A rare opportunity for a hike and picnic on the private Giberson Preserve Ranch will be offered at the fundraising auction of Continental Divide Land Trust’s (CDLT) Open Space Honors Awards Party on Thursday. CDLT executive director Leigh Girvin will lead the hike for the successful bidder and a few friends. The Giberson Preserve is a 180 acre private ranch located above the round-about in Frisco. The Giberson family has generously permitted the Land Trust to offer this unique chance to see the ranch, which is not open to public access. Howard Giberson, a Summit County pioneer who passed away in July, donated a conservation easement on his ranch to Continental Divide Land Trust in 1998. The Giberson Preserve hike is one of many great auction items at the Party, including a week at a Puerta Vallarta condo, sailing on Dillon Reservoir with Aleda Kresge, cooking class with Maggie Ducayat, original art, restaurant certificates, ski tickets and more. Proceeds benefit the land conservation and open space protection programs of CDLT. The Friends of Open Space Honors Awards Party takes place on Thursday, Sept. 6, at 6 p.m. at the Silverthorne Pavilion. Awards for outstanding protection of natural resources and open spaces will be presented, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for Paul Semmer of the US Forest Service. Tickets for the Party are now available for a donation of $360 for a table of eight or $50/person and include a gourmet dinner by Hearthstone Catering, entertainment, the Awards, booths from local non-profits, door prizes and more. Tickets are available at Great Adventure Sports and Mountain Outfitters in Breckenridge, at all three Wilderness Sports locations in Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne, or from the Land Trust at(970) 453-3875 or info@cdlt.org.