Adventure Pro Winter 2021

WOMAN ON ICE CLIMBING WITH AMGA GUIDE DAWN GLANC

BACKCOUNTRY SKIING GETTING STARTED? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

PROTECTING MOUNTAIN TOWNS REVELATIONS WHILE SNOWBOARDING COLORADO’S 14ERS

A D V E N T U R E P R O . U S

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SOELDEN | SOPRIS PRO

We tur ne d to the ex pe r ts whe n de signing the all-new Soelden /Sopris Pro to give y o u a t r u s t e d p a r t n e r i n t h e b a c k c o u n t r y.

O s p r e y ’s l i g h t w e i g h t y e t d u r a b l e N a n o F l y ® UHMWPE fabric makes the grind up a skin track as painless as possible while A l p r i d e’s E1 e l e c t r o n i c a v a l a n c h e a i r b a g outper forms in weight, ease of use and i s n o n - h a z a r d o u s t r a v e l r e a d y. G e n d e rspecific sizing provides superior fit for safer movement in the mountains so you spend more time scoping the best lines and less time thinking about your pack.

CONTENTS

44 20

08 36

42

ABOUT THE COVER An ice climber repels into the lower bridge area of Box Canyon during the 2020 Ouray Ice Festival. For more on ice climbing and to read about Dawn Glanc’s career, head to page 12. photo by Terrance Siemon

D E PA R T M E N T S

04 OPENING SHOT 06 OUTDOOR VITALS

High Elevation Forests

20 HOW TO

Skimo Racing

28 GEAR BIN

Backcountry Touring

30 BASECAMP CUISINE Winter Warmers

36 BEHIND THE LENS

Winter Drone Scenes

38 KILLER WEEKEND Rico, Colorado

40 HIDDEN GEMS Winter Desert Destinations

44 WILD VOICES Kristi Haner & Alex Tibiero

46 VISTAS

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F E AT U R E S

08 REVIVING RURAL COLORADO

A CALL TO PROTECT MOUNTAIN TOWNS by josh jespersen

12 DAWN GLANC

ICE CLIMBER AND TRAILBLAZER by morgan tilton

16 SKI AREAS

OPENING IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 by tiona eversole

24 BACKCOUNTRY SKIING

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO by dani reyes-acosta

32 ENDLESS BUMMER

WINTER CAN BE SUCH A DRAG by morgan sjorgren

42 HEALING WATERS

HOT SPRINGS FOR WINTER SPORTS RECOVERY by tiona eversole

ED ITO R ' S N OTE

FOR THE ADVENTURER IN ALL OF US EDITORIAL

The True Meaning of Adventure Pro

Tiona Eversole editor Terrance Siemon photographer & videographer Laurie Kain photographer & videographer Hunter Harrell copy editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Brenda Bergreen Josh Jespersen Stephanie Maltarich Michael Remke

Dani Reyes-Acosta Robert Stump Morgan Sjogren Morgan Tilton

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Brenda Bergreen Marc Bergreen Isaiah Branch-Boyle Michael Clark Petar Dopchev Whitton Feer

Cristal Hibbard Iain Kuo Ryan Lassen Dane Molinaro Brandy Randall Andrew Romanyshyn

ADVE RTISING

Jamie Opalenik director of multimedia sales Amy Baird Colleen Donley Tana Bowen Joe Nelson Kelly Bulkley Shell Simonson Cole Davis Chandler Sommerfeldt PRODUCTION

Ryan Brown production manager DESIGN

Tad Smith manager of creative services Gary Markstein designer Bridget Williams designer INTE R AC TIVE

Jace Reynolds web designer Skylar Bolton web development MANAG E R

Douglas Bennett chief executive officer Carrie Cass director of finance /ADVENTUREPROMAG @ADVENTUREPROMAG ADVENTURE PRO MAGAZINE @ADVENTUREPROMAGAZINE ADVENTURE PRO MAGAZINE

© 2020 All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Published in the United States by Ballantine Communications, Inc. 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301.

Ballantine Communications uses reasonable effort to include accurate and up-to-date information for its special publications. Details are subject to change, so please check ahead. The publisher accepts no responsibility for any consequences arising from the use of this guide. We welcome suggestions from readers. Please write to the editor at the address above.

“SO WHAT IS ADVENTURE PRO?”

During my time at Adventure Pro Magazine, this question has presented itself at several different moments. Without fail, I find myself having to stop and reflect on the question at hand.

My first response is to reference the tagline: For the Adventurer in All of Us. Yet all too often I receive feedback from readers new to the outdoors that the adventurer in them is uncertain and trying to navigate the hidden intricacies of the outdoor community.

You see, I’ve come to understand the confusion lies in the “Pro.” When most hear the word “Pro,” they immediately think of “professional.” While Adventure Pro does tell the stories of professional athletes and offers tips and tricks from the pros, the true meaning of “Pro” goes so much deeper than the “professional” aspect of the outdoors.

The prefix “pro-” is defined as “forward, forth or to the front.” With this in mind, I want to dive a little deeper into these three letters. At Adventure Pro, our vision for the future consists of the following principles: Produce: The content we produce is curated to educate, motivate and enlighten our readers.

Provide: We strive to provide inspiration, tips and lessons through the content we share.

Progress: We communicate the necessary tools to help you progress in your passions — from gear suggestions to our “How To” section.

Protect: Our mission is to offer valuable information and resources to help you protect and advocate for the places we love to explore.

Proactive: Take control of your future; be proactive. As Rumi so eloquently said: “Respond to every call that excites your spirit.”

Proficient: Once the skills are acquired and the lessons are learned, we look forward to seeing our readership become proficient in the activities they are passionate about.

So as you read through the pages of this most recent issue, I invite you to find the “Pro-” that resonates with you most. On page 8, Josh Jespersen looks for a hand in protecting small mountain towns from economic disaster. Morgan Tilton shares her tips for becoming a proficient ski mountaineer on page 20. Morgan Sjogren explores the ways athletes can progress, even in the dead of winter, on page 32. And Dani Reyes-Acosta provides words of wisdom for those looking to get into backcountry skiing or splitboarding on page 24. As we continue to explore the true meaning of Adventure Pro in the year ahead, I look forward to sharing this journey with our valued readers and supporters, with you.

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O PEN I N G S H OT The trees are still, and the forest is calm. A place that comes alive in the warmer months is silenced by the return of snowfall and winter’s touch. Only the faint sound of skis traversing across the muted landscape ricochets off the thin, exposed figures of aspen trees.

The snow compacts with every gliding motion, leaving faint tracks across the washed out topography.

For more drone photography, check out Behind the Lens on page 36. photo by

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O U T D O O R V I TA L S

The dense green of spruce-fir forest is a wall of living trees.

Such impenetrable forest is daunting to imagine a ski line through. photo by Mike Remke

High Elevation Forests The important role trees play in backcountry skiing

BY MIKE REMKE

SNOW SCIENTIST Brushing away at layers of snow and examining the crystal structure of ice within the matrix of ice, water and gas has always felt like the most tangible way to bring science to the masses. Winter introduces a world where backcountry skiers are all scientists — from reading avalanche reports and monitoring weather data at various locations, to digging snow pits and conducting avalanche stability tests.

The ritual of digging snow pits by backcountry skiers is the largest shared field science I have participated in. Science is, at its core, a way of knowing. The scientific method of making observations, developing hypotheses, collecting data and analyzing results is the absolute reality of backcountry skiing. For most, the research and engagement in snow science revolves around a simple question: “What slopes are reasonably safe to ski today?” While the question may be simple, the process is a beautiful deep dive in science.

Conversations revolve around using data to make informed decisions. All of this information is buzzing around with a focus on snow, answering the question about what slopes are desirable to ski — but wait, did someone say something about trees?

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THE FOREST In the San Juan Mountains, no matter how you plan your ski day, you will end up in forest. While no less mystic than the world of snow science, forest science is rich with intricate patterns and details. Much of Southwest Colorado’s backcountry skiing lands itself in the high elevation forest types of spruce-fir or aspen.

These forests are dominated by subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce where they tend to have a dense, closed canopy that is difficult to ski — unless there is some sort of disturbance. One of the most obvious connections of forests and snow is how the phenomenal force of snow can influence forests.

Some of the most desirable forested ski runs in the backcountry are shaped by the exact phenomena we use snow science to mitigate risk of: avalanches. These obvious and abundant paths in the San Juans are a disturbance that is critically important in shaping the ecology of high elevation forests. They prompt succession to occur, creating areas where willows or aspen may be more abundant than other species, making avalanche paths choice habitat for moose and elk. These disturbances that are obvious to snow scientists are just one of the many patterns explored in forest science through backcountry skiing.

If the question is about skiable slopes, then snow is clearly the first layer in the conversation. However, forest ecology is an equally important perspective. From species compositions to relationships with insect and disturbance history, forest ecology contributes to desirable slopes for skiing.

INSECTS Anyone who has toured Lobo Overlook near Wolf Creek is familiar with the sea of gray from the spruce bark beetle outbreak.

These native insects have responded to warmer temperatures, impacting huge swaths of forest by killing overstory trees.

The result is a forest that is much more open with many ski lines, and sometimes even more snow accumulation and fewer tree wells.

Perhaps a much less obvious insect is that of the spruce budworm. This small worm feeds on the green needles of trees and prefers the shady understory. Thus, it often consumes the green needles of lower branches of spruce and fir trees leaving the lower branches bare and defoliated. In place of the green branches, old man’s beard, or Usnea, often thrives on the branches. These Usnea-draped branches are far less dense and more skiable than the dense closed canopy of unaltered spruce-fir forests making for fun, but still tight, tree skiing.

FIRE Fires in the spruce-fir forests are rare, operating on timescales that outlast the human lifespan, but they do occur.

Every 100-500 years, prolonged drought and elevated temperatures visit these environments, drying out the forest enough for it to burn. Fires of the past have shaped where we find aspen, which sprouts vigorously after fire, creates openings and alters the landscape to influence the slopes we find desirable to ski.

FOREST SCIENTIST With so many rich patterns shaping where we decide to ski, backcountry skiing becomes an opportunity for all of us to be scientists of the snow and the forests. Understanding how forest ecology interacts with snow will help us all better predict and understand snow conditions.

Simultaneously, paying attention to the forest will help us all understand how the forest is responding to a changing world. By backcountry skiing and paying attention, we can all be ecologists.

MIKE REMKE is a professor of biology at Fort Lewis College and a research associate with Mountain Studies Institute. When he is not busy being a nerd, Mike is often out and about with his camera, bike or splitboard enjoying the rich scenery of the San Juans.

Skiing in the Deer Creek drainage can be a maze, but with many spruce impacted by spruce budworm, the removal of the dense green foliage provides some clear lines and fun glade skiing. photo by Mike Remke

Forests are a mosaic of disturbance, rich in ecological stories. From the obvious of avalanche paths to the less obvious patterns of insects and disease, forest ecology shapes where we ski.

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Reviving Rural Regions of Colorado How one man’s mission to ski all of Colorado’s fourteeners revealed distress within small mountain towns

BY JOSH JESPERSEN

The year 2020 has me lost and unsure of where I should go and what I should do. In March, I lost all of my jobs like so many others; and when I wanted to go to the mountains, the only place I truly felt at home, it became socially irresponsible.

