LCSTARs

The LCSTARs page was established to recognize the achievements of team members who have gone above and beyond the necessary requirements to be a professional search and rescue person. They are truly an inspiration to other team members. It is also about getting to know our fellow team members and getting a peek at what makes them tick and some insight into the diverse kinds of people that join the SAR community and what they find so captivating about their experience.

Scott Grotheer

by Julie Rasmussen -- Published Spring 1992

When he was a youngster, this tyke wiled away the hours digging big holes in the yard; either substantial enough for a board covered fort or, of depth just adequate to construct "strip mines for his trucks to work in. When not engaged in this activity you may have found SCOTT GROTHEER gouging knots out of the wooden fence and gluing them back in again or having "produce fights" with the neighbor kids. A childhood resident of Littleton, Scott recalls fixing bikes at an early age and on wekkends would go camping and fishing with his family at Mountain Park campground. Scott's parents and his sister Cheryl, still live in the south Denver suburb.

In high school Scott competed in all-around gymnastic events including floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bars. Scott's father was a parallel bar gymnast and his grandfather was an all-around gymnast in the 1932 Olympics. Scott coached gymnastics while in Denver and in 1989-90 his students competed in a statewide Winter Park meet He has recently coached very young, aspiring gymnasts through Park and Recreation classes in Ft. Collins.

While traveling on land, Scott appreciates having a reliable one that doesn't hemorrhage after an oil change". (He was slightly perturbed with his at the time of this writing.) Other trips include overseas excursions of at least three. His first journey to Europe was nearly 7 weeks in length and a subsequent trip, about 2 weeks. Countries visited include: Germany, Switzerland, France and Ireland. When Scott's brother Steve was in the Peace Corps in Liberia, (on Africa's west coast) Scott visited and got a firsthand taste of Liberian culture; language and handshake included. Scott has also studied German and says that a fantasy goal of his is to work in a place he visited while in Germany: the Klaus Brother bike shop.

Growing up, Scott recalls wanting a career that was "something related to life". Well, as it turns out, he has just that. Scott is a biologist currently working on his Master's degree at CSU with plans to finish in 1993. In addition to his course work he is a lab teaching assistant.

Future plans, post graduation, are to teach. Becoming an outdoor educator of elementary kids is his goal. "They're so inquisitive and excited to learn." (His eyes light up as talks of taking them on night nature walks, gardening and showing them the fine art of building a snow cave.)

In his free time, Scott likes riding his unicycle, building trains with LEGOS, learning about edible plants and reading field guides. On the subject of cooking, Scott says, "it's an all-or-none none operation". He either goes all out making meals from scratch, like spicy calzones with beef or succumbs to the old standby, PBJ!

Scott's talents also include constructing and sewing articles such as pack covers, wallets and stuff sacks. He also alters the pant legs of his blue jeans to promote carefree bicycling; a.k.a. facilitating a life of harmony with a greasy chain. And then, there was the Crown Point research project and ski trip with Greg Luger. But, that's another story .....