Alta Backcountry: Living and Exporing in Wild Places

  • 71 Months of Skiing

    Back in October 2010 Elaine and I headed up to Loveland ski resort on Halloween Day. There was a certain excitement as there always is on the first ski day of the season. Truth is, the opening affair always features… Continue reading

  • Roll , roll, roller skiing into fitness

    One commitment I made this spring was to spend more time roller skiing. Last year we only went a paltry 15 days or so, and that’s a bit of a wasted opportunity since it’s actually easier to improve technique and… Continue reading

    Roll , roll, roller skiing into fitness

  • Wilderness First Responder Class

    Elaine and I just finished a ten-day Wilderness First Responder Class. We figured that with a number of upcoming adventures planned in remote locales, it would be a good to know some solid wilderness first aid should something go wrong… Continue reading

  • Curling Towards Progress

    The past few days my thoughts have turned to wide-open spaces. sagebrush valleys, lonely mountain ranges, dark clouds of thunderstorms, tiny shack burger joints, wild horses and coyotes. The open west really. While Colorado is technically the west, we have… Continue reading

  • Review: Fjallraven Keb Gaiter Pants

    Fjallraven is a Swedish company that makes outdoor apparel and gear. While their best known product is the somewhat “hipster” Kanken day pack, they actually produce a full line-up of highly technical products. While I have not actually laid hands… Continue reading

  • Working for a minute (or more) in the next three months

    There is a good gauge for fitness behind our house. It's about a two mile climb, and it is a hard run. It's steep, works the legs, and keeps the lungs moving to the max. After doing some quick calculations,… Continue reading

  • The Change Begins

    I find the political season pointless. People place so much emphasis on it, and I guess to some extent it's important. As in, we don't the next Hitler to be our president. But the endless banter of political posts on… Continue reading

  • Dog Days of Summer

    We've moved out of the dreaded fire season and into something much more palatable…monsoon season. While the mornings are humid, the evenings bring cool air, rain, clouds, thunder and all the things that make summer life at 8,800 feet above… Continue reading

  • Skiing With Cave Men

    Chevy Silverado tire tracks make for quite enjoyable early season nordic trails.  Camaraderie. That was yesterday's word of the day.  It was demo days, the annual gathering of the ski shop employee world, where we convene on Loveland Ski Area… Continue reading

  • And the Storm Begins

    I look out the window and snow is falling, dancing in the front spotlight. They are saying up to a foot between now and tomorrow morning, and that really changes everything. It's very possible that that foot will not go… Continue reading