Winter 2019 in Colorado was a ridiculous one. I hear. It was our first winter out here, but everyone we talked to assured us that it was unusual. The season began fairly mild but by March – right about the time I was ready for winter to end – the snow arrived with a vengeance… Continue reading Colorado Destinations: Manitou Cliff Dwellings
This is one of the few hikes in Rocky that I actually completed in the winter first, and this experience really emphasized the fact that everything looks so different beneath the summer sun than it does covered in snow. I’d never done much winter hiking before moving to Colorado but I learned quickly that winter… Continue reading Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Lake Haiyaha
This might actually be my favorite winter hike of all time. My first trip to Mayflower Gulch was with a friend in early 2019; the second visit was actually just this last weekend with Pat. Mayflower Gulch is a beautiful winter destination. The only downfall is that to get there from Denver one must brave the ski traffic on I-70. And boy does it suck.
I never really gave any thought to winter hiking until we moved to Denver. I'd been snowshoeing twice, but that's about it. Here in Colorado, though, there are some truly stunning winter hiking opportunities, so we decided to tackle a new challenge. Before heading out for a hike in winter conditions, there are some additional considerations that aren't a typical part of summer hiking. With lots of help from other people and some of my own research, I've gradually acquired the knowledge and gear necessary to stay warm and safe while winter hiking. That's what I'd like to pass along to you today. We'll talk about necessary and optional gear, choosing an appropriate hike, and what to expect when you're on the trail.
If ever there was an area of the US with a bizarre history, this is it. Even the name – which combines ‘arsenal’ and ‘wildlife’ into the same sentence – suggests that this land has quite the storied past. Located immediately northeast of Denver, the land encompassed today by Rocky Mountain Arsenal used to be… Continue reading Colorado Destinations: Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
There are a few things that, when you visit or live in Colorado, you just have to do. Some of them are silly and some of them are excessively popular and some of them are probably pretty cliché. But some of them are also on the must-do list for a reason. As Pat and I… Continue reading Colorado Bucket List: Hanging Lake
I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions. I've always disliked the mindset that January 1st is the only time to make a change or start developing new habits. I know the arbitrary date marking the beginning of a week, month, or year might be a good motivator for some people, but I've never been… Continue reading Goals for 2020: #OptToAct Challenge
