Outdoor Project

Towering above Highway 395 and the town of Lone Pine with a summit elevation of 12,944 feet, Lone Pine Peak is a popular and highly rewarding alpine climb in the Sierra Nevadas. Most approaches for this climb leave from the Whitney Portal Trailhead, though there is no single trail and there are various routes to the top. Climbers should be prepared with strong wayfinding skills in addition to trad climbing experience and equipment. Expect to spend 15 hours on this climb.

Rocky Mountain National Park offers so many hiking options for all abilities and interests that it can be difficult to choose one. The Loch Vale comes very highly recommended. Less crowded than the hike to Dream Lake, it is nonetheless a busy and popular trail. Take the free shuttle to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, as parking is limited.

The Alpine Visitor Center is perched precariously on a ridge between two deep valleys just a few miles from the Continental Divide. The wind is often brutal up here, and most visitors don’t venture far from the store, cafe, and main visitor center, opting to view the surrounding alpine tundra through the windows. For the slightly more adventurous, there is a short, steep trail up to a small peak just north of the parking lot that offers even more spectacular views and a tangible experience of the brutality of this harsh environment.

Within a relatively short distance from Boulder and Denver, the Indian Peaks Wilderness offers opportunities to hike through subalpine forests and experience the seemingly alien tundra environment above the tree line. The trail to Mitchell Lake and Blue Lake, just over 6 miles round-trip with some 1,200 feet of elevation gain, makes for an easy to moderate day hike with beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife.

Speed, speed, and more speed. Stumpjumper is a high-velocity experience that is guaranteed to become one of your favorite trails. Deep, thick forests with rich undergrowth and hard-packed soil make this an unforgettable ride.

There are dozens of new and old trails at Mount Seymour. Some of the older trails have been around since the beginning of the freeride movement, and Pangor is one of these.

Tanners Flat is a charming campground about two-thirds of the way up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Heavy foliage hangs over most of the camp, and many of the sites are adjacent to Little Cottonwood Creek. During the summer months the hummingbirds buzz all around your tent, and there are a few short dirt trails to explore near the river on the southwest end. Many small- and medium-sized waterfalls dot the river along the sites. From this campground you have great access to the many hikes in Little Cottonwood, and the White Pine Trailhead is just up the road.

A Colorado backcountry classic, Four Pass Loop travels around the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area over four mountain passes that exceed 12,000 feet. The loop extends for a total of 27 miles and includes more than 8,000 feet of elevation gain. The route is a grand tour through meadows, valleys, alpine lakes, streams, and wildflowers. Wildlife is abundant as black bears, moose, mountain goats, elk, deer, porcupines, and a variety of birds all call the White River National Forest home.

Hearts race and palms sweat as thrill seekers peer over the edge. The anxiety before the 20-foot plunge into Devils Punchbowl is washed away when cliff jumpers hit the ice cold emerald water below.

Big things sometimes come in small packages, and the short, 1.2-mile round-trip hike to Linkins Lake near Independence Pass is no exception.