Category Archives: Outdoor Activities

The Future of Transportation

This weekend, I got a glimpse into the future in an unexpected place … Wyoming. Not to say that I have any kind of preconceived notion that Wyoming is backwards in any sort of way. It is just that in mainstream American culture, people tend to look elsewhere for glimpses of the future. More frequently, people will look to the latest gadgets being developed in Silicon Valley, the newest fashion designs coming out of New York, or even a new dance craze coming out of a place like Miami before they look into anything going on in a more remote area of the country.

However, my experience in Wyoming this past weekend felt oddly futuristic, albeit in a more subtle way. As a travel lover, I pay close attention to all issues related to transportation and how we get around. We are a mobile country full of people (such as myself) who love to be in motion. And, regardless of what changes, I sincerely hope we (as a nation) never lose that zest for life and exploration that draws us out of our homes, and out of our day to day lives, to new places, experiences, and adventures.

While many novels and films set in the future immediately focus on some kind of major technological breakthrough that ultimately changes the way we live, the changes we actually observe are typically more gradual. And, while many people are anticipating electric, driver-less cars coming out of Silicon Valley, over the last fifteen years, we have achieved some less high-profile, but still significant changes, such as the proliferation of hybrid cars, incremental efficiency improvements, a general increase in interest in bicycle commuting, and a few new rail lines in some cities. Once again, nothing monumental, but the results of these changes, and how they impact our lives is easy to spot.

These gradual changes were on display this weekend when I, for the first time ever, got to drive on an 80 mile per hour road. Prior to today, the highest speed limit I had ever observed had been 75. In fact, it was just last year that speed limits on interstate highways in many parts of Wyoming increased to 80 miles per hour. Higher speed limits can at least partially be attributed to vehicles becoming both safer and more fuel efficient, as historically these two concerns have prompted many to feel uncomfortable about high speed driving.

When I see the 80 mile per hour speed limit on Interstate 25, I see the future. Growing up in the Midwest, I rarely got to drive on roads with speed limits in excess of 65 miles per hour. I would commonly go 80, but doing so undoubtedly meant the risk of a speeding ticket. The same speed here is not only legal, but almost necessary to keep up with the speed of traffic. Over the years, a significant number of states have decided to allow higher speeds on their interstate highways.

This is not the only transportation trend I observed in Wyoming this weekend. In Wyoming’s largest city, Cheyenne, it is hard not to notice a newly built Greenway system, designed to accommodate the increasing interest in cycling, and the increased use of cycling as a form of transportation.

And, while there are many places (such as Denver, where I live) that have built trail systems like this many years ago, Cheyenne is still ahead of the game. As more people bicycle to get places, I expect to see many more trail systems like this one pop up in smaller to mid sized cities across the country.

Cheyenne is also ahead of the game when it comes to new and innovative road design. On the south side of town, a diverging diamond intersection has been built to handle the large volumes of traffic that occurs when a highway has multiple popular rest stops (truck stops) at one exit.

This particular design is best suited for intersections like this one, where most of the traffic is either turning left or right (in this case entering or exiting the highway). A majority of U.S. States have yet to successfully implement a diverging diamond interchange. Yet, people who live in or travel through this area have seen a significant reduction in congestion at this interchange.

When I see the future of transpiration here in Wyoming, I see a bright one, and also a realistic one. I am not waiting for some pie-in-the-sky innovation that should suddenly fix all of our problems. But, I see incremental improvements, as there is one commonality in all of these developments, the desire to accommodate people. While speed limits are increasing on highways across the country, they are not increasing everywhere. In fact, last year New York City actually decreased its speed limits on surface streets. At first these trends appear to contradict one another, but both are actually helping accommodate more people. Maintaining slower speed limits on surface streets in town is seen as accommodating to pedestrians and cyclists. We are moving towards a world where drivers can drive a fast but comfortable speed and arrive at their destination quicker using limited access highways, meanwhile pedestrians and cyclists feel increasingly comfortable choosing not to drive places as they travel on Greenway-ype trails, and/or surface streets where their safety is at only minimal risk.

Accommodation of different types of people, who live different types of lives, is important beyond just methods of transportation. If we are going to live within a diverse nation like this one, let alone a global society, we must learn to live with those who chose to do things differently than us, and not let these differences lead to violent conflict. Although some people would probably never look to a place like Wyoming for clues as to how the future will unfold, I am quite proud to be the kind of person who can see value anywhere. And that, despite the current political situation in our country, I can go to a place like Wyoming, but also to a place like New York, and enjoy the local culture. It is not that I do not have strong opinions opinions about anything, it is just that I refuse to view everything through the lens of the current red-state blue-state divide that so many people focus on. Those who view all places, ideas, and even people through this lens place unnecessary limitations upon themselves. Recently, at a bar, an acquaintance of mine actually suggested that political affiliations are a strong consideration for potential one night stands. Needless to say my respect for this individual evaporated that evening.

If we can find ways to accommodate one another, such as maintaining both high-speed interstates and safe places to walk and bike, we no longer need to fight with those who do things differently than us. The more we do so in all areas of our lives, the better we will be equipped to handle the diverse world that we have, and the more opportunities for meaningful experiences we will be able to take advantage of.

Testing Our Limits

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A good friend of mine once told me that nearly all people are capable of much more than what they believe they can do. And that, in fact, when challenged, most would actually be surprised by what they are physically able to do once they have been pushed to their very limit.

