Climate Connections: Stepping up for clean air and a healthy community
Shanti Devins and Jeff Mogavero
In these disorienting times, we know it can be hard to know what steps to take to protect our future. Yet there are many, including local efforts that bring our community together.
Two things you can do for the climate next weekend? 1. Show up 2. Put one foot in front of the other.
Next Saturday, February 15, over 120 people will be climbing Mt. Sentinel all day long to raise awareness and money to address air quality issues in the Missoula valley – and there’s still time to join!
The event is part of a larger series, Running Up for Air, RUFA, which started as a passion project of long-distance runner Jared Campbell. Campbell decided to raise money for air quality advocacy by lapping Salt Lake’s Grandeur Peak for 24 hours – in winter – in 2012. He returned again and again, bringing more runners with him, and ultimately inspiring a global movement. Now, there are dozens of RUFA events around the world, including the summit of Missoula’s Mt. Sentinel each February. (Watch the short Patagonia film about Campbell’s efforts to realize that, in your heart, you too are a RUFA athlete).
Locally, RUFA debuted on Mt. Sentinel in 2019, to bring attention to poor air quality conditions caused by winter inversions and wildfire smoke. While winter air conditions have improved over the last few decades thanks to crucial federal standards like the Clean Air Act, Missoula is still prone to poor air quality at all times of the year. Vehicle pollution contributes to winter inversions that trap bad air in our valley. Climate change is increasing the duration of wildfire smoke season, often limiting our coveted outdoor time. And the combustion of fossil fuels – at power plants, but also right in our own homes and buildings – creates toxic pollution that harms our health and drives climate warming.
Thankfully, there are solutions to these challenges, and a few years ago folks in our own community decided to take action. Launched by renowned Missoula-based athlete Jeff Mogavero and supported by professional ultra runners Mike Foote (race director of The Rut) and Adam Peterman (Western States 100 winner, 2022), all proceeds from RUFA – Mt Sentinel benefit Climate Smart Missoula. The local nonprofit was chosen as the beneficiary in recognition of its work to help people get wildfire smoke ready, to decrease air pollution through electrification, and to plant and maintain our urban forests.
RUFA is an opportunity to tap into your love of clean air and the outdoors, and to come together in community and solidarity for a healthier, more livable future. The event offers three, six and 12-hour endurance options for anyone interested in using their feet to support local climate action. Whether you complete one lap to the summit or 11 (yes, some people are in that kind of jaw-dropping shape), there’s room for you to participate. And if the summit isn’t calling your name, you can still donate!
New this year, Runner's Edge, the Rut Mountain Runs, Sapphire Physical Therapy, Hillary Ogg Real Estate, the Good Food Store, and Toiffer Pet Outfitters are each donating $1 for every lap completed. That means 1 lap = $6 to Climate Smart Missoula! We have a goal of completing 700 laps this year - so please sign up, encourage your friends to sign up, and complete as many laps as you can! (If you or your business is interested in joining in on the fun and pledging a donation, email Jeff here. You can also give a one-time, individual donation on the race website here)
The first wave of RUFA runners and hikers will don headlamps and start up the M trail at 6 AM next Saturday, with more athletes joining in at noon and 3PM. All participants will finish together at 6 PM for an exhausted-yet-satisfied celebration of a day well spent. It doesn’t matter if you’re fast or slow, climbing or cheering from the base: what matters is that our community comes together to take on the task of keeping our air clean.
Join us for a hard, fun, and rewarding day on the trails February 15. Just like climate action, we can do it one step at a time. Together.
Shanti Devins is the program director at Climate Smart Missoula, which brings this Climate Connections column to you twice per month. Learn more about our work and sign up for our e-newsletter at missoulaclimate.org.
Jeff Mogavero is a professional endurance athlete and race director of RUFA – Mt Sentinel.