The mountains and the natural environment are the only book I can fully read and understand. I have been immersing myself in these austere environments for years, and have even found ways to define purpose in that immersion. During a time fraught with immeasurable uncertainty, where could I look for answers? The only place I could think was where the crowds were screaming not to go. If I couldn’t engage with the wild places to learn my next steps, I would have to examine what they have already taught me: to learn from my past experiences.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING It was mid-May in 2017 when I finished snowboarding down the sentinel Capitol Peak in the Elk Range of Colorado. This mountain stands proud and venerable in its group of cohorts — Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks — and is seen as the greatest barrier in any ambitious ski mountaineers quest of descending on snow from the summit of all 54 of these mighty peaks.

After more than 600 miles and over 250,000 feet of vertical descent, I wrapped up my project to become the first person to accomplish this feat in a single ski season. It would take 138 days of in-depth avalanche and weather forecast examination, alpine starts, ice cream induced comas, immobile rest days and a bout of bronchitis to tackle this goal.

Shortly after I finished this project, feeling like I achieved something, a friend of mine and a very accomplished mountaineer in their own right said to me, “Don’t let it be the greatest thing you ever do.”

I let that ethos sink in. At that time, I was simultaneously reminiscing about my time traveling around my home state during my fourteeners project and was reminded of the amazing experiences I had been so lucky to have. I realized I had to come up with a way to tell unique stories about what makes our backyard so incredible.

How could I persuade people to understand that traveling around the world to feel adventure isn’t necessary?

This yearning to tell these stories came with a self-imposed hitch though — I had to help protect our valuable resources in this effort.

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The author and Ricke Schuler stand in awe at a Sangre de Cristo sunset on day 10 of their 13-day ski traverse of that range. photo by Isaiah Branch-Boyle

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I’ve skied into the Black Canyon and traversed the Sangre JOURNEY LINES de Cristo Range. I walked slowly with an elk herd across the Now, three years later, I have wrapped up an ambitious ski Continental Divide in Rocky Mountain National Park. I put in on the project that was formulated from that humbling directive. It took Animas River out of Silverton for a packraft/ me to the deep and dark corners of our vast ski expedition that was based around getting ranges, where I achieved things I never fully water samples to improve the watershed thought were attainable, but were worth a As more and more towns in and help with mine reclamation efforts. I’ve shot. I gleaned a deeper understanding of our mountains watch their traveled to Washington D.C. to speak with our towns, cultures and ecology. counties’ per capita wealth members of Congress about the CORE Act This project, called Journey Lines, is an (Colorado Outdoor Recreation Economy) and rise due to registered secattempt to share stories of rural Colorado started a nonprofit that focuses on training ond homeowners, conseand ensure that our mountain communities veterans to be mountain guides and how to who don’t benefit from the winter tourism quently driving the cost work in that economy. industry are not relegated to allowing of living to unattainable During this project, I found myself seeking external entities to shape their community. norms, we have to step up new types of terrain and different cultural It is imperative that the people living in instead of rolling over. experiences.

I loved immersing myself in these vestiges of our mining heritage are our vastly different mountain communities not forced to cater to a summer influx of across the state. I put myself on a course to tourists or see only one economic option in explore our mountains in a unique way, and extraction. As more and more towns in our those same mountains have driven me to fight for them and the mountains watch their counties’ per capita wealth rise due communities they support. to registered second homeowners, consequently driving the This journey has only made me hungrier than ever, and has cost of living to unattainable norms, we have to step up instead stoked the flames to keep looking around the next corner. I don’t of rolling over. think curiosity or wonder have ever been alleviated by embracing it.

I never comprehended the changes I would endure during this project, the leaps I would take in life over that time and the new THE NEXT MOVE perspective I would offer myself. I didn’t know that engaging on a The personal uncertainty of moving forward in 2020 is beginning deeper level with these places would show me how much more to beat a maddening drum that is growing louder and louder. My there was to explore. restless soul is yearning to continue to look around the corner and

Touring in bad weather is at times enticing, yet dangerous. photo by Isaiah Branch-Boyle

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see what’s there, but I cannot decide what corner to look around. I have been aimlessly wandering all summer with no clear defined path into winter. But as the first snowfall of the season coats the seas of mountains we live in, it acts as a prism, turning the dull monocolor autumn light into a vibrant rainbow — calming me. When the snow falls, our mountains become quiet again; standing deserted and wild, untamed and barren, intimidating and alluring. This is when they truly open up and come alive.

This is our place, and where we need to be.

When I reflect on the time I spend up high, subconsciously seeking personal revelation, I always come back to the people. I always think back to the unique characters that live in the nooks and crannies of society during the summer only to go outside and thrive like me in the winter. I always think back to our community in this state, and how we need to keep fighting together, to make sure we have a say in our future. Because in the end, the only thing we can control is ourselves and the effort we put forth in directing our destiny.

So that’s where I find my grounding and my focus: in us — in our state and our community, fighting for rural Colorado and rural America by compelling you and others to learn how to appreciate our own backyard. So much that you are willing to advocate for both the land and yourself.

JOSH JESPERSEN is the author of the upcoming adventure guidebook, Journey Lines, which is all based on out of the box adventures in rural Colorado. Josh is the cofounder of Veteran’s Outdoor Advocacy Group and considers himself an advocate for veterans, conservation and rural America. If you are interested in avalanche education this winter, book a course with Josh at Silverton Avalanche School.

The author and the Journey Lines crew made a foray into an unknown spot to ski new lines, but instead found new perspectives. photo by Isaiah Branch-Boyle

WHAT YOU CAN DO Protect Our Winters (POW) is a supporter of the CORE Act, and provides Jespersen with a platform to advocate for the passing of this bill. The CORE Act will “protect 400,000 acres of public land in Colorado, establishing new wilderness areas and safeguarding existing outdoor recreation opportunities,” according to POW’s website.

While the bill has passed the House of Representatives, there is still work to do. The bill still needs to pass the Senate.

Support the cause: • Educate yourself on the CORE Act • Talk to your friends and family about the CORE Act • Text COREACT to 52886 to contact your members of Congress • Donate to Protect Our Winters • Sign up to volunteer with Protect Our Winters

The first descent team of ‘Bang the Gong’ rappels through the massive cliff at the bottom of the incredibly aesthetic full north face of Mount Antero. photo by Isaiah Branch-Boyle

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Dawn Glanc: A pioneer in the world of ice climbing. photo by Michael Clark www.michaelclarkphoto.com

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Full Potential Professional ice climber, AMGA guide and trailblazer Dawn Glanc carves a place for women in the sport B Y M O R G A N T I LT O N

Soft snow swallowed my shins, where I stood quietly on the edge of a protected alcove. Behind me, the Uncompahgre River flowed, descending toward the small mountain town of Ouray, Colorado, two miles north as the crow flies. The flow rushed beneath a sheet of snowflake-coated ice and burbled through a patchwork of current holes. I slowly slid the rope through my belay device and keenly listened. My ice climbing partner and American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) member Dawn Glanc stepped methodically toward the giant tower of dense, bright blue ice.

Behind the icebound Ralston Creek was a wall of cliffy, gray volcanic rock, which created a tight amphitheater around us. This multipitch climb is known as Horsetail Falls. On the right hung a continuous tier of cauliflowers with dangling shears too thin and punchy for us to ascend, Glanc (pronounced glance) explained. The center was a long chandelier of choppy crystals. Our line was to the left, where the face was thick and steep with a relatively short initial pitch — good for a novice climber like me.

Glanc tactfully moved up the ramp with her crampons and ice tools — step, step, swing, swing — to the base of the fortress. Her ice screws chimed as they swung like a necklace along her harness. From the bottom of Uncompahgre Gorge, I could hardly hear the erratic wind shaking the steep slopes of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir above. Shwack, thump, thump. Shwack, thump, thump. Glanc climbed the vertical cyan facade.

Glanc’s beaming smile is as big as her sarcasm and as strong as her climbing skills, both of which are matched by precision and care in the mountains. By the end of our 20-minute approach hike, she made me feel confident and trustworthy on the other end of our rope, I realized. I was at ease and refreshed.

Glanc holds space without ego, despite being a total powerhouse and pioneer in this sport.

A ROCKY START Glanc, 45, was born and raised in the plains of Brunswick, Ohio. The midwest town of 16,000 residents in the Buckeye State sits 26 miles south of Cleveland and the shoreline of Lake Erie.

Sandwiched between a younger sister and older

brother, Glanc was the middle-child-who-didn’tbelong, she said. Her angst surfaced as a Jekyll-andHyde mien: She aced every class and behaved bellto-bell, yet was arrested for public intoxication by the eighth grade. Her senior year, she was grounded from driving her car and picked up road cycling.

For the first time, she found a way to channel her energy on 80-mile day rides.

A few years later, beneath an umbrella of citrusgreen oak leaves and surrounded by moss-casted boulders, Glanc found climbing — in her backyard, of all places. Whipp’s Ledges, a stack of pebbly sandstone near the southeast corner of Hinckley Lake, stood a mere 30 feet above the forest floor.

The 21-year-old college sophomore was enrolled nearby, at Kent State University, and a new friend invited her to top rope.

“I didn’t actually know anything about what we were going to do — Facebook didn’t exist. But these cliffs were near my parent’s house,” Glanc said, as I unclipped the ice screws from my harness and handed them over to her.

That first pitch was exhilarating for me. I took a deep breath and asked Glanc about her time at KSU. She was studying aging and exercise physiology. But soon after her first climb, she attended a recreation management class featuring a ropes course.

Everything clicked.

“I was like, ‘This is a career path? You go rock climbing, guide people on ropes courses, and do team building as a job? I wanted to do that,” she said, as she started leading the second pitch. Behind us, on the other side of the gorge, the frozen face of Bear Creek Falls was in full view, and my nerves turned into excitement.

BEAUTY IN THE BLACK HILLS So, Glanc transferred to Black Hills State University in South Dakota, near the Wyoming border, to pursue a degree in Outdoor Education.

There she got roped into ice climbing, by way of local gear shop employees, in the rounded promontories of the Black Hills. In the late 90s, preFacebook and -DVD era, the only resource to learn about ice climbers was magazines. Alpinists like Jeff Lowe and Kitty Calhoun stand out in memory, but Glanc wasn’t fueled by external influence.

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“I was fixated with ice climbing, first with leading and then soloing.

That passion was driven by the pure love of what I was doing. I had only a few climbing partners, and they were incredible during that formative time,” she said.

In 1999, she graduated and started ice climbing with a couple of Wyoming residents outside of Cody. Their ‘guide book’ was a tri-colored pamphlet without topography lines. Dark blue indicated rivers and light blue showed where ice would fill in.

“We were really out in the wild. It was a very different time. There was no social media or forum to gather beta or verify a climb,” Glanc said.

She was the first person to climb many of those routes (rated WI3-4+) throughout the early 2000s.

“We’d look at this massive valley and say, ‘I guess this is the line,’ then trudge up these drainages and try to find ice," she said. "So much of the experience was exploring, walking and taking your heavy pack out to climb just one pitch. My gut was driving me: If I knew I could climb it, I would get on it. It was an awesome time.”