When it comes to most activities, people generally tend to stop when tired. After all, exhaustion is generally an unpleasant experience for most, and has the potential to make an activity no longer enjoyable. However, from time to time, life issues some kind of challenge that forces us to give everything we have, way beyond what we had been wanting to give. Most of us have experienced that unexpectedly challenging assignment in college that forced us to “pull an all nighter”, or had to tend to someone they truly care about at a time when completely exhausted. It is at these moments, when we completely drain ourselves, that we figure out the true boundary of what we are capable of. And, for physical activities, such as cycling, it is when our bodies actually physically begin to give out on us, that we truly understand what we are capable of doing.

Heading into a new season, I decided it was time to challenge myself. Monday, I had an entire day available with no prior engagements, so I decided to take on a ride that would potentially test the limits of my endurance at its current state; A bike ride from Denver to Castle Rock, and back, in one day.

The first 30 miles of this trek is on the Cherry Creek trail, from Denver to the suburb of Parker. Most of this trail is relatively flat. A gradual upslope, combined with a few uphill segments, takes a rider from Denver’s 5280′ in elevation to Parker’s 5900′. This part of the journey was not too terribly challenging. In fact, in this segment, my biggest challenge was finding water to refill my water bottle. I had assumed, for some reason, since it was already the end of March, and that there have already been 12 days with high temperatures of 70 or above, that the water fountains around the suburbs would be turned on for the spring. I was wrong, and was quite thirsty and relieved to see this sign, indicating that although the water fountain was not operational, that the bathroom had available water. You would be surprised how many suburban park bathrooms do not have running water.

To get from Parker to Castle Rock, one must follow a road called Crawfoot Valley Road. The road is quite luxurious for cyclists, with a shoulder wide enough for roughly two bikes. In fact, it is labelled a bike lane for some parts of this eight mile stretch of road. The first three miles, headed southwest from Parker, however, is a bit of a climb, and a deceptive one. The climb is nowhere near as steep as one in the mountains, and one only climbs 500-600 feet. But, it is one of those frustrating climbs where the road winds around a bit, and, with each turn, a cyclist will wonder whether or not they are approaching the apex only to see another uphill segment gradually appear as they approach.

Once this road levels off, facing southwest, the ride becomes almost surreal. To the left of the road, one can see Pike’s Peak, standing there all by its lonesome. To the right, the mountains of the Front Range, due west of Denver appear. Riding sort of directly at these mountains, with the vantage point of being up at roughly 6500 feet in elevation, I cannot help but take a deep breath and marvel at how wondrous the world can be sometimes.

After just over 40 miles of cycling, I arrived at Castle Rock. When I got to Castle Rock, I decided to add on a mini-hike to my day of activity. After all, I spent almost three hours getting here, why wouldn’t I head up to this little rock structure- my destination!

This is a fairly short hike, with stair-step features that indicate that it was designed primarily for tourists, and not hard-core hikers. So, I did not feel too bad about adding this hike to my already exhausting daily itinerary.

After all, the return trip to Denver would be much easier, after the initial climb out of town on Crawfoot Valley Road, the rest of the trip would be more or less downhill, descending, overall, from an elevation of 6200′ at Castle Rock back to 5280′ at Denver.

That turned out to be wrong. As I approached Parker, a northerly wind developed, and, although the wind itself was not too terribly strong (10-12 mph range), the gusts began to pick up and become more frequent. It was here, peddling into the wind, that an already challenging ride became one where I ended up testing the limits of what my body can do.

There are three levels of tired. First, there is just general tiredness, where we just feel like stopping. Many people do indeed stop at this point. However, those who stop at this first level of tiredness generally do not develop any further endurance. Level two tired is where we begin to ache, or feel some level of pain. At this point, it is typically recommended that one stop. This is the level of tiredness I had expected out of Monday’s ride. However, the gusty winds on the return trip brought my level of tiredness to the third level, the level in which you simply cannot go anymore.

Working to each level of tiredness achieves a different goal. An activity that stops at level 1 tiredness maximizes our enjoyment of an activity. An activity that stops at level 2 tiredness is most beneficial to our fitness. When we push to level 3 tiredness, we achieve personal accomplishments, the kind that make us feel as if we are achieving something with our activities.

The key is, for almost anyone involved in any kind of physical activity, to find a balance between working to each of the three levels, as they feed off of each other. The original, and ultimate purpose of any activity should be to have fun, but, for most, an activity become even more enjoyable when we improve, take on new challenges, and accomplish new things. Much like a skier that starts out on the green slopes, moves up to the blues, then blacks, and finally extreme terrain, I am looking to take my bike out longer distances, and to places that were previously unreachable. However, in order to plan out how to test my own personal limits, I first have to know where those limits are. So, as much as I can be pissed off that this ride ended up being more difficult than expected due to the wind, the wind allowed me to actually measure my personal limit, so I can start the process of improving.

The End of a Season

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Last November, prior to the start of the 2014-2015 ski season, I attended a screening of Warren Miller’s No Turning Back. The main part of this film is broken up into eight segments, each one featuring a different location around the world, and each one containing footage of extreme skiing or snowboarding interwoven into a storyline that describes the people and the culture around snow sports in that location. This film’s primary impact is to get skiers and snowboarders excited about the upcoming season. However, the introduction to this film actually contained a reminder that every ski season comes to an inevitable end. A time lapse of a ski resort becoming progressively more green over time (during springtime) is shown while the narrator (of the introduction) compares skiing and ski season to “falling in love with someone you know is going to leave you in four months.”

Well, here in Colorado, that four month expiration date appears to be rapidly approaching. On Friday (3/27), Vail ski resort, the largest in the state, was still being patronized by a significant number of snow sport enthusiasts. However, signs everywhere are pointing towards the inevitable decline in the quality of the skiing that accompanies the transition from winter into spring. Not the only recent day to feature temperatures exceeding 50F, sections of bare ground can be seen not only on the horizon, but also on many of the slopes themselves, particularly slopes that feature bumps on Vail’s back side.

