I have tried, and failed, to run the San Juan Solstice ever since I got into trail running. Ben always talked about what a great race it is, and I certainly knew it went through some of the state’s best areas, so I was keen to try it for myself. But year after year, it just kept not happening. Suffice it to say, this was a long-awaited race that I was very excited to finally run. Last year we actually still made it down to Lake City on the days of the cancelled race. We had our reservation in an Airbnb saved, so we figured why not make the best of it? Keep Reading…
The month of April has come and gone and it feels like things are rapidly heading towards summer below 12,000 ft around here. Statistically, despite Denver and the Front Range being above 100% SWE on the season, we’re at 71% of the median for the state as a whole. Though truncated spring seasons can be frustrating, they can also make for a good excuse to return to reliable lines on peaks close to home and just enjoy the skiing for what it is, while it lasts. Read more…
With our late-summer dry spell continuing into October and showing no signs of cooling off, it was time to head south and finally pay the Sangre de Cristos a visit in 2020. Down to just seven 13ers left in the range, I decided on Mt. Herard and “Medano Peak” from the Wet Mountain Valley side via Medano Pass. Medano and Herard reside about four miles to the northeast and a vertical mile above the Great Sand Dunes. Read more…
A few summers back Steve and I packed into Slate Lake intent on climbing Peaks Q and L, but a freak mid-September storm dropped several inches of snow on both peaks the night we arrived. Through sheer stubbornness we managed to eke out a summit of “Peak L” despite the snow, but packed out a day early leaving what would’ve been my Gore 13er finisher for another day. Read more…
