My 2020 Bucket List

Last year I started an annual tradition – my yearly bucket lists. As I mentioned in my 2019 post, the term can sound so morbid. How many things can one cross off the list before you die? It’s the “before you die” part that gives “Bucket List” the negative connotation. But, Google puts it in a little better words defining bucket list as “a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.” Yet, in 2019 the bucket list became even more real to me…. because, well, I almost died. And I realized that I have so many things that I still want to do. The saying is true, when you’re life flashes before you, you don’t regret the things you did do, but you regret the things you didn’t do.

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My 2019 Bucket List

The meaning of words can evolve over time, and I want “bucket list” to be redefined as a list of goals can that can imply a shorter amount of time as well as a lifetime. So, I have created my 2019 Bucket List – a list of things I wish to accomplish during 2019. Some of the goals are things I have done in the past, but want to continue doing. Some are completely new. Some I’m already kind of doing. Others, I just have been wanting to do, but making a list like this public will hold me accountable.

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TBT: Rafting Little Gore Canyon of the Upper Colorado River (Aug 2016)

It was a fun float rafting Little Gore Canyon of the Upper Colorado River and interesting to check out another section of this mighty river. I’ve often thought about getting rafting gear and taking up that sport more seriously, but then I realize it would take too much time away from skiing and biking in the spring/summer. Still, rafting is fun, and I’m looking forward to exploring more places through the water again someday!

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Backcountry Lifeline – Wilderness First Aid for Mountain Bikers

For some reason, many people feel that mountain biking is a relatively safe activity, especially compared to backcountry skiing. And perhaps it is. But, accidents on mountain bikes happen. A lot. And the injuries can be a lot more serious than people realize sometimes. When you are miles deep in the backcountry in a place where cell phones won’t work, will you know what to do to help a fallen friend and riders? That’s where Backcountry Lifeline comes in – first aid for mountain bikers, by mountain bikers.

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5 Things I’d Wished I’d Known Before I Started Backcountry Skiing

Backcountry skiing can be a difficult sport for a beginner to understand, as there are multiple levels of complexities. And once they dive in, beginners quickly realize the deep dimensionality of this sport. I remember easing my way into backcountry skiing over a decade ago – something I dabbled in for years before actually taking the full plunge. I remember being a beginner and being in awe of nearly everything. But there are certain things that beginner backcountry skiers should know that will help make their transition into the sport a little easier. Here’s a list of five things I’d wished I’d known before I started backcountry skiing:

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Mountain Lessons: Helping an Injured Skier on Fletcher Mountain

We decided to continue to approach them, and see if they needed help. There were two skiers, one injured and one not. They explained that they had approached from the other side and that their first skier to drop in to the line, Josh Barilar, had gotten caught up on some wet slough which had steered him into the rock wall that lined the side of the chute. He then fell into the moat, the deep gap that forms between snow and rock walls. His ski was broken and he had a severe laceration on his leg which squirted blood out every time they tried to move him. In fact I could see the splatter of blood on the rock wall.

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3 Podcasts Every Backcountry Skier Should Listen To

Podcast are growing and it seems like many new ones pop up every month. I’ve listened to many of the skiing-related podcasts and have narrowed the best down to just three. Sure, there are more out there, but these three are the ones that I think are the best and worth spending time listening to. I listen to these regularly, and I hope that you will be inspired by them too.

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