The Manitou Incline | Pike National Forest Manitou Springs, CO | 01/09/21 | 4.46 miles | 2,087' gain After being on our bucket lists for years, Allie and I finally got around to climbing The Manitou Incline (aka The Incline). The Incline is a steep - and I do mean steep - hike that follows …
Butler Gulch | Arapaho National Forest Empire, CO | 01/07/21 | 4.57 miles | 1,449' gain One Thursday in early January, Diana and I snowshoed a popular trail through Butler Gulch. I'm not often convinced to go snowshoeing but I was desperate to get above treeline, plus I had new, fancy snowshoes that needed to …
Timber/Kimmons Loop | Lory State Park Fort Collins, CO | 01/02/21 | 7.56 miles | 1,293' gain For my first hike of 2021, I chose a nice loop close to home in Lory State Park. The Timber and Kimmons Trails seemed to always be closed due to muddy conditions and I'd been waiting for a …
Prairie Ridge Natural Area | Loveland Natural Areas Loveland, CO | 12/25/20 | 7.03 miles | 309' Prairie Ridge is the newest of the City of Loveland's Natural Areas. It just opened in May 2020 and connects to the neighboring Coyote Ridge Natural Area. (Like Coyote Ridge, dogs aren't allowed at Prairie Ridge so our …
Continue reading Prairie Ridge Natural Area | Colorado | 12/25/20
Mount Morrison (7,881') | Matthews/Winters Park Morrison, CO | 12/19/20 | 4.02 miles | 2,022' gain Mount Morrison's south ridge is a popular exercise spot for locals. With an ascent of 2,000' in just 2 miles, it's a quick but steep route often repeated multiple times in a row. The trail starts near Gate 4 …
Continue reading Mount Morrison (7,881′) | Colorado | 12/19/20
Fountain Valley Loop | Roxborough State Park Littleton, CO | 12/13/20 | 3.17 miles | 390' gain After a fresh December snow, I traveled down to Roxborough State Park to hike a short loop through the red sandstone formations. It was a beautiful afternoon and there were plenty of families enjoying the easy Fountain Valley …
Deer Mountain (10,013') | Rocky Mountain National Park Estes Park, CO | 12/06/20 | 6.19 miles | 1,397' gain If you've ever driven into Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) from the main Beaver Meadows entrance station, you've certainly seen Deer Mountain. It's a low, forested peak on the right hand side of the road. If …
Continue reading RMNP: Deer Mountain (10,013′) | Colorado | 12/06/20
Lory State Park's Valley Trails | Lory State Park Fort Collins, CO | 12/03/20 | 8.58 miles | 820' gain Lory State Park might be super busy on summer weekends, but Thursday mornings in December offer a bit of solitude that isn't often found right outside Fort Collins. I took Lady up to hike some …
Continue reading Lory State Park’s Valley Trails | Colorado | 12/03/20
South Shoreline Trail | North Sterling State Park Sterling, CO | 11/27/20 | 7.54 miles | 107' gain One Friday afternoon in late November, I took Lady out to North Sterling State Park to hike the South Shoreline Trail. Kyle and I had visited in April 2020 and hiked the numerous short trails in the …
Continue reading South Shoreline Trail | Colorado | 11/27/20
Red Mountain Loop | Red Mountain Open Space Wellington, CO | 11/21/20 | 9.13 miles | 824' gain Red Mountain Open Space is a fascinating place filled with unexpected canyons and unbelievable red rock. There are plenty of trails and each one is different than the last. I hiked a similar loop onto the Cheyenne …
