Eric SchuetteExplorer

The beautiful and iconic Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness is home to some of the most amazing scenery and adventures to be had in all of Colorado. It is world-famous for the Maroon Bells, two challenging 14ers just outside of Aspen, Colorado. The third 14er, Pyramid Peak is also considered a classic hike and all serve as sentinels to a wonderfully scenic wilderness area. If you're making a quic...

From the Ice Lakes trailhead begin hiking through a meadow that quickly enters the forest and begins to climb. The trail will climb ~1,600 feet in the next two miles. As the trail climbs there is a scenic waterfall just over .5 miles, it is worth it to scamper up for a closer look (at ~1.0 miles there you can get a nice vantage point from the top of the same falls). After the waterfall, the tra...

The Ross Creek Cedar area is a really cool area in Northwest Montana that houses some monstrous Western Red Cedar Trees (some of which have a diameter of over 12 feet and over 500 years old!). The grove is one of the few in the area that still has some really beautiful old-growth forest. Due to its beauty and location this roughly 100-acre grove was spared from the logging that has taken most o...

Skagsanden is one the small and beautiful beaches that seem to be everywhere in the Lofoten area of Norway. Skagsanden is only a few yards from the parking lot, which makes access very easy. Skasgaden is perhaps best known for the intricate patterns in the sand where a small stream flows into the ocean. One could spend hours walking and seeing new patterns/angles the entire time. The rest of th...

From the parking lot walk across the road to the small sign indicating which way the trail begins through the bushes. The beginning of the trail heads through the birch forest and can be boggy in places. In the winter the trail can be hard to follow at times but on average stay to the right and you should be able to follow the path. After 10-15 minutes you will likely start clearing the trees a...

This 20-foot pool is surrounded by beautiful peaks, and is only a short distance from the parking area. Keep in mind this spot is popular on the weekends.

Pawnee Campground has 47 sites for suited for tents, RVs, or trailers with eight that are walk in and tent only. These can fill up quick so get there early if you don't have a reservation, which can be tough to come by but will be well worth it.Brainard Lake has been one of the most popular hiking destinations in the front range for but more recently has become more popular as a camping destina...

Begin by parking at the 4th of July trailhead. This can be reached by conituing past the Eldora ski area and up a rough but passable (for all vehicles) gravel road to the trailhead. The trail is easy to find, and will continue to rise for the next 1.15 miles.At just over a mile there is a fork for the Arapaho pass/Diamond Lake split. Take the Arapaho pass trail to the left and continue hiking. ...

This is a beautiful campground that serves as a great basecamp for many different outdoor activities in the Front Range. Whether you are looking for a casual day fishing or trying to knock one of the nearby 14ers off of your bucket list, this is an excellent place to begin. There are also abandoned “ghost towns” and the historic Georgetown nearby for those interested in local history.There are ...

Treasure Falls is reached via short .4 mile walk from the parking lot on highway 160 about 15 miles outside Pagosa Springs (which is home to the worlds deepest hot springs). There is a paved path and dirt trail that both end up at the falls and if you are inclined, make into a loop. There is a bridge that crosses the creek just below the falls or you can continue up a couple hundred feet to the...

There are several ways to reach finch lake but this will cover the route from the Finch Lake Trailhead in the wild basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. You can also loop it with other trails in the area or begin at the Allenspark Trailhead, which is technically outside the park and a bit easier of a hike.  The trail to Finch Lake starts off with a climb up the moraine and through an ope...

One can reach spirit lake as a day hike, however it is most often visited as part of backpacking trip. Either way the route is the same and it starts at the East Inlet trail. To park you are supposed to pay or show your park/national lands pass. From the East Inlet trailhead you will soon pass Adams Falls, which is a popular detour from the trail or for some the destination. From Adams Falls yo...

To do the entire 26-mile float, put in at the Loma River access, several miles west of Fruita and just a short drive from I-70. From the Loma access there is no other easy access point until 26 miles later, at Westwater in Utah.Once on the water you will be able to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery around you. This is because during most water levels it is a very tame float throughout with ...

Haukland Beach is a gorgeous white-sand beach surrounded by mountains outside Leknes in the Lofoten area of Norway. The beach is only a few yards from the parking lot, making public access very easy. After spending a few minutes walking along it's shores, it will be hard to argue that Haukland is not deserving of the title "most beautiful beach in Norway." The word tranquil is also likely to en...

Tombstone ridge can be accessed via the ute trail from two directions. The lower trail starts at upper beaver meadows and is ~4.3 miles with 3250 feet of elevation gain. It can also be accessed at the Ute trail crossing along trail ridge road, which leaves you a 1.1 mile hike with just under 300 feet of elevation gain.Tombstone ridge is a scenic and interesting ridge that runs for almost a mile...

Haleakala means "House of the rising sun" and is a wonderful description of the mountain. Haleakala is a large dormant volcano that makes up ~75% of the island of Maui. On the slopes of Halekala are rain forests, pastures, endemic birds, the endangered but beautiful silversword, and a summit that has one of the best sunrises in the world.This spot will have fewer people (although you will not b...

Park at the pull out just west of independence pass. From there, begin on the Linkin's Lake Trail. The trail is generally easy to follow (although it can be muddy as it is a wet area) and climbs 900 feet in the 1.8 miles to independence lake. From Independence lake it is about 0.5 miles and 400 feet of incline to the pass. The trail stays to the west of the lake although there is a use trail th...

How you get to Morgan Peak and the other 13ers in the area depends on if you have a 4-wheel drive with good clearance or not. If so, drive the rough Santa Fe road from the small town of Montezuma (just outside Keystone). The road is also known as Forest Service 264 and is a left at the stop sign in town. If you do not have a 4-wheel drive, you can walk the road or once above the town and privat...

The Black lake hike begins at the very popular Glacier Gorge trailhead along Bear Lake road in Rocky Mountain National Park. During the summer and weekends, the park shuttle may be the best parking option as the lot is often full by 7am and can be difficult to find a spot throughout the day. From the Glacier Gorge lot head down the trail and follow signs to Mills Lake. There are several junct...

Unstad Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the Lofoten area of Norway. Unstad has beautiful golden sand and is surrounded by majestic mountains. Its location and geography allow for the formation of large waves in addition to the beautiful beach itself. Because of the large waves, this is a really popular area for Arctic surfing (yes that's a real thing). For those who are not quite u...