Elevation Outdoors May 2017

SAIL COLORADO | THE BATTLE FOR BEARS EARS | YOGA EVERY DAY MAY 2017

FREE!

GO OUTSIDE & PLAY

ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM

FESTIVAL GUIDE

MUSIC, SPORTS, LIBATIONS

SURVIVORS ON THE SALMON

TAKE YOUR DOG ON YOUR ADVENTURES

GOVERNOR HICKENLOOPER

SPEAKS UP FOR PUBLIC LANDS

BEST FEST BANDS

WHO WON THE BOOZAPALOOZA? BEER, LIQUOR, CIDER AND WINE

Estes Park offers endless opportunities for exploration and relaxation. From outdoor adventures and awe-inspiring wildlife to craft distilleries and breweries, there’s fun for absolutely everyone at the base camp for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Find all the adventures that await you at VisitEstesPark.com 2

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

CONTENTS MAY 2017 HAS THE ULTIMATE TRAIL BIKES

R HTOWE G I H Z CRU SANTA

5+ YETI SB FEEL THE TRIBE VIBE

29 AYHEM SPOT M BS RS AT G AIL U R T O Y 9 2 Y 4 D BU S 50+ PIVOT TRY AN AM HA

OGR E TO RIDE R P O M BL R DETAILS OUR DEKES AVAILAO O BI BIKESHOP.C M F N I A T MOUN ISIT GOLDE N V

IT'S TIME TO GET DOWN WITH A FEW HUNDRED OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS. PLAN YOUR SEASON WITH EO'S ANNUAL FESTIVAL GUIDE (PAGE 25). photo courtesy Telluride Blues and Brews

DEPARTMENTS

7 EDITOR’S LETTER What's at stake in Bears Ears.

FEATURES

26 THE 2017 MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL GUIDE

Gourmet mountain-style at the Gold Hill Inn, the Imogene Pass Run, Yoga Every Day, a new bird song app and more...

The festival season is upon us! It's time to dig into our annual, comprehnsive listing of the best music, sport, libations, food, film, yoga and art happenings across Colorado and beyond.

15 FLASHPOINT

53 BOOZAPALOOZA

8 QUICK HITS

Native American tribes scored a big win with Bears Ears National Monument. Will Trump turn it into yet another loss?

19 HOT SPOT

Blend luxury and thrills at Beaver Creek.

PHOTO TAYLOR BURK

20 THE TRAIL

Download the free ViewRanger app and explore Colorado's eastern badlands.

Our annual booze-focused reader poll put beer, liquor, ciders and wine in their own categories for a final four showdown. Guess who won?

55 IT'S A DOG'S LIFE

Got a dog who loves adventure? We have the best trips and gear for you.

61 FESTY GEAR

Dress for success this season.

23 STRAIGHT TALK

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper predicts the future of the planet.

CYCLE TEX AS |

FIVE HOT NEW TRA

APRIL 2017

63 HEAR THIS COLORADO’S DESTINATION BACKCOUNTRY SHOP

Be sure to catch these five hot bands playing Colorado festivals this summer.

GO OUTSIDE

& PLAY

70 ELWAYVILLE

Find love in the songs you share.

ELEVATIONO UTDOORS.COM

IT’S TIME

SPIN

65 THE ROAD

Tracy Ross finds healing and hydraulics with cancer patients paddling the Salmon.

IL RUNNERS | 2017 ’S BEST RIDES

FREE!

THE SINGLET RACK ISSUE!

JASON KOO REVERSES P LANCE EFFTHE ECT

HOW DENVER CAN SAVE US

YOUR GUIDE

FIGHTING TO R CONSERVAFO TION

GET DIRTY ON ASPEN’S NEW TRAIL S

Want more?

BENTGATE MOUNTAINEERING

1313 Washington Ave, Golden CO 80401 | 303.271.9382

4

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

Catch up on past issues, your favorite bloggers and daily online content at ElevationOutdoors.com ON TH E C OV ER: A FESTY B EAST C ELEB R ATES M U SIC , DOG S, B EER A N D MOU N TA IN S. ILLUSTR ATION BY: KEV IN H OW D ES H ELL / TH EB R AV EUNION.C OM

CONTRIBUTORS

ElevationOutdoors.com

05. 17

WHAT'S YOUR ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL GEAR?

EDITORIAL ED ITOR -IN -CH IEF

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

doug@elevationoutdoors.com MAN AG IN G ED ITOR

CAMERON MARTINDELL

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

A good drinking horn is invaluable.

cameron@elevationoutdoors.com SEN IOR ED ITOR

CHRIS KASSAR

chris@elevationoutdoors.com IN TERN

LILY KRASS

play@elevationoutdoors.com CON TRIBUTIN G ED ITORS

AARON BIBLE, ADAM CHASE, ROB COPPOLILLO, LIAM DORAN, JAMES DZIEZYNSKI, HUDSON LINDENBERGER, SONYA LOONEY, JAYME MOYE, TRACY ROSS, CHRIS VAN LEUVEN ED ITOR -AT-LARG E

PETER KRAY

C ON TRIBUTIN G WRITERS

JEFF BLUMENFELD, KELLY CASSIDY, JEDD FERRIS, KIM FULLER ART + PRODUCTION A RT D IREC TOR

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@elevationoutdoors.com

SEN IOR D ESIG N ER

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@elevationoutdoors.com G RA PH IC D ESIG N ER

PAIGELEE CHANCELLOR

ELIZABETH O'CONNELL

Gotta go with my trusty Chacos. When it comes to festivals, comfy, sturdy footwear is a must!

