Each day, darkness descends upon us faster and faster. Days shrink unnoticeably at first, but soon, these minutes add up until the darkness is inescapable. Daily rituals change, our skin dries and cra…

Each day, darkness d…

Each day, darkness descends upon us faster and faster. Days shrink unnoticeably at first, but soon, these minutes add up until the darkness is inescapable. Daily rituals change, our skin dries and cracks in the cold, windows close, and furnaces remain on call. Something terrifying is happening: the seasons are changing. We begin to dream of going South, somewhere untouched by this ghostly hand, a place where the sun still beats on bold rock faces and the air is alive with warmth. Though, for many of us, this is merely a fantasy, we may escape for a week or two, but in the end, we return to the…

Hikes in the Front Range are easy, the grasslands slowly fade into open Ponderosa Pine forests, and elevation builds gradually. Slowly, a looming forest distorts the city noise, and thoughts easily dr…

Hikes in the Front R…

Hikes in the Front Range are easy, the grasslands slowly fade into open Ponderosa Pine forests, and elevation builds gradually. Slowly, a looming forest distorts the city noise, and thoughts easily drift away from the stress of everyday life. As the slopes steepen and weather becomes more temperate, the open Ponderosa pine forest fades into a mesh of Douglas Firs and large boulders shape the trails. The sound of a small creek replaces the need for a soundtrack; sunglasses are no longer necessary as ever-thickening canopy blocks the rays of the sun. Time seems to slow and tensions diffus…

When did we start running from each other, rather than running to nature? So often, when people explain their motivation for outdoor adventures it sounds something like “I wanted to get away for a b…

When did we start ru…

When did we start running from each other, rather than running to nature? So often, when people explain their motivation for outdoor adventures it sounds something like “I wanted to get away for a bit,” or “I just couldn’t sit in the office any more.” Nature has become a vehicle for escape; it has become something so different from our everyday lives that we seek its cover to hide from cell phone service, bills, and road rage. We so desperately need a break from the stress of living indoors, that the outdoors, with its un-mowed grass and sloppy edges, allows us to see another world, …

It is summer in Colorado, this means hiking 14ers, trail running in the Front Range, and swimming in cold mountain lakes. Unfortunately, it also means afternoon storms capable of moving quickly and pr…

It is summer in Colo…

It is summer in Colorado, this means hiking 14ers, trail running in the Front Range, and swimming in cold mountain lakes. Unfortunately, it also means afternoon storms capable of moving quickly and producing hail, lightning, and rain. About two weeks ago, 15 people were injured by a lightning strike while hiking on Mount Bierstadt. Hikers that day say that the storm crept in quickly, almost unnoticed, and before they realized the extent of the danger, lightning struck, sending three individuals to the hospital and killing their dog (Villanueva, Sylte, "3 Hospitalized After Mt. Bierstadt Lightn…