Mar 16th, 2013 at 1:00PM: Since moving back to Colorado last August, I've actively tried to gain more experience in backcountry pursuits. I've been a downhill skier all my life, but prohibitive costs and weekend warrior traffic are a drag. At this point in my life, I also find more enjoyment in the contemplative, peaceful nature of snowshoeing and nordic skiing.
My ultimate goal for the backcountry has always been to ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
snowshoeing posts
The 10th Mountain Division Huts: Colorado's Historic Legacy To Outdoor Lovers
Mar 16th, 2013 at 1:00PM: Since moving back to Colorado last August, I've actively tried to gain more experience in backcountry pursuits. I've been a downhill skier all my life, but prohibitive costs and weekend warrior traffic are a drag. At this point in my life, I also find more enjoyment in the contemplative, peaceful nature of snowshoeing and nordic skiing.
My ultimate goal for the backcountry has always been to ...Adventure Guide 2013: Crested Butte
Feb 9th, 2013 at 11:00AM:
Crested Butte features incredible backcountry and extreme opportunities in a remote and captivating package. It's also got more lift-accessed extreme terrain than anywhere else in the nation. You may need to purchase a ski-pass, but it's all avalanche-controlled (what's known as sidecountry, rather than backcountry). Few are the powder hounds who miss the constant threat of imminent burial ...Adventure Guide 2013: Aspen
Feb 7th, 2013 at 11:00AM:
If you've ever yearned to visit Aspen, this is the time. Aspen is hot right now, fresh off the X Games, because it's just opened its first sidecountry terrain (see below). The revamped Limelight Hotel is also making headlines for having the coolest après ski spot in town. If you crave adventure and think Aspen is out of your budget, time to reconsider: the hardcore outdoor opps are ...Off The Beaten Winter Path In Colorado: Backcountry Dining At The Tennessee Pass Cookhouse
Jan 10th, 2013 at 10:00AM:
"We're going to ski in to this place where you get lunch served in a yurt."
My Colorado friends know what it takes to get me excited about life; combine an outdoor pursuit with eating and I am almost always game. I didn't even need to know the details of where we were going. The fact that I was going to a restaurant in a backcountry setting was good enough.
Near Leadville, Colorado, ...The West's Best Hostels For Winter Sports Enthusiasts
Jan 6th, 2013 at 2:00PM: Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be young, broke, or drunk to stay at a youth hostel. I'll be the first to admit not all hostels are created equal, but as a perpetually cash-strapped journalist in her 40s, they're often my only option for indulging in the snowy outdoor pursuits I love. Fortunately, there are clean, efficient, well-run hostels throughout the West that make a stay ...Ski Free In Aspen With Killer Hotel Deals
Dec 23rd, 2012 at 2:00PM: Think you can't afford Aspen? Think again. Two of the most elite hotels in town are offering can't-miss winter season packages that include free ski passes.
Did I stutter? Nope. It's part of a "ski free" promotion designed to draw visitors back to the Rockies after last year's notoriously dry winter. Happily, this year looks good, as I can attest from an Aspen visit earlier in the week, and the ...Ski Town Holidays: Not Just For Skiers
Dec 7th, 2012 at 2:00PM: It sounds crazy, but not all ski-town tourists are there to downhill ski. In fact, many don't even know how. I'll also let you in on a local's secret: not all permanent residents of ski towns know how to ski, and of those who do, many can't even afford a season pass.
The fact is, there are now more options than ever for non-skiers and those on a tight budget to engage in other winter sports, if ...Gadling Gear Review: Polarmax PMX Hoodie Base Layer
Dec 3rd, 2012 at 8:00AM: It may be hard to believe, but the arrival of winter is now just a few short weeks away, bringing colder temperatures and plenty of snow with it. But the start of the season doesn't have to mean the end of our outdoor adventures, provided we have the right gear to keep us warm and dry. Staying comfortable in the elements begins and ends with a good layering system, with the outer shell and ...Avoiding Altitude Woes: What To Bring On Your Next Ski Trip
Nov 30th, 2012 at 1:00PM: There are few things that bum out a ski trip more than altitude issues. Even if your symptoms are just in the form of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) – headache, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia or nausea – it's often enough to make you wish you'd stayed at home.
I live in Colorado, and have resided in a couple of high-altitude ski towns in the past. Since our ski season just kicked off, ...Roadside America: Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley
Oct 13th, 2012 at 1:00PM:
If you were to ask most Americans if they'd heard of the Roaring Fork Valley, you'd get a blank stare. Mention Aspen, however, and the light goes on, regardless of their social or economic standing (blame reality TV, our cultural obsession with celebrity, and 1970s/Reagan-era excess).
