There’s been snow recently but it’s a nice day and we’d like to do a little hiking with my dad and Jezze. The lower trailhead for the Maxwell Falls trail is below 8000 feet, but looks pretty snowy when we get there. It’s on a north-facing slope, but we try it out and find the…

Coyote Ridge Trail starts somewhat unceremoniously just south of the Fort Collins landfill, crosses the prairie, and climbs up the hogback formations that run along the front range here. I like hiking in the prairie. The breeze rustling the dry grass, prairie dogs chirping, and killdeer calling all characterize the land where I was born,…

It’s a bright, warm, summery day. At last, I feel well enough to venture out. We drive up to The Palace for a little climbing. The river crossing is still at low winter levels, even with temperatures in the sixties. I’m able to rock-hop across. Cedar creek is blind as usual at the mouth, but…

On our way back from Winter Park we stop in Golden to meet Kate & Mark for some climbing at the sunny North Table Mountain crag. This place has often treated us to good early season sport climbing, and it does so again today. After a long, cold winter, lounging outdoors in short sleeves is…

Three more inches of snow fall during the night, and we’re on the Zephyr lift at 9 am under blue skies. We split up to take different routes to the Mary Jane side of the ski area. In the trees on a run called Outhouse I have my best powder run of the season, sinking…

Ann’s brother Ryan and his wife Danielle have made their way to Colorado for some snowboarding, and they are here after a week of snowfall in the mountains. We spend the morning making our way to the Winter Park Ski Area, check into the Sundowner motel, and hop on the free shuttle to the ski…

Doug gets us some discounted lift tickets for Eldora Mountain Resort, and we celebrate his 25th birthday in some sweet soft snow. They had 10 inches of new snow yesterday, and more before that. It’s windy, but in the sheltered areas it is really nice. Eldora seems comparable in size and layout to Bogus Basin…

Mark and Kate take us up the Poudre Canyon to look for a good winter snowshoe and spilt board tour. As we gain altitude the cloud cover grows, but the temperature feels balmy, above freezing. We decide to head for Lake Agnes, one of my favorite mountain lakes, and also one I’ve never visited in…

From the Wiktionary definition: ass over teakettle, sometimes ass over teacups: (idiomatic) (US) Tumbling upside down… It’s our last day in Jackson. One inch of new snow is enough to bring us back to Teton Village for lift tickets, hoping for more snow during the day. There is more snow, but it comes with more…