Category Archives: Sawatch Range

Apostles Traverse

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The “Three Apostles” are a trio of rugged peaks in the central-Sawatch Range about 8 miles to the northeast of Taylor Park Reservoir. The most prominent peak in the trio, Ice Mountain, is one of Colorado’s Centennial 13ers and is perhaps best known for its classic snow/ski route, the Refrigerator Couloir. It is flanked on either side by North Apostle, also a Centennial, and “West Apostle” peaks. The three of them together make for a fun scramble traverse that was only first completed in 1954 according to Roof of the Rockies. Keep reading…

Mt. Elbert Trail Run Loop

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With the Dirty 30 in the rearview and the San Juan Solstice only a week away, I was looking for a good training option to bridge the fourteen day gap between the two races. My eye landed on Mt. Elbert and the natural loop that can be made out of its two primary hiking routes. It wound up being a near-perfect run in the sun with Jax and a fine way to revisit the roof of Colorado on foot for the first time since 2003. Read more…

Angel of Shavano Spring Ski

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Backcountry ski days have been real hard to come by for me this spring. I got plenty of resort days in this winter, but for whatever reason, getting up and down mountains just hasn’t happened for me this spring. I’ll mostly blame the Grand Canyon R2R2R training, which ate up a lot of weekends. I’ll also blame the general trials and exertions of a mid-30’s dude with two kids. Days out ain’t as easy to come by as they used to be. Keep Reading…

April Showers Bring April Powder

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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…