You know what I love? Camping. You know what I don’t love as much? Paying as much as I would for a hotel room for a night! Luckily, there are plenty of free campsites in and around the front range, and we’ve compiled some for you to get you started!   West Magnolia Ridge 602-610 County Highway 132-W Nederland, Colorado GPS: 39.946961, -105.517587 Elevation: 8711′ If you can brave rough camping accessed by a currently washed-out road, you’re in for a treat. This site is near Nederland and many hiking trails with sweeping views of the forests and mountains. Pets are allowed, and... Read More

Let’s face it Colorado is beautiful in the fall but for some, it just is not their favorite time to camp.  While most days are absolutely beautiful and make great camping weather some days see 40-degree swings between the highs and lows and it can get pretty damn chilly at night. Maybe you read my article about the 7 features to consider when buying a winter sleeping bag and you bought that sleeping bag and you’re still cold.  Well, you have a few options, you could go back to California, Texas, or Florida because you clearly aren’t cut out for this state or… you know go camping... Read More

So it is indeed getting chillier… but SO WHAT. You are a devout outdoorsman or outdoorswoman and nothing less than apocalyptic plague of locust would stop you from racing up mountains, rambling through rivers, or taking Zibeon, your falcon, out for a jaunt. A great place to start is   at the Hessie Trailhead, which leads into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, no matter your level of outdoorsy-ness. I list several hike options below ranging from easy to difficult. Easy Hikes First Waterfalls on Middle Boulder Creek: A very short hike from the actual trailhead, and just over 0.6 mile from parking... Read More

  According to the American Public Transportation Association, “the transportation sector produces one-third of greenhouse gas emissions in the united states.” This means that being concerned about the future of our planet includes being concerned with how you are getting around. One option might be moving closer to where you are travelling to, but you might want to consider the alternative forms of transportation in our modern city. Luckily, this is Boulder, where we have great alternative methods of transportation such as B-cycle, the regional bus system, and eGo carshare. B-cycle There... Read More

There’s a saying about the cruel effect that money has on the quality of a product: “It eats quality and poops quantity”, William Burroughs. (Ok fine, he uses a different word for poop). For so many expanding businesses, this insight seems to be true. Quality of product is surrendered to the quantity produced, as companies’ main goals are to become as large as possible, while trading in the integrity of their original products. Newton Running Shoes and ROLL Recovery (in my last two posts) have proved to evade this sentence, succeeding based on their commitment to quality, rather than quantity,... Read More

  Rabbit Mountain is large wide-open park just north of Longmont and south of Lyons off of Hwy 66. The park boasts a total trail miles of 6.1 and is open to hikers, leashed dogs, equestrians, and bicyclists. I recommend heading for the Eagle Wind Loop Trail, 2.5 mile loop. After you head up the trail from the parking lot, you’ll reach the service road and then begin the Eagle Wind trail. It is not a super steep incline at any point but there is an incline. The trail winds through open meadow to mountain brush and ponderosa pines giving multiple views to the western mountains and then... Read More

Living in Boulder has countless benefits. There is a coffee shop, trail run, or climbing gym on every corner, but most importantly, the Front Range is littered with boulders and sport crags. If you’ve only got an afternoon to spend climbing, there are a handful of spots within a fifteen-minute drive or short hike. The list here is certainly not exhaustive, but these three locations have some great rock and quality lines. Flagstaff Flagstaff is an epicenter for bouldering. Some love it, some hate it, but if you are looking for roadside boulders, this is the place to go. The rough granite at... Read More

Eastern skies brim with light, streetlights flicker, until one by one, they switch off, leaving only the pale sun to illumination the empty roads. It is early, coffee steeps in an old French press, I rub the sleep from my eyes with fingers cut and callused from a summer spent climbing. Typically, the only prospect powerful enough to pull me away from sleep before sunrise is the idea of climbing or hiking in the seclusion of the alpine bubble, but today, I’m working. More precisely, I am working before work, because at some point in the last few years, I have become extremely busy. My life... Read More

I stood on a small slanted ledge about two hundred feet above Eldorado Canyon, craning my neck, staring upwards, trying to catch a glimpse of my climbing partner, who had ventured into the third pitch of the classic Bastille Crack. As I stood there anchored into the wall, a number 12 stopper slipped from its carabineer somewhere above and fell, clipping the corner of my helmet as it bounced to the base of the climb. About 30 seconds later I heard my partner’s voice echo against the canyon walls, it was a voice diffused by thousands of pounds of granite, but still saturated with frustration. I... Read More

I love our parks. The open spaces in and around Boulder are part of what makes it such a special place. We live in a beautiful bubble; open forested foothills to our west, gradual open slopes to our north, and thriving farms and grasslands to our south and east. Many Boulderites know that the open space doesn’t just benefit the citizenry, but a huge array of life. In fact, Boulder County has the highest number of unique species of birds, plants, and mammals in Colorado. Unfortunately, this is all threatened by invasive species. One such weed is purple loosestrife, both pretty and evil. About... Read More

