Students and professors at the University of Colorado, Boulder have been studying the effects of black carbon on ice and snow in ecosystems around the world. Black carbon is the byproduct of fossil fuels and wildfires and can be carried long distances via atmospheric transport. Researchers use molecular analysis and have so far proved that Greenland’s ice sheet has been effected by wildfires burning all the way in the Canadian Arctic. Wildfires are predicted to increase in the future, threatening to negatively impact other ice sheets across the globe. According to Scientific America, climate... Read More

It’s more than just a song lyric—rainy days really can get you down! Weather has a definite effect on our emotions. About 9 percent of people fall into a “rain haters” category, a group that feels angrier and less happy on days with more precipitation.  When it’s dark and dreary, some of us are more susceptible to feeling lonely or down. A lack of sunlight can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This mood disorder usually affects people during the months when daylight becomes more scarce. When exposed to less sunlight, your body produces more melatonin, the hormone which... Read More

Sam  is a passionate skier, music lover, and awesome photographer. You’ll find him cruisin’ up to the top of Flagstaff to catch a sunset, or waking up early to hit the slopes during the winter time. When the sun goes down, he’s jammin’ out to tunes at Red Rocks and catching some epic moments during concerts that throw down.  Read More

Winter is not a fun time to date.  On the coldest of days you might not feel like going anywhere or doing anything.  You’re bundled up in your warmest, perhaps least sexy-feeling clothes and have hat hair.  So how do you break out of the winter dating funk? Here are some tips to make your winter dating experience a little brighter. Tell your friends.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help from those who love you. There’s a feeling of trust that comes from meeting your friends’ friends. It can be scary to tell people that you’re looking for love, but 39% of people report meeting their mate... Read More

If you’ve ever worked in a cube farm, you know the difficulty of establishing a temperature that suits everyone.  As someone who was cold natured, I frequently wore a sweater in the office on sweltering August days. Now that I work from home, I have complete control of the environmental temperature in my work space. While there are factors that influence how cold natured you are, such as low body fat, being cold could be a symptom of a health condition.  The most common condition that causes one to feel cold is anemia. Anemia is a blood disorder caused by a shortage of red blood cells,... Read More

Winter gets cold in Boulder. It can be hard to bundle up and get out of the house, but the winter temperature should be no excuse. There’s lots of great activities to do in Boulder (even when it’s freezing outside), and that’s why this list has been assembled. Let’s get started. 1. See a Great Concert. Boulder has a fantastic music scene, partially because of its two incredible venues. The Fox Theater is a great, central venue to see concerts. It’s local, it hosts some incredible artists, and it’s got great personality. The Boulder Theater is also a great place... Read More

Snow, snow, and more snow! As the flakes keep falling, it’s the perfect time to grab a sled and hit the smaller slopes of Boulder. Or in this case, the Flatirons! Rick insist, “if you are hiking all the way up, might as well sled down.” Well, mind blown Rick. Brilliant! Next time I find myself hiking in the snow, I’ll grab the old sled on my way out and make my descent far more entertaining.  Read More

This dynamic couple moved to the Boulder area ten years ago after meeting in Seattle and tying the knot. After meeting in college, these two realized that they loved sharing outdoor adventures together and for them, that created an unbreakable bond. After their wedding, they decided they were ready for some new adventures, so they said goodbye to Seattle and hello to Boulder. “Nothing can beat the Colorado Rockies,” says Molly, “we see ourselves here for quite some time.” You can see their smiles and happiness radiating all the way down the trail. It was a pleasure meeting... Read More

Winter is here! What better way to celebrate the arrival of snow then going our for a day in the flatirons? Mark spent his day embracing the cold in style, throwing on layers and finding deep snow in the backcountry. This is his third winter here in Colorado, and his first in Boulder. His favorite activities include hiking, snowboarding, and just being outside! In this picture, he lays in the snow and catches his breath. Nice to meet you Mark!  Read More

Imagine, getting back from a long day in Denver. It’s cold, it’s dark, and there’s some minor evening traffic. Then, you ascend the final hill towards Boulder, and you’re greeted by the bright shape of a star on the mountains. That’s the moment I wait for every November. During Veteran’s Day last week, the star began its annual winter residency in Boulder. The star is an important symbol, and no Boulder winter is complete without the giant glowing shape on Flagstaff Mountain. It provides a little extra light in a season when days are shorter and nights... Read More

When you hear people talk about Eldora here in Boulder County nearly everyone’s mind goes to the same place: Eldora Ski Resort. But have you ever been to the Historic town of Eldora just below the popular ski resort? Admittedly, there isn’t a whole lot to be found here as many of the town buildings are shuttered with a few newer cabins and homes scattered around the valley, but if you are up for a snowshoe adventure this is the spot for you. A one-time gold mining camp, Eldora is neatly tucked back into Roosevelt National Forest. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic... Read More

