What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fall hiking? Fall colors? Chilly mornings? Rainy days? It really does vary by where you’re hiking. However, there is one thing that nearly every fall hike has in common…variable weather! No matter where you are you can expect to encounter changing weather in the fall.
If you’re like us, no matter how fun and exciting your adventure plans, sometimes the snacks you pack is anything but fun and exciting. Often, we plan an adventure at the last minute, grab a couple of the same pre-packaged bars that we always keep in the kitchen, and eventually ingest a mostly tasteless cube of calories for strictly functional reasons, to prevent bonking. Let’s fix that!
We tend to seek out the lesser known areas for our own adventures. This year we opted to spend our fall road trip weekend in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area, located on the western slopes of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The Flat Tops Wilderness is a bit further north than the better known parts of the western slopes…but it is gorgeous, even when there’s a smokey haze.
We often see photos of beautiful trails and epic mountain summits in the Colorado Rockies but you don’t need to hike up a mountainside to experience the beauty of the Rockies. There are roads winding through the mountains that offer up stunning views. Colorado has nearly 100 mountain passes accessible by road [some paved, some very rugged]. This article highlights five of the most scenic mountain passes that are easily accessible. We also have five lesser known passes available via downloadable PDF to take your mountain road trip to the next level!
Most of us know what 3 miles feel like on our local bike path or what it means to gain the elevation of a flight of stairs in our house. But sometimes when reading a trail description, the metrics don’t mean much until we’re hours into a hike, struggling perpetually upward, wondering how these 3 miles could feel so different than those bike path miles.
Crispy morning air. Sweaters + scarves + beanies. Pumpkin spice…everything. It sure does feel like fall here in the Rocky Mountains, which means the colors will be POPPIN’ very soon! Are you ready to explore the trails blanketed in aspen leaves?
Let us get you started with a list of the best trails to find fall colors…
Whether you’re ready or not, FALL IS HERE. The peaks of the Colorado Rocky Mountains are popping with the bright yellow of fall, the air is crispy in the morning and the wildlife is busy preparing for winter. This is the perfect time of year to head into the mountains — the crowds are manageable, you are likely to see wildlife and the mountains are on fire with color.
The best way to treat a snakebite is to avoid snakes, but what if you do get bit? Let’s delve into why snakes bite, what types of snakes have venom, how to prevent snakebites and…worst case scenario…how to treat a snakebite in the wilderness. We discuss both group and solo backcountry treatment methods.
In reality, if you only have 48 hours in London, like I did…skip the lists + just roam. If you deck yourself out with some comfy walking shoes [or boots, in my case] + a rain jacket you can see all of the iconic sights on foot. I did cover 5-10+ miles each day, but I also roamed without an agenda.
Heat-related illnesses fall on a spectrum ranging from mild to life-threatening. It’s critical to understand how to prevent these issues, which is a topic covered in detail in a subsequent section. It’s also important to be able to distinguish between different heat-related issues and know how to treat each one, bearing in mind that the goal is to prevent a smaller problem from progressing into more serious conditions.