Aspen may be the St. Moritz of the U.S., but its location at the upper (southeast) end of the western ...The Teva Winter Mountain Games begin today
Feb 10th, 2012 at 8:00AM: The first-ever Teva Winter Mountain Games get underway today in Vail, Colorado, where some of the top pro and amateur outdoor athletes have gathered to compete in a variety of sports. The event, which lasts through the weekend, will also feature a number of concerts, gear giveaways, clinics, and more.
Some of the sports that the athletes will be competing in including ice climbing, Nordic and ...Telluride's Hotel Madeline gives the gift of all-inclusive holiday ski packages
Dec 10th, 2011 at 11:00AM: I don't know about you, but all I want for Christmas is a ski holiday in Telluride, Colorado. Call me biased, but as an on-and-off resident for five years, I consider it the most beautiful, authentically Western ski town in the Rockies, and the top resort in the U.S..
When it comes to actual skiing, there's 2,000-plus acres, never a lift line, and if you love steeps, off-piste, moguls, and ...Orcas, sea kayaking, and sea planes: a day trip to Washington's San Juan Island
Aug 16th, 2011 at 12:30PM: I woke up early one morning last week and realized that August 15th would mark two years since I arrived in Seattle. Normally I wouldn't take note of such a thing, given that I tend to move with the frequency of a fugitive. Staying in one place just isn't in my nature.
But here I was, 24 months into life in Seattle, and of the many things I'd yet to do, I hadn't: been to the San Juan Islands ...Boulder's Chautauqua Park: more than just hiking and climbing
Jul 27th, 2011 at 10:30AM: The Chautauqua Movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries provided millions of Americans with cultural, educational, and entertainment experiences that included concerts, classes, lectures, and exhibitions. It was, to quote Teddy Roosevelt, "The most American thing in America." Ask most Americans today what a Chautauqua is, and odds are, you'll get a blank stare.
Until recently, I too ...Ten great things to do in Yellowstone during the winter
Jan 14th, 2011 at 8:00AM: As many travelers know, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the entire world. It deftly blends beautiful landscapes, fascinating geothermal activity, and an amazing abundance of wildlife to give a unique experience that has to be seen to be believed. During the summer months, the park is warm, lush, and green but overrun with tourists. Last year the park set ...49 of 50 U.S. states have snow
Jan 13th, 2011 at 8:00AM: With ferocious blizzards pounding the East Coast, and a number of other storms blowing across the western U.S. and plains states, the country now has the presence of snow in 49 of the 50 states. An arctic blast rolled across the country earlier this week, sending temperatures falling in southern states that normally are spared winter's wraith. Only Florida remains free of snow at the moment.
...Take a women's only winter adventure with Call of the Wild
Jan 12th, 2011 at 8:00AM: Women's only adventure travel is one of the fastest growing segments in the entire industry and U.S. based Call of the Wild is a company that specializes in delivering fantastic ladies only options. The company has been in business for more than 30 years, and during that time it has pioneered this style of travel, offering trips to far flung places, both domestically and abroad.
This winter, ...Yellowstone opens for winter season
Dec 16th, 2010 at 8:00AM: One of America's premiere national parks, Yellowstone opened for the winter season yesterday, with the South Entrance granting visitors access to the pristine backcountry that already seen plenty of snow this year. The East Entrance and Sylvan Pass will both December 22nd, offering even more access to this winter wonderland.
In recent years, it has become increasingly popular to explore ...Aspen's St. Moritz Lodge rolls back room prices to $69/night
Nov 2nd, 2010 at 3:30PM: Snow enthusiasts salivating over last week's dump in the Colorado Rockies, don't despair. A fall vacation in Aspen is affordable thanks to the St. Moritz Lodge's "Roll Back Our Rates to 2006 Levels" promo.
Starting now through November 24th, get a low-season rate of $69/night for a standard Lodge room (double bed, twin, mini-fridge, TV, and private bath). If you're a returning guest, call ...Dunton Hot Springs: mushroom foraging and soaking in Southwestern Colorado
Aug 11th, 2010 at 3:30PM:
There are few things I enjoy more than scrabbling around in forest litter, searching for fungi. Cooking and eating them is just a bonus. I know I'm not alone in my geeky proclivity, given the number of mycological societies and mushroom festivals all over the country. Mid-August is peak wild mushroom season in the Colorado Rockies, which hosts two well-known mushroom extravaganzas of its own, ...