Increasingly, trails are either being signed to caution skiers of this variable terrain, or being closed off altogether.

Conditions like these are often labelled “spring conditions”, a label that is both descript and non-discript at the same time. Labels like “powder” and “groomed” are commonly used to describe the snow conditions on any given slope. These two labels, amongst the most commonly used, provide a clear indication of what kind of snow a skier or snowboarder can expect to encounter. When conditions are labeled as “spring conditions”, they are often quite variable.

Over the course of the day on Friday, I encountered all sorts of snow conditions. There were parts with large clumps of snow, parts with hard packed snow, parts that were quite icy, and, of course parts that were very slushy. I even managed to find a couple of spots with untouched new snow in the trees (I am not calling it “powder” as the snow is wet in variety, much like the snow one would regularly see in New York City). I often encountered a significant variety of snow conditions while traversing a single ski trail. Transitioning, often from hard packed to icy, and then to slushy, would cause sudden shifts in my weight distribution. Being jerked, both forwards and backwards while skiing down the mountain almost made me feel as if I were at a rodeo. Only, instead of being jerked around by a bull, angry that his reproductive region had been recently violated, I was being jerked around by what is labeled “spring conditions”.

Regardless of whether we ski, partake in some other form of activity, or just enjoy warmer weather, spring, and the conditions associated with it, do often jerk us around, much in the same way I was at Vail. Springtime is not a slow and steady transition from winter’s chill to warmer weather. It is often chaotic with wildly variant weather patterns that people in Oklahoma are unfortunately all too familiar with.

Sometimes, as is the case in the Northeastern U.S. this year, winter just seems to keep on going, maintaining it’s grip far longer than expected. Those who eagerly anticipate spring’s warmth have a rough time with years like this one, as it almost feels as if nature is trying to torment them. Other years are far more choppy. In many parts of the country, this time of year can feature weeks that include both summer-like warmth, and snow, sometimes even within a day or two of each other. It is not unheard of for an early spring warm period to trigger some to plant outdoors, only to have these plants killed by an unexpected hard freeze later in the year.

Much like all other aspects of life, at the end of one season comes another one. And, while the season to play in the snow is coming to an end, spring brings with it a whole new set of opportunities. For those whose one and only love is skiing or snowboarding, the end of winter can feel very much like the narrator of No Turning Back described it; as having a feeling similar to having lost a love after four months. However, for those who are fortunate enough to have found an appreciation for all of life’s seasons, the end of winter, and the transition to spring, while an ending in one sort, is also a beginning, with spring bringing with it a new set of opportunities.

The main advantage to living somewhere with seasons, as opposed to somewhere with consistent weather, is the variety that comes along with these cyclical changes. In places like these, each season is distinct from the last. At different times of year, we go to different places, and do different things, and even incorporate periods of rest and renewal into the cycle. It provides life with a clear breaking point that distinguishes one year from another; something that many lack beyond college and graduate school. I will most likely be back at Vail ski resort, to once again enjoy some of the world’s best skiing, before the end of 2015. When that occurs, it will certainly have the look and feel of a completely new ski season distinct from the one that just ended. Until then, the time has come to go and explore different places, maybe chase some storms, take some longer bike rides, or visit some places that are much more easily reached without the threat of a blizzard interrupting travel. The coming months will certainly feature some amazing experiences that I cannot wait to have, enjoy, and share.

More New Experiences

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I received a pair of snowshoes for Christmas … 2013. Yet, until today, I had not gotten around to using them (unless you count the 15 minute trial run in my parents’ backyard on Christmas Day). With my love for downhill skiing, I typically spend days with favorable conditions for snow sports on the slopes, which kind of doesn’t leave too much opportunity to pursue other snow sports that require those same conditions.

However, in 2015, as part of one of my annual goals, I am hoping to seek out new and interesting experiences. This motivated me to take out those snowshoes and give them a try. And, this weekend ended up being the perfect weekend to try snowshoeing out. Colorado’s front range has received a decent amount of snowfall recently, and there is significant snow packs even at lower elevations. With heavy traffic and treacherous conditions along I-70 this weekend, it made sense to make the much easier trip to a nearby snowshoeing trail and try something new, as opposed to risking sitting in tons of traffic to get to the ski resorts.

Being completely new to the activity, I decided to play it safe- really safe! I found a 1.5 mile loop with only 200 feel of elevation gain roughly 10 miles west of Boulder, at a place called Bald Mountain. With no idea how challenging snowshoeing is, I did not want to do anything to put myself in danger, particularly in winter. I figured, if it turns out that this trail is not too challenging, I can always take on a harder one on a subsequent trip.

The first thing I noticed about snowshoeing as an activity is the way the trails are kind of carved out in the snow. How do they come to be? Are the trails made by snowshoers, or cross country skiers? Do they need to be rebuilt every time it snows, and they once again get covered? Do they always follow the exact same pattern as the hiking trails beneath them?

At first, following trails cut out in the snow confused me a bit. Having never done this before, I got a bit apprehensive that I was not following the correct course, and may have been inadvertently following the tracks laid out by some snowmobiler, or worse yet, a stampede of bison, into some random spot into the woods that has nothing to do with where I intended to snowshoe, or where I had parked my car. Luckily for me, I brought along with my one of the best guides anyone can have on a snowshoeing trip- a Siberian Husky!

Juno (dog pictured above) lead us around the entire loop, called the Pines to Peak Loop. In fact, she was so much in her element out here in the snow, that at one point, she lead us on the correct path at a time when we were actually considering following a different set of tracks. I trusted my dog, and she was correct!