CAMERON MARTINDELL

I like having cold drinks handy (in an IceMule Soft Cooler), a good chair (Strongback Elite) and quality shades (Costa Tasman Sea).

HUDSON LINDENBERGER

My wide brimmed straw hat, a pair of shades, and a cold beverage. What else do you need?

paigelee@elevationoutdoors.com

ADVERTISING + BUSINESS PRESID EN T

BLAKE DEMASO

blake@elevationoutdoors.com PU BLISH ER

ELIZABETH O’CONNELL

elizabeth@elevationoutdoors.com

KIM FULLER

The Bev Paw. It’s a “cool-weather drinking glove” that keeps my hand nice and cozy while I'm holding a cold beer.

SEN IOR AC C OU N T EXECUTIVE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@elevationoutdoors.com AC C OU N T EXECUTIVE

BEN YOUNG

ben@elevationoutdoors.com

B U SIN ESS MAN AG ER

MELISSA GESSLER

LILY KRASS

A big sun hat. Nothing can kill your weekend faster than getting burned on day one.

melissa@elevationoutdoors.com C IRC U LATION MA N AG ER

HANNAH COOPER

hcooper@elevationoutdoors.com

DIGITAL MEDIA ON LIN E D IR EC TOR

CRAIG SNODGRASS

craig@elevationoutdoors.com

D IG ITAL MA N AG ER

E L EVATION OU T D O OR S M AGAZ I N E

2510 47th Street Unit 202 Boulder, Colorado 80301 (303) 449-1560 PU B L I SH ED BY

©2017 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

photo / braden gunem

6

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

My Grand Trunk hammock. I also carry granola bars to snack on and ensure that I don't miss any of the action!

TYRA SUTAK

tyra@elevationoutdoors.com

SUMMIT

KELLY CASSIDY

PUBLISHING

TRACY ROSS

I love the Big Agnes Cyclone SL Chair Kit. You shove your sleeping pad into two sleeves and voila: butt comfort.

PETER KRAY Dark sunglasses.

THIS HOUSE IS ON FIRE

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

I

first came to the area that is now Bears Ears National Monument 19 years ago, when the Halle-Bopp comet suddenly appeared in the desert sky. We scrambled down into a canyon, slept watching the night lit up and the bright tail of the thing streaking above us. During the day, we wandered into ancient Puebloan ruins that had survived 800 years of wind, flash floods and loneliness.

Potsherds and old corn cobs littered the floors of these abandoned cliff homes.

In some places other visitors had even lined them up carefully, an in-field display respectfully left for us and others who might find their way down here. I loved that it worked this way: There was a sense of mutual respect for the place, the ancients and not needing to take everything we find.

When I returned 15 years later all of that was gone. Looters or simply selfish souvenir hounds had left nothing but dust, except in some of the farthest, hardest-to-find ruins. Something beautiful was gone. Does everything have to be possessed?

In that same year, 1996, Utah erupted in controversy over President Clinton's creation of a 1.7-million-acre Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. Locals wore black armbands and bemoaned the federal government taking away the land, but it is a fragile ecosystem that energy developers eyed for coal deposits under the waves of sandstone.

Clinton used the Antiquities Act to protect the place, a law created to keep ruins from being ransacked.

It was first used by Teddy Roosevelt to save iconic landscapes like Devil's Tower and WHAT'S AT STAKE the Grand Canyon, which, as he saw it, qualified as RUINS LIKE THE HOUSE ON objects of scientific and cultural interest under the FIRE IN BEARS EARS HAVE BEEN LOOTED AND RISK law. The sting of Grand Staircase has stuck with FURTHER DEGRADATION conservative Utahans ever since, and the state's WITHOUT FEDERAL legislature and governor have been on a mission not PROTECTION. just to block national monument protections but to photo by Lin Alder get rid of federal public land altogether, open it to more drills and roads and, in some cases, hand it over to private investors.

In December, this battle re-erupted when President Obama created the 1.35-million-acre Bears Ears. In this case, the monument seemed more than warranted to protect the type of sites I have seen desecrated with my own eyes as well as to include the Native American people whose ancestors built these cultures in the cliffs in the management of the place (see page 15). A lot lies in the balance, as Utah's lawmakers are doing their best to rescind the monument.

It's a tragedy that goes deeper than preserving archaeological sites, public lands and sacred grounds. It has polarized conservationists and locals so that both sides have lost the ability to listen to each other. It has put conservatives who indeed love wild lands and places in the camp of eradicating them. It has left climbers, canyoneers and hikers bitter and angry at the people who have lived near these precious landscapes for generations. At stake is the future of something we all hold dear. We run the risk of losing not just the wonder of discovering wild places or potsherds left for others to appreciate, but also the civility of those who left these things untouched.

I spent time in Bears Ears last month with my family and friends whose families have lived in the Beehive State for generations. We celebrated the monument: We hiked to the famed House on Fire ruin. We wandered from a deep desert campsite overshadowed by the sheer, red cliffs of Comb Ridge through sage and juniper to a pathless canyon that held water and oaks and silence. I suggest you visit Bears Ears, too, to know what is at stake, and to make your voice heard when it comes to speaking up for it.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

7

QUICK HITS

05 .17

ALL THAT GLITTERS Want hearty dishes served family-style in a rustic setting followed by live bluegrass, folk and country music?

