A few weeks back a group of us spent a weekend in Moab to do a little biking, celebrate a birthday, and escape the unsettled weather spring has brough to the Western Slope. In an effort to get some longer training days in on foot, I swapped out one of our scheduled biking days, laced up the trail shoes, and headed out for a solo loop southwest of town that had long been on the wish list.
Among the vast expanse of routes and trail systems Moab has to offer, some are definitely better for biking while some are obviously better for hiking/running. As a lover of loops, I’d earmarked the Pritchett Canyon/Hunter’s Rim loop as one of the higher rated and more interesting loops in the area. Clocking in around 14 miles and over 2,000 feet of gain, it makes for a nice moderate length outing through some of Moab’s more beautiful canyon country. It’s also the route used by the Moab Half Marathon, which generally takes place in early-November. Keep Reading….
Many years ago I came to Fiordland for the first time. A part of me never left. For such is the beauty, the majesty, and the splendor found only at the southern end of the world. Across many lands and many miles have I now walked. But I have yet to find its equal. Atawhenua. Shadowland. The finest wilderness in all the earth. Keep Reading…
A bit belated here, but in late-February I was fortunate enough to sneak into the Power of Four skimo race and successfully finish the course along with new partner and friend, Chris Tonozzi. It was one of the bigger days I’ve ever had on skis, and was super cool to finally be a part of.
Since the race’s inaugural run in 2011, the Audi Power of Four has become known in skimo circles as one of the more difficult winter endurance events in North America. Traversing up and over the four ski areas in Aspen, the course racks up over 11,000 ft of elevation gain and ~29 miles from start to finish. Like most skimo races, it’s very conditions dependent as well, which can further add to the challenge. Truth be told the full story of how I made it into this race is pretty unorthodox. With not much doing in the way of backcountry skiing this season, uphilling inbounds was sort of the only fitness option for us mountain folk through December and January. Keep Reading….
Last month I got an opportunity to head down south and spend 2 nights at the Opus Hut near Ophir Pass. It was sort of a last-minute invite that I was able to say yes to on a whim, and it turned into an awesome weekend of powder skiing and hut time with a great crew. Sometimes it’s really nice when a spontaneous plan comes together. The Opus Hut sits at 11,765 ft just to the east of Ophir Pass. It was built by Ophir resident Bob Kingsley, a master timber framer, between 2006 and 2011 after he bought the parcel of land the hut sits on. Keep Reading…