The conditions were quite pleasant, primarily because there was little wind. However, there was a lot of fog at the “summit”, as well as along the entire trail. This means that if I want to find out what kind of scenic view there is at the top of Bald Mountain, I will need to come back another day. The outlines in the fog do hint at some really nice scenery. The area is known as Sunshine Canyon, and I have typically enjoyed that type of scenery.

But, today’s voyage was not about scenery. It was about trying a new activity. And, in addition to snowshoeing for the first time in my life, I got another, unexpected, unique experience. For the majority of the time we were on the trail, we were the only ones there. When we arrived, there was one other car in the parking lot. That group was on their way out. We did not encounter any more people until we were almost back at the car.

With no other people around, and very little wind, at the trail’s high point, the only noises I heard was the occasional bird, or, once in a while, the faint noise of a car traveling along the roadway in the distance. It had been quite some time since I had been somewhere so quiet, and so free of distractions. Sometimes, even the places we go to away from the city can be crowded and hectic. Vail was packed on Friday! Rocky Mountain National Park is usually jammed with people driving around looking for Moose. And, in summer, one will encounter ultra-runners running up “14ers” with their headphones on.

I was so amazed by how quiet it was here at Bald Peak today, that I had to stop, relax, and collect thoughts. I even meditated for a while. Well, I tried to. I really don’t know how it’s done. I wondered if others, particularly people local to the area, and more likely to know the place (it is not very high profile), frequently came here to collect their thoughts. I wondered if, since it is Boulder, people came here to try to receive messages from their “spirit animals”, or tried to go on “vision quests” of some kind. In fact, as I sat there in silence, the idea did not sound nearly as silly to me as it would have presented to me in the city on an average weekday. With how rarely we liberate ourselves from every distraction there is in the modern world, it seems quite reasonable that one could finally uncover something hidden deep in their brain by coming to a place like this.

As it turns out, snowshoeing, although more exhausting than hiking, is not as exhausting as I had feared. I am guessing that cross-country skiing is more exhausting. At least it sounds that way. After today, I am confident that I can handle much more challenging trails with my snowshoes. I am not sure if any of the ideas I pondered while completely free of distractions at Bald Mountain will lead to anything significant. However, today did serve as a reminder to me to periodically find quiet, and take myself away from distractions, and all things that cause anxiety in life.

Winter Fun in the Mountains

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Winter fun in the mountains is about more than just skiing and snowboarding.

People who take wintertime vacations are typically drawn to one of two categories of vacations; Vacations people take to escape winter, and vacations people take to enjoy winter. The former includes tropical resorts and beach towns in places where a 45 degree evening is considered grounds for remaining indoors. The later, of course, typically involves mountains, with skiing and snowboarding being the most common activities.

In North America, the winter fun season lasts generally from the later part of November through the end of March. Based on anecdotal evidence (the people I know and have talked to), the peak time to visit the mountains in winter occurs sometime around the middle part of February. By this particular part of the year, enough snow has generally fallen to produce some of the best snow conditions of the year. Also, temperatures have recovered a bit from their mid-January lows, and are a bit more pleasant.

With all of the visitors, not only from all over the country, but from all over the world, other events, and other activities are bound to follow. In the middle of winter every year, the Village of Breckenridge hosts the International Snow Sculpture Championships, which features snow art from artists from various places around the world (from local artists, to places as far away as Argentina). These sculptures can commonly be viewed the final week of January through the first week of February.

Events in the middle part of the winter also include family activities, Mardi Gras celebrations, and random parades through the village, such as this one at Keystone, which features Riperoo, the mascot for Vail Resorts, which owns eight of the top Western U.S. ski resorts in California, Colorado, and Utah.

And the events that take place in the ski villages throughout the peak part of the ski season are not just limited to family friendly activities. With the number of visitors that come to the area, high class villages like Aspen, Jackson, or Vail, are able to draw some fairly well known acts to preform during the evening.

Those with enough energy can ski all day long, and party all evening in many of these western villages (although there might be a limit to how drunk you can get in Utah). There is even a T-shirt commemorating this type of day.

While the ski resorts themselves are the main draw, and the main reason there are as many visitors to the mountains as there are at this time of year, wintertime activities are not limited to only the resorts and the villages that support them.

As I wrote about last year, there are plenty of outfitters in the mountains that offer dog sled tours.

Many of these outfitters also offer snowmobile rentals and tours, and many are quite close to ski resorts and resort villages.

Due to geographical features, it is not hard to find hot spring throughout the West. One of the most popular hot springs in the country, Strawberry Park, is located in Steamboat Springs, less than 10 minutes from the ski resort.

And, with frequent spells of warmer weather, it is quite possible to find a day, even during the peak part of ski season, where it is possible to just take a hike in the woods (that is, if you can handle hiking over a little bit of snow).

It is a story repeated in many different places throughout the country. In any place where you have large amounts of visitors, many other activities and events, often catering to all different kinds of people, pop up in response. This is why we see tons of miniature golf courses, boat tours, and even night clubs pop up in places like Orlando, “Down-East Maine”, and the Wisconsin Dells. In each case, a primary draw (like water parks, or ocean front) brings people to the region, and then the other amenities follow. However, in many of these places, the area has become quite congested with people. Those who have either sat in traffic, or spent a small fortune on strips such as International Drive in Orlando, or the Smoky Mountain Parkway in Pigeon Forge, will refer to places like these as “tourist traps”.

But are these places “tourist traps”? It is, after all, quite easy to spend a small fortune in Vail right after sitting in major traffic on I-70 to get there. However, despite the similarities between the “tourist traps” of the East and the mountain resorts of the West, there are still some major differences, with the primary one being the balance between natural and man-made attractions. Theme parks such as Disney World and Six Flags are completely the creation of humans. And, although we have lifts to carry us up the mountains, and a nice pool to cover the Hot Springs, the main attractions here are still the natural features that first brought us here. So, until a roller coaster pops up adjacent to Park City, mini-golf courses start to line South Lake Tahoe, and Dillon Reservoir becomes covered with bumper boats, the mountain west has not become a “tourist trap”, at least not in the same way as the “tourist” traps had developed in these other places.