JOB SECURITY Hatched from college, Glanc secured the “perfect” life-balance.

She was a Domino’s Pizza delivery driver by night and spent every day climbing and mountain biking. She was also a top rope guide for Sylvan Rocks Climbing School and Guide Service, which was founded in 1989 by Susan Scheirbeck.

“Because there was a female owner, I had a chance with that job,” Glanc said. “I still love and am inspired by them so much. And there was this group of women who sport climbed in the Black Hills area, and the fact they could climb so hard was like, whoa, but they were also psyched for you.”

Back then, her female climbing partners thought her ice climbing was totally nuts, she said.

But in 2001, she landed a cloud-nine job at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, as the outdoor program director.

“I dreamt up places to take these guys to hike, rock climb and mountain bike, then lead the program,” Glanc said. “I was in the field 90% of the time and getting paid really well with benefits, a retirement plan. It was awesome.”

We started our hike-down descent, postholing and scrambling over fallen logs.

“But then, the Afghanistan War triggered a deployment cycle and the majority of the workforce was gone,” Glanc continued.

Glanc was stuck in a cinder block cave managing paperwork. She had to make a change. So she moved to Bellingham, Washington, hoping to work for the American Alpine Institute year-round. However, she was unaware that a first-year guide was not going to have those luxuries.

“I was the lowest on the totem pole,” says Glanc. “I left a $40,000-a-year job to make $80 a day for six weeks — I don’t know if it was the smartest decision. I blew through my savings and was broke within a year.”

She filled in her bank account through signature collection for healthcare initiatives. In 2005, a door opened when a Ouray-based American Alpine Institute (AAI) guide was fired. Glanc jumped on the opportunity to relocate, sight unseen. Ice pioneers Jeff Lowe and Mike Weiss had climbed Telluride’s 365-foot Bridal Veil Falls, in 1974. From the early 80s to 90s, ice climbers had started visiting Ouray to clamber up the park’s human-created frozen falls. Ouray became known as a mecca for ice.

SIGHT UNSEEN: OURAY, COLORADO As Glanc drove down Red Mountain Pass into Ouray, she fell in love. “I saw Horsetail Falls. Everything around me was frozen, even the ice park, and it was only December 1st. All I wanted to do was climb. I’ve never missed a winter here since,” Glanc says, as we zigzag across the slope.

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The upper half of the ravine was socked in. Tiny snowflakes whipped around our faces and shook the needles on the trees as the wind howled. I felt like an adventurer in a completely foreign landscape, despite that I grew up in the San Juan Mountains. I could understand the exhilaration of ice climbing and how this special place became her haven. Glanc’s first winter in Ouray, she worked 15 days per month: enough to pay her bills including gigs with San Juan Mountain Guides.

The rest of the time, she ice climbed.

Years before she chiseled ice here, Glanc had heard of the Ouray Ice Festival Competition. The event launched in 1996 as an avenue to fund the Ouray Ice Park, now one of the largest ice climbing parks in the world.

“I’d aspired to compete in the festival’s competition, and I didn’t know what mixed climbing was but I needed to learn it,” Glanc said.

Her second winter in Ouray, at 32 years old, she competed for the first time ever — and scored the podium. Glanc was the first person to climb for the finals round, and climbed with borrowed gear.

“For the first time, I didn’t have leashes for my tools,” Glanc recalled.

“Luckily, there was so much ice on the mixed climb that I avoided the rock by connecting the ice blocks, and I finished second. I thought I was the shit. Steve House said, ‘Hello, Dawn.’ Then, Ouray set off fireworks!

That’s one of the happiest days of my entire life.”

Compared to the popularity of backcountry skiing, ice climbing was extremely niche. Back then, the standard of excellence was Tic Tac, an M7 route in the ice park that “everyone climbs now,” Glanc explained.

After several injuries put her climbing career on hold, Glanc is hoping to get back out on the ice this winter and launch several ice and mixed climbing programs for women and kids with San Juan Mountain Guides. photo by Michael Clark www.michaelclarkphoto.com

Dawn Glanc ice climbing in the Ouray Ice Park in Ouray, Colorado. photo by Michael Clark www.michaelclarkphoto.com

“A handful of people were dedicated ice climbers — less than 20,” Glanc said. “On the weekends you’d see 100 climbers or so in the park: it wasn’t the volume you see now, and the park wasn’t as big.

Both the number of ice climbers and size of the park have expanded.

And what’s really changed is women being there. We can go to the ice park now — and climb hard, build our own anchors and put up our own ropes — and not have swarms of onlookers like we’re circus freaks.”

Glanc set up an anchor for us to rappel down into the alcove at the foot of Horsetail Falls.

HER OWN PRIORITIES After discovering Ouray, Glanc’s ice skills continued to excel.

By the end of 2009, she secured her AMGA certification in both rock and alpine disciplines. She won the Ouray Ice Festival competition twice and podiumed two more times, from 2008 to 2012. She placed first at the mixed climbing competition at Vail’s Winter Mountain Games. Brand support began to take off including a partnership with Mountain Hardwear. Industry validation finally created inroads for her family to respect the nonconventional path she’d pursued.

“My dad has a warped conservative view that women shouldn’t go to college, because we’re going to become moms — I wanted nothing to do with that way of life,” Glanc said. It wasn’t until I was a sponsored athlete and won the 2009 Ouray Ice Festival Competition that my family saw what I was doing as valid.”

We crossed a frozen ice bridge over the Uncompahgre and start our return hike.

Then Glanc accomplished six first ascents (graded WI5-5+) in the West Fjords of Iceland, from 2014 to 2016. She traveled to climb in Canada, Norway, Greece, France, Italy and Montenegro. She snagged a handful of first ascents in Hall of Justice, a mixed climbing area outside of Ouray. And from 2015 to 2018, she was a co-owner of Chicks Climbing and Skiing, which was founded in 1999 to empower female ice climbers through women-led programs.

Beyond climbing, Glanc wanted to help her community grow. She served a four-year term as city councilwoman, starting in 2015.

“It’s our civic duty to give back: you have to participate if you want to see change,” Glanc said. “My biggest accomplishment was proposing and pushing for Ouray to proclaim itself as the Outdoor

Recreation Capitol of Colorado. If we took on that title, we would need to work everyday to be even better — and I’m so proud we did.”

As we placed our gear in the back of the truck, I thought about Glanc’s go-getter attitude, leadership, humor and tremendous energy.

I am in awe that nothing can slow her down.

FACING FEARS A month after our climb, tragedy hit. Glanc blew her ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) while skiing in March 2019. Then, before her knee fully healed, two tendons burst in her right hand while doing office work what was. . . most likely an overuse injury. Altogether, she was sidelined from guiding and ice climbing for more than a year. And her doctors forecasted that she may never climb at an elite level or possibly ever lead again.

“My world spiraled so fast. I lost my sponsorships. Was I going to climb again? Was I going to run again? It was one of those moments when things were torn down,” she told me on a call, while she walked her puppy in Ouray. But her physical therapists believed they could get her back 100%. Throughout the pandemic, recovery became her world. By the end of the summer, she rock climbed again, despite two deformed fingers on her dominant hand. She said, “I finally feel like life is coming back together. I’m slowly picking the pieces.”

Among the positives, Glanc secured work as the head ranger of the new Ouray Via Ferrata, providing stability versus juggling five seasonal gigs. Next year, she’ll start guiding groups on the route. This winter, she plans to carefully rebuild her ice climbing ability. And her priorities have shifted. She wants to focus on guiding in her backyard, instructing others and taking on lower-risk objectives. To start, she’ll launch a handful of ice and mixed climbing programs for women and kids with San Juan Mountain Guides this winter.

“My injuries shifted my perspective about what’s going to be important,” Glanc said. “I like ice guiding: I want to be with people and help them realize their full potential.”

MORGAN TILTON is an award-winning travel writer specializing in outdoor industry and adventure coverage worldwide. When she’s not writing, you can find her splitboarding, uphilling, snowboarding, nordic or alpine skiing in the Elk Mountains.

Follow her journey at @motilton and www.morgantilton.com.

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The early days of skiing. Enjoying powder stashes and solitude on the slopes of Purgatory Resort. photo courtesy of Purgatory Resort

A Return to Simplicity Ski areas shift their strategies heading into a COVID-stricken winter

BY TIONA EVERSOLE

The year is 2019. I settle into my seat on the chairlift at Purgatory Resort, my home mountain. My friends all laugh and crack jokes as we decide if we should stay on the front of the mountain, or head to the backside for a few laps. We take a couple of runs and stop for lunch and libations at the Powderhouse, sitting on the outside deck and enjoying the San Juan Mountain views. Live music plays, and others stop to take a break and converse with acquaintances on the deck.

On March 14, 2020, Purgatory Resort, along with every other ski area in Colorado, received notice of a government mandated order that would shut down operations for two weeks due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

This order would later be extended through April 6, and again to May 23. By this time, many ski areas are already closed for the season. The only exception to the shortened ski season was Arapahoe Basin, which opened from May 27 to June 9 with restricted capacity limits in place.

As ski areas gear up for a season unlike any other, snow sports enthusiasts are left wondering what winter will bring. With opening day comes a lot of updates and changes to existing protocols and procedures. And while every ski area is taking different approaches to comply with both local and state restrictions, one theme is certain: operations will be limited.

Limited operations may seem like a negative concept. Yet for those simply wishing to get out on the slopes, this very well could be the silver lining we didn't know we needed.

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A D V E N T U R E P R O . u s

It’s not all that common to see empty slopes at Copper Mountain these days. photo by Tiona Eversole

THE GOOD ‘OL DAYS Back before high-speed chairlifts and on-mountain dining, ski areas were just that: an area to get out and stretch your legs on the slopes.

Hotels, retail stores and restaurants did not crowd the bottoms of lifts.

Skiers enjoyed wide open runs with few crowds.

Howelson Hill in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was the first ski area to open in the United States in 1915. Ski pioneer Carl Howelson, also known as the Father of Skiing in Colorado, built a ski jump at Howelson Hill that solidified a lifelong legacy of competitive skiing and ski jumping in the heart of ski country.

In the years following Howelson Hill’s opening, hundreds of resorts across the country would begin to operate — first with the introduction of ski rope tows in 1934 in Woodstock, Vermont, followed by the world’s first chairlift in 1936 at Sun Valley in Ketchum, Idaho. Crowds were few as the sport slowly began to catch on. In a report provided by the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), the winter of 1978-1979 saw 15.8 million skier visits to areas in the Rocky Mountain region; whereas the winter of 2018-2019 received over 24 million skier visits.

Today, many ski areas offer a wide variety of winter activities (think tubing hills and snowmobile tours), lodging accommodations, multiple restaurants, shopping and even spa services. A plethora of offerings in turn attracts a wide range of individuals, some of which are not visiting to ski or snowboard.

Although the skiable terrain of these areas has expanded over the years, so has the total number of visitors to these locations. Busy periods such as the holidays and weekends exhibit packed trails and long lines to load the chairlift. The skiing experience of the past has dramatically shifted from a simple outdoor activity to an amusement park vibe.

