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The
Wild, Wild West:
Colorado's Western Slope
The Western Slope of Colorado offers unparalleled
opportunities to international students, both academically and in
outdoor recreation. Mesa State College located in Grand Junction,
Colorado provides the academic opportunities while thousands of
miles of unspoiled natural wonders provide the world-class outdoor
pursuits.
 The
state of Colorado is known for its sharp contrasts, but the area
around Grand Junction is dramatic like no other. Within close proximity
are high alpine lakes in lush forests of pine, spruce, and aspen.
Farther east runs the "backbone of America" - the Rocky
Mountain Continental Divide with peaks rising above 14,000 feet.
To the west lies breathtaking red-rock desert filled with canyons,
natural rock arches, cliffs, and rivers. More diverse outdoor recreation
is possible within a hundred-mile radius of Grand Junction than
any other city in the western United States! Possibilities include
skiing (Alpine and Nordic), whitewater rafting, kayaking, hiking,
mountain biking, fishing, hunting, rock-climbing, wildlife photography,
fossil hunting, golf, and swimming.
Much of western
Colorado is publicly owned land filled with Wilderness Areas, National
Parks, National Forests, and Bureau of Land Management land offering
access to everyone. Western Colorado is characteristically "The
West," wild and otherwise.
 The
history of Western Colorado does not begin in the 'wild-west' days
of the 1880's, though. More than 140 million years ago, a warm and
humid flood plain covered the area. The largest dinosaurs that ever
lived on North America thrived here. The remains of these creatures
were trapped and buried. The sediments eventually turned to rock
and the bones were fossilized. Today, the area has become internationally
known for its wealth of dinosaur excavation sites, museums, exhibits,
fossil trails and hands-on activities. Dozens of dinosaur species
have been found here including the largest Apatosaurus ever discovered,
and the Utahraptor, called the "ultimate killing machine."
Hikes can take you through dinosaur quarries where some of the oldest
fossils ever found were recovered.
Rising directly
above Grand Junction is the 10,000 feet (3,300m) "Island in
the Sky," called the Grand Mesa. Grand Mesa, the world's largest
and highest flattop mountain, is home to over 200 lakes. These stream-fed
lakes contain rainbow, native cutthroat, and brook trout. Bear,
deer, and elk are plentiful in this secluded paradise.
 Bordering
Grand Junction to the west is the Colorado National Monument - a
smaller scaled version of the Grand Canyon. These 23,000 acres of
raw geology provide a stunning backdrop to all other activities
in the Grand Valley. Red sandstone formations range from huge monoliths
to rock spires to arched windows to sheer cliffs. The 23-mile Rim
Rock Drive snakes through the Monument providing access to the many
long and short hiking trails that allow visitors to become intimately
connected with this area of geologic artistry. More than 1,000 miles
of single-track mountain bike trails make this area a mountain bike
heaven.
For decades,
the business of tourism has been in the "top two" of the
largest industries in the state of Colorado. Only agriculture comes
close, but now total travel-related revenues and total employment
put tourism on top. Projections indicate that the number of jobs
related to travel will double within the next decade.
 Colorado
is home to thirty-five world-class ski areas and served is by every
major hotel chain. Direct flights from across the United States
and many countries connect millions of people around the world to
the high country. For the foreseeable future, tourism will be the
fuel that drives the economy of western Colorado. The business of
recreation is serious business here.
 International
students can gain access to this outdoor wonderland through Mesa
State College. Mesa State is located within the city limits of Grand
Junction, the largest city in western Colorado with an area population
of 115,000 who enjoy one of the mildest climates within the state.
Mesa State College has enrollment of approximately 5,000 students.
The primary focus of Mesa State College is on teaching, but scholars
who publish national and international works provide most of the
instruction. Students may earn degrees ranging from two-year Associate
degrees, through a wide variety of four-year Baccalaureate degrees,
to a graduate-level Master of Business Administration.
For more information
on Colorado's Western Slope or Mesa State College visit
www.grand-junction.net or
www.mesastate.edu
Authors:
Timothy Hatten, Mesa State College
Khoon Koh, Mesa State College
This
article first appeared in Studying Business & Management Abroad.
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