With that being said, it is still important to remember that there is way more to wintertime in the Rockies than skiing and snowboarding. And, while there are some visitors who do little else but ski on their visits to the mountains at this time of year (spending most of their remaining time in their condo), there are others that take part in a lot of other activities and attractions in the area.

Vail; Where You Can Have it All?

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“Having it all” means something different in different situations. For skiers, “having it all” generally means three things.

Ideal snow conditions…

Comfortable weather…

And, reasonable lift lines…

Of course, there is reason to believe that this kind of ski day is an unrealistic expectation. Comfortable weather conditions do not always produce the best snow conditions, and good snow conditions often bring crowds to a ski resort.

However, last Thursday, I believed that I could find this ideal combination at Vail Ski Resort. The previous day, Wednesday, Vail received several inches of new snow. But Thursday’s weather was warmer across the state. I believed the with combination of the recent new snow, a pleasant weather, and Thursday being a work day, I could “have it all”.

But, it did not quite work that way. Primarily, as the pictures above show, the lift lines were a bit longer than anticipated. This could actually be because of the Alpine World Ski Championships, which drew additional people up to the mountains.

But, the additional people could also have been drawn to the mountain by the new snow, which we had not received too much of in the past few weeks.

There wasn’t too much new snow either, so Thursday’s conditions did not end up being truly ideal.

Wise people will often remind others to keep their expectations within the realm of what is reasonably possible. Statements such as “You can’t have your cake and eat it too.”, are commonly used to keep expectations in check and protect people from a near certain disappointment.

It’s hard not to stop someone dead in their tracks as they begin speaking of things such as finding a 3 bedroom house in a safe neighborhood less than 5 miles from downtown for under $300,000. We know that this is not a realistic expectation and that any person who sincerely has these aspirations will likely be quite disappointed.

The understanding that some expectations are unrealistic comes from experience. Those of us that have experienced the “real world”, have seen countless people disappointed as the “realities of life” get in the way of ambitious desires. And, these desires don’t just include things like wanting to be a movie star or wanting to solve some kind of major world problem. They often include situational things like wanting a reasonable amount of success at their company without having to compromise on any of their principles, or wanting to ensure all of their friends and family are happy.

However, those of us with experience that are not completely jaded do know there are exceptions. After all, movie stars and world changers do exist. They are just a small minority of people who set out to do these things. And, they become successful through some sort of combination of aptitude, drive, and luck.

So, despite the real possibility of disappointment, it is hard for me to completely write off all lofty goals. Some people do achieve them. And, the hope that one will land their ideal job, or will find a way to make a difference, likely has a positive impact on people’s lives that more than offsets the negative impacts that results from the frustrations that occur when expectations of the world are not met.

A 50 Mile Bike Ride in the Dead of Winter

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I am not sure where the phrase “The Dead of Winter” came from. In fact, I am not even 100% sure people still use that phrase (in 2015). But, I do recall hearing that phrase growing up in both New York and Illinois, referring to the period of time from roughly New Years through President’s Day.

My best guess is that the phrase comes from scenes like this one appearing in many major Northern Hemisphere cities. Trees having long since lost all of their leaves, the grass taking on a lifeless brown-ish color, and overcast skies combine to create a cold, lifeless image that can persist for long periods of time.

No month epitomizes the depths of winter more than the month of January. By January, most northern cities have already experienced a significant amount of winter. Residents of these cities have typically been through a dozen or so days they would consider “very cold” (which does vary by city). Also, by January, most cities have experienced their version of lousy winter whether, whether that be lack of sunshine, heavy snow, ice storms, that cold drenching rain, or some kind of combination of the four. With the holidays over, if winter is going to wear you down, it will most definitely do so in the month of January, as it runs its course.

For many, winter (and particularly January) is something of a metaphor for a rough period of time, or a low point. In American history, the winter at Valley Forge is remembered as a low point for the American Revolution. Winter is also used periodically to describe low points in people’s individual lives. With the chill, darkness, and frequent inclement weather, there is not only commonly more hardships, but also more limitations.

This is true even when mother nature offers periodic breaks from cold and gloomy weather. After a cold start to 2015, the middle part of January brought warmer conditions to Colorado, including several consecutive days with highs in the 50s or 60s here in Denver. And, while today ended up being one of the best possible January days for a bike ride, the amount of riding I could do was still limited significantly by the sheer fact that it is January.

Even on a mild day, it is typically too cold to start riding at sunrise, the coldest part of the day. As the day began with temperatures in the 30s, I waited until roughly 9:30 to begin my ride. Even with this later departure, I still encountered significant amounts of water, and even ice on the trails. In several sections, I needed to stop and dismount my bike for safety reasons.

The mere possibility that ice like this will be present on the trail also makes it extremely unsafe to ride after dark. With sunset occurring right around 5 P.M. at this time of year, the window of time for a bike ride is significantly shorter than it is in other season.

Another major limitation to what places I can bike to in January is the wind. In winter, wind can be quite unpredictable, and can lead to unexpected slow-downs. Also, higher terrain can get quite windy, even on days where there is little to no wind in town and in the river valleys.

Therefore, I decided to ride up Cherry Creek trail, and make the 50-mile round trip ride from Denver to Parker, an exurb 25 miles to the Southeast.

