First Crane Sighting Contest
2025 First Crane Sighting of the Season Contest
Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition is pleased to announce the results of the 2025 First Crane Sighting Contest!
This year, CCCC received 56 official entries and 20 additional reports of Sandhill Cranes in the Yampa Valley.
The returning cranes were first reported flying over Steamboat Springs on March 5 and then in West Routt County on March 6. Crane sightings began a bit earlier in 2025 than in previous years.
In addition to the Grand Prize (given to the person who spots and documents the very first crane seen in the Yampa Valley), the First Crane Sighting Contest awards a prize to each individual with the photo or video of the earliest sighting in:
- West Routt
- North Routt
- South Routt
- Steamboat Springs
- Craig
- West Moffat
- New this year – North Moffat
Entries with an asterisk (*) indicate that a photo is included in the photo gallery above.
Grand Prize:
3/05/2025 at 5:37 am: Jason Miller spotted a solitary Sandhill Crane flying over Way Out West Trail in Steamboat Springs.
West Routt:
3/06/2025 at 7:30 am Jocko Camilletti spotted a solitary crane 2 miles east of downtown Hayden.
Craig:
3/06/2025 at 9:20 am Kathy Simpson reported a solitary Sandhill Crane on a ranch in Craig off of HWY 13.*
North Moffat:
3/10/2025 at 8:00 am Justin & Landa Rehfeld spotted a solitary Sandhill Crane with geese near the Little Snake River south of Baggs, WY near the state line in Colorado.
West Moffat:
3/10/2025 at 8:25 am Jeff Goncalves reported five Sandhill Cranes just west of the Little Snake River on HWY 318 (south of the highway) near mile marker 44.
Steamboat Springs:
3/17/2025 at 11:20 am Zach Ahrens spotted a pair of Sandhill Cranes just east of Steamboat Springs across HWY 131 by the Haymaker Golf Course on the railroad tracks.
South Routt:
3/25/2025 at 11:00 am Liz Rostermundt caught on video a single Sandhill Crane calling near the Catamount Ski Touring Center.
North Routt:
3/26/2025 at 6:21 pm Sue Fegelein reported a group of Sandhill Cranes flying over CR 52 in North Routt.
CCCC appreciates all the submissions that were received during the course of the contest. The reports help CCCC learn when cranes are arriving and which areas cranes utilize as they return to the Yampa Valley. This contest helps CCCC with our mission of conserving and protecting Greater Sandhill Cranes and their habitat in Northwest Colorado. While we are unable to post all of the photos and videos that we received, we do want to recognize all those who sent in crane reports during the course of the contest. Listed below are all other participants in the 2025 First Crane Sighting Contest.
Bethany LaBonte on 3/8/25 at 7:30am at 5223 County Road 30, Craig.
Amelia Masterson on 3/9/25 at 7:18am by the golf course turn off on Highway 394, Craig.
Lisa Lawton on 3/10/25 at 10:45am in North Moffat county-Hwy 13 north of Craig 12 miles.
Renata Beason on 3/10/25 at 12:30pm nearHwy 394 on the way to the golf course, Craig.
Millie Delaney and Morgan Biggart on 3/10/25 at 7:00pm near County Road 80,Hayden.
(Joey) Chadwick on 3/11/25 at 2:29pm in the field on the east side of South Ranney Street, Craig.
Kyle Perez on 3/11/25 at 6:19pm on Jeremiah Ave, Craig.
Robin Wahlert on 3/12/25 at 1:42pm down by the river, Craig.
John Ponikvar on 3/12/25 at 1:15pm near the Yampa Valley Golf Course, Craig.
Gerard Geis on 3/13/25 at 11:20am near the City of Craig Water Treatment Plant.
Jayson Gylling on 3/13/25 at 1:13 near Courtney Run, Craig.
Tim Klinetobe on 3/14/25 at 12:00pm near 800 block of Texas Ave, Craig.
Sylvia Collins on 3/17/25 at 6:27am in Craig Cemetery, Craig.
