Kyle C

Looking for ice skating a bit more off the beaten path? Try Mirror Lake! Open 24/7! The best place to start is at the south end of the lake where you can also find a nearby shop to rent skates if you don't have them. If you do not feel like going on the 2 mile loop around the lake, you can stick to the south end of the lake where there is a cleared area for hockey (as long as people are not pla...

Chapel Pond area is mostly known for its ice climbing on the other side of the pond, but some easier, but runout slab climbing can be had on the eastern side.  There is ample parking on both sides of the road in the form of pull offs and the walk to the base of the climbing is only a few hundred yards.  The climbing consists of routes from low fifth class up to 5.7.  All of the routes are slab ...

Pikes Peak Toll Road can grant you access to a ton of super accessible backcountry skiing if you have the equipment and knowledge.  From roughly Glen Cove up to the summit of the mountain you can access terrain varying from steep chutes off the summit to easy glades in an abandoned ski resort.  This is a north facing area, so most of the runs are safest in the spring time. If you are lucky enou...

For those trying to find wildlife during their trip to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park, this is about as close to a guaranteed sighting as you can get. Heading north on 191 a mile or more past Moose Junction you have the opportunity to witness herds of Bison. It is possible to see them all along this road until further north by Cunningham Historical site. During the day, if there are b...

Thuya Garden is a separate portion of a larger preserve.  You can reach this garden by either parking on route 3 heading north a quarter mile past the main entrance or you can park in the actual Thuya Garden lot.  If you park on Route 3, you can enjoy a nice walk through the Maine forest on your way to the Garden.  Do this by crossing the street and heading up a paved path that parallels the ro...

This roadside boulder is just a short ride down a dirt road from Moab.  From the McDonalds in Moab, head west down Kane Creek Drive.  You will pass a few BLM and private campgrounds as well as various trailheads.  The road will eventually become graded dirt.  Follow the road until you see an obvious pull off to your right a bit over 5 miles from the McDonalds.  If you start descending down stee...

Twin Lakes are two bodies of water that are connected by a short run of water with a dam at the eastern end. There are a few different places to put in your boat including boat ramps by the access point on the east end of the lake. There is also a boat ramp and a place to seasonally rent boats by the White Star Campground. You can boat in both of the large lakes and you can spend hours expl...

You can reach the northern shore of Long Pond by following 102 South until you reach Somesville.  A few miles past this you will notice a Kayak Rental shop on your right and Whitney Farm Road.  You can park near here and utilize the shore to put your kayak in, or you can rent from the shop.  A pull off is on the left if there is parking open there.  The shop can sell out of rentals during peak ...

Skyline drive is a one way scenic roadway mainly going north to south. The 3 mile drive takes you about 800 feet above Cañon City. It starts on the west side of 50, and ends in a residential neighborhood southwest of where it begins. There are multiple pull offs on the right and left side of the road that can accompany 3-4 cars each. The first pull off on the left of the road has multiple trai...

This canyon is a bit more advanced as it requires a mandatory swim and most likely a section of wet pot holes to surmount which, if dry, can also pose their own challenge. You will need standard canyoneering gear as well as two 60m ropes for the last rappel. Start by parking on a small pullout on the right if you are driving into the park about a mile up the road after crossing courthouse wash....

Wilson Arch is a common stop for people visiting the local national parks and Moab, but with some general climbing knowledge and gear you can make this into a longer outing.  If coming from Moab, the arch is obvious on your left about 25 miles south.  There is ample parking on both sides of the road. From the parking area, hike to the right of the arch aiming for the saddle between the arch an...

Mount Moran’s CMC Route is best climbed by starting at String Lake’s boat launch. From here, pack up your overnight and climbing gear into your kayak or canoe and start your journey north on String Lake. At the end of the lake, portage a few hundred yards to Leigh Lake and continue your paddle north. You will come to a large bend where Moran is visible to your right and you will be able to make...

