This past Saturday Anna-Lisa, Jax, and I made the morning drive down 25 and across to the Lily Lakes TH. Our objective – 13,081 ft “Huerfanito”, a small and often overlooked peak that resides smack in the middle of the dramatic high summits of the Sierra Blanca. “Huerfanito” was the only peak above 13k in the area that I had yet to summit, which was fitting as the word huerfanito translates to “little orphan” in English. Read more…
When I think of playing outside in February in Colorado I generally think of powder skiing at Monarch and touring around low angle terrain at Berthoud Pass. But this year things are a little different as February has felt more like May (minus the snow). In the spirit of trying take what Colorado has been giving, and with yet another warm, sunny stretch of days in the forecast, I decided to head down to the desert this past Monday to take a stab at Bicentennial Twin Peak A north of Fort Garland. Read more…
I get excited every time I visit the San Luis Valley. How could you not? It is a 122 mile long, 74 mile wide, vast high desert plain surrounded by mountains. And not just any mountains. To the west, the Sangres rise up like nowhere else in Colorado. Going from 8,000 to 14,000 feet in a matter of 2-3 of miles just never gets old. On every trip I am stunned by the relief off of the valley floor. The fact that most of the high peaks are as rugged as they come only adds to the appeal. Keep reading…
Colorado simply never gets old. The more I get out there the more I realize how truly incredible our state is, and the more I’m left wondering what’s up next to explore. June, July, and August have been busy months for my wife and I, but amidst taking care of the never ending stream of life errands and embarking on a refreshing trip to Central America that I’m proud to say had absolutely nothing to do with mountains whatsoever, I was able to get out a few times and explore some new areas around our great state (new to me, that is). Keep reading…