A cloud of snowflakes cut through the air, obscuring my view, as my body raced through it. Popping out the other side, I saw two trees narrowly on either side of me that had been ahead when I entered the cloud, which had been pushed up and in front by my snowboard’s...
There is no such thing as an easy Colorado 14’er. Though some peaks may be easier to climb than others, all promise a difficult day of hiking and route-finding for most people. But, a great day of hiking and climbing can create positive memories, urging us to do it...
The Maroon Bells. Instantly recognizable as the most photographed mountains in the U.S., these two prominent 14’ers, just outside of the world-famous hamlet of Aspen, Colorado, are an impressive sight. Even with restricted year-round access, roughly 350,000 people...
Are you sure?” “Yeah, dad, I want to keep going,” my son, Owen, insisted. It was a point of decision: head back down the trail we climbed or continue up the next section into the emerging pine forest. Though Owen was young, his mountain bike skills were impressive. In...
My parents first took me skiing when we moved to Salida, Colorado when I was five years old. Though I can still recall the struggle of learning control, it was always overshadowed by the memories and joy that skiing gave me. In high school, I’d learned to snowboard,...
When I turned 17, I bought my first car, a used ’84 Chevy Cavalier coupe, from my dad’s friend in Denver. The wanna-be sporty two-door had a stick though, and when we picked it up, my dad handed me the keys. Never mind the fact that it was my first time driving a...
If you’ve ever lived near a mountain, then you understand how you can form a bond with the peak, like a silent friendship. It’s often an observational relationship, in which you study its face, emotions, and moods. These features are mostly determined by the seasons...
“ARE YOU SURE?” We were looking down the soft, well-defined moguls that draped over the steep face of crested butte mountain resort’s horseshoe ridge. I was questioning my 14-year-old daughter Megan's resolve to ski something so steep. In typical crested butte black...