For the dedicated rider, bike commuting is a year-round affair. Sure, there are plenty of fair-weather commuters who hang up their bikes as soon as it starts to rain, but for those really committed to riding their bikes to work, there is no offseason. Instead, Denver’s winter bike commuters must re-asses and prepare for less clement weather. It’s a good idea to get some bike tuning done each spring and fall regardless of your riding habits to ensure your bike is running smoothly. Road bike tuning every fall might seem unnecessary; after all, if the bike is running fine, why pay to mess with... Read More

There are few things as inspiring as a bluebird winter day here in Colorado, perfect for getting out and exploring, and that is exactly what I found when I arrived at Caribou Ranch Open Space earlier this week. Rich with history, this area is home to the former route of the Denver, Boulder and Western Railroad that ran from 1904 to 1919 and a place that miners once flocked to for work. You might even spot the DeLonde Barn on your way around the Bluebird Loop trail, which was once home to a recording studio that attracted many of the musical greats including Elton John, Rod Stewart, and Chicago. Caribou... Read More

                        1.  Time First let me say that I enjoy skiing as much as the next guy, but we live in Boulder not Breckenridge.  To get up to the mountains it will take at least an hour and a half, and that’s with no traffic and dry roads.  Realistically it’s more like two to two and a half hours of driving time.  Thats four to five hours of sitting in the car round trip.  I come from a big city and I can’t stand traffic.  To me five hours of skiing is just not worth five hours of sitting in traffic.   2.... Read More

In part one of this post, which you can read here, I addressed why I lived a very regimented life for nearly two decades (and, yes, I’m not so naïve to think that I don’t still possess this quality – I simply know that I now manifest it in a way that feels healthy to who I am as a person). The second part of this post, which you are obviously reading at this very moment, addresses more specifically HOW I got here. To buy an Airstream and commit to a full-time nomadic lifestyle, more or less, was not an overnight decision. In fact, I started looking at them a year before actually biting the... Read More

With the weather finally cooling down a bit, ski resorts are looking to start the new season. “We could go any night,” said Alan Henceroth, chief operating officer at Arapahoe Basin. “We could go on an hour’s notice. We’re thinking towards the end of the week, we’ll have a good chance to make some snow.” Arapahoe Basin will be competing with Loveland and Keystone to be the first Colorado ski area to open for the season. Arapahoe Basin: Mid-October Loveland: Mid-October Keystone: October TBD Wolf Creek: Nov. 1 Breckenridge: Nov. 8 Copper Mountain: Nov. 8 Winter Park: Nov. 14 Vail:... Read More

Today marked the first snow of the season in Denver and Boulder, and as winter approaches, so does the need to get your ski trip(s) planned and lift and plane tickets booked! After coming off a rough 2017-2018 winter, you may be wondering where to shoot for this season. While it’s hard to go wrong with any of Colorado’s ski terrain, a whole trip can be “boom or bust” based on snow conditions. Luckily, NOAA and ENSO are here to help you make the most educated decision as possible. All indications so far are good news for powder chasers looking to explore Colorado’s terrain this season!... Read More

Meet Carlos Alvarez-Aranyos.  Carlos is a local business owner, world explorer, and entrepreneur.  Carlos is originally from the Dominican Republic but is truly a citizen of the world. Carlos has traveled all over the world and could be in the running for the next “Most Interesting Man in the World.”  Some of Carlos’ adventures include a motorcycle ride to the Arctic Circle, serving as a judge for a Miss USA contest, and a trek across India in a rickshaw.  He has held jobs working for the U.S. Department of Defense under the Obama administration, and that’s just scratching... Read More

Today marks one week that I have been laid up with injury. The days have crept by slowly, and the nights have felt interminable, hours seeping through the air like the languid flow of blood beneath my wounds. At its worst, my own pulse was a scream in the quiet dark. This fragility of body is something that I have not felt in quite some time – the last eighteen months have seen me at my peak. Having never been athletic before, at least not passionately so, since beginning to climb I have seen positive transformations in myself that I never thought I would witness. I have never felt so strong,... Read More

Part of what first drew me to climbing was the opportunity for meditation, the necessity to focus on my movements and to remain absolutely present within myself, denying my mind its usual, incessant chatter. This has been key for me, and is probably my main motivation for going back to the rope again and again – yes, I love being in nature, and pushing the bounds of my own physicality, and even the rushes of adrenaline have grown on me. But when I really think about it, my greatest gratitude on the wall is everything that is not there with me. So alluring is this release that it is becoming difficult... Read More