Head to the Gold Hill Inn, a living piece of Colorado history tucked up in the Rocky Mountain foothills.

THE TWISTING, 10-MILE DRIVE FROM

Boulder toward the sleepy town of Gold Hill takes you bit-by-bit away from the hustle of Google construction and cafés full of laptops to a simpler time. Pull into Gold Hill and you’re back in the Wild West.

Most days, these quiet dirt streets, where trucks still sit where they were abandoned decades ago, feels like a ghost town. Gold Hill was built in 1859, during the largest gold rush in Colorado history in an area then known as Mountain District 1 that was part of Nebraska Territory. Period mining shacks still stand here at 8,300 feet alongside long-time residents’ homes and a few businesses.

Once or twice a week, from spring to autumn, the town comes alive when

the Gold Hill Inn offers live music by incredible bluegrass, country and other bands. Acts include Bonnie & The Clydes, The Railsplitters and The Delta Sonics. Shows run Fridays and Sundays from 9:00 p.m. to midnight May through December. There are also special events on Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Local musician with national cred Gregory

It feels like you’re sharing a meal with an extended family.

Alan Isakov—voted Best Singer/ Songwriter 2007 by Westword—has played here on December 23 for the past seven years. There’s also a raucous New Year’s Eve party.

The restaurant opens for dinner and drinks Wednesday through Sunday, and on weekends only from

TECHNOLOGY Song Sleuth Ever wonder what bird is making that haunting song?

Record it with your phone and the Song Sleuth app will help you identify the bird specific to the time of year and your location. Use that info to create a library of songs, too. It’s like Shazam for birders. $10 | SONGSLEUTH.COM

the end of October until Christmas.

It’s well worth the drive up Sunshine Canyon to feast on either the three ($29) or six-course gourmet meals ($37). Rarely have I tasted such rich, delicious food, and never for such a low price (only downside: It’s the same menu all the time). And the setting is relaxed, laid back. The air smells of aging wood. It feels like you’re sharing a meal with an extended family.

Brian Finn and his brother Chris took over the family business from their parents about 30 years ago.

When I ask Brain, “What’s better, the food or the music?” he breaks out in a huge laugh, cranes his head toward me and looks me in the eye. “The food.

But that’s because you’re asking me,” he says.

“This is mountain gourmet comfort food. The menu is from Mom’s recipes. The Joy of Cooking was like the Bible in our house,” he says.

“But she did it her way. We use only good ingredients, made with thought and care.”

Dinners include appetizers such

GEAR WE LOVE Primus Kamoto Portable Fire Pit

Impromptu fire rings can leave permanent scars and more and more campgrounds no longer have fire pits, but this kit brings some flexibility as well as a better Leave No Trace Ethic to your cozy campfire. You can even make S’mores in your backyard. $130 | PRIMUS.US

CARATS AND CARROTS GOLD HILL INN OWNERS BRIAN AND CHRIS FINN PRIDE THEMSELVES ON A GOURMET MENU THAT HAS ITS ROOTS IN THEIR MOM’S COMFORT-FOOD HOME COOKING. photo by Holly Blanchard

as homemade bread and jam, hot or cold soup and salads. Entrees include smoked trout and bacon-wrapped steak—your knife cuts through it like warm butter. This decadence is followed by more veggies, served platter style, a rich dessert (I recommend the chocolate torte), and finally a cheese and fruit tray.

To make for a better show, Brian even offers the musicians who play here dinner before they hit the stage.

“Seeing shows here, with the giant fire going and everything, feels like you’re in your living room,” he says.

—Chris Van Leuven TO BOOK A DINNER RESERVATION AT THE GOLD HILL INN, CALL 303-443-6461. FOR A SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING SHOWS, VISIT GOLDHILLINN.COM.

BOOKS Karakoram: Climbing through the Kashmir Conflict Alpinist and past American Alpine Club president Steve Swenson has spent a significant portion of his climbing career in the Karakoram. He brings his adventures and insights to the region in this book.

He’ll be speaking at Neptune Mountaineering May 11. $27 | MOUNTAINEERSBOOKS.ORG

8

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

YOGA ON DEMAND

Leave the scene and sweat behind and tune in for just 15 minutes.

A LOT OF PEOPLE IN COLORADO HAVE

chanted with Steph Schwartz. A few have even jumped out of airplanes with her. Now, anyone, anywhere can spend 15 minutes anytime learning yoga and mindfulness from the beloved Boulder yogi and kirtan leader. Just open up your laptop and tune into Gaia’s Yoga Every Day, a video class taught by Schwartz and Louisville-based yogi Nichole Golden.

“Fifteen minutes is pretty easy to incorporate into even the busiest of schedules, and it’s a wonderful way to create a healthy habit that gets your day off to a feel-good start,” says Schwartz, who teaches popular classes at Yoga Pod that include kirtan chanting and meditation. “Yoga Every Day is not just yoga postures.

It’s centered around mindfulness practices to balance the physical with the spiritual practice. Each class falls under a weekly theme with added exercises in pranayama, mantra and mudras. It’s amazing what we can fit into those 15 minutes.”

