To coincide with the Class 5 jersey launch, the Colorado Rapids are excited to announce a community kit partnership with Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI). CFI is a local nonprofit that protects and preserves the natural integrity of Colorado’s “fourteeners”—mountain peaks above 14,000 feet—through active stewardship and public education.
For the 2021 season, the Rapids have partnered with CFI to provide fans with the option of making a donation to Colorado Fourteeners Initiative when purchasing a Class 5 jersey from Altitude Authentics. Proceeds from the sales of Class 5 jersey patches, which will be launched in conjunction with the Class 5 jersey, will also be donated to CFI. These donations will help CFI complete several large-scale trail reconstruction projects over the next five years located on Mount Wilson, Mount Shavano, and Mount Princeton.
CFI partners with the U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to build and maintain sustainable hiking routes, stabilize and restore eroded areas to protect alpine plant and animal communities, and educate fourteener hikers about ‘Leave No Trace’ principles and sustainable recreational practices designed to lessen impacts.
CFI’s goal is to ensure every fourteener has at least one sustainable summit route to help minimize impacts to the surrounding alpine terrain. The organization’s work is focused on the most fragile ecological zones that are generally located above timberline and before one reaches areas of solid talus and rock. Despite these plants’ resiliency to harsh conditions, they are incredibly susceptible to the impacts from human beings. As few as 5-10 footsteps can kill these plants and set back decades of growth and development.
Through the Class 5 community kit partnership, the Rapids will also be conducting educational programming, volunteer projects and outdoor activations to inspire members of our community to get outdoors, challenge them to reach new heights and help us protect and restore the beautiful state we call home.
