Outdoor Project

With its close proximity to Breckenridge, the 2.6-mile round-trip McCullough Gulch Trail is a popular trek that ascends past waterfalls and wildflowers to the picturesque unnamed lake on the doorsteps of 14,265-foot Quandary Peak to the south and 13,950-foot Pacific Peak to the north.

The trailhead is located 2.4 miles west of Highway 9 at the end of unpaved McCullough Gulch Road, which is suitable for passenger vehicles during the summer and fall months. Arriving early helps to secure parking and avoid the peak-season crowds.

Far removed from the bustling summer crowds meandering up the Mount Adams South Route, High Camp offers remarkable views of Mount Adams's glaciated north side and expansive alpine meadows in every direction. Beginning at the popular (and often dusty) Killen Creek Trailhead #113, you’ll quickly find yourself immersed in a subalpine land of summer wildflowers.

Although Mount St Helens erupted in 1980, the impressive aftermath is still ever present. The Mount Margaret backcountry provides an ominous and humbling glimpse into the power of mother nature. Rugged ridges display completely leveled old-growth forests and erosion. Plant life has made a considerable comeback over the years, however, and a wide variety of wildflowers and vegetation cover the volcanic terrain.

Little Baldy is a fairly short hike in Sequoia National Park that few people know about despite being right off the Generals Highway just a few miles north of the crowds at the Giant Forest, General Sherman Tree, and Moro Rock.

One of the most popular attractions in the Steamboat Springs area is Fish Creek Falls. This beautiful feature is easily accessed on a paved trail with nice picnic areas--all just a few minutes outside of town. Most people never venture beyond viewing the lower falls, but for those who want a bit more solitude and a very satisfying hike with an even better waterfall, the trail to Upper Fish Creek Falls is perfect.

Hiking Lassen Peak in the summer and fall is very rewarding. The incredible views of Northern California that include Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mount Shasta and the Trinity Alps is well worth the ascent. This hike is also perfect during a full moon, as the trail has been recently renovated and is easy to see.

Hatchet Creek Falls is a popular swimming hole and cliff jumping destination in Shasta County. The falls are split by a fallen tree that has been made into a makeshift staircase, providing easy and fun access to surrounding cliffs. There are many places to jump from of varying height. In winter months the water is near freezing due to snowmelt, but in the summer months the temperature warms a bit and is a perfect escape from the heat.

The Medicine Bow Mountains run for 100 miles from Cameron Pass in northern Colorado up to just south of I-80 in southern Wyoming. The Wyoming portion is called the Snowy Range, and this little mountain range is a wonderfully accessible and beautiful piece of Rocky Mountain high country. The high point of the Snowy Range is 12,013-foot Medicine Bow Peak, and this peak makes a relatively easy climb with great 360-degree views.

The Sugarloaf Recreation Area is in many ways the center of recreational opportunities in the Snowy Range of southern Wyoming. Encompassing a campground, several lakes and major trailheads that lead to dozens of other lakes, the possibilities are endless. The Snowy Range has two major ridges running north/ to south, and between them sits a low pass. The trail over this pass is called Gap Lakes, and the trailhead is the Lewis Lake Trailhead. The trail has a few moderate climbs but is not difficult, and the rewards are tremendous.

The best hike out of Brooklyn Lake is undoubtedly the Lost Lake Trail (also called Glacier Lakes Trail). This trail runs between Brooklyn Lake and the Lewis Lake Trailhead, and it parallels the northern crest of the Snowy Range down to the gap between the range's two ridges. Along the way it passes at least a half dozen named lakes and several more unnamed lakes and ponds.