The program, which now includes over 200 episodes, is part of a Gaia membership, which costs $20 for three months (tack on $9.95 for each additional months, or $95.40 for a year). That’s cheaper than a drop-in class at most studios and the cost includes a wide range of classes beyond Yoga Every Day. The 15-minute sessions focus on everything from balance to tuning in to the time of year. Not a yoga person? These quick, easy videos give you a little taste of the practice without having to deal with a room full of butts in your face. One of the enlightened? The videos fill in when you are travelling or can’t make it to a

GURU ON THE GO GAIA'S STEPH SCHWARTZ BRINGS INSIGHTS FROM ULTRARUNNING TO THE YOGA MAT. photo courtesy Gaia

studio. And some viewers have simply made the series their daily practice.

“Some people practice all five days as their entire practice, others use the short practices following a workout and many even double up practices when they want a little more flow in a given day,” says Dana Morton, senior director of marketing at Gaia.

“We also have a vibrant Facebook community where practitioners can support one another and share ideas and thoughts about the practices.”

As a former competitive athlete and a wingsuit flyer, Schwartz is also the ideal teacher for outdoor athletes seeking a yoga connection. “I was a pretty serious ultra-marathoner, finishing five 100-milers [and placing second at Leadville]. I am convinced yoga kept me injury-free through my high-mileage years. The Leadville 100 was a brutal race, physically and mentally, and I realized how strong we all are, especially when testing our limits. I realized I wanted to help people connect to their inner badass, without needing to run 100 miles.”

The Yoga Every Day classes take her experience on the trail and channel it beyond physical strength and flexibility. “Yoga can also build a mental endurance by strengthening the relationship between body and mind. Oftentimes, the mind is the first thing to kick us down,” she says.

“Through awareness we can observe our thoughts as either limiting or elevating and make better choices towards accomplishing our dreams and goals.”

—Doug Schnitzspahn START PRACTICING EVERY DAY AT GAIA.COM/SERIES/YOGA-EVERY-DAY. FEELING LONELY? JOIN THE FACEBOOK COMMUNITY AT FACEBOOK.COM/ GROUPS/251323735219025/.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

9

SILVERTHORNE, COLORADO

FORGET THE TRAFFIC WITH ITS OUTLET STORES AND GAS STATIONS, SILVERTHORNE MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST LIKELY COLORADO TOWN TO GIVE YOU PAUSE WHILE POWERING DOWN I-70 ON THE WAY TO OTHER DESTINATIONS. BUT LOOK BEYOND THE MALL SPRAWL: THE TOWN IS UNDERGOING A CONSCIOUS REBIRTH DRIVEN BY LOCALS WHO LOVE THEIR HIGHWAY-SIDE MOUNTAIN TOWN. VIBRANT EATERIES, CULTURAL OFFERINGS AND, OF COURSE, PLENTY OF OUTDOOR PLAYSPOTS MAKE SILVERTHORNE AN UPAND-COMING DESTINATION WELL WORTH AN EXTENDED STAY.

Don't pass it by: Silverthorne’s local pride, culinary innovation and easy access to public lands make it a prime adventure destination.

photo courtesy Silverthorne Tourism

EAT

For a quick breakfast with an excellent cup of joe, head to Red Buffalo Cafe (redbuffalocafe.com). Local owner Erin Young has created a space that is familial and welcoming.

For more substantial fare, tank up at Sunshine Cafe (sunshine-cafe. com). Although it’s located in an unattractive strip mall, the inside ambiance is cheerful, the service is stellar and the food is fantastic. In a hurry? Grab a sandwich or sweet treat for your day pack at Blue Moon Bakery (bluemoonbakery. net). For a more relaxed dining experience, check out Sauce on the Blue (sauceontheblue.com). This new Italian restaurant is modern, has river-side seating, and serves up

pizza, pasta and an indulgent tiramisu.

Lastly, beer lovers rave about Baker’s Brewery (thebakersbrewery.com).

Brewmaster Cory Forster takes local ingredients and creates brews that are creative, unique and delicious.

SLEEP

Vacation rentals are the way to go in Silverthorne. Check out Twin Seasons Vacations (twinseasons. com) for tailored service to help you find the right match for your mountain getaway. Whether you’re looking for a homey two bedroom condo or a mountain home that can sleep 10, their properties come with a wide range of amenities.

PLAY

Silverthorne claims some prime access to public lands. There’s outstanding fly fishing in the Blue River, which runs through the middle of the town's outlet store mall, with some big rainbows and browns luking by the Dillon Dam—book a guide with The Colorado Angler (thecoloradoangler.com). For hiking, hit the Willow Creek Trail System, just a stone’s throw from the town center, with an impressive network of trails winding through open meadows and aspen groves, and a stunning waterfall—all beneath the looming shadow of 12,777-foot Buffalo Mountain. For water-based

activities, utilize one of the town’s many ponds for SUP, swimming and kayaking or test your balance on the Blue's riffles. For fat tires, explore the singletrack on the 8.4-mile Ptarmigan Peak Mountain Bike Trail. And if a more cultural twist is on your agenda, round out your mountain vacation with a show at The Lake Dillon Theater Company (lakedillotheatre.org). The company will launch its 2017 season in June at Silverthorne’s newly constructed, $9-million performing arts center— the building and the shows are a nice respite after a big day outside.

