hike
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Jasper to Mount Robson: Mud, Mosquitos, and Magnificent Mountains
The short version of the last four days might go something like this: *squelching through shin deep mud* *slapping away gigantic mosquitos* *spending a whole day crossing rivers* *jaws dropping at the incredible Mount Robson* August 8th – 17 miles,… Continue reading
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The Rock Wall, Lighting Storms and Wild Strawberries – Sunshine to Field
We’ve entered the civilized part of our Great Divide Trail hike. Not that it’s not wild and remote and stunningly beautiful, but there is a bit of a different feel, thanks in part to that very beauty. This is world… Continue reading
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Into Wonderland: Kananaskis to Sunshine
Excitement pumped through the blood as we neared the trail again, the heady rush of embarking into a land that you know will blow your mind with the wild wonder of it all making us a bit punch drunk. We… Continue reading
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Coleman to Kananaskis: Forget-Me-Nots, Tornado Mountain and the Most Beautiful Spot on Earth
July 9, 2019 – 24 miles, 3,300 of climbing Aspirations for getting out of town quickly rarely go as planned. The pattern of the trail gets broken, conversations happen and breakfast places keep serving food – all delaying departure. Such… Continue reading
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“It’s Not Your Job to Think, It’s Your Job to Charge!”
It’s a bit of a miracle we started this trail at all. On June 5th, we had resigned ourselves to spending a summer working in Boulder, commuting the canyon in its nightmarish construction state, and making the most of our… Continue reading
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Continental Divide Trail Gear List
by Elaine Vardamis When preparing for such a long trip, a lot of thought goes into what you are willing to carry on your back. Gear choices are going to be a little different for everybody. That being said, here… Continue reading
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Glacier National Park – or Where Did the Summer and the Miles Go?
Crunch, crunch, squeak. We’re postholing through mid-calf deep snow up to Triple Divide Pass. Dense clouds swirl around us, a sharp this-is-no-longer-summer wind biting the bits of skin we still have exposed. The trail winds through the cliffs, expertly chiseled… Continue reading
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Snowstorm in the Bob Marshall Wilderness
At the mountaineering shop Elaine and I worked at in Boulder, Colorado, we sold a variety of maps highlighting regions and trails for adventure. Some of the maps cycled through quickly – the Indian Peaks, Summit County, Rocky Mountain National… Continue reading
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Touring Around the Fires
Several days before Helena, I was multitasking. Between making dinner, purifying water, and writing in my journal I got thirsty and grabbed a water bottle. Gulp, gulp, gulp – and then I paused, a mouthful of water still in… Continue reading
Alta Backcountry 