Despite the slow-downs associated with random standing water and ice on the trail, I was still able to reach Cherry Creek Dam in roughly 45 minutes. Here, the only “climbing” portion of the ride appears in the distance. For those with little to no “climbing” experience, the uphill sections can actually be a bit exhausting. However, for anyone that has previously ridden up a mountain, or a large hill, the climb up the hill is quite tame. With the mountains still appearing in the distance, there is a clear reminder that even after a mild stretch of weather, climbing too high in elevation would also lead to slippery conditions. In essence, this “climb”, although quite tame, is the most significant climb one can make safely in the month of January.

Behind the dam, the trail winds around Cherry Creek Reservior. Only half covered with ice (and probably thin ice), I am relieved to see nobody trying to ice fish, or stand out on the lake at this time.

With some amount of wind, and having not ridden a significant amount of miles in one sitting in quite some time, I ended up taking it a bit slower on the trail today than I normally would have in mid-summer. As a result, it ended up taking me nearly another hour to reach Parker, where the 470 trail, another major trail in the metro Denver trail system, terminates at the 40-mile long Cherry Creek Trail.

And, while it took me a bit longer than normal to ride 25 miles, not exhausting myself to achieve a better time had it’s reward. Neither overly exerting myself, nor traveling too slowly, the return trip flew by! Mile after mile passed, almost as if I was living out a montage of my own life. I passed mile 25, 24, 23, winding around, smiling at nearly every person I passed by as the wind, and my direction shifted back and forth.

Before I knew it, it was mile 15, 14, 13. On a typical ride, exhausted at the end of the day, I am anticipating each mile, and tracking how far I am from home. Today, I achieved somewhat of a state of euphoria. I almost feel as if I had achieved the “runners high” often discussed (albeit on a bicycle, as opposed to running).

In the end, despite my slower than usual pace, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and was actually only passed on the trail once!

For those wanting to take advantage of a mid-winter warm-up, and get on the trail (or roads), I offer the following tips

Plan extra time (maybe half an hour) for your ride. There is a distinct possibility that mud, ice, or snow on the trail can slow you down, as well as unexpected winds. It is not safe to ride at night, and it will get cold again. You are better off taking on a goal that would be considered modest during the warm season than ending up in trouble.
Listen to your legs. I know “shut up legs” is a popular poster to hold up at long distance rides, but often times a ride can be done more effectively if you allow yourself to downshift when the ride feels exhausting. This may mean being on a specific segment of trail, or road, in a lower gear than what you would typically be in. But, maybe that combination of the 5 pounds you gained over the holidays, and that 8 mph cross-wind is enough to warrant being one gear lower. It is best not trying to exhaust yourself early just to be in your usual gear regime. That being said, there also may be opportunities to shift up and go faster where there is an unexpected tail wind.
Don’t shy away from undertaking a major bike ride immediately after a hard day of skiing. Cycling uses mostly different muscles than skiing, and I have been surprised by how little recent hard core skiing has impacted my cycling performance on rides like the one today.

A Stormy January Weekend in the Mountains

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2015 is already off to an adventurous start for me. This past weekend, the first weekend of the new year, I had the opportunity to accompany some friends on a trip to their cabin in Alma, Colorado. Alma is the highest incorporated municipality in the United States (with permanent residents). It is about 15 miles South of Breckenridge Ski Resort along state highway 9. However, between Alma and Breckenridge lies a mountain pass, called Hoosier Pass, as well as the Continental Divide.

Still, visiting Breckenridge ski resort is significantly easier staying at a place like this than it is driving up there from Denver in the morning. Not only is the distance much shorter, but there is no need to plan around the traffic patterns along I-70. On a typical weekend day in Colorado, skiers traveling along I-70 from Denver to the area ski resorts must leave by around 6:00 A.M. to avoid significant delays. The trek from Alma up to Breckenridge is typically only delayed by weather, and even if delayed will take significantly less time.

Unfortunately, this past weekend turned out to be one of those weekends. Waking up Saturday morning (after driving up from Denver Friday evening), I was amazed by the views from the cabin! The cabin, which is located in town, and walking distance from the town’s main street, sat on the side of a hill, with forests around it in every direction. However, I was also startled to see some low clouds appearing to our North, the very direction we needed to travel to get to Breckenridge.

The ski day was kind of a mixed bag. With a significant amount of recent snowfall, the snow was in really good shape- neither icy nor “skied off”. However, as the day progressed, the snow began to pick up, and so did the wind. With temperatures in the mid to upper teens most of the day, and winds picking up to about 15 mph, the wind chills were commonly near 0! This, along with the sensation of snow hitting me in the face at high speeds (especially on faster trails going 50 mph), made the conditions less than ideal. In the end, we decided to do slower runs in the trees, and still ended up with a really good day of skiing.

This weekend’s weather caught us by surprise– partially. I know it is quite dangerous to be in the mountains when a major storm hits. And, when a major storm is on it’s way, I tend to stay home. However, this weekend’s storm was quite minor by Colorado standards. 48 hour snowfall totals across most of the region were only a couple of inches, not enough to make me reconsider any plans. However, an area of heavier snow happened to occur right over Breckenridge. The map below indicates snowfall totals this weekend. The one little “bullzeye” of snowfall exceeding 6″ is located right over Breckenridge! So, we were impacted by the most significant part of fairly minor storm system.

This made for a treacherous drive back over Hoosier Pass at the end of the day. However, when we got back to Alma, it was not snowing at all. In fact, the vehicle left at the cabin did not have any snow on it, and we did not have to shovel snow in front of the cabin.

In many parts of the country, seeing such drastic differences in weather conditions over the stretch of only 15 miles is quite a strange occurrence. However, up here in the mountains, it is actually quite normal due to the impact the topography has on storms coming through. Alma is considered part of South Park, a flat region of Central Colorado with elevations near 10,000 ft. Due to it being surrounded by mountains in all directions, this region is significantly drier than other parts of the state. The town of Breckenridge, at 9600 ft. in elevation, is actually more than twice as likely to receive significant precipitation in the winter than the South Park area, and receives more precipitation all year round.

