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Ferry Carpenter, former owner of The Nature Conservancy's Carpenter Ranch, had a broad range of interests, including art, literature, music and land issues.

A group of Routt County professionals hopes to incorporate many of those values in the River to Ridges fund-raiser, a project organized to help expand Carpenter's legacy through the protection of sensitive wildlife habitat.

The event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Carpenter Ranch east of Hayden, will benefit The Nature Conservancy's Wolf Mountain Conservation Easement project. In its first phase, the project eventually will protect 6,300 acres of the nearby ranch from development.

The 2005 Leadership Steamboat class is organizing the fund-raiser, which will feature a reading and book signing by author Pam Houston, music from local musicians, a silent auction and various activities highlighting agriculture, history and other aspects of the ranch.

Eighteen professionals, including graphic artists, bankers and residents in the ranching and mining industries embarked in Steamboat Leadership, a class offered by the Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association.

Class members learn about public service, business and other community issues and are responsible for one group project that will benefit the Yampa Valley. The class decided the River to Ridges benefit best represented their values and was an opportunity for each member to use his or her skills.

"Open space preservation, heritage and legacy emphasis kept reoccurring in the group," class member and artist Susan Koehler, said. "This project really fit those areas."

The Nature Conservancy is in the process of raising money to complete the first phase of the conservation project, which will safeguard 1,900 acres of land across from the Carpenter Ranch on the north side of the Yampa River.

The land extends from the Yampa River to a ridgeline and provides critical breeding grounds for greater sage-grouse and Columbian sharp-tail grouse.

The Nature Conservancy received an $885,000 Great Outdoors Colorado grant for the project last year.

Leadership Steamboat hopes to raise at least $20,000 at the Ridges to Rivers benefit. The Nature Conservancy needs $410,000 to complete the first phase of the project.

Pam Houston, who expresses nature and landscapes as an integral part of life experience, is a natural headliner for the event, ranch coordinator Betsy Blakeslee said.

Houston led a writing workshop at the Carpenter Ranch last year, and arranged to return to the ranch during a tour for her new novel, "Sight Hound."

"It's so very fitting that the title of her workshop was 'Landscapes as Metaphors,'" Blakeslee said. "I really believe that, in her writing, she talks about the landscape as much as her other relationships."

Houston will read from "Sight Hound" and sign books starting at 11 a.m. Her new book is available at Off the Beaten Path Bookstore in Steamboat Springs.

What originally was organized as a small benefit featuring Houston has grown into a full day of activities, thanks to 2005 Leadership Steamboat Class members and their various skills.

"This ended up being a project that is very broad, and everyone has talent to share to make this happen," Koehler said.

River to Ridges will feature music throughout the day from bands and musicians including Greg Scott, Sand Reed and the Yampa Valley Boys. Silent auction items and door prizes will include U2 tickets, ski passes, outfitting trips, skis and snowboards.

Guests can enjoy the ranch during ski, snowshoe and hay wagon tours and learn about the area's history from local historians Donna Hellyer and Pat Holderness.

A home-style ranch lunch with chili made from Carpenter Ranch beef will be served.