Elephant Butte sits at 5653 ft. and is the highest point in Arches National Park. It requires two rappels using a 60m rope. In addition to this, it requires some short sections of low fifth class scrambling that can be difficult on wet rock. The approach starts at Garden of Eden trailhead. Go past Owl Rock aiming for a canyon weakness in the walls ahead on the left that has a small talus ...

The Minturn Mile is best accessed after spending the day at Vail, but can be done so with skins and skis from the base.  This description will assume you have access to the lifts at Vail by parking at one of the many resort/town parking areas.  From either the top of Game Creek Express or Wildwood Express, follow the ridge southwest until you reach a point where you can either descend to your l...

White Rocks, a segment of the slightly larger Pond Bank area, is a single pitch top rope or traditional climbing area. To get there, follow 30 until you are a few miles west of Caledonia State park and reach an intersection of 997. You can then head south on 997 until you reach White Rock Road.  Follow this road until you find some trail blazes on trees to your left and park at one of the many ...

From Jefferson follow 35 north to 54 and drive up 54 as far as possible ending a few miles before Georgia pass.  Depending on the snowpack and drifts on the unplowed road, you could hike as few as 5 miles round trip or as many as 10. If the snow blocks you from driving past Michigan Creek Campground it might be worth it to turn back and take the first left and follow that road as far as possibl...

This hike starts on Lake Como Road with the goal of eventually reaching Lake Como.  If you have a modified 4WD car you can get all the way to the lake in it, but if you do not feel like risking damage to your vehicle park as low as you deem necessary to do that.  Most 4WD stock vehicles can make it quite a ways up the road. The total mileage and elevation gain depend on how far you get on this ...

Horseshoe Mountain is a peak that is ranked in the top 100 tallest peaks in Colorado at 13,898 feet, and it can be done in the summer but is arguably more fun in the spring as a snow climb. Avalanche safety, snow climbing, and snow safety experience is necessary. To get to the trailhead, follow 285 south from Fairplay until you reach 4 mile creek road. Take a right on 4 mile creek road and f...

Looking for a place to hone your crack climbing technique?  Turkey Rocks is the place with some old school ethics and stiff grades. Turkey can be accessed from the town of Westcreek north of Woodland Park.  From here, head west on Abbey Road and then south on West Creek Ave.  About a mile down the road you can turn right before a fire station.  This is stump road and turn to Forest Road 360 at...

This canyon requires an Arches Canyoneering Permit, two 60m ropes, 100 ft of webbing, and your normal canyoneering kit. To reach the parking for the canyon, drive five miles or so into Arches until you reach a bridge.  Shortly after the bridge, there will be a pull-off to the left where you can leave your vehicle.  From the parking lot, follow the wash directly west towards the cliffband.  Ski...

Rampart Reservoir is located off of Rampart Range Road and is boat accessible from Spring until Fall. It has a boat ramp for motorized as well as human powered boats. There are vault toilets nearby. It is a nice place to spend the day paddling at close to 9,000 ft elevation. Just be prepared for the weather! You can fish as well as hike around the lake as well. The lake is stocked by the state....

Lumpy Ridge is mostly a traditional climbing area with most climbs being two or more pitches after a mile to 3+ miles of mostly flat walking.  From climbers left to right the larger areas consist of Sundance Buttress, The Bookend, The Bookmark, The Book, and Twin Owls.  There are smaller formations between these that are worth exploring as well. Sundance Buttress is the highest of the cliffs a...

While Florrisant is known mostly for its history and collection of fossils, it is also one of the darkest places in the Colorado Springs area.  While the park closes daily at dusk, it has Night Sky Programs monthly which allows visitors to view the stars with the help of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society.  The times and dates vary depending on the time of year, but the night starts with...

This trail starts out of Limekiln Trailhead in Cheyenne Mountain State Park. This is a large, obvious trailhead with bathrooms and water. From the trailhead follow the Talon trails on flatter terrain for the first 3 or so miles until it starts to steepen and turns to Dixon trail. These first few miles can be great areas for wildlife. Dixon takes you through switchbacks in forested terrain with ...