A COVID-WINTER This season, ski areas are tasked with developing new protocols and procedures to protect their guests from exposure to COVID-19. One of the biggest challenges is how these areas will regulate skier visits and capacity limits. Some entities such as Vail Resorts have chosen to implement a season pass holder reservation system. Others have opted to sell a limited number of daily lift tickets, or have implemented a parking reservation system to regulate the number of visitors to the mountain each day.

Aside from skier visits, indoor establishment capacity limits are another dilemma. Restaurants are looking for creative solutions to still provide guests with dining options while adhering to the new restrictions. Telluride Ski Resort, for example, is planning to convert up to 20 gondola cars into individual dining cabins. These refurbished structures will include lighting, heating and ventilation, and will provide additional dining options that are compliant with capacity restrictions.

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Enjoying views from the top of Telluride Ski Resort. photo by Tiona Eversole

Other ski areas such as Purgatory Resort are looking to roll out online ordering options and indoor table limits.

Lessons and rentals have also provided their own specific sets of challenges, with possible solutions including smaller class sizes and reserved time slots to pick up rental equipment, to name a few.

Skiing and snowboarding are already socially distant activities. It’s the parking lots, lift lines and indoor areas that visitors must take into consideration while resorts strive to adhere to new COVID procedures. photo by Tiona Eversole

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A D V E N T U R E P R O . u s

WHY WE DO IT Despite the uncertainties that surround COVID-19 and the new protocols being put into place by ski areas, one thing is certain: Our love to ski and snowboard.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that outdoor activities with at least six feet of physical distance while wearing a mask are safe. Given that skiing and snowboarding already require a decent amount of distancing on the slopes, our favorite winter sports are generally a safe bet. Just remember to distance in the lift lines!

Sure, the aprés scene is always a good time complete with post-ride beers, laughter and friends; but in the age of COVID, things are different. Many of our favorite on-mountain bars and restaurants will not operate as they have before. Parking lot limitations will require us to rethink our tailgating prior to heading to the lifts. And times when we normally take a break and stop to socialize with our friends are now highly discouraged to prevent the spread of illness.

This year, we are reminded that the ski experience we’ve come to know and love must be put on hold for the greater good of those around us and the ski areas we visit. If they are shut down due to an outbreak, then we are the ones that miss out on those bluebird groomers and epic powder days.

Ski areas were originally founded on the principle of getting out to enjoy the slopes. It’s time that we revisit this age-old concept and remind ourselves why we head for the hills on our days off in the first place. The time will come when we can resume our normal aprés antics, but for now — let’s just go ski.

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H OW TO

My First Skimo Race What I learned from my cardinal ski-dash during the Gothic Mountain Tour in Crested Butte, Colorado B Y M O R G A N T I LT O N

“Uh-oh,” I said out loud, as I came to a dead halt and other ski-racers whizzed past. Something dreadful had occurred: a climbing skin beneath my ski had retracted, spiraling like a curly fry. Its glue-side was concrete, completely coated in snow. In the distance, I could see the table with race volunteers who were tracking bib numbers. I didn’t waste seconds looking at my watch. By now, I had less than five minutes to get there before being slashed from the event. I quickly released my boot, rotated my ski and pulled the floppy skin off. Breathe. Focus. You can still make it, I told myself. I hoped I could transition fast enough.

Nine inches of thick snowflakes had accumulated overnight — which, unlike backcountry laps, isn’t prosperous for a skimo race — but the snowfall had finally ceased. Dense fog hung low around the surrounding valley of Gothic, a historic townsite 4 miles northwest of Mount Crested Butte, Colorado. I was 9 miles into the 14th annual Gothic Mountain Tour, a stout skimo race that starts in Crested Butte, where I live. And to say I was nervous leading up to my first-ever skimo bout is an understatement.

I alpine skied for seven years as a kid but snowboarded for the past 18 years. Nonetheless, I felt strangely drawn to this intense sport due to my love for winter and endurance pursuits — not to mention social influence from my touring partners. So, I started training a couple of months ago.

Since our 6 a.m. gunshot start, I’d managed to move fast enough on the climbs and cruise past the top of the Painter Boy ski lift well before the

The terrain covered during a skimo race varies immensely — from steep uphill climbs to meandering cat tracks through open spaces. photo by Terrance Siemon

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7:45 a.m. cut-off. But then, I fumbled my way down the choppy, steep slope and forested gulley into Gothic. I hadn’t imagined a need to train in that type of terrain. My quads were paying for the oversight — and so was my race time.

Laser-focused, I wiped the base of my ski, applied a fresh skin and clicked in. I skinned fast, reaching the table just as the race heads closed further passage. I sighed with relief — but I still had 15 miles and a mega 2,000-foot climb ahead.

The day was far from complete.

SKIMO RACING: WHAT IS IT? Skimo, short for ski mountaineering, is a snow sport that involves ascending and descending slopes using ski and mountaineering skills. Competitors traverse the mountains using detachable skins on the bottoms of toothpick-skinny skis. Sometimes, competitors need to hike, run or boot-pack with equipment in hand. Most U.S. events take place inbounds at ski resorts, though a handful require backcountry travel and equipment or even technical gear like a rope, ice axe and crampons.

In the early 1900s, the European military trained in the Alps on skis, eventually inspiring a contest series called military patrol. Teams formed and competed on 20-mile courses that included vertical gain and shooting, too. The sport debuted at the inaugural 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, and later led to the biathlon. Decades

The author makes her way across the wintry landscape near Crested Butte, Colorado, during her first ski mountaineering race. photo by Terrance Siemon

later, the International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions was founded in Europe in 1999 to organize tournaments.

The sport’s hold in North America followed. Regional skimo races started popping up nationwide in the 2000s, like at Washington’s Alpental ski area, which hosted their first race for 40 entrants in 2002.

The registrants grew fourfold over the following 10 years, according to Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes, Washington. And in 2007, the Colorado Ski Mountaineering Cup (COSMIC) Series — the largest skimo organization in North America — was founded by the United States Ski Mountain Association.

Within a decade, all the COSMIC races doubled in size or more.

Now, close to 20 annual events exist across several disciplines including sprint, relay and vertical, which nixes the downhill. The most technical, European-esce tournament is the Shedhorn, at Big Sky Resort, which requires crampons and an ice axe, and includes ascenders and no-fall zones. The routes at Taos and Wolf Creek are also risky and punishing. In Telluride, the Peter Inglis Fund Tellurando Race has 12,300 vertical feet of gain and nearly 11,000 feet of descent.

But the races here in Crested Butte have a unique standard of extreme. The Grand Traverse is a 40-mile, 7,000-vertical-foot route that sends two-person squads from Crested Butte to Aspen. The ultra kicks-off at midnight to help mitigate the hazards of traveling through avalanche terrain. Skiers travel entirely at high altitude, between 8,000 and 12,400 feet. A precursor to that spring performance is the Gothic Mountain Tour, which likewise has grown in popularity, reaching its largest capacity yet with nearly 180 participants. The 24-mile route

chomps 5,100-feet of vertical and offers minimal support. Ski-runners go from Crested Butte to the ski resort and Gothic, over the Washington Gulch saddle, into the Slate River Valley and back towards town. In 2020, only 76% of the racers finished — and not to my surprise. As I’d trained, friends often reminded me that this competition is considered tougher than the Grand Traverse due to two early cut-offs that force you to sprint out-the-gate.

To give myself the best chance, I elected for help from an expert.

I enrolled in Skimo School, an annual one-day course offered through the Crested Butte Nordic Center. The class is taught by Gunnison Valley local Cam Smith, a two-time Grand Traverse Triple Crown winner. He competed in all three Grand Traverse events — skimo, ultrarunning and mountain biking — and won the overall title. He’s achieved first place at the Grand Traverse ski multiple times. Not to mention, he’s a seven-time skimo national champion. I was sure I could learn from him how to craft a training plan and boost my confidence.

SKIMO SCHOOL On a January morning with a high of 10 degrees Fahrenheit, I gathered with what was Smith’s largest class to date. The majority of our eight students had road tripped from around Colorado, and several of us were snowboarders. It was my first time using this ultralight equipment, which I’d picked up from the rental fleet at The Alpineer, a local shop that leases lightweight alpine-tour setups for skimo. I effortlessly pulled on my Scarpa Alien RS Alpine Touring Boot — the lightest boots I’d ever worn — grabbed my Dynafit DNA Alpine Touring Ski and stepped outside

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Author Morgan Tilton completes her first skimo race. photo by Terrance Siemon

the nordic center. Brushed by the cold air, the inside of my nostrils immediately froze. In front of me, an opaque cloud hung for several seconds following each exhale. But my chest and arms radiated warmth. I felt giddy to be picking up a new winter sport.

“We’ll cover gear management, how to kick and glide, refine our kick turns, work on our transitions and practice skinning,” Smith said.

Smith is a lean guy with a huge smile and glistening eyes. Coils of firered hair stuck out from beneath his beanie. His cheeks glowed bright pink from the brisk temps.

“Skinning really well is how to save hours on the Grand Traverse,” he said, which the majority of students here were aiming to complete. We lined up in rows and practiced our glide technique with various drills.

“Fully commit to one ski with all of your weight and glide on that foot. You don’t want to lunge,” Smith instructed.

I took off, overthinking my form and aiming to relax and be fluid. After a 20-minute practice, we gathered in a circle. As Smith demonstrated a speedy transition, I realized that my boots had been locked out the entire time — at least I made that novice mistake before my race.

After repeatedly ripping and reapplying our skins, it was time for a long gliding session. I caught up to Smith to seek his advice. I was considering switching my race distance from the competitive distance to the recreational option, which would eliminate one of the cut-offs, drop the mileage and significantly slice the elevation gain.

“You should go for the competitive distance! What do you have to lose — you’ll learn no matter what happens,” he said.

Smith was right. I was getting too deep in my head considering what I would feel like if I got disqualified.

I needed to focus on training, believe that I could accomplish this undertaking and try. As an overachiever, I had to remind myself that I didn’t need to be an exceptional ski-runner for this experience to be

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incredible. Regardless of the outcome, this pursuit would help me build toward future goals athletically and personally. Plus, my journey of training with friends and spending time outside would fill me up.

In the coming weeks, I’d need to practice skate skiing both fast, flat mileage and slow, long days for endurance. I’d need to ski across all temperatures and snow conditions.

“Do a lot of variable terrain training, so that you’re comfortable out there during the Grand Traverse,” Smith said. As an experienced ultrarunner, I could see the parallels. “You want to dictate the terrain — don’t let the terrain dictate you. The best skiers maintain the same energy while changing their pace, speed and cadence.”

I used that simple formula to gauge my output and pace each day until the race.

TOP OF THE WORLD A harsh wind pierced my sun-warmed cheeks and the backs of my hands, cupped around my skis. I pulled on mittens, grinning ear-to-ear at the top of Anthracite Mesa, a 11,200-foot high point and the drop-in for the final descent of the Gothic Mountain Tour. I’d spent the last couple of hours slogging uphill, slipping backwards on a steep skin track, and grappling with several more near-catastrophic skin failures.

