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Rotary Park Bouldering
Sean was introduced to bouldering today after riding his bike up to Rotary Park to meet me. “I’ll never ever do that again,” he said of the ride. These hills are some of the steepest little buggers in the area. We spent most of our time on The Eliminator boulder (I think), working some of…
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Rotary Park Bouldering
For the first time this year I headed up to Rotary Park by Horsetooth Reservoir after work for some real bouldering. It felt like it had been a very long time, but slowly the feeling of my hands on the rock, the sun on my back, and the changing sky reminded that climbing is almost…
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Mount McConnel Hike
I was looking for a trail to hike that wouldn’t be too hot or too snowy, and came up with 8,010-ft Mount McConnel, about 26 miles up the Poudre Canyon. It was a good choice. We started with some high cloud cover, but it soon lifted and provided us with a lovely summer day. There…
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Emerald Lake Snowshoe
Excited to venture into Rocky Mountain National Park for the first time on snowshoes, we try not to let the weather forecast for cold, snow, and wind get us down. The low avalanche danger is reason enough for optimism. Ann and I meet Sean, cousin Doug, and his friend Bill on a blustery morning for…
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Chicago Lakes Trail Ski
Ann, my dad, Jezze, and I head up to Echo Lake under bluebird skies for a ski and snowshoe outing. We’re in a good mood, optimistic about the day. Ours is only second car in the Echo Lake Lodge parking area, and we soon have the Chicago Lakes trail to ourselves. The trail, after skirting…
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Town Ride
We manage a 26-mile loop around Fort Collins on bike lanes and paths in completely blissful weather today.
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Vedauwoo Hike
Ann wants to hike in Vedauwoo today – she says it’s been calling her. I can’t help suggesting other activities in the area – skiing, showshoeing, etc, and Ann can’t settle on a plan. Our poor friend Sean gets caught in the middle, literally, as we eat breakfast at the window bar at La Luz.…
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Peak 11408 near Montgomery Pass
Despite reports of cold and wind in the high country, Alan, Sarada, Jezze, and I head up toward Cameron Pass for some snowshoeing. Conditions look nice when we get there – greybird, warm, and calm. The avalanche danger is low all around today, so we try the trail up to Montgomery Pass. It’s a nice…
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Horsetooth Bike Ride
It felt great to get outside on the bikes today. The sun was shining, but the air temperature was cold. We’d get hot pumping up the hills on the hogback below Horsetooth Reservoir, then get blasted numb by the cold air on the downhills. The reservoir was frozen over, which made the ride feel exotic…
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Flowers Road Snag
Wanting to explore the foothills beyond Lory State Park, I take us up Rist Canyon. We see no public trails anywhere along Rist Canyon road, or a couple of side roads. When it hits Stove Prarie, the road becomes the dirt Flowers Road, and wends through several private ranches, including the hulking stone stables of…