Meet Heidi Steltzer | Mountain scientist, speaker, writer, and professor.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heidi Steltzer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heidi, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
“Live,” the Mountains told me. And, “Science should be in community.” Both are my own affirmations. What does it mean to me? — Experience all that this life has to offer. Don’t limit myself. Instead, believe in myself. I’m a mountain scientist and identify as a woman. I’ve never felt an imposter in this field, but have met many women who have doubted themselves. Why the difference? Our society often ‘tells’ women to stay small, to do as asked, to follow. The mountains tell a different story – they tell each of us to grow and offer this opportunity to grow to our potential, finding new experiences – both the physical and the spiritual – in remote, high elevation, wonderful places.

The other affirmation is newer for me. It’s what I’ve long felt, but couldn’t put to words. The system in science rewards individuals, though we learn more in community from knowing through and in relationship with one another. I learn from students, from folks in our region; folks who go to church often and those who ascend mountains, finding their connection to a higher power and to their answers as they do. I learn from the Earth. I learn from the books that I read, ones in which I feel transported to the author’s side or sometimes even into their minds. I learn from listening to the ideas of others, and all the many ways people share themselves with one another without spoken words.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’m a mountain scientist and professor who this summer made the leap into founding a business, the Heidi Mountains Cooperative that includes a property in Cortez, Colorado, the Haven. On twitter this summer, I posted ‘Honey, I bought a field station’, and did so, because I personally don’t know of another scientist who did this and my husband is supportive and uncertain about this new venture.

The Haven is a Colorado field station and leadership center, a place where we can vision and grow experiences in science that are bigger, deeper and more wonderful than many have experienced. A place where we can see how science connects us to our values and speak of how it does so with one another and in our communities. A place where ‘science is for people and planet’. A place where connections can grow among scientists, community and the many sectors across society essential to the future we desire. A future in which we talk and act towards goals we want – one in which families and communities have access to the resources and places essential to their well-being.

In actuality, I have a vision for what this place can be and a lot of work to do to get it there. I own two trailer homes, an A-frame cabin, a barn and a shop on 3.6 acres of land and High Desert creekside. The title for the land doesn’t reflect what I feel there, which is that I belong to this land. That this land is a place for me to fulfill my purpose to create a space for valuing difference and foster inclusion of rural places in the decision process as we plan for and address the crises of our time – less certainty about water availability and weather, and all that is impacted by more variability in these.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in SW Colorado. I value the region and its many towns. I’d take someone to The Haven – to watch the sunrise or the sunset. It’s big sky country in the High Desert lands around Cortez. I’d take them to a thrift shop in Dolores, Fenceline in Mancos and Zu Gallery in Cortez. I’d take the to McPhee Reservoir to get out on the water, especially if it was one of those hotter than hot July days. A hike, a ski, a ride, a run…these are things folks often do for adventure in our region, but it’s also wonderful to go to a rodeo, First Fridays in Cortez or a concert at Buckley Park. This September, the Women Outside Forum is springing back to action with a night of storytelling about giving oneself a permission slip to adventure and activities that include pack rafting, desert backpacking and more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The mountains deserve a lot of credit. What they have offered me includes love, inspiration, challenge and wonder. They offer me connection to place and stories to share with folks about the wealth of our world – true wealth of snow, water, culture and the incredible people who choose to also travel these lands. The Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies is an organization I’d like to give a Shoutout too, specifically Chris Landry the founding Executive Director. He chose to invest time to guide me in planning for a snow experiment so we could test the effects of earlier snowmelt on ecosystem function in the alpine. I’ve now used and guided others in using the same experimental design many times and in many mountain regions.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heidimountains/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-steltzer/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/heidimountains

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