Now, a blanket of sea-blue had replaced the morning’s white-out and a ring of peaks was in clear view. I looked out at Augusta and Cascade Mountains. I’d realized the deficits in my training, faced a fair number of obstacles and felt tired. Yet, I was elated: Each of those challenges was a huge lesson that I couldn’t have grown without. I thought back to Smith’s coaching and the essence of what he’d shared, that we have nothing to lose by attempting big goals. I couldn’t wait to celebrate with friends at the Magic Meadows Yurt after closing these final miles. I dropped into the steep powder run. My legs felt like Gumby, and I got bucked into the backseat. I laughed at myself and kept on.

For tips and recommendations on picking out the perfect skimo essentials to get you started, head to www.adventurepro.us/skimo-gear.

MORGAN TILTON is an award-winning travel writer specializing in outdoor industry and adventure coverage worldwide. When she’s not writing, you can find her splitboarding, uphilling, snowboarding, nordic or alpine skiing in the Elk Mountains.

Follow her journey at @motilton and www.morgantilton.com.

Racers line up in the dark hours of morning for the start of the Gothic Mountain Tour. photo by Terrance Siemon

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Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding Things I wish I knew before I started B Y DA N I R E Y E S - AC O S TA

START WITH THE ‘HUMAN FACTOR’ TO BUILD SAFE, FUN ENVIRONMENTS “Epa! Epa! Epa!” I’d never heard so much stoke. Around the campfire, my new friends beckoned, inviting me into the circle. We chanted, sang and drank in our love for this place. Earlier that day, we slid down the face of a nearby mountain, scampering over boulders to celebrate our joint wildness.

In 2014, my first trip to the Andean high country south of Santiago, Chile, accidentally became my first backcountry snowboarding mission. That day combined happy luck (new friends inclined to walk uphill with a newbie) with mourning (the local government would dam the river running through the zone the next day).

I still come back to this day, and the formative experiences that followed it, often. I may have ticks from the Andes, Cascades, Coast Range, Rockies, Sierra Nevada and Tetons on my belt, but these mountains remind me that lifelong learning is a crucial part of being a backcountry fiend.

The ride down that first mountain face opened my soul: glee, fear and joy poured an emotional cocktail I’d never sipped. Wherever you are in your backcountry skiing or splitboarding journey, I hope that we can share this drink one day — and savor every ingredient the mountains mix in along the way.

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“. . . It’s anticipated that we’ll see a 300% increase in backcountry usership in the Colorado Rockies,” Breckenridge-based Colorado Adventure Guides (CAG) Lead Guide Justin Ibarra said.

Freeskier and ski mountaineer Sophia Schwartz skies the Gothic Couloir just south of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Due to easy access from the resort, the Jackson Hole “sidecountry” can be a dangerous area for adventurous resort skiers who don’t have backcountry experience or avalanche safety education, but is a paradise for mountain athletes with the knowledge and skills to handle the terrain. photo by Iain Kuo

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Backcountry skiing and splitboarding education progression. image courtesy of Colorado Adventure Guides

IT’S ALL FITNESS Whether you’re new to the backcountry or clicking into well-worn tech bindings, know that fitness will set you up for a season of success.

Fitness doesn’t just make you faster or more efficient on the uphill; it also supports your reactivity in adverse conditions and body awareness in unknown settings.

Adventure photographer and Tetons-based ski mountaineer, Iain Kuo, reminds us, “Speed equates to safety in the mountains: the less time you spend exposed to hazards, the better. Having a disciplined fitness regimen and knowing your limits should be a part of your backcountry preparedness, just the same as monitoring and understanding the snowpack.”

FITNESS TAKEAWAYS

1. Fitness helps us have fun and safe days, but it also helps us

access flow state: a combination of focus and awareness that yields better athletic results and drives emotional stability.

2. Check out programs like Uphill Athlete or Samsara Mountain Training for mountain-specific regimes.

3. The Nike Training Club app also has great free and low-cost HIT (High Intensity Programs) options available via the NTC app.

BROADEN YOUR CONCEPT OF “EDUCATION” “. . . It’s anticipated that we’ll see a 300% increase in backcountry usership in the Colorado Rockies,” Breckenridge-based Colorado Adventure Guides (CAG) Lead Guide Justin Ibarra said.

Ibarra reminded me of my own educational progression: awareness education and field experiences were just as important as AIARE certification. ‘Education’ doesn’t just mean a paid experience.

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Ibarra backed up my hunch to recommend the Know Before You Go avalanche awareness program, working with his team to build the coursework into his organization’s educational progression. “[We also developed] our Mentorship program so that no matter what stage you are in, you can jump right in. It is laid out from complete beginner (101 Clinics, Intro to Ski/Split Course, Level 1 Avalanche) to more advanced users (Level 2 Avalanche, Ski/Splitboard Mountaineering, Guided Mentorship Days, etc.).”

EDUCATION TAKEAWAYS

1. Take an avalanche awareness course via www.KBYG.org or a local guiding service.

2. Find mentors with more experience to build your technical and communication skills.

3. Check for discounts: guiding operations like CAG offer price cuts when buying education in a series. Some retail stores like Jagged Edge Mountain Gear in Telluride, Colorado, partner with local AIARE-certifying guide operations to discount the purchase of new touring gear, too.

4. Look out for scholarships from brands like Voile and Weston,

nonprofits like AIARE and community organizations like Friends of the San Juans.

GROUP DYNAMICS ARE EVERYTHING Remember that phrase, “No friends on a pow day?” Leo Tsuo of Weston Backcountry reminded me: ”The only thing we want is friends on a pow day!” Friends can save our lives, just as much as they can make the day amazing. But ‘team culture’ — the values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours shared by a backcountry crew on any given day — can also be dangerous.

Too many of us remember the ‘summit fever’ that took the lives of multiple climbers on Mount Everest in 2019. The drive to reach their objective (in the context of a traffic jam on the peak) prevented both individuals and groups from making life-saving decisions.

Runaway train and herd mentalities both contribute to summit fever.

Touring groups of more than four people can prevent safe, effective communication.

By “letting more people into your backcountry group last minute... the runaway train group may make terrible decisions,” Emily Hargraves, Lead Guide and Owner of the woman-focused Backcountry Babes operation, said.

“Although we want to be inclusive and invite everyone, big groups can mean bad decisions. Make a plan the night before with 3-4 people... inviting only one new person at a time,” Hargraves said. “Piling on more people last minute to your group means confusing planning, late arrivals, different goals for the day and a communication nightmare.”

Instead, Hargraves encourages tagalongs to create their own small group for the day.

GROUP DYNAMICS TAKEAWAYS

1. Do not follow tracks just because they are there! Both uphill skin tracks and downhill ski tracks were created by the skier or rider preceding you, but it’s impossible to validate the correctness of their decisions.

2. Think for yourself. Consider slope angle, exposure and general direction of travel when following tracks.

3. If what you see doesn’t make sense, go your own way!

4. Normalize conversation with your backcountry partners. Check in on energy, objective and motivators throughout the day.

5. Debrief every tour with your partners. Each person can take a

turn. What went well, what could have gone better and what were some things to watch out for next time? Each person in the group has a voice in this conversation.

THINK FOR YOURSELF Backcountry skiing isn’t about decision by consensus. If one person does not agree with a decision or voices a counter opinion, everyone needs to listen and adjust the plan accordingly.

Lack of formal education isn’t the biggest danger in the backcountry.

Instead, human factors like risk tolerance and assessment, heuristic traps and silencing are our biggest hazards.

Backcountry skiing and splitboarding offer us the opportunity to taste the cocktail the mountains pour with a heavy hand: joy and glee live behind every snow capped tree, at the top of every scoured ridge.

But we have to choose the manner in which we imbibe, because snow, and the way we approach it, can be too much of a good thing.

For a list of upcoming avalanche and backcountry courses, visit www.adventurepro.us/20-21-colorado-avalanche-courses.

DANI REYES-ACOSTA is a freelance brand inclusivity strategist, educator, a dvocate, writer and mountain athlete redefining who plays outside and how we build community with others on this planet. Whether adventuring in her van, El Torito Blanco, or based on a rural homestead in Southwest Colorado, you can find her online at @NotLostJustDiscovering and www.DaniReyesAcosta.com.

Four women on a ladies-only hut trip found the perfect group dynamic in the Sierras, with open communication, backup plans and a culture of mutual support making the experience extra special. From left to right: Alex Spychalsky, Brooklyn Bell, Dani Reyes-Acosta, and Jen Violet Callahan. photo by Pete Schleifer

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GEAR BIN

Backcountry Touring Nothing beats an epic day in the backcountry, especially when you feel confident in your gear and attire. Having the right setup for a day in the backcountry is crucial to your overall safety and comfort — from an avalanche beacon you can fully trust, to something as simple as a solid base layer. Here’s a list of the brands and items we enjoy for our backcountry outings.

AVA L A N C H E RESCUE PAC K AG E S *Includes Beacon, Probe & Shovel BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS T4 475 MAMMUT Barryvox $ 420 $

HELMET SMITH VANTAGE MIPS 230-260 SALOMON MTN LAB $ 200 $

BEANIE PATAGONIA Better Sweater Beanie $ 45 STIO Hunter Beanie $ 39

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B A S E L AY E R

BAC K PAC K

STIO Womens Gannet Peak Fleece 1/2 Zip $ 129 VOORMI Mens 1/4 Zip $ 129

BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS Float 32 Airbag 2.0 $ 585 OSPREY Mens Soelden Pro 32 Avalanche Airbag $ 1,200 OSPREY Womens Soelden Pro 30 Avalanche Airbag $ 1,200

JACKETS ARC'TERYX Mens Sabre AR $ 675 PATAGONIA Womens Stormside $ 499

PA NT S THE NORTH FACE Mens A-Cad Futurelight Bibs $ 549 FLYLOW Womens Foxy Bib $ 420

SUNGLASSES + GOGGLES SMITH Lowdown 2 CORE $ 120 SMITH I/O Mag $ 250-280 GORDINI Women's Relode $ 150

FAC E COV E R I N G

C O M M U N I C AT I O N

BUFF ORIGINAL Multi-function Headwear $ 20 ARC'TERYX Motus Balaclava $ 35

BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS BC 2.0 $ 190 SENA SNOWTALK 2 $ 499

GLOVES SERIUS GEAR Heattouch Gloves $ 375 GORDINI Polar Gloves $ 99

SOCKS SMARTWOOL PhD Ski Ultra Light $ 25 FARM TO FEET Wilson $ 20

SUNSCREEN + LIPBALM RAW ELEMENTS Natural Face + Body SPF 30 $ 19 THINKSPORT SPF 50+ $ 13 RAW ELEMENTS Lip Rescue SPF 30 $ 6 SUN BUM Mineral SPF 30 Lip Balm $ 4

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BASECAMP CUISINE

OUR FAVORITE HOT BEVERAGES

Fresh Ground Coffee • 81301 Coffee Roasters Morning Stoke Blend • Stronghold Coffee Espresso Blend • Desert Sun Southwest Morning • Spirit Mountain Roasting Co. Spirit Blend

Whether you plan ahead and bring your drink in an insulated container or opt to prep one at the trailhead, you’ll be glad you have something to shake the winter chill. photo by Terrance Siemon

Rise and Grind Hot beverages for winter adventures are a game changer

BY TIONA EVERSOLE

For many of us, the decision to head outdoors to explore in the winter is made much more difficult with the addition of ice, snow and below freezing temperatures.