—Jordan Martindell

Gear Journal - MAY 2017

one Trail 35 FE�T Lowe Alpine Airz PACK THAT WAS TH E PER

HAVE YO U EVER HAD A BUT LAPTOP IN FOR WORK, SIZE FOR TH RO WING A INE ALP WE LO CKPACK TRIP? ALSO AN OVERNIGH� BA ITS R FO K PAC IS WE LOVE TH FO UN D A MAGICAL SIZE. OF T EN CEM PLA RU�TURE, VERSATILITY, SMART ST PICK ON E DO WNS. IF WE HAD TO CH CIN SY CLASPS, AN D EA Y ADVENTURE PACK TO USE FOR EVER ZO NE TR AIL 35.

AIR E WE TAKE, IT’ S TH

ntain Pant EN Sportiva Rocky MTHou WH E ON ES YO U REACH FOR

It’s been a month on the road and what a learning experience it’s been!

With a few festivals down, and a whole bunch more on the way, we have been streamlining our #vanliving and figuring out how to coexist in a space that is shorter than Ben is long.

Take a look at some of the gear that’s helped us along the way!

10

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

FOLLOW THE ADVENTURE @LIVEOUTSIDEANDPLAY BLUERIDGEOUTDOORS.COM ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM PRESENTED BY

BE TH ESE PANTS SHO ULD ENTURE AN D HAVE A DAY OF ADV NT TE YO U WAKE UP IN YO UR DURA® COR H TC RE ST EY ’RE MADE OUT OF TH U. YO OF T ON FR IN TH IS MATERIAL WIL� TH ES AN D PROTE�TS. EA BR ICH WH L RIA TE MA -PITCH, BUT NOT E ON A CR AG�Y MULTI KE�P YO UR KN E�S SAF TO A SUM�IT. ING YO U’RE TR AIL RUN� OVERHEAT YO U WH EN

Nat GEO AT boTokONleYOt UR BACKPACK YOU

YO U KN OW THAT PO CKE SY TO REACH ON TH E R BOT�LE IN SO IT’ S EA PUT YO UR HUGE WATE TANT TH ING, A NAT UR SECON D MOST IMPOR TR AIL? IT’ S MIS�ING YO N OF FOLD- OUT ITS AW ESOME COL�E�TIO TO G �IN AD .

LET �K GEO AT BO VENIENT BO �KLET TO DE AN EX TREMELY CON MAPS, NAT GEO HAS MA OF TH E PAGE. SE�TIO N WITH A TURN GE T YO U TO YO UR NEXT

LOCAL HERO: BRANDON KASS What do you do when you’re a landlocked Colorado sailing instructor? Teach over 6,000 people how to run with the wind, of course.

A 36-YEAR-OLD IOWAN NOW LIVING IN

Denver, Brandon Kass is perhaps the most unlikely sailing instructor in America. Kass learned the sport at age eight, on his home state’s Lake Okoboji, and continued sailing while attending the University of Iowa. But his big-time ocean experience in the rigging came when he crewed boats in Southern California as a trimmer and got beat up working the foredeck.

“I got a lot of bumps and bruises, but I learned a lot,” he says. “In 2008, I traded in the ocean for the Rocky Mountains to be closer to family, but didn’t want to give up my love of sailing, and particularly my interest to share that love with the younger generation.”

Kass's passion for the sport led to his appointment as executive director of the non-profit Community Sailing

of Colorado (CSC) in 2010. Equipped with a fleet of 100 sailboats ranging in size from eight to 18 feet, CSC offers sailing instruction for kids and adults alike. Kass and his instructors, based at the Boulder and Cherry Creek reservoirs, have taught some 6,000 Coloradans how to sail.

Each season, which runs from April to October, the organization teaches upwards of 800 kids, ages five to 17, how to catch the wind and man the rudder. But the skills kids learn run deeper than just operating the boat: Mastering the basics of sailing requires relying on nature rather than motors. What’s more, sailing transports kids far away from the technology bombardment of 21stcentury life.

Those kids who take to the sport can then join the Junior Racing Team, which practices weekly sessions at both Boulder and Cherry Creek reservoirs. It’s not an elite club as much as it is a way for beginning sailors to hone their skills and have fun out on the water. Race team members also have the opportunity to participate in regattas, including the

FILLING THEIR SAILS THROUGH COMMUNITY SAILING OF COLORADO, BRANDON KASS IS TEACHING KIDS FAR MORE THAN HOW TO HANDLE THE SHEETS AND BOOM—SAILING IS A MEANS FOR KIDS AND TEENS TO DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. photo courtesy Brandon Kass

Rocky Mountain Junior Olympics on Lake Dillon.

“Sailing teaches competence, communications, teamwork and leadership. Our students may arrive shy, or without a lot of friends, and it’s amazing to watch their development.

We build them up as individuals, increasing their confidence, by teaching them this new physical skill,” Kass says. “We don’t take them for sailboat rides. We teach them how to master their own boats safely in a nurturing environment. It really transforms young people. They’re mastering the wind, Mother Nature

herself, and it’s an empowering feeling for them.”

The program also hosts free family sailing nights, where budding salts can show their parents what they learned during the week and expand the community. Furthermore, CSC provides adaptive programs for the physically and mentally challenged. “We want to make sailing as inclusive as possible, and offer scholarships to reach out to those with financial, physical or cognitive challenges,” Kass says.