Mary Mac Gregor on 3/17/25 at 11:126am about 1.5 miles on CR 80 after going over the bridge, leaving the town of Hayden
Ed Colclasure on 3/17/25 at 1:05pm near the Yampa Valley Golf Course, Craig.*
Rachel Sutterby on 3/18/25 at 9:54am by Elkhead reservoir in the snow.
Suz Syvertson on 3/21/25 at 10:45am near the Yampa Valley Golf Course, Craig.
Jayson Gylling on 3/21/25 at 2:57 .5miles West of Yampa Valley State Park west of Hayden.
Marco Markle on 3/22/25 at3:00pm at Yampa Valley Regional Airport.
Allen Hischke on 3/22/25 at 6:10pm in a hay pasture near the Craig Airport.
Suz Sybertson on 3/23/25 at 12:00pm just west of the Yampa Valley Golf Course, Craig.
Candace Powell on 3/23/25 at 12:02pm near the Yampa Valley Golf Course, Craig.
Liz Rostermundt on 3/25/25 at 11:00am in Pleasant Valley, South Routt.
Wackowski Consulting, LLC on 3/25/25 at 1:50pm near Silver Spur, Steamboat Springs.
Christine Dunston on 3/25/25 at5:50pm on the “haul road” between CR 53 and County Road 27, West Routt.
Uriah and Felix Mendisco on 3/25/25 at 9:38pm in a hay field on CR 37, West Routt.
Isabella Brinkman on 3/26/25 at 10:00am along River Road, Steamboat Springs.
Ian Billings on 3/26/25 at5:57pm in the Riverside neighborhood, Steamboat Springs.
Callum Lowing on 3/26/25 at 7:30pm off 13th Street behind a new apartment community being built, Steamboat Springs.
Kari Rideout on 3/27/25 at 7:32pm traveling from Milner to Steamboat 2, Steamboat Springs.
Bonnie Goertz on 3/27/25 at 8:45am near CR 44 in lower Elk River Road, Steamboat Springs.
Joan Dunham on 3/27/25 at 1:40pm in Stanko’s meadow, Steamboat Springs.
Anita Merrigan & Dagmar Teleky on 3/27/25 at2:45pm flying over North Routt.*
Andrew Buchholz on 3/27/25 at3:00pm on 131 south at Windwalker Ranch.
Adam Fernley on 3/27/25 at 5:00pm on Sidney Peak Ranch/Catamount corner, South Routt.
Niki Caliguire on 3/28/25 at12:30pm at CR 20, between Highway 131 and 40, South Routt.
Karen Braden on 3/28/25 at1:16pm on CR35, Steamboat Springs.
Steve Riley on 3/28/25 at4:00pm on Highway 40 at the Hogue Ranch, Steamboat Springs.
Lorrae Moon on 3/28/25 at 6:00pm, Craig.
Amy Lutz on 3/29/25 at 7:22pm near Saddleback area at corner of CR 179 and Highway 40.
Tim Wohlgenant on 3/29/25 at10:00am 3 miles west of Milner on Highway 40, West Routt.
Erin Biggs on 3/29/25 at 2:45pm west of Hayden, West Routt.
Susan VanDerWerf on 3/29/25 at 5:26pm on Highway 131, South Routt.*
Steve Riley on 3/29/25 at 4:00pm on CR 179 near Milner, Steamboat Springs.
Remi Saxe on 3/29/25 at 11:30am before Milner on left side and by DND recycling, Steamboat Springs.
Brooklyn Sosebee on 3/30/25 at 4:28pm on Marabou Loop, Steamboat Springs.
Joe Harrison on3/30/25 at 5:00pm near Sunbeam development, West Moffat.
Jessica Poma on 3/31/25 at 7:12am on Highway 131, South Routt.
Sherri Frechette on 3/31/25 at 1:30pm near Catamount turn off, Steamboat Springs.
Debra Kole on 3/31/25 at 4:38pm at Whistler Park, Steamboat Springs.
Breanon & Cole Lujan on 4/5/25 at 6:40pm near CR42 and Sleeping Giant School.
