It’s a rainy, dreary day here in Denver, but I have to admit: I love it. We very rarely get these days and although the weather is wreaking havoc on our work schedule, I’m enjoying the sound of the pitter-patter on our roof. Between wedding planning, blog stuff and busy season at work, my mind is racing; I’m glad to listen to the soothing effect of the raindrops.
There has been a lot going on over the past month or so, so I thought I’d throw together a quick “catch-up” post. Enjoy!
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I was invited on Backpacker magazine’s Editors’ Choice trip last week! Well, if we’re being specific, I was actually invited a few weeks back; the trip took place last week. We toggled with the schedule right up until the very end, but we ultimately ended up outside of Leadville. We skinned into Skinner Hut of the 10th Mountain Division, a hut that I have dreaded for years. You see, Skinner has a reputation for being the toughest hut in the entire association. As we learned, it’s a well-earned moniker! We managed to nab 2000 feet of vertical climbing over the last two miles, which is rough on a good day. The downside? We were obviously on the trip to test out the final choices for EC Awards, so our packs were jam-packed with surplus gear and uber heavy. Personally, I know I was carrying at least four shells, three pair of pants, a couple helmet and multiple goggles….to name a few. Additionally, we completed the trek after dark which made route finding sporting, to say the least!
All photos by Will Rochfort
In the end, we all survived and spent the next four days backcountry skiing in the middle of nowhere. The snow was deep, fresh flakes fell daily and we had the entire hut to ourselves. In short, I am beyond thankful for the opportunity to go!
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Tals and I won the Kurgo contest! I owe a huge thank you to everyone who voted; your support meant the world. I was beyond excited when I got the email last week!
We’re still hammering out the details of the trip, but we do know this: we’ll make a quick trip north, finally stopping in Jasper National Park in Canada. From there, Will, Tals and me will hop in an RV (or an Airstream or….) and begin our voyage south, hiking our way through the Rockies. We’ll hike some days, we’ll drive others, and we’ll camp out too. We’re hoping to chase fall color, but who knows what we’ll fine. In the end, Will and I are using this as our smaller honeymoon {with our “real” honeymoon taking place next winter when our company is closed for the season}, so I’m just excited to spend all of this outdoor time with my little family! Plus, I’m beyond excited to show Tals the Rockies outside of Colorado– she has no idea how much fun she is in for!
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It’s looking like 2015 is the year I delve into more adventure travel writing!
I’ve had a handful of tourism boards reach out to me, asking if I want to come visit their regions to cover it on my site. I’m headed to nearby Estes Park in a few weekends, learning about the dog-friendly travel in the area. It’s so close to Rocky Mountain National Park {where dogs aren’t allowed} so we thought it would be fun to explore the areas where pups ARE allowed!
After that, we’re jumping over to Winter Park later this summer to enjoy a myriad of adventure activities: hiking, downhill mountain biking, and beer tasting are all on the agenda. I also recently met with the city of Portland, Oregon, and it looks like I’ll be flying there a couple times over the next 12 months. I’m really looking forward to it! I love adventure travel and can’t wait to get into ALL sorts of trouble!
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Guys, I’m finally getting my groove back on the trails! I chatted a few weeks ago about my runner burnout, but Sunday’s run was the perfect morning. In fact, it was the much-needed spark to light my running fuse!
I still don’t think I’m going to register for any official races this summer, outside of a couple half marathons. Instead, I’m planning on tackling some longer runs through various wilderness areas and national parks. I’m tentatively planning a run of the Pawnee-Buchanan Pass Loop in July and–wait for it–a R2R2R run of the Grand Canyon in November!
Honestly, the R2R2R terrifies me. I’ve done 10k of vert in a day before, but that was back in college. Lest you forget, I’m not in college anymore and neither are my old-lady legs! That said, I don’t know if it would be the vertical gain or the longer distance– 40 miles — that kicks my ass. Probably a deadly combo. Really, it’s more the solitude that semi-frightens me. Of course, I would potentially be running with a friend or two, but it’s not like there is a bailout with the Grand Canyon. If you hit the North Rim and decide you’re tired, you’re screwed. I’d pretty much have to stand there until someone drove around from the South Rim to pick me up. And here’s to hoping all of the water pumps are turned on!
Regardless, I’ve always loved the Grand Canyon and I’m pretty sure I’ll attempt the R2R2R. That said, I feel like a bit of prep is in order!
Enter the Pawnee-Buchanan Pass Loop! I first heard about this circuit a few years ago, and then again last year when Heidi ran it. I was originally eyeballing the Four Pass Loop outside of Aspen, but let’s face it: the hour drive time to Indian Peaks is much more appealing than the four hours to Aspen!
Truthfully, I’m not sure if we’ll run the entire loop. I’m most interested in the scenery down the backside of Pawnee Pass so I’m toying with running to that point, turning around, and running back to the car. That would be roughly 20-25 miles and still a good day on my feet. Time will tell!
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