The overview, click to enlarge. It was another good one, and not just due to the fact that we had perfect weather, but that we put together a loop of trails and passes we had all seen individually many times before, but had never linked up in this fashion. It came together after Christy, Neal and I were planning a long run together, but being a Saturday in August with...
It’s all downhill from here, or at least from a little farther up. Neal climbs up from Talyor Pass. “Thirty-seven.” That was his answer to my question as to when he thought he had reached his top form, and after which he first noticed his speed, stamina and general physical condition begin to deteriorate– in other words, when things started going downhill. At the time, I didn’t think it to...
North Apostle, Ice Mountain and West Apostle, left to right, frame the valley on the hike in, under cloudy but dry skies. Lake Ann and the west peak were our destination. The wilderness rehabilitation continues and for the second week in a row, we managed to escape the summer crowds and find a little peace and quiet. Well, it was quiet at least with regards to the lack of people,...
Lissa and Ted at the top of Buckskin Pass. On Saturday of July 4th weekend, Lissa, Ted and I hit the Four Pass Loop, one of our favorite long runs through the Maroon Bells/Snowmass Wilderness. We started from Maroon Lake and ran the loop counter clockwise, tackling Buckskin Pass first. With the Hardrock 100 only days away, Ted planned to come along for just Buckskin Pass but couldn’t resist tagging...
Christy and Lissa on the ridge, seen here form the summit of North Traverse Peak. The route heads to the highpoint out to the left, Grand Traverse Peak. Christy, Lissa and I did the Gore Grand Traverse the other day. Not to be confused with the popular ski race, the Elk Mountain Grand Traverse, often discussed here on the blog and which was a grand disappointment this year, the Gore...
Two Christy’s? Can the world handle that? Actually she was caught in two shots that made up this panorama, approaching the top of Willow Pass. On Sunday, my 37th birthday, Christy and I ran a trail linkup that started at Maroon Lake and finished with a beer and pizza at the Snowmass Mall. Rather than find ourselves in yet another grand birthday outing that’s both physically strenuous and technically elaborate,...
Hitting the trail for a quick jaunt up towards Buckskin Pass on Saturday was our first visit to the area since ski season. Some useful route beta for the Maroon Bells area was learned. Here’s the report: Buckskin Pass and the Four Pass Loop The only news from down low is that as you pass the wilderness boundary sign there are four new trail washouts from the recent rain. Higher...
Running Midway Pass a 19 mile route from Independence Pass to Hunter Creek.
Well maybe it’s not a true “Dawn Patrol,” by its strict definition at least. But it is Friday and with the approaching summer solstice only 10 days away it’s not really necessary to get moving in the dark, and because it was completed before Christy went into work, we’re filing it under the title above. The weather lately has been unusual to say the least, with unseasonably cold temperatures and...
[Christy here]With four ski mountains in the area, locals have an unique opportunity to ski them all in one day. The “four mountain challenge” as it has been called, isn’t something that’s done or talked about very much and there seems to be several different ways it can be executed. Most of the time it’s an Aspen old timer that has gone out for the challenge. Tom Hines and Dick...
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
