Looking for good day hike ideas esp in Colorado? Check out ProTrails.com

Fairly often, I receive an e-mail that states:  “What’s are some good day hikes in Colorado?”

More often than not, I can easily rattle of some favorites.

Invariably, though, as I start listing off my hikes, I tend to link to the same site often for more detailed info: ProTrails.com

A site that started off Colorado focused, it now has many day hikes listed for other areas in not just the American West but also in Florida and North Carolina.

It is the Front Range area where I really made use of site quite a bit over the years.

Need some hiking ideas in Golden Gate Canyon State Park or in the Indian Peaks Wilderness?  ProTrails has it.

The site has excellent route descriptions for each hike,  GPS coordinates, a downloadable trail map, trail head info and other misc info that is often needed for hiking logistics (e.g.

Continue reading Web Site of The Week – ProTrails.com at PMags.com.

Another Boulder Weekly article.  This time about five classic hikes in the Boulder Open Space.

As I said in the article "For many, the best part of living in Boulder is the Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) system, which features peaks over 8,000 feet, abounds with wildflowers in the spring, and has trails that range the spectrum from easy strolls to challenging jaunts that can take most of the day to complete. The Open Space system is a reason why many Boulderites still call the People’s Republic home."

A little more edited than previous articles (at leas the print version), I for one would never talk about the "lilting downward spiral of notes that make up the tiny canyon wren"  and I sure as heck would not advise "wearing sturdy boots".  (Boots are for trail work! Not hiking on trails! :D)

But, I did say the rather snarky comment of "Sanitas is on the site of an old sanitarium.

Continue reading Classic Boulder – Five ways to spend your day in city open space at PMags.com.

People who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing they like.
–attributed to Abe Lincoln
 
Ever year, a transition happens. The snow melts in the high country and does not leave quite enough for skiing but still too much for backpacking.
My eyes turn to the foothills.
I start to think of hiking and put away the skis for the season.
But there is always one last trip. One last chance to glide along the powder in the shadow of the Continental Divide.
My buddy d-low (aka Broseph Shred-low) invited me out Good Friday for a tour at Brainard Lake sans the weekend crowds. Why was Friday good? Because I was going skiing! Joining us would be my other friend Kevin.
The first part of the skiing was good with some great views to the divide.

 
Alas, towards the end the weather warmed up considerably.

Continue reading Boulder Super Slam 2009 at PMags.com.