Young sailors may not have to worry about sharks or getting lost at sea, but Colorado does present one big challenge to landlocked boaters—that infamous wind that whips down from the mountains, creating instant gales.

“Colorado weather can provide a little bit of everything, so we never take anything for granted,” Kass says, remembering the time a cold front pushed through Cherry Creek. In the middle of practice, winds hit 30 mph, boats crashed, and kids were rescued by a chase boat.

“There were no injuries, but we were retrieving boats beached along the shore for hours,” says Kass.

—Jeff Blumenfeld

TO LEARN MORE OR SIGN UP FOR SAILING PROGRAMS HEAD TO COMMUNITYSAILING.ORG.

Your passion . n o i t a r i p s n i r is ou OUTFITTING COLORADO’S BACKCOUNTRY

Rock & Ice Climbing • Hiking Backpacking • Trail Running Mountaineering • Backcountry Skiing

(719) 633-0732 • 226 N TEJON ST, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO MTNCHALET.COM

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

11

THE ICONIC SERIES, ELEVATED. THE NEW TALON | TEMPEST

Light, nimble and ventilated, this multi-sport chameleon features a redesigned AirScape™ backpanel to limit perspiration and a carry system that stabilizes loads during dynamic activities.

A variety of volumes accommodate everything from minimalist day hikes to lightweight backpacking trips. No matter what trail or pack you choose, we’ll see you out there on the #CommonPath.

PHOTO / ©PATITUCCI PHOTO

UP AND OVER Test lungs and legs on the tough, but very doable Imogene Pass Run this summer.

THE IMOGENE PASS RUN IS A HAUL OF A

day, but it’s an attainable goal for most anyone willing to put in some serious mountain running training miles.

The 17.1-mile race starts in Ouray, Colorado, at 7,810 feet, and winds its way on a dirt road to top out at 13,114 feet on Imogene Pass, racking up over a vertical mile of elevation gain along the way. From there it plummets all the way down into the town of Telluride at 8,750 feet. If it hurts too much, just take a moment to look around: On a clear day, the course offers sweeping views of rugged terrain and impressive peaks of the western San Juan range.

I completed the running event in 2016. The September day on this year offered perfect weather, although the late-summer race has also been held during challenging and variable extreme conditions like rain, wind and snow. You have to come prepared for anything—think as if you’re packing to climb a mountain but trying carry as little as possible.

Just don’t stop and linger too long on this scenic course. The Upper Camp Bird aid station at mile 7.65 marks a mandatory turn-around point for runners who don’t arrive there 2 hours and 30 minutes after starting the race. If you want to do the route at a leisurely pace, skip the race, prepare a shuttle and emergency plan, and run it on your own at any speed you like.

Numbered orange traffic cones mark every mile along the course, which is segmented by six fully stocked aid stations, including one at the summit of Imogene Pass at mile 10.05. For me, the last mile to the summit was the hardest of the day.

Many runners come to a slow jog or labored fast hike on this highaltitude stretch, but once you hit the summit: elation.

I took a few moments to sip some chicken broth and get a photo taken, then trotted down for seven miles of winding dirt trails alongside mining relics and into Telluride's picturesque valley. You can hear cheers before you see the finish line, and when you round the corner onto Oak Street, the finale couldn’t feel sweeter.

—Kim Fuller THE 44TH IMOGENE PASS RUN TAKES PLACE ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2017.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE ONLINE REGISTRATION OPENING OF 6 A.M. ON JUNE 1. THE EVENT SELLS OUT IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR. IMOGENERUN.COM

B CORP THE CHANGE Crested Butte’s Chopwood Mercantile is rethinking how a gear retail shop can make a big difference when it comes to protecting the outdoors.

THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY IS ONE ODD

business. Yes, it’s awesome: The suits and ties are Gore-tex and the working hours include dawn patrols on powder days. But the best retailers do more than sell stuff, they also need to encourage more people to get outside and protect the public lands and wild places that feed customers’ dreams. That need to speak up and do something as well as make money is why husband and wife team Travis Underwood and Lisa Cranton made their shop one of the only B Corps in

the world of outdoor retail.

B Corp (bcorporation.net) is a legal certification that requires a business to do social and environmental good as well as make profits. Manufacturers such as Patagonia and Cotopaxi have made waves as B Corps and Taos Ski Valley just became the first B Corp ski resort this spring. B Corps dedicate resources to causes that regular corporations use as tax write-offs.

“After working on all sides of the industry, and owning another shop, we had the vision to re-think outdoor retail,” says Underwood who used to own Crested Butte’s iconic shop The Alpineer. Chopwood is a small shop at 900 square feet, with only one other full time employee. The shop only works with like-minded brands such as Patagonia, Icebreaker and Nau, and commits to conscious business, conservation and local goods.

