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Bouldering bus brings a piece of the mountains to kids across Denver area

The Colorado Mountain Club has a school bus that's been converted into a mini-climbing gym. They take it to schools in the Denver area to give kids the opportunity to get into climbing.

When school let out at Valverde Elementary School on Denver's West Side earlier this week, kids lined up to get on the bus, but they're weren't going home.

They're weren't going anywhere. Instead, they were getting on the "unicorn" of the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC), a bus that brought a little piece of the mountains to Valverde's first grade class.

CMC is a Golden-based outdoor education organization that gathers and disseminates information regarding Colorado's mountains in the areas of art, science, literature and recreation.

"[The bus] is our special unicorn," said Kathy Nguyen, CMC's youth program manager. "This is our bouldering bus. It’s been alive since 1985. It’s gone through a few different donations before it got to us."

It's also gone through a few renovations. Nguyen said the bus began its life in the Carolinas as a normal school bus. Then someone ripped out the interior and replaced it with climbing holds and a padded floor. Nguyen drives the bus around the Denver area to libraries and schools so kids can learn about climbing.

"I think it’s really important because a lot of people, and even a lot of kids, don’t really know what’s outside their bubble, and don’t really understand how accessible some of these things we’re teaching them, and some of these things we’re bringing them, are,"" Nguyen said.

The first graders she's teaching to climb are near the end of their eigh-week, after-school course. Once they're finished, each grade will cycle through.

"Bringing them here is like bringing that outdoor environment into Valverde," said Elly Campbell, Valverde's assistant principal. "We could be getting them excited about something they're going to be pursuing a ton in their future, because the mountains are at their doorstep, they just haven't had the opportunity to experience it."

Click/tap here for more information on the Bouldering Bus and the Colorado Mountain Club.

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