GET YOUR SIGNED COPY! After 2 seasons of research, and one year of a lot of writing and editing, Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: Colorado, was released in October, 2017! Published by Mountaineers Books, a foreward by Chris Davenport, and featuring 102 routes, we think you're sure to enjoy it. Buy your copy here and we'll personally sign it for you!
As with so many things including ski mountaineering itself, recovery is as much mental as it is physical. I’m not gonna deny that I’ve had a couple of breakdowns. But, I worked through them. And overall, I’m feeling pretty positive about my surgery and recovery. My road to recovery has just started and it will be a long, long road… But, it’s off to a fairly good start!
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While most Colorado winter enthusiasts loudly wait for winter, wishing that Mother Nature would turn on her frozen faucet, I have been patiently waiting – quietly on the sidelines… For the first time that I could ever remember, actually hoping that it didn’t snow. Not until November 15th anyway. It’s been a waiting game. I’ve been in limbo since discovering I had a torn ACL and meniscus in my left knee back in July.
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Salida is probably more known for its riding off of Monarch Pass along the Monarch Crest. While variations of the Monarch Crest are certainly awesome, Salida also has some great other riding options. Back in mid-Septemeber a front was passing through and I didn’t want to ride in the pouring rain, or potentially snow, in Crested Butte. I was looking for a good desert ride that was not too far away from home and the Arkansas Hills Trail System, off of the S-Mountain, fit the bill.
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The first weekend in October took us to Aspen for our friend Jordan’s Wedding. With it being peak leaf time over there and the forecast looking pretty good, we planned for some adequate time for riding. Day one we landed in Hay Park outside of Carbondale. For days 2 and 3 we ended up enjoying the company of riding with our Carbondale-based friend Ann. For day 3 Ann thrilled us with a ride of epic proportions on Red Table and Basalt Mountains. Day 2, however was a bit more mellow, sticking to enjoying the fall colors while mountain biking in Snowmass on more established trails. The riding was fantastically beautiful and amazingly fun.
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Mount Sopris has always fascinated me. Before I was even a backcountry skier and paid attention much to that sort of thing, Mount Sopris caught my eye. Rising over 6400 feet from Carbondale at the valley floor with it’s twin east and west summits both sitting at 12,953′, Sopris is simply the Queen of the Valley.. It’s vertical rise reminds more of what I’ve experienced while skiing volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest. I’ve loved Mount Sopris for all the fabulous skiing that it has to offer, but now I love it for the biking too.
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These days, we rarely go a few minutes without being interrupted, but there’s one place where you can still find true quiet–the trail. No matter what the season, there’s fantastic hiking across the U.S.A. The following tips will help you plan your hike so you can get the most out of exploring our national landscape.
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When Brittany and I let our friend Ann know that we would be in her neck of the woods for a wedding on 10/1, she said “Great, I’ve got a ride just for you!” Sounds great, we said- what do you have in mind? “Oh you know, your kind of thing.. It’s an adventure ride. No one really rides it. It should be like 30 miles and 8 hours and 6000′-vertical. I haven’t done it yet.” We thought, an 8 hour adventure ride the day after a wedding with an open bar. What could possibly go wrong?
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It’s no secret that we think that September is the most beautiful time to ride in Crested Butte. With the leaves changing color and falling to the ground, the Indian Summer days, and moderate temperatures, it’s hard not to resist the urge to ride. We haven’t been posting a lot about our riding in Crested Butte this year as we haven’t done too much that is new. But, here’s a collection of some of our photos from September mountain biking in Crested Butte!
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Nearly every fall there is about a 2 or 3 week window from mid-September to early October where the mountain world is full of color. The emerald green that once blanketed our valley gives way to hues of yellow, orange, and red. If Mother Nature has her way, she may even send some fluffy white snow into the mix for extra colorful contrast. Every time I am outside during this time, I am constantly amazed, and I have to resist taking a photo every 5 seconds. Here’s a collection of photos from the magnificent fall colors in Crested Butte.
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