When selecting a home, whether it be a permanent residence, or a second home (vacation home), there are many factors to consider, one of which is location. This weekend, with it’s kind of moderate snow event, provided a good showcase of both the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a place like Alma to have a cabin.

The major advantage seems to be how much you get for your money. This place we stayed at is quite nice.

It has three levels, each with it’s own sizable bedroom. Each one has a different theme appropriate for the mountains. The middle floor has a large kitchen, dining, and entertaining area. And, perhaps one of the best features is the water heaters, which provide so much hot water that one can take a lengthy hot shower after a long day in the snow without having to worry about running out of hot water. Overall, it is way more luxurious than any place I had stayed at closer to the ski resort. I can imagine a place like this closer to one of the major ski resort being significantly more expensive.

However, the drive over Hoosier Pass in the snow was a clear demonstration of the downside of choosing a location like this. Those with second homes in town would not have to travel too far to get to the resort, and not have to deal with icy roads and dangerous conditions.

In addition, from this location it is also significantly less convenient to reach some of the other major ski resorts in the area, particularly Vail, Beaver Creek, and Copper Mountain.

Of course, the entire construct of this tradeoff implies a passion for skiing, because it is this passion for skiing that largely forces the pricing of these second homes in Central Colorado. For those who prefer other activities, Alma, and the rest of South Park is quite an attractive location.

In the summertime, it is quite easy to reach tons of great hiking trails, including about a dozen “14ers” (peaks of 14,000 feet or higher). And, a straight shot down an easy to travel highway is Buena Vista, the site of the most popular whitewater rafting river (the Arkansas River) in the country. Finally, for those who just like solitude, the town’s population is only 270.

Due to the uncomfortable conditions, we decided not to ski again on Sunday. Rather, we slept late, and made a leisurely journey back to Denver avoiding any traffic delays that could have built in the afternoon. It was the prudent choice, even if we theoretically could have pushed ourselves a bit more. Part of life in the mountains is having to accept some last minute changes in plans based on highly variable weather conditions. So, in a way, changing up the plan for Sunday was part of an authentic mountain experience.

Christmastime in Breckenridge

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Last winter, I spent around a dozen days in Breckenridge, Colorado, including a week-long stay here in late February. Only a 90 minute drive from Denver, I feel quite comfortable coming up here on a day trip, without spending money on lodging, on a regular basis. To wake up, drive to Breckenridge, ski for six hours or so, and then drive back does not make for an overwhelmingly tiring day.

When traveling to a particular destination becomes as regular as this one has become for me, the lines become kind of blurred. In a physical sense, I am most definitely traveling. I prepare, I pack, and I get in a vehicle and go to a different location which is a non-trivial distance away. It is not a run of the mill trip to the grocery store or a neighbor’s house. However, there are a significant number of people who commute longer than 90 minutes each way to work every day. For them, a trip that takes at least as long as my trip to Breckenridge (when there isn’t bad traffic), has become routine. It is certainly not something that any of these commuters would categorize as “travel”. A trip up to Breckenridge for me is without a doubt more interesting and exciting than a 90 minute drive to work, but it is only slightly less routine. I know what to pack, I know what to expect, and I know where everything is. So, a trip like this straddles some kind of middle ground between what most would consider “travel”, and what most would consider just a part of life’s routine.

However, for many, Breckenridge is most definitely a highly sought after travel destination. In fact, according to a fairly recent Travel + Leisure article, Breckenridge is the second most visited North American ski resort, behind only Vail. And, since the printing of that particular article, the resort has actually gotten bigger, with the opening of a whole new section of the resort- Peak 6.

Despite its size, it is actually fairly easy to get around the resort. Each peak on the resort labelled numerically, and both the ski lifts and trails are labelled quite clearly.

A variety of great trails, and panoramic views, already existed before the opening of Peak 6.

Peak 6 added something unique; essentially intermediate level skiing in a wide open area above the tree line.

Even with Peak 6 rising to 12,300 feet, the highest point on the mountain is still the top of Imperial Express.

At 12,840 feet, the very top of the mountain it often gets quite windy. In fact, this part of the resort gets closed quite frequently due to high winds, even on some perfectly sunny days. If there are relatively strong winds at any of the other parts of the mountain, I will often have no desire to come up here, and deal with even stronger wind at this elevation. Luckily for us, Saturday was a relatively calm day, making it an ideal time to head to this part of the mountain. For anyone that can handle the more challenging terrain up here, I would recommend making a trip to the top of the resort at least once on a calmer day, as there are very few places where you can overlook a ski area from above as you can here.

In addition to the popular ski resort, Breckenridge is a pretty vibrant town, especially during ski season, and one that I greatly appreciate. Main Street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and even nightlife, is a mere two blocks from the ski resort’s main Gondola parking. Numerous condos line the roads that offshoot from Park Avenue, providing many visitors with places to stay within walking distance of both the ski lifts and Main Street!

In addition, the town is fairly unique. Surrounding nearly every other ski resort I have visited is a ski village that was built primarily to serve the ski resort. These villages are typically pedestrian-only areas (usually buses can come in) that lie between the main parking lot and the ski resort. Since these towns were built around the ski resorts, they typically have all of the amenities that anyone on a ski trip would need, often including numerous hotels and ski shops. However, Breckenridge, having existed long before the ski resort, offers the experience of a ski town that has the layout, and feel, of a normal town. It feels a bit less like one is visiting a resort village, and more like one is visiting a town that happens to have an incredibly popular ski resort next to it.

