Dogs are descendants of wolves, and wolves are synonymous with snow. It’s hard to imagine canis lupus stalking prey without a backdrop of silent winter white. While some domestic dogs still share many traits with the mighty timberwolf, others are less equipped to handle the elements. I doubt a Bichon Frise finding much enjoyment in gettingContinue reading “8 Tips for Winter Hiking with Your Dog”
Tag Archives: hiking
The Pros and Cons of Adopting a Mountain Mutt
You can hardly hike a trail in the Front Range without spotting one. One-third heeler, one-quarter lab, one-fifth aussie and pure unfiltered joy, the mountain mutt is a Colorado staple. The Denver metro area alone has dozens of rescue organizations and shelters dedicated to plucking these pariahs from areas they’re unwanted — reservations, slums, formerContinue reading “The Pros and Cons of Adopting a Mountain Mutt”
The 13 Types of People You’ll Meet on a Colorado 14er
The allure of a 14er summit beckons to people from all walks of life. To some it’s simply a thing to do during summer break, to others it’s the realization of a lifelong dream. Colorado’s mountains are tools used to achieve personal fulfillment, escape the doldrums of urban life, seize the vitality waiting untapped in the alpine or feed a fragile ego. Whatever brings them to the base of the mountain, most 14er hikers fall into one — or a combination — of the following categories.
Igniting a Life Outdoors: A Jacket, WornWear, and Rebirth
Like a first love, it opened a world of possibilities. I was 23 and a recent transplant to Boston when it found me on the glossy back page of an outdoor magazine. I was newly severed from the Rocky Mountains, for which I’d only just begun to develop an affinity, displaced into a world of brickContinue reading “Igniting a Life Outdoors: A Jacket, WornWear, and Rebirth”
The Other 5 Essentials
How you choose to fill your backpack on a given day is about as personal as picking your own bellybutton. Most people who have ever set foot in the backcountry know of The 10 Essentials. Even hikers who skimp are likely to take along sunscreen, food and water, an extra layer and a basic first-aidContinue reading “The Other 5 Essentials”
Rescued: A Boy and His Dog
Her origin story will always remain a mystery. One of the few known facts is that she was born on or around March 3, 2015, near the Mescalero Reservation in southern New Mexico. This is a familiar tale. Stray dogs on Native American reservations are a growing epidemic. It blew me away the first time I sawContinue reading “Rescued: A Boy and His Dog”
5 Winter 14ers for Beginners
I chose the following five winter 14ers based on access, minimal avalanche danger, ease of routefinding and general popularity. Many others are doable as relatively safe winter daytrips. These are simply the lowest-hanging fruit.
Cornice Busting on Southpaw Couloir
Mountain: Torreys Peak – 14,267′ Route: Southpaw Couloir Date: July 3, 2015 RT Distance: 8 miles RT Gain: 3,000′ RT Time: 6 hours 45 minutes Climbers: Speth (speth), Adam, Jeff This snow-climbing season was disappointing. Between major life changes, a new puppy, a minor finger injury and the unsettled weather, I accomplished almost none ofContinue reading “Cornice Busting on Southpaw Couloir”
7 Ways to Hike with Your Dog Off Leash (and Not Be a Jerk)
I respect the right of everyone to spend a day in the mountains free from annoyance and fear, just like I enjoy the right to hike with my four-legged adventure buddy. So, how can the gun-toting dog hunters and Susie’s gaggle of mountaineer pugs coexist? Like most raging debates in the hiking community, it really doesn’t have to be that hard.
Mountain Therapy
So many outside influences affect how we perceive ourselves. Our self-esteem is too often based on the opinions and actions of others. Climbing brings everything back to center. Mountains recalibrate the soul.
Ice and Trail 