Boulder has a very diverse range of temperatures throughout the year. We’ve seen its brutal arctic temperatures in the winter, and now that the summer solstice is exactly twenty-one days away, we should prepare ourselves for the relaxing summer heat. This heat can be intense, however, and at times it may be too much to bear. You could choose to just lock yourself in a refrigerator for the summer, but that’s probably not your cup of tea. Instead, you might enjoy checking out some of Boulder’s best outdoor public pools. Eldorado Swimming Pool Eldorado State Park is a beautiful... Read More

Hiking is one of Boulder’s best summer activities. It’s a great way to get outside, see some sights, and catch up on the latest gossip with some friends. Nature is unpredictable though, and hikers must always be prepared for everything. That’s why I’ve prepared a list of hiking tips. 1. Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated is absolutely key for hiking. Dehydration causes headaches and altitude sickness, which are the last two things you want to encounter on a trail. Another thing that you don’t want is Giardia, which is a very unpleasant infection that will force you... Read More

Throughout my life, hiking has always been something that both excites and terrifies me. Before I even had ability to walk, my parents would carry me in their backpacks along their hikes. As a very young child, I looked at the environment in wonder. I didn’t have the slightest idea what I was looking at, but the incredible color palette of the Boulder County trails kept me coming back for more. It kept me curious, and gave me an unshakeable feeling of wanderlust many years before I even knew what the word meant. As I grew, I gradually felt more comfortable in nature. My childhood curiosity... Read More

The Mesa Trail is the kind of trail where you’ll want to keep your eyes open. It’s a trail where you’ll get incredible views of the Flatirons and a chance to see a lot of wildlife. Other than the dogs you will probably see on the trail (because the trail is dog-friendly), you’ll see falcons, songbirds, coyotes, deer, and red-tailed hawks. Black bears and mountain lions have also been spotted in this area as well, but it’s highly unlikely that you’ll encounter either of these ferocious beasts on your trip to the Mesa trail. The trail itself runs along the base... Read More

Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a glorious place. Home to Longs Peak, the Diamond, Emerald Lake, Bierstadt Lake, Bear Lake, and much more. There are hikes with tear-inducing views, incredible climbing, and world-class fishing. At a time when the Front Range is too hot to climb and local rivers are too fast to fish, it is time to head to The Park. The Park is the ultimate outdoor oasis for both Colorado natives and Colorado newbies. With over 300 miles of hiking trails, The Park has something for everybody: from more difficult hikes like The Keyhole Route up Longs Peak to casual strolls to... Read More

Spring is in the air, and with warmer weather comes one of my favorite times of year: Farmer’s Market season! If you’ve never shopped at a farmer’s market before, you may not be as excited as I am. Luckily for you, I’m here to tell you why you should be! Get Seasonal The food you buy at farmer’s markets is fresh and local, so the selection changes based on what is ready to harvest. This is a great excuse to try new recipes and eat like our ancestors did. Variation is good for your body and keeps cooking exciting! Support Your Community Farmer’s markets specifically... Read More

Settler’s Park is a pretty area with an array of short trails. With red rocks, springing up from the same formation that caused the well known music doused Red Rocks in Morrison, CO- the Fountain Formation- Settler’s park is alive with geology, ecology, and history. As City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks says on their website: “Settlers’ Park got its name because it was thought to be the location of the first permanent camp of American settlers in the Boulder area.” That was back in 1858, when the area was still just being explored. You can find more information... Read More

Despite the occasional snow this winter, there has been many beautiful days for hiking. While you may not be ready for a winter Fourteener, I think you can definitely summit some of these super close beautiful mountains with amazing views. Just be sure to bring your crampons! Although some of these trails at the right time you may not need the crampons. My list gets progressively harder, so start at the top and climb your way up to the tops of those mountains first. 1. Bald Mountain, 1.5 miles one way: From Boulder, head west on Mapleton and on up about 7 miles on Sunshine Canyon. The small Boulder... Read More

Boulder is famous for the majestic sandstone flatirons jutting from the mountainside above the town. Most people probably know that you can hike these soaring monoliths. The first and second flatiron trail is one of the most popular in Boulder County, climbing 2.7 miles through rocky debris and pine forests to sit among the boulders for which the city is named. Our Ratings: Crowd: 2/5. This is a very busy trail. On fair days and weekends you’ll be following a steady stream of other hikers up and down the mountain. Even at sunrise and during the winter the trail is well populated. If you’re... Read More

Boulder, CO, often known as the Boulder Bubble, is a magical place. It is a place where hipsters, bros, and outdoor enthusiasts gather. There are likely just as many yoga studios as there are dispensaries, hiking trails often appear in the middle of neighborhoods, and you can witness people biking to work in the middle of a snowstorm. The ambiance is so strong it is almost visible, and what better way to view the Bubble than from five separate peaks that make up the Skyline Traverse. In one very long day, you can summit Mount Sanitas, Flagstaff Mountain, Green Mountain, Bear Peak, and South Boulder... Read More