The local focus is key to the shop's philosophy. Originally, the couple was looking to open a store in Phoenix or Denver, but what better place to embark on a new concept than the funky streets of The Butte? “We

IT BURNS US, PRECIOUS THE IMOGENE PASS RUN (TOP AND LOWER LEFT) HURTS, BUT IT ALSO IGNITES SOME SERIOUS SMILES. ALONG THE WAY YOU'LL FIND CAMARADERIE WITH FELLOW RUNNERS AND STOCKED AID STATIONS, TOO photos by Kim Fuller

LOCAL VISION CHOPWOOD MERCANTILE OWNERS TRAVIS UNDERWOOD AND LISA CRANTON (BOTTOM RIGHT) FELT COMPELLED TO OPEN THEIR NEW SHOP IN CRESTED BUTTE. photo by Dusty Demerson

had an idea and wanted to see if the concept would work in a town we knew and had a relationship with, even though Crested Butte wasn't a part of our original plan,” says Cranton.

And what good is the person selling you that gear if they don't use it, too? “We explore, travel and look for ideas to loop into our growing brand,” says Underwood. “We also have off-site retreats. We are heading to Baja to have a planning retreat that is lead by Chris Mathias of Puente Institute.”

—D.S.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

13

Technology has changed since you bought your old CamelBak. The new crux reservoir delivers 20% more water per sip in a pack loaded with our latest hydration technology.

So you can do more of what you love, and stay out there longer. And if we built it, we’ll tm

back it—all of our products are covered by our lifetime Got Your Bak™ guarantee.

CamelBak.com

FLASHPOINT

0 5 .17

NATIVE RIGHT The fight to create Bears Ears National Monument—and now to save it— has been trumpeted by big brands and environmental groups like Patagonia and Sierra Club, but, at its core, this battle has been fought by and for Native American people and the stakes may include the fate of America’s public lands.

by HUDSON LINDENBERGER

W

ednesday, December 28, 2016 was a momentous day for the Native American residents of San Juan County, a day their people would remember forever. It was a day for celebration, when they finally got an equal seat at the table. It was a day Native Americans finally got to right a few of the wrongs that had been inflicted upon their ancestors. On that day, the Obama White House announced the creation of the long-debated Bears Ears National Monument.

It also may have been the day that changed the management of our natural resources forever.

Tucked into the dry and dusty southeastern corner of Utah, Bear Ears encompasses a whopping 1.35 million acres of high desert filled with solitary sandstone canyons, high lonesome mesas, remote wilderness areas and remnants from the Native Americans who lived there for millennia before the arrival of European settlers. It’s bigger than all of Utah’s national parks combined. Five different tribes (Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni, and the Ute Indian Tribe) consider the area sacred and the land plays into many of their creation stories.

“It is one of the most important pieces of land to my people,” says Mark Maryboy, Utah’s first Native American county commissioner and a longtime local activist. “The area is so special, so sacred, that the tribes have been trying to protect

it since they were first forced off it by the United States government.”

Not everyone rejoiced, however. Within moments of the announcement declaring Bear Ears a national monument, Utah’s congressional delegation began to fight it. Governor Gary Herbert said he was “disappointed,” Senator Orrin Hatch called it an “egregious abuse of executive power,” and Representative Jason Chaffetz said it was “a slap in the face to the people of Utah.”

December 28 was also the day these politicians decided that the monument had to go.

co-sponsored by Utah SACRED GROUNDS Reps Rob Bishop and A NATIVE AMERICAN Jason Chaffetz, proposed COALITION WHOSE ANCESTRAL ROOTS LIE keeping the Federal WITHIN BEARS EARS Government out of Utah LOBBIED FOR AND WILL HAVE A ROLL IN MANAGING land management. It THE NEW MONUMENT. was the end result of THEY FACE OPPOSITION several years of meetings FROM DESCENDENTS OF PIONEERS HERE. designed to satisfy all interested parties but the photo by Tim Peterson tribes still felt ignored.”

It blatantly focused on the interests of [white] settlers who have only been here for 130 years, not the tribes who have called this area home for thousands,” says Maryboy.

In response, the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Why has Bears Ears, one of a record 29 Coalition, which grew out of those meetings monuments that President Obama designated of five tribes, did something no other Native during his eight years in office, become such a American group had ever done: They turned lighting rod of controversy? To understand that to the Antiquities Act to protect their interests. long history and why the fate of Bears Ears may The Antiquities Act was created in 1906 by the carry even larger future public lands-protection 59th United States Congress to preserve precious repercussions, you have to go back to July 2015.

American landscapes, allowing presidents to That’s when members from the five tribes, during declare national monuments to protect significant meetings within Bears Ears, decided they needed natural, cultural or scientific features. Teddy to unite if they ever were going to be able to Roosevelt first used it protect the land they to create Devils Tower “WITHIN MOMENTS OF THE held dear. Each tribe had National Monument, and all already been working ANNOUNCEMENT DECLARING BEAR but three presidents since separately towards EARS A NATIONAL MONUMENT, (Richard Nixon, Ronald this common goal, yet UTAH’S CONGRESSIONAL Reagan and George H.W. experiencing little success DELEGATION BEGAN TO FIGHT IT. ” Bush) have invoked it, often in gaining agreement from

COMING TOGETHER

local and state government.

Together their voice carried far more weight.

“It was the release of the Public Lands Initiative (PLI) that finally made us realize we had to do something,” says Carleton Bowekaty, councilman for the Pueblo of Zuni Tribe. “It ignored many of the issues that the tribes held dear and focused on keeping lands open for mining, ranching and oil exploration.” The controversial PLI, a bill

using it at the end of their terms to leave a legacy for future generations.

