the Naturist Deed Restriction page for all the details.

* New * Cell Phone policy at Orient Land Trust effective February 1, 2010. In response to a new cell phone tower recently erected just a few miles from Valley View, Orient Land Trust is updating our Cell Phone Policy in order to preserve our peaceful atmosphere while allowing reasonable access to phone usage. See Cell Phone Policy page for details.

Specific Oak House Dorm beds now reservable! Do you have a preference for a top or bottom bunk? You can now reserve one and be assured it will be waiting for you when you arrive! This change takes effect immmediately. Beds A-B-C are lower bunks, and beds D-E-F are upper bunks.

Press Release - Seitz Donation to OLT. See our official press release regarding the incredibly generous donation of the Valley View Hot Springs parcel to Orient Land Trust. This is the completion of perhaps the biggest step OLT has taken to preserve this land for future generations - Thank you Neil and Terry!

Important - Moratorium on Outside Vending at Orient Land Trust effective November 1, 2009. Important news for massage therapists, jewelry sellers, and other vendors who have sold goods or services at OLT / Valley View. In order to address the questions and problems arising from the lack of a comprehensive policy regarding independent vendors working on OLT grounds, the Board of Directors approved a moratorium on all outside vendors at the October 17th Board meeting. A comprehensive policy will be developed by May of 2010, but in the meantime outside vending at Orient Land Trust (including massage and other energy or bodywork) will not be permitted from November 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010. We will be soliciting feedback in early 2010 to gather input and ideas to help us better formulate our new vendor management plan. See Vendor Moratorium page for the complete text of the moratorium.

September '09 Update - Federal judge temporarily blocks drilling in Baca Wildlife Refuge! Excellent news for the future air and water quality of the San Luis Valley... read about the latest development in the ongoing battle over natural gas drilling in the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, which is just west of Crestone and about 20 miles south of Orient Land Trust.

New Policy on Dogs at Orient Land Trust effective July 1, 2009. Important news for Dog Owners - In response to a growing number of dog-related issues and problems in the last few years, Orient Land Trust is reluctantly revising our policy on dogs. See New Dog Policy page for details.

See the Orient Land Trust page on Facebook and add yourself as a "fan" to join our online community. This is a great way to connect with other fans of OLT / Valley View and start discussion groups, share experiences, post photos, and stay in touch with the place you love.

Important information on Caver access to the Orient Mine. Due to the White Nose Syndrome affecting bat colonies in the eastern US, the Orient Mine will be closed to caver access until further notice. See Orient Mine Closure Information page for details. Note - this does not affect hikes to the cave to see the bat outflight.

The swimming pool is drained and cleaned every Wednesday. In the summer, our water flow is high and electical demand is low, so the pool is usually finished refilling in early to mid-afternoon.