Shorter days also require us to wake up earlier if we are to cram a full day’s worth of adventure into less than 10 hours of daylight (as opposed to over 14 hours in the summer months).

Luckily, packing or prepping a hot drink for your next outing is simple, and offers the perfect solution to warming up from the inside out. Whether you are looking for a caffeine kick to start the day or a soothing blend of herbs to wind down after an adventure, here are a few tips for preparing the perfect hot beverage.

BAGS OR BREWS? Having something warm to start your adventure with will help prepare you for the cold air that lies ahead.

On the other hand, having a hot drink waiting for you at the car when you get back is always a pleasant surprise.

With so many drink options on the market nowadays, finding the perfect coffee or tea is part of the adventure.

For a pick-me-up first thing in the morning, choose a coffee or tea that you enjoy as is. The addition of

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Pour Over Coffee • Kuju Coffee Basecamp Blend • Copper Cow Coffee Churro Latte • La Colombe Bleu Organic Dark Roast Instant Coffee • First Ascent Coffee Roasters Dawn Patrol • Stoked Roasters Stoked Stix • Voila Seasonal Affective Drink Tea - Caffeinated • Colorado Tea Company Chairlift Chai • Old Barrel Tea Company Ginger Chai • Tazo Tea Concentrate Black Tea Organic Chai Latte • Numi Organic Tea Aged Earl Gray Tea - Non-Caffeinated • Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice • Maya Tea Vanilla Spice Herbal • Good Earth Tea Co. Sweet and Spicy Other Drinks • Old Barrel Tea Company Mexican Hot Chocolate • Animas Chocolate Company Hot Chocolate Mix • Skratch Labs Hot Apple Cider Hydration Drink Mix • MUD/WTR Coffee Alternative Cacao, Spice, Mushroom Blend • Clever Golden Superlatte Golden Milk, No Coffee Added • KOS Holy Cacao! Hot Chocoshroom Blend

sweetener or creamer can affect your overall morning buzz, and could lead to a sugar crash or leave you feeling sluggish.

If you prefer tea, select a black or green tea for the higher caffeine content.

For those who prefer non-caffeinated drinks, or want to enjoy a mid-afternoon drink without having to worry about caffeine keeping you up all night, try decaf coffee or herbal tea. In this case, we prefer tea for the plethora of options that exist — fruity, spiced, floral, zesty. . . there’s a tea leaf blend for every mood and occasion.

Not a fan of coffee or tea? Try mixing it up with hot cocoa or warm apple cider.

If you prefer to bring your drink along for the ride, shoot for a compact and insulated container, such as the BruTrek Double Shot. photo courtesy of Planetary Design

MAKE AHEAD Planning to make your drink prior to heading out the door is the most simple way to ensure that you get exactly what you want. The hardest part about making a drink ahead is making sure that it won’t leak everywhere, and that it will stay hot until you plan on consuming it. The easiest way to transport your drink of choice is by way of an insulated container. Yet, with so many options on the market these days, selecting the right one ends up being part of the adventure. Finding one that is capable of keeping its contents nice and hot in a frigid vehicle for hours on end is the end goal.

Thermos has been a household name for years, and has stood up to the test of time.

Plus, the cap doubles as a convenient cup when you’re ready for a drink. Fill up one of these bad boys before hitting the road and enjoy your favorite drink at any time during the day.

PARKING LOT PREP Another way to enjoy a hot beverage at the end of the day is by preparing it right at your vehicle. For the easiest way to a hot drink, boil some water using a tiny portable stove. Instant coffee packs or tea bags work best for the quickest and easiest access to a hot beverage.

Pour over coffee options are also a good bet — just don’t forget to pack the filters!

But if you’re set on bringing the french press, check out Planetary Design’s new OVRLNDR Press, which simplifies the process and makes cleanup easy with its all-in-one design.

Stay warm in the winter backcountry with a hot drink of your choice. photo by Terrance Siemon

Prefer to grab something for the drive up?

Check out our favorite local coffee (and tea) shops at www.adventurepro.us/coffee-shops.

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Endless Bummer Athletes find a way to escape the woes of winter

BY MORGAN SJOGREN

The space between summer and winter often feels like a blink. One day, I am frolicking in the high country of the San Juan Mountains in shorts — and long before I am ready, these same trails require skis for passage.

The taste of this switch arrived earlier this September, in the form of a smoky, sweltering 95-degree day followed by temperatures in the 30s and thunder snow. What followed was an immediate morale dip into despair. Sure, the temperature quickly warmed up again, but I tasted the all too familiar reminder that winter is coming.

I grew up in the southern California desert where the seasons fluctuate between warm, hot and less hot. Through nearly a decade of living in high altitude communities in the intermountain west, I have found ways to find joy in colder temps by running in snow with microspikes and dabbling in skiing. Yet, I am finally coming to grips with the fact that I am still not a winter person. My idea of a perfect afternoon is running on a dry trail and then literally laying on a slab of sun-baked sandstone like a lizard. The truth is, the winter activities I’ve adopted are actually self-prescribed medication to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to make it through what I am starting to consider the annual endless bummer.

Of course, I am not alone. For many mountain athletes who flock to the slopes for summer sports, the novelty and beauty of winter can eventually wear off — and wear you down. For those of us that love summer, the first hints of winter like browning foliage in the high country and crisp mornings in the desert can signal more apprehension than joy. If you’re not the type to start waxing your skis as soon as monsoon season ends, you may already be bracing yourself for another round of SAD or simply trying to stay in shape when the snow falls.

To sustain an adventurous mountain life, it therefore becomes necessary to admit and accept your warmblooded inclination, and then make necessary adaptations. Misery also loves company, so if you start to feel like the only person dreading the winter solstice, lean into the experience and expertise of these Southwest athletes who are doing the best they can to get through their least favorite season.

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In the winter months, Elizabeth Sampey escapes to the Arizona desert with her mountain bike. photo by Whitton Feer/ Revel Bikes

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Ultrarunner Cat Bradley in her element. photo by Ryan Lassen

CAT BRADLEY, ULTRARUNNER For Western States 100-Mile Endurance Race champion Cat Bradley, living and training in the Colorado Rockies is a world apart from growing up on the island of Hawaii, and she says this directly correlates with her winter struggles.

“I am actually hoping to move back to Hawaii one day, and maybe even staying with family this winter,” Bradley said. “I miss the ocean and the ability to get out the door for 30 minutes of surfing or open water swimming.”

Aside from the cooler temperatures, Bradley also acknowledges another winter challenge: Gear.

“I have come to realize that a huge part of my struggle with cold weather and cold weather sports is the gear involved,” she said. “I do love skiing, and the novelty of being a ski bum is what brought me to Colorado. But every year the layers of clothing and the additional prep time deters me. I have gone from skiing 100 days a year to less than ten.”

Bradley cautions runners and hikers who yearn to hang onto their hard earned fitness during the colder months.

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“I have avoided trails in the winter because I noticed microspikes change my form and I would tend to have more niggle pop up when using them consistently,” she said.

While Bradley plans to escape to warmer weather this season, she mentions that if she were to stick it out through the colder months, she wouldn’t force her training as she has done in the past.

“My plan would be to drastically reduce mileage until the spring to stay healthy and inspired,” Bradley said. “It is easy to get burned out and injured before the running season even starts when trying to force mileage on icy roads and in blowing winds!”

ELIZABETH SAMPEY, MOUNTAIN BIKE ADVENTURER The amount of gear to sustain winter life and adventures only increase for athletes living on the road. Mountain bike and packraft adventurer Elizabeth Sampey, who also works as a physical therapist, is honest about the challenges of facing the winter elements head-on while living full-time in her van.

“It’s definitely harder to motivate for my adventures when it starts to get cold and wet,” Sampey said. “The in-between mud season is the worst as I have nowhere to dry muddy wet clothes after a ride, or no hot shower to get warm, but it’s not quite cold enough to run my propane heater. So sometimes I just huddle under blankets and eat hot ramen with my dog and shiver, stupidly. When that starts happening it usually motivates me to head elsewhere.”

Admittedly, before COVID-19 Sampey would frequently leave the country to avoid winter altogether. But before Sampey flocks south, she gives winter her best shot.

“I actually do love backcountry skiing; so when the faucets turn on midwinter and it dumps snow in one of my favorite spots, I’ll head there and park at some backcountry trailhead with enough food and propane to last a week,” she said. “Then I’ll ski my butt off, go into town for a resupply, and look for the next spot.

Sampey does this for about a month or so until she feels that she’s gotten her fill of skiing, then heads back to her favorite place in the country: the Sonoran Desert south of Tucson, Arizona. Sampey spends her time ducking in and out of Mexico as well, and riding her bike until it gets warm enough to head north again — usually in late April or May. LUKE MEHALL, ROCK CLIMBER For years, Luke Mehall lived in Gunnison, Colorado, where he dreaded the long cold winters.

“I would get SAD when I lived there,” Mehall said.

Now based in Durango, Colorado, he’s actually finding joy during the winter months. “Believe it or not, winter in Durango can actually provide some good climbing conditions outside,” he said.

To manage SAD, Mehall uses a simple remedy: “I just make sure that I get outside and get some sunshine and get some cardio every day.”

However, to cope with the wetter days, Mehall has shifted his winter training focus.

“I just started indoor training more for climbing in the winter this past year, at 41 years old,” Mehall said. “And I really enjoyed it.”

Though he doesn’t plan to escape winter other than with some local travel, Mehall is excited to focus on his new passion for indoor training to get through the coming months. “(My fiancé and I) are currently scheming on building an indoor climbing wall at our house too, so that should be fun!”

With a few tweaks in mindset, activities and expectations, the endless bummer in the Southwest just might start to feel like the endless opportunity. To reframe perspectives of winter, try something new and have some fun.

MORGAN SJOGREN runs wild with words all over the Southwest.

She has a penchant for chasing sunshine, and her motto heading into winter is, “It’s always summer on the inside.”

Sjogren is the author of three books. Read more of her stories at www.therunningbum.com.

Rock climber Luke Mehall’s secret to combating seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is to get outside and enjoy the sunshine when possible. photo by Dane Molinaro

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As Above, So Below Drone photography in the winter provides a fresh perspective

BY TERRANCE SIEMON

When the snow falls, everything looks better. It transforms the landscape — trees look prettier, mountains look bigger and towns look cleaner.

The moments immediately after a fresh snowfall are a great time to get out and take photographs, and using a drone opens up a whole new realm of opportunity since it can go places your two feet can’t take you.

BEFORE YOU FLY There’s a few things to mention about drone operation in the winter that you need to know. While the battery on most drones can operate between 0-40 degrees Celsius, the issue is that the battery life does not last long if it’s cold out. Always keep the batteries warm before you insert them into the drone. Also, let the drone hover for a minute after take off to warm up the cells.

FIND THE LIGHT One great thing about the winter months is lighting. We get long golden hour light with dramatic shadows since the earth is tilted away from the sun.

