Arguably, they are the first family of Colorado fishing – certainly the paramount pair for conservation.
But the tie that binds Sharon and Mark Lance goes far beyond the knots they use to fix flies to their line during a romance that has flowed along the rivers of several continents.
Sharon, president of Colorado Trout Unlimited, believes she literally owes her life to fly-fishing. Mark, one of the nation’s best photographers, shares his wife’s passion for protecting wild places and a parallel struggle for life.
Sharon Lance, energy oozing from every pore, remains in the throes of chemotherapy after her latest bout with breast cancer. Mark receives twice-yearly examinations against the recurrence of testicular cancer. Sharon first was diagnosed in January 2002, her husband less than two years later.
“We’re our own personal support group, that and the TU members in Colorado,” said Sharon, who travels relentlessly to preach the gospel of clean water. “It’s definitely a team effort. It takes a special partner who supports you in all this.”
What Sharon has achieved in the 10 years she has been married to Mark and Trout Unlimited, more or less in that order, astonishes even organization insiders.
“It’s incredible how dedicated she is and all the things she does,” said Jack Sayers, a longtime activist. “She’s my hero.”
Sharon serves on TU’s National Board of Directors, the first Colorado representative to the national organization in a dozen years. In 2005, a national magazine named her its conservationist of the year.
None of this might have occurred but for a fortuitous tumble in a river in Chile last February.
“I fell really hard and when I put out my left arm, it tore loose the stitches from my earlier surgery,” Sharon said, wincing at the recollection. “That allowed the other tumor to be noticed.
“If that hadn’t happened …” her voice trailed off at the alternative.
Another surgery in March and more chemo didn’t slow her in the slightest.
“That gave me new intensity for life and my passion for conservation,” said Sharon, who will put both on display Feb. 24 when she delivers the TU imperative for wilderness at a meeting of the Roadless Task Force in Denver. That body is pondering the continued road-free designation of 4.4 million acres in Colorado; TU is among the several outdoor groups campaigning to keep it.
“We need our backcountry places for peace and quiet. We need the solitude…I need the solitude,” she said. “Less than 6 percent of the state is roadless, and we can’t maintain the forest roads we already have.”
A Denver native and graduate of Bishop Machebeuf High School, Sharon found herself hooked three ways on a trip to Montana’s Bighorn River a dozen years ago – to Mark, to fishing and then to TU.
“I knew right away this would be a passion for me,” said Sharon, who later caught a sailfish more than 30 pounds heavier than the previous world best on a fly. She released it alive and unrecorded. She first signed on as treasurer of the Littleton-based Cutthroat Chapter, served three years as vice president and then three more as president before taking the statewide post in April 2004.
“She’s the best president we ever had at Cutthroat,” Sayers said.
Mark, an Arvada High School graduate, became a telemark ski champion and angling enthusiast while attending Western State College. He has served as a Cutthroat Chapter officer, and on Feb. 21 he will deliver a slide presentation, “Giant Rainbows of Kamchatka: A Russian Wilderness Adventure,” to that group.
His photos have been published in numerous magazines, and his displays are in demand throughout the region.
“First it was just slide shows about fishing, but then the conservation side crept in and I was focusing on preserving the habitat,” said Mark, a TU member since 1983.
Through it all, Trout Unlimited has served as sort of an extended family.
“It really chokes you up sometimes to realize the support, all the friendship we found,” Sharon said.
“We’re happy survivors,” Mark said.
When the debate settles, they hope to say the same about Colorado’s wild woods and waters.
Charlie Meyers can be reached at 303-820-1609 or cmeyers@denverpost.com.
