In April of 2023 I set up to walk the Continental Divide ridge from Loveland Pass to the next paved road 40 miles away at Hoosier Pass. I thought it would be an easy walk in the mountains. Turned out to be anything but!
The dream of completing the Sangre de Cristo Range Traverse just didn’t seem like something I could put down even after my first successful tour in 2019 going South to North. I made it then my mission to do the traverse from the opposite direction, starting in Salida and ending at Lake Como Road. This Continue reading…
Map Cruxes The southern part of the range holds most of the semi-technical scrambling. Below are some of the more difficult sections. Anything over Class 3, I’ve noted below. Some scrambling sections are difficult to grade with a YDS rock grade, but may contain difficult route finding, loose rock, and snow. I’ve neglected many of Continue reading…
https://caltopo.com/m/KUF7
Total: 6,025 grams/13.3 pounds For this trip, food was essentially fuel, so no fancy/delicious freeze-dried meals to be reconstituted during extended breaks – that just wasn’t going to happen. Each day had the same menu in its kit, and calories totaled ~4,750 calories/day. I brought five days of kit. Breakdown of each day consisted of: Continue reading…
La Sportiva recently released a new take on their reputable Ultra Raptor trail runner: the Ultra Raptor II Mid GTX. Building upon the battle-tested base of the current Ultra Raptor model, it adds a few new features and flourishes: mid top ankle cuff, Gore-Tex upper, a new black and grey colorway, and it comes in Continue reading…
I love drawing lines on maps and dreaming of sufferfests to do. I seem to squeeze out the most enjoyment from long ridge runs. I love being up high, teetering on top of a knife edge between two drainages, without the need of a trail to follow, yet having an obvious route in front of Continue reading…
The Sportiva Mutant is my personal Greatest Of All Time trail runner – and it’s a good chance, it’s yours too. Sock-like upper, tons of cush., knobby outsole, and sticky as all get out rubber. They’re my go-to shoe for any on or off trail adventure, be it a run, a fastpack, or a backpack. Continue reading…
previously, and previously Time to tally up all the successes (and failures) from this year’s (mis)adventures:
Here’s a link to the below in a simple spreadsheet form. The Sangre de Cristo Range route as an unsupported fastpack carries with it a lot of logistical puzzles one has to solve before the trip becomes realistic. Yes, one has to be in good physical condition to take on the distance – and more Continue reading…
OFF TO ALASKA! I’ll guiding two intense trips with the man/myth/legend/my Boulder neighbor of walk-abouts: Andrew Skurka in Gates of the Arctic National Park/Preserve for the rest of the month of May.
Update: It’s done! Go here: https://slowlans.longmayyourange.com/ I’m creating an online backpacking guide! I’ve decided upon making one about backpacking the Sawatch 14ers, based on the Nolans 14 challenge. Can you backpack the Nolans line, aka SLOW-lans? Sure! But perhaps, with a few tweaks and knowledge on how to resupply or even skip a peak if Continue reading…
The Colorado Trail is an awesome thru-hike route! But I noticed while hiking the CT, that much of the time that the best parts of an area you hike through just aren’t really showcased. The trail just weaves itself along a contour line below treeline, and you miss out on seeing most of the high Continue reading…
My long-form trip report of my Mosquito-Tenmile Traverse is up on the Ultimate Direction blog. Grab a coffee and have a read: http://blog.ultimatedirection.com/knowing-when-to-just-go-for-it-the-mosquito-tenmile-range-traverse/
Stats (approx.): 36.5 miles 12,815’ Starting Date: 9/2/17 Total time: 2 days, 11min Three Centennials Summited: Capitol Peak Snowmass Mountain Hagerman Peak After cruising through the Sawatch, I had to once again cross west over the Continental Divide – this time with an unruly bear canister in tow, to dash off the Elk Range. A Continue reading…
Stats (approx.): 32 miles 10,000’+ elevation Total time: 1 day, 2hr, 30min Three Centennials Summited: “Phoenix Peak” San Luis Stewart Peak I questioned framing this leg of my Tour of the Highest Hundred as a, “Fastpack from Hell”, as the numbers really don’t compare to the Crestones, Sierra Blanca – let alone the mighty Weminuche. Continue reading…
Stats (approx.): 81.4 Miles 34,847’+ elevation Total time: 5 days, 1hr, 44min Nine Centennials Summited: Pigeon Peak Turret Peak Jupiter Mountain Windom Peak Sunlight Peak North Eolus Mount Eolus Jagged Mountain Vestal Peak The Weminuche. This was the make-or-break section of my tour. A large project within an enormous project. Lots of terrain to cover, Continue reading…
To my surprise, people seem curious in the gear I use that comprises my sleep system. I’ll be describing my current setup that I’ll be using for the Tour of the Highest Hundred, a two-month bikepacking and peak bagging adventure. Like everything, it’s a constantly evolving kit, that changes depending on weather, seasons, geographic location/environment, Continue reading…