With the lighting of the Christmas tree Saturday night, Breckenridge “officially” kicked off the Christmas season. For many, the Christmas season has already begun. In fact, some do not even wait until Thanksgiving to begin preparing for Christmas. However, now, for better or worse, the season has kicked into full gear.

On the drive back Sunday, after another nearly full day of skiing, some lamented that it was time to return to “normal life”. But, did we ever really leave our “normal lives”? All of us involved in this trip live in Denver, and ski up in the mountains quite regularly, carrying season passes to multiple resorts. Having skied 22 days last winter, 18 the year prior, and with the expectation of skiing nearly as frequently this winter, I feel as if last weekend, I was simply enjoying a funner part of my “normal life”. And, this Christmas, I can be thankful that something as fun and enjoyable as skiing in Breckenridge is not a “vacation” or “travel” from which I will return from, but a part of the cadence that represents my “normal life” in its’ current state.

Early Season Skiing

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Winter is on its way! And, unlike in many other parts of the country, here in Colorado, the arrival of winter is highly anticipated by those who love snow and snow related sports. At the highest elevations in the mountains of Central Colorado, snow is possible at any time of year. However, it is not until November when consistent snowpack can be expected at elevations between 8,000 and 12,000 feet, where most of the major ski resorts reside.

For those who truly love skiing or snowboarding, November often becomes somewhat of a waiting game. This year, the snow was late to arrive in the mountains of Colorado. The image below shows the snow pack in the Central Rocky Mountains on November 1st, 10th and 22nd (left, center, and right). As indicated by this image, the month started with virtually no snow in the mountains, as October was quite warm. However, a major shift in the weather pattern around Veterans day (Nov. 11) brought with it much colder weather for most of the Nation, and significant snowfalls to the Central Rockies. The mountain snowpack in Colorado is now closer to the average for this time of year, and the ski resorts have finally been able to open up some of their trails.

It wasn’t 100% my decision to begin my ski season this past Saturday. When is comes to activities like this, decisions on when and where to go very rarely truly rest in the hands of one individual. Functionally, the decision to ski, or take part in any kind of activity in the mountains, is always partially dependent on the schedules of all of the people involved, and partially dependent on the weather.

Saturday’s conditions at Keystone were not too terribly uncommon for early season skiing. As previously mentioned, snowpacks are now close to the typical amounts for mid to late November. However, more recently, the weather warmed up. And, as is not too terribly uncommon for those who try to ski prior to Thanksgiving, temperatures were above freezing by mid-morning on all parts of the mountain, and reached well into the 40s at the base.

One of the biggest issues with skiing this early in the year is that typically not all of the trails have opened yet. On Saturday, most of the trails on the main part of the mountain, Dercum Mountain, were open. However, most of the rest of the mountain remained closed. The result was that a higher volume of skiers and boarders were concentrated on the part of the resort that is open.

The lines for the ski lifts were quite long all day long. At the start of the day, snow conditions were quite good. However, they would deteriorate quite quickly. Despite the fact that the mountain’s overall patronage was just over half what one would expect on a typical weekend day in January or February, by early afternoon much of the opened parts of the resort had become both crowded and “skied off”.

“Skied off” refers to the conditions that occur after thousands of skiers and boarders have already gone down the trail, and moved the snow around as they make their turns. On more powdery days, the snow will often clump up at various portions of the mountain. On a warmer day like Saturday, after this large of a volume of skiers have traversed the mountain, it is pretty common for parts of the mountain to become icy- especially in the steeper areas where more turns are being made and more snow is being pushed down the mountain.

In either circumstance, the conditions become less favorable. In fact, there is somewhat of a divide amongst skiers in the area, with some electing to wait for more enjoyable conditions, and others still believing the trip up to the mountains to be worthwhile.

It has frequently been pointed out to me that although these conditions are far from optimal compared to what can typically be found in Colorado, many other parts of the country cannot be so choosy. Those that have skied a significant amount in the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic will often describe a day like Saturday as a “typical day in New England”. Some have even said that despite the iciness and crowds, these conditions are better than what they typically see in that part of the country.

In the evening, I returned to Denver to see Warren Miller’s film No Turning Back screened at the Paramount Theater. The film featured extreme skiing and snowboarding adventures in various parts of the world. They included incredibly steep terrain, major jumps, and tricks that are undoubtedly life threatening. The people featured in this film were definitely amongst the craziest and most daring in the sport. These are the skiers that would generally not be able to enjoy skiing at a resort on a day like Saturday. Their experience and appetite mandates more; better conditions, more challenging terrain, and, much more significantly, more effort to reach their ideal venues.

I can see some parallels in some of the skiers and boarders I have encountered in Colorado. I have heard people say that they can only truly enjoy skiing if it is a powder day. And, others that stick to back country skiing and hike-to-terrain, both of which require a much greater effort than simply riding on the ski lift or gondola. Maybe this just comes with experience, and improving at something. But, although the moves seem quite bad-ass (for lack of a better way to put it), and I know that the skiing I do will never be something that warrants viewership by an audience, I can’t help but feel like the people in this film are more limited in some ways. These extremely experienced skiers and boarders have overcome limits regarding challenge, but in turn, have new limits, as they are now limited by finding ideal conditions, and ideal locations. These are limitations I still live without, and being able to enjoy skiing Keystone on Saturday November 22nd is a clear demonstration.

The Action Story

Learning about the world and about ourselves through travel and experiences

Category Archives: Outdoor Activities

The Future of Transportation

Testing Our Limits

The End of a Season

More New Experiences

Winter Fun in the Mountains

Vail; Where You Can Have it All?

A 50 Mile Bike Ride in the Dead of Winter

A Stormy January Weekend in the Mountains

Christmastime in Breckenridge

Early Season Skiing