A review of the The Great Divide by Stephen Pern. An account of backpacking the Continental Divide in 1983. Read More ...

Continue reading Book review: The Great Divide at PMags.com.

A backpack of the length of the Ferris Mountains. An obscure range in Wyoming with no maintained trails. A wonderful and isolated jaunt. Read More ...

Continue reading Ferris Mountain WSA Walkabout at PMags.com.

A book that contemplates the culture, politics, history and the current clashing of these different cultures along or near the Continental Divide. Read More ...

Continue reading Book overview: The Backbone of The World at PMags.com.

A classic lollipop hike from Bear Lake to Grand Lake and back one fine Fall weekend.

As an impending marriage approaches, there are certain rituals that are done. The wedding site and reception place booked.  Lodging for the guests. "Catering"  prepared. And invitations sent out.  If you clicked on the links, you'll see that it is a very grass roots affair.  A ceremony in the aspen grove with a cook-out after.

Simple. In the foothills of Colorado. And something that reflects the values that someone and I hold. Where community, simplicity and the outdoors can all be had and enjoyed in one memorable and happy day.

Part of this ritual is the bachelor party. At thirty-eight years old, the typical bachelor party did not appeal to me.  Spending lots of money to watch a sea of jiggling silicone while doing shooters of mutli-colored shots is really not something an idea that enthralled me.

Continue reading Bachelor Party on Foot – Bear Lake to Grand Lake and Back at PMags.com.

A weekend near Guanella Pass on or near the Continental Divide. A mixture of single track, cross country and jeep track. Great trip!

(Note: My memory card became corrupted and I lost the second day of photos. 🙁  I placed in some photos from a past trip that took in some of the same sights.)

My favorite type of backpacking is ridge walking.  Walking along on rolling terrain where there are views to where I am going and from where I came. Where I can look off either side of a ridge and see the meadows below and mountains and lakes caused by events far in the geological past/

To me, it is the epitome of the backpacking experience. To hike where the mountains continue far into the horizon and seemingly without end.

There are many ridge walks I've enjoyed since I've started backpacking.

Continue reading On The Great Divide at PMags.com.

The Continental Divide. The three words evokes an image of an endless chain of mountains. With peaks rising into the sky and the valleys far below. To the east lies the Atlantic watershed and to the West the waters flow to the Pacific.

The Continental Divide and the surrounding land is firmly etched into the fabric of the Western landscape.

And to walk this land is to take in some of the most scenic terrain in the American Rockies.

One Saturday in late August, I walked the divide.

And I was not disappointed.

The route chosen would start at Moffat Tunnel (East Portal), up to Heart Lake and then to Rogers Pass. From there I would be almost continuously on the Continental Divide from Rogers Pass to Berthoud Pass.  All told, this hike would be approx 14 miles in length, close to 5000' gain and take in two alpine lakes and five 13ers.

Continue reading Walk the Divide – East Portal to Berthoud Pass at PMags.com.

After a frustrating week of work (and a some frustrating events in my own life in general) and preparing to move into a new place (eating terribly, not exercising enough this past week). I desperately wanted to get out of town for the weekend.

I was invited to a happy hour on Friday. Had another opportunity to "party" on Saturday. But, I wanted the simple joy of being in the backcountry instead.

On Friday, I drove directly to the   Moffat Tunnel trailhead. Loaded up my pack and did a leisurely 4 mile hike to Rogers Pass Lake in the shadow of the Continental Divide. I had planned on hiking further to Heart Lake just above treeline. But the storm hanging on the divide convinced me to find a nice campsite in the trees by the lower of the two lakes instead.

The view towards the divide, the rain gently falling on my shelter, a beer I packed in and a good book all proved to make for relaxing and satisfying Friday evening.

Continue reading Divide Walk Weekend at PMags.com.