Another plus is the twilight hours (which are best for photography in general), which arrive earlier in the day. So waiting for that sunset shot requires less time compared to the summer months.

DJI Mavic Pro aperture f/2.2 exposure 1/160 focal length 4.73mm iso 100 camera

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Above: A bird’s-eye view of the Million Dollar Highway as it winds down Red Mountain Pass in Southwest Colorado. photo by Terrance Siemon

A D V E N T U R E P R O . u s

VANTAGE POINTS Something you will notice a lot of with drone photography is vantage point. Since we are not used to seeing images taken from the perspective a drone can achieve, it’s one of the first things to stand out in a drone photo where the vantage point was taken into consideration. During a flight I always think, “What can I shoot with this that would be impossible to shoot with my DSLR?” One example: flying the drone over an ice cold lake or a body of water that you’re not about to go swim in to take a picture. Well, now you don’t have to!

BEHIND THE LENS

Above: Alpenglow above Little Molas Lake in the San Juan Mountains. photo by Terrance Siemon

DJI Mavic Pro aperture f/2.2 exposure 1/240 focal length 4.73mm iso 100 camera

BIRD’S-EYE VIEWS A commn yet always interesting angle that never disappoints is the bird’s-eye view. Although it is utilized a lot, the compositions that can be found from this angle are endless. Roads take a new shape, trees create amazing patterns and the texture of snow can be used as a canvas to make leading lines, anomalies and symmetry within your image.

If you are going to fly a drone, please make sure you follow all FAA guidelines and have your sUAS pilot license.

DJI Mavic Pro aperture f/2.2 exposure 1/2000 focal length 4.73mm iso 100 camera

Left: Black and white photography works well in the winter to showcase the tonal range across the shadows and highlights. photo by Terrance Siemon

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KILLER WEEKEND

Snowmobiles parked at the Enterprise Bar and Grill. photo by Brandy Randall

Rico, Colorado Winter’s undiscovered treasure lies just off the beaten path

BY ROBERT STUMP

Riders enjoy groomed trails near town. photo by Cristal Hibbard

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It takes a little over a minute to drive through Rico, Colorado, at the posted speed limit. Most of the traffic on State Highway 145 passes right through the blink-and-miss-it mining town, settled in 1879, unless stopped by the marshal when they blinked and missed the speed limit sign, too.

“Rico shrinks in the winter,” said Brandy Randall, owner of the Enterprise Bar and Grill.

Slowing down through town, though, begins to reveal things otherwise missed. Rico’s modern treasures take some digging, as much as its minerals did back in the day, but are well worth dedicating an entire weekend to.

The astute weekend warrior immediately recognizes the most obvious treasures: a town surrounded by mountains accessible from a well-maintained winter highway, and beautiful river valley slicing through the middle of it all. The Rico mountains are their own geologic feature, with more than a dozen summits over 12,000 feet packed into 75 square miles and joined at the hip with the San Juan Mountains and the Wilson Range.

Driving the speed limit through town often affords a whiff RICO IS RAD! of the scrumptious barbecue in the smoker out front usually Rico is a laid-back mountain town, but don’t let that fool you surrounded by hungry patrons. into passing through. Diving in for a weekend quickly reveals why The Enterprise often adds to winter weekend fun by the unofficial slogan is well-earned: “Rico is Rad!” The town hosts showing ski flicks, hosting avalanche awareness classes and a 5-mile network of winter trails around town that the Rico Trails providing creative promotions — such as two for one shots Alliance (RTA) calls “decidedly casual.” But the town and the RTA of Chairlift Warmer while it’s snowing and $1 shots when the are anything but casual, even if they have a laid-back attitude. snowplow drives past. Between the beer garden, a popular back RTA works fervently to develop and promote non-motorized deck overlooking the river valley backdropped by snow-covered trails in and around Rico from donations only. The group has mountains and some interior rearranging, the Enterprise is accomplished impressive objectives in the three years since they amply suited to accommodate s were established. They recently ocial distancing for the winter. acquired an easement to extend Brandy and her staff give the place the town trail system through an easy vibe and you can speak to private property, and have worked Brandy about the possibility extensively with the Forest Service of hosting private events. and the Historic District to extend Fret not about lodging. The it another three miles down the Enterprise has several rooms upstairs river. The town employs a Nordic that can be booked through Airbnb. and skate ski groomer for the The Mine Shaft Inn just across the trails around town, and the RTA street has seven rooms that can be grooms for fat bikes alongside the booked on their website at www.

Nordic track for singletrack riding.

RicoMineShaftInn.com or by calling Together, the town and RTA the owner, Jordan O’Hara, directly at usually host a winter carnival (970) 967-4996. The Mine Shaft Inn and fat bike bash celebrating serves up a hot breakfast and hosts winter trail activities and local occasional events. Lodging in Rico artists of Rico. Bike shops from is in historic buildings with all the Telluride often provide support charms that once catered to miners with fat bike demos and places and maximized the available space. like Telluride Brewing showing up Special considerations to prevent the with libations. The local artists spread of COVID-19 may be in place organize a snow sculpture contest for rooms that share bathrooms, so for all ages that was celebrated book early. in the past with a slideshow in At the Prospector, Modern the Enterprise Bar and Grill, with American Kitchen, renowned audience picks awarded gift Chef Eamonn O’Hara “creates certificates to local businesses.

“Dropping in” in the Rico backcountry. photo by Robert Stump fascinating flavors using regionally There is even an ice-skating rink cultivated ingredients.” The future in town! of the Prospector is uncertain, but private chef services may still Self-guided snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and be an option. backcountry skiing adventure opportunities are endless with ample There are many more treasures hidden within Rico’s mountains. parking right off the highway just north of Rico at Barlow Creek and But naming them here might just spoil the adventure! The miners select locations along Highway 145. Although the Rico mountains who established Rico had to dig for their treasure, and little has may not quite boast the elevations of their neighbors, the terrain changed except what we identify as treasures. With the right offers exhilarating opportunities for any skill level, along with amount of adventurous spirit, respect for the locals and respect f significant avalanche danger. Any winter travel in the backcountry or the natural resources, those treasures can be enjoyed by all. should be accompanied by the requisite skills, knowledge, and If your winter weekend adventure style seeks to forgo the respect for the potential dangers and how they may be magnified crowds but not the experience, Rico is your place. For a killer winter by the current pandemic. weekend, Rico is Rad! Not knowing what the pandemic has in store for the winter, EAT, DRINK AND STAY please be sure to check out the www.ricotrailsalliance.org website Adventurers exploring the Rico area will now be able to start or their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram for the 2021 their day with a little extra pep. A new coffee shop – Rico Coffee Winter Carnival/Fat Bike Ride.

– is slated to open, warming winter bones before or after your next adventure.

Did I mention food and music? The Enterprise Bar and Grill ROBERT STUMP is a project manager, outdoor adventurer and occupies a historic building (conveniently right next to the photographer based out of Cortez, Colorado. He enjoys promoting backcountry liquor store) right in the middle of town that serves as the focal point of social gathering, even if it is at a distance these days. and outdoor adventure through his photography and professional pursuits that They stay open all winter and you might as well forget the idea supports environmentally and culturally responsible enjoyment of our treasured that outdoor beer gardens are only a thing for summertime. natural resources.

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HIDDEN GEMS

Winter is the New Summer With the outdoors being a safe place to play, we might just brave unpredictable weather to explore these popular desert destinations in the winter STORY BY BRENDA BERGREEN

Snow begins to fall, and you dream of warm beaches and wildflowers. Warm days take over, and you count down to sweatshirt weather and cuddling by the fire. Winter often gets a bad rap for halting our adventures and forcing us inside — unless you’re going skiing, of course. The days are shorter and colder; but instead of wishing them away, it’s time to recognize what it really means. The crowds are smaller, even nonexistent at popular destinations across the Southwest that are typically overrun during the warmer months. In short, you can have a natural wonder all to yourself.

Getting into Arches in summer and fall can mean a long line of cars. Winter vehicle traffic is somewhere in the ballpark of 250 cars per day versus 2,500 in the peak summer months. To give you an idea of what that means, the parking lot capacity of Arches is exceeded most days in March through October. These warnings can be seen in a graph on Arches website along with traffic tips. In the winter, instead of studying traffic tips, you can focus on seeing the unique rock formations that Arches is known for.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK Would you rather be too hot or too cold? Don’t answer that. What we all really want is perfect temperatures, but if this year has taught us anything, it’s that there is a lot we can’t control. Weather has always been one of them. Arches National Park in winter is typically sunny, cool and perfect for a trail run through the park. That was our original plan.

What we encountered was clouds, wind and snow.

Not only did that mean we wouldn’t get to trail run across the park, but our sunrise photos would be missing one thing: the sunrise.

Snow falls but doesn’t often stay around in this area of Southeast Utah; therefore, rather than be disappointed at the change of plans, it seemed like a good opportunity to photograph the park. Advantages to Arches in winter include a brilliant contrast of snow to red rock and having such views all to yourself.

TOROWEAP OVERLOOK GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK If heading out in winter isn’t enough to escape the crowds, head out to somewhere that’s way way way off the grid. Toroweap Overlook isn’t your standard Grand Canyon overlook that attracts hordes of tourists. It’s a remote spot down a long bumpy road that requires a high clearance vehicle and slow, methodical driving so you don’t pop a tire when you have no one to call.

But if you make it out there, better yet if you get a camping permit, you’ll have the whole Grand Canyon all to yourself — or at least as far as you can see. As you look down 3,000 feet to the Colorado River, you’ll wonder why you ever thought you had any problems. Getting off the grid has that effect. Seeing the size of the Grand Canyon does that to a person. And isn’t that what we all need this year?

The solitude of Toroweap Overlook at sunrise. photo by Marc Bergreen.

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Monument Valley at sunset with a sprinkle of snow. photo by Marc Bergreen.

MONUMENT VALLEY TRIBAL PARK - TSE’BII’NDZISGAII If you’re looking for something a little less rugged, drive the road through Monument Valley Tribal Park. You can stay in the warmth of your car and view the vistas of one of the most heavily photographed places in the Southwest. It doesn’t take long to understand why. Wind and water have eroded the plateau to reveal breathtaking sandstone buttes.

There is a daily entry fee to the park. You can also opt to hire a Navajo Guide for a narrated tour. Monument Valley Tribal park is protected by Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation which protects the Little Colorado River, Antelope Canyon, Monument Valley, Four Corners, Canyon de Chelly – Campground, Bowl Canyon and the Navajo Veterans Memorial Park. If traveling to one of these areas, please heed the request of Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation to keep our Mother Earth clean.

Navajo Nation Tribal Parks closed during the pandemic, see their website before planning a visit.

Trails are more crowded now that the outdoors is a safer place to be. Many adventurers are discovering or rediscovering our beautiful landscapes. It’s the hope of many that with that renewed love of lifechanging landscapes and breathtaking views will come a commitment to protect, honor and treat these places with respect.

The author enjoying a hot coffee clad in long underwear and a puffy jacket. photo by Marc Bergreen.

Driving through Arches National Park on a cold winter morning. photo by Brenda Bergreen

BRENDA BERGREEN is a storyteller and photographer living in Evergreen, Colorado, with her family. She loves the search for hidden gems and is willing to brave cold weather to have epic landscapes all to herself.

