Lessons Learned

Sixty-four students from Colorado's Middle Park High School raised money for a two-day field trip of hiking and rafting. It's an annual tradition at the school, dating back 35 years. But when they got to their access point on the upper Colorado River this year, they met Parks and Recreation Department Officer Andrew Maddox. Maddox became convinced the group was violating a state law requiring commercial river outfitters to have a state license. He stopped the planned expedition and cited one of the teachers chaperoning the students for breaking the law.