Goodbye Mountain Snobbery, Hello Wonders of Quandary

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There’s a little gaper in almost all of us. Not many can pop out of the womb as a prefab Blaurock. I grew up in Colorado and “learned” to ski in Levi 501s. Now I hang out with people who ski routes worthy of films, scramble ridges with some legit badass mountain athletes, and laugh at my former self (I still ski horribly, but I at least ditched the Levis). So in the spirit of goodwill with gapers state-wide in hopes that they can similarly evolve, I offer this report. Keep reading…

Bull Hill

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A few weekends ago Anna-Lisa and I decided to head down to the Sawatch for a quick bag of Bicentennial peak “Bull Hill A”. This “hill” measures in at 13,761 feet tall, which makes it the 123rd highest ranked peak in Colorado. Because its direct neighbor to the north happens to be the tallest peak in the state (Mt. Elbert), it is easily overshadowed (and often overlooked). The flip side of that coin is that if even if you go for Bull Hill on a summer weekend, you’ll likely have it all to yourself. Read more…

The Four Pass Loop in Pictures, and Some Extra Credit

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Over the weekend I had the privilege of backpacking the Four Pass Loop in the Elks with Benny, Anna-Lisa and a great group of friends from their church group. Having had a few days to reflect on the journey, many words come to mind; intense, amazing, beautiful, fun, just to name a few, but I think the word that conveys the journey best is special. The Maroon Bells – Snowmass Wilderness is in a class by itself and I thought it best to let the pictures tell the story. Keep reading…

Running Wild Basin: Chiefs Head to Tanima

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If there is one thing I think I am good at, it is endurance sports. It has been that way for pretty much my entire life. Growing up, I was always athletic and did well at all kinds of sports,* but regardless of what it was, I was almost never the fastest guy, or the quickest, or the strongest. In most of those things, I have always been content to be well rounded as opposed to really excelling in one area. The one exception to this has always been my stamina. Keep reading…