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Soak it in How a trip to your favorite hot springs helps you recover faster

BY TIONA EVERSOLE

Winter sports are a different beast.

Temperatures are normally below freezing, deep snow is often present and the short days require some serious rallying for big ventures. Oftentimes, we get back to the car feeling stiff and numb, the chill of winter visible in our rosy cheeks and frozen fingertips. After a long day of traversing snowscapes and wandering through frosted woods, what better way to warm up and relax

What better way to wind down after a long day of exploring the backcountry than with a soak at the local hot springs? photo courtesy of The Springs Resort & Spa

than with a dip in the soothing waters of natural hot springs?

Hot springs are an excellent option for unwinding after a day spent skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice climbing or any other winter sport you prefer. The warm, soothing waters emit a welcoming cloud of steam on a chilly evening, an invitation to soak our tired bodies in the healing pools. So what is it about hot springs that help improve muscle recovery and relaxation?

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BRING THE HEAT The end of another epic day finds you achy and sore, your body exhausted from your favorite winter activities.

When we work our muscles to the point of exhaustion, our cells begin to run out of oxygen. This results in anaerobic respiration, which is the process responsible for producing lactic acid. Lactic acid is our body’s defense mechanism for working our muscles too hard. Our movements become slower, and our bodies stiff. Sitting in hot water increases blood flow, which helps our bodies speed up the processing of lactic acid buildup.

Another valuable practice at hot springs is contrast bathing — alternating between hot and cold water. This abrupt change in temperatures causes our blood vessels to open and constrict, which assists our cardiovascular system in reducing muscle fatigue, soreness and swelling. Not to mention, the practice of contrast bathing is extremely invigorating.

MAGIC IN MINERALS Hot springs are chock full of minerals, with mineral content varying based on the location of the hot spring. Thanks in part to the temperature of hot springs water, there is a high concentration of dissolved minerals. Common minerals found in hot springs include calcium, chloride, iron, magnesium, potassium, silica and sulphate.

“Specifically for our water, we’re very noticeable for our sulfur smell,” Shane Lucero, marketing director for The Resort Springs & Spa in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, said. “Whether you like (the smell) or hate it, sulfur is an anti-inflammatory, so it’s really good for people with arthritis. It’s really great for people who are training because it’s great for your joint health.”

The minerals found in hot springs are also excellent for skin health. Silica is known to relieve dry, rough skin.

Individuals that struggle with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis may find relief for these conditions by soaking in hot springs.

PEACE OF MIND Aside from the physical benefits of hot springs, the mental aspect is just as important. Hot springs provide a peaceful escape. As our bodies begin to relax in the soothing waters, so do our minds.

“Sometimes you don’t realize how much your mind plays into it, so maybe it’s not your muscles that are sore or tired, but it’s just your brain,” Lucero said. “It’s something so simple that everybody forgets and is really necessary to body recovery.”

OUR FAVORITE SPOTS Durango Hot Springs DURANGO, CO

Located near Purgatory Resort and the San Juan backcountry

www.durangohotspringsresortandspa.com Hot springs offer many benefits to winter sports recovery — both for the body and the mind. photo courtesy of Durango Hot Springs

Joyful Journey Hot Springs Spa MOFFAT, CO

Sitting in hot springs also increases our body temperature, and when we exit the pool and our body temperature drops, the change helps us to relax and can improve sleep functions.

OUTSIDE THE POOL Looking for other ways to unwind?

Many hot spring locations also offer a wide variety of services — from saunas and massages to facials and yoga classes.

Located near Monarch Ski Area in the vast San Luis Valley www.joyfuljourneyhotsprings.com

Iron Mountain Hot Springs GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO

The perfect stop off the I-70 corridor www.ironmountainhotsprings.com

Mt. Princeton Hot Springs NATHROP, CO

Go snowmobiling or snowshoeing in the surrounding San Isabel National Forest www.mtprinceton.com

Ojo Caliente TAOS, NM

A short drive from Taos Valley Ski Area; reopening early 2021 www.ojospa.com

Orvis Hot Springs RIDGWAY, CO

The Springs Resort & Spa offers 24 geothermal hot spring fed pools with varying temperatures, and is conveniently located near the wild and vast Wolf Creek backcountry. photo courtesy of The Springs Resort & Spa

A peaceful escape after climbing at the Ouray Ice Park; clothing optional www.orvishotsprings.com

The Springs Resort & Spa PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO

Relax and rejuvenate after a day at Wolf Creek Ski Area www.pagosahotsprings.com

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WILD VOICES

Kristi Haner and Alex Tibiero: Skiing, Silversmithing & Solitude A socially isolated gig caretaking for the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, sets the stage for surplus ski laps and an artisan jewelry making business B Y S T E P H A N I E M A LTA R I C H

On a crisp January day, Kristi Haner and Alex Tibiero spend “We arrived in the fall and didn’t know what to expect, but we the morning studying for their Avalanche Level 2 course. The were ready for anything,” Haner said. couple backcountry skis on most days throughout the winter. The THE CARETAKING LIFE advanced course would help them better understand the intricacies Before their life as caretakers and jewelry makers, Haner worked of Colorado’s fickle snowpack. as a data analyst for a mapmaking company, and Tibiero spent Their cabin is homey and welcoming. Buddhist prayer flags hang over a decade living out of tents above the porch; the couple hangs as an instructor for NOLS and a new set each winter. Inside, the Outward Bound while working as a wood-burning stove roars while ski stonemason between seasons. boots dry by the fire. Dry goods line The first winter was exciting, but the kitchen shelves, and topo maps they learned a few lessons; they adorn the walls. The south facing ran out of food and wood. A few windows bring tremendous light years ago their septic system failed, into the small room that is warmly forcing them to use the outhouse decorated with plants. A freshly for three months. By spring, they are baked loaf of no-knead bread sits usually over it — tired of putting on on the counter. ski boots just to step outside. And “Visitors are usually surprised then there’s shoveling. The constant to see how cozy the cabin is,” shoveling to keep snow from Tibiero laughs. “People think we are covering their windows gets old, but roughing it more than we are.” that’s part of life in Gothic, and they Haner and Tibiero have found accept it. what many of us are searching for: Yet, they admit that caretaking solitude and time. isn’t too challenging; it’s mostly fun, Haner and Tibiero both grew and having each other helps, too. up in Upstate New York. As kids, They work alongside two other they met at a summer camp. They winter caretakers to manage the lost touch for a while, but reunited property owned by Rocky Mountain when they became climbing This is the cabin where Alex and Kristi spend the winter.photo by Petar Dopchev Biological Laboratory (RMBL). The partners, which is when they also scientific research station hosts started dating. scientists studying high alpine ecosystems, flora and fauna and In 2015 while living in Boulder, Colorado, Haner and Tibiero climate change each summer. were perusing Craigslist. They stumbled upon an ad seeking During their first season, they managed the reservations and caretakers in the remote town of Gothic, Colorado, eight miles maintenance of the huts along with the local weather station. from Crested Butte. The ad stated it was a last-minute gig, and They kept rooftop solar panels clear and made sure the doors of a couple was preferred.

70 buildings around the property weren’t blown in. This winter will They wanted to get out of the city and move further West, so mark their sixth season caretaking in Gothic. They drive in supplies they responded to the ad and were hired as winter caretakers in October 1 and remain until June 1 — or until the snow melts.

Gothic, where the winter population totals four residents. They had Over five seasons, their responsibilities have evolved. In addition never been to Crested Butte or the surrounding area, but they were to caretaking RMBL’s property, they dig snowpits for snow science excited about the unknown. They packed their bags in the fall and research for Colorado Avalanche Information Center and NASA. committed to an isolated winter where the only option in and out Otherwise, you’ll find them skiing and making jewelry. is by a three-mile ski.

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A D V E N T U R E P R O . u s

Left: Haner and Tibiero on their way to town. This skin track is how they access the cabin and vice versa. photo by Petar Dopchev Below: Tibiero and Haner hanging out in their burning stove heated “living room.” photo by Petar Dopchev

SKIING AS A WAY OF LIFE Skiing is one of the main attractions of the caretaking gig. Tibiero skis every day, while Haner skis most days.

“You definitely have to want to ski every day,” Haner said.

Avalanches have been a regular occurrence, some years more than others. Last spring, during historic snowstorms, avalanches released from above and slid into the cabin. The couple admits it was scary.

There are times when Tibiero skis alone on low angled slopes; five years of living and skiing every day has left him feeling comfortable in some locations. Maybe too comfortable. He admits he’s had some chilling experiences.

This past winter on a high danger day, he skied a low-angled familiar slope down to the road. As he skied out, he looked back to see two avalanches running across the road. The image of his ski tracks buried in the pile of debris made him feel sick.

“I shouldn’t have been there,” he recalled. “I almost threw up.”

It was the first time he’d witnessed slides of that scale cross the road; an occurrence that hadn’t been repeated since 1976. He was hard on himself in the following weeks while he questioned his decision making.

Now, he no longer skis on high danger days.

“Life is more important than low angled powder,” Tibiero said.

JEWELRY MAKING IN ISOLATION During the first winter, they knew they had to keep themselves busy: caretaking duties only averaged four hours a week.

They attempted a few new hobbies: knitting, watercolor painting and sewing. But, nothing seemed to stick. Haner knitted a hat and didn’t feel compelled to knit a second. Tibiero didn’t find much interest in any of the hobbies.

“I had a really bad attention span,” he said laughing. Haner wasn’t giving up, though. So she used her tax return to buy silversmithing tools.

They learned to make jewelry through trial and error and by watching YouTube videos.

Now, they are a silversmithing couple. They created their company, Gothic Mountain Jewelers, inspired by the 12,000-foot peak that towers over the valley. Their silver jewelry is a throwback to the area’s heyday of silver mining at the end of the 19th century.

They sell their pieces on Etsy, Instagram and at local farmer’s markets during the summer when they live on their property in Pitkin.

After searching for several years, they found Pitkin to be the most affordable property in Colorado. Then, they made plans to build.

They spent this past summer constructing a 576-square foot tiny home they designed with the help of friends and family. It boasts high ceilings and an 18-foot wall.

“We learned what we wanted our house to be like living in Gothic,” Tibiero said.

On October 1, Haner and Tibiero packed up and drove back to Gothic for their sixth season. After a rigorous summer building, Haner said she was ready to slow down and settle back into cabin life.

Follow Haner and Tibiero on Instagram at @gothicmtnjewelers and @our.pitkin.home

STEPHANIE MALTARICH is a writer and audio producer who loves stories about humans doing interesting things in the wild. She lives off a country road in Gunnison, Colorado. When she’s not glued to her computer, you’ll find her searching for lesstraveled trails in the Elk Mountains by foot, bike or ski.

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V I S TA S The cold night air is still, and the flicker of stars seems brighter in the winter night sky. Twilight settles on the San Juan Mountain town of Durango, Colorado, as Silver Peak looms over the valley below. A visit to Durango in the winter offers endless possibilities for adventure — from exploring the San Juan backcountry to enjoying the endless trail system around town. photo by Terrance Siemon

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