During the year and a half after its creation, the tribal coalition worked to craft a proposal that would protect the areas surrounding the Bears Ears Buttes—the distinctive geological formation that lends its name to the area. In it, they detailed the ancient villages, pueblos and cliff dwellings their forefathers had built. They catalogued the thousands of petroglyphs, cave paintings and rock M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

15

art that tell the history of their people. They listed hundreds of sacred plants used for worship, as well as the sites for religious ceremonies. The proposal highlighted the tribes' knowledge of the area, why protection was crucial, and why respect for the lands they once called home should be the highest consideration for designation. The document included their most important request: Native Americans would comanage the Monument with the federal government through a five person commission—one representative from each tribe— that would advise on all aspects of the monument.

If passed, the future would be unprecedented.

Native Americans would finally have a say in how their ancestral lands are managed President Obama’s final designation was 550,000 acres smaller than the tribes’ original proposal and it slightly modified the comanagement plan, but it left the rest unaltered.

“The fact that we now have a say in how these lands are managed is momentous,” says Maryboy.

“The local government that has ignored us for so long has no say anymore.”

Yet the pride that he and many of his fellow Native Americans now feel is about to come under

ANCIENT ICONS THE EPONYMOUS BEARS EARS BUTTES FORMATION SITS AT THE HEART OF THE 1.35-MILLION ACRE MONUMENT, WHICH IS BIGGER THAN ALL FIVE OF UTAH'S NATIONAL PARKS COMBINED. THIS VAST DESERT CANYON AREA IS ALSO A VITAL CENTER OF NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE, HOLDING COUNTLESS ANCESTRAL PUEBLOAN RUINS AND SACRED SITES. THOSE RESOURCES COULD BE DESTROYED BY THE ROADS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE DRILLING AND EASY ACCESS FOR LOOTERS. photo by Tim Peterson

attack, and the Antiquities Act itself may not survive the legislative onslaught that appears to be lining up in both the White House and Congress to roll back protections of public lands and emasculate the federal government’s ability to protect them.

TRUMPED

Even before Donald Trump took the oath of office, the entire Utah congressional delegation and Governor Gary Herbert asked him to rescind the Bears Ears National Monument designation.

Part of the severe response is a hangover reaction from Bill Clinton’s 1996 creation of the even larger 1.7-million acre Grand Staircase-Escalante

Copper Spur HV UL4 | 5lb 3oz/2.35kg Copper Spur HV UL3 | 3lb 7oz/1.56kg Copper Spur HV UL2 | 2lb 12oz/1.25kg Copper Spur HV UL1 | 2lb 2oz/964g

THE AWARD-WINNING

COPPER SPUR HV UL

Copper Spur HV UL4

• Three season, free standing, ultralight backpacking tents that are truly easy to setup, pack, and inhabit • High volume hub pole design increases strength by 25% and usable interior volume by 20% • Proprietary double rip-stop pattern nylon is 20% stronger providing maximum durability • DAC Featherlite NFL pole system

THE MOTHER OF COMFORT

Tents • Sleeping Bags • Pads • Apparel • Helinox • bigagnes.com

16

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

Whale Lake, Zirkel Wilderness, Colorado - Devon Balet

National Monument. The 24-hour notice he gave the Utah government rankled lawmakers so badly that they became the leaders of the new Sagebrush Rebellion, forever introducing bills to take back their lands from the federal government. All of their efforts have been for naught so far, but that could change under the new administration.

Less than a month after Trump took the oath of office, Herbert and the Utah legislature turned the pressure up a notch when they passed House Concurrent Resolution 11, officially asking the President to rescind the monument. The vote passed both chambers overwhelmingly, mostly along party lines.

“It was not surprising that they passed it,

they never really wanted to work with us in the first place,” says Maryboy. “They only care about exploiting the land.”

In repsonse, outdoor industry icon Patagonia publicly announced that it would no longer be attending the massive Outdoor Retailer show that has been held in Salt Lake City for the last twenty years. Arc’teryx, Polartec, Metolius and several other brands followed suit. After a terse meeting with Herbert, Outdoor Retailer itself joined the the exodus when it announced that it would move venues after the summer 2017 show. With it goes the $50 million dollars a year that the attendees spent while in the state.

Utah Democratic Party Chairman Peter Corroon fumed over the loss, bemoaning that, “With one breath, Governor Herbert touts our five, now six, national monuments to increase tourism, and with another refuses to drop the party lines for the betterment of Utah's economy. After listening to our Utah Republican leadership talk out of both sides of their mouths for years, the outdoor retailers finally put their foot down.”

THE ENDGAME

The national monument fight does not end with Bears Ears, however. With Congress and the White House in Republican hands, the time has never been more ripe for conservative Western reps to introduce legislation to forever recuse themselves from the Antiquities Act. There is precedent. Both Wyoming and Alaska successfully passed bills that require Congressional approval before the Act can be used in their states. And

LAT

45.487181° N

LONG

TAKE A LOOK: Patagonia worked with Native American stroytellers and its athletes to creating a stunning series of films about Bears Ears using Google’s 360 Technology.

The films end with a call-to-action to Interior Secretary Zinke, asking to preserve the monument. BEARSEARS.PATAGONIA.COM Utah has tried numerous times, as recently as the last Congressional session. The fact that Federal Government owns almost half the land in eleven western states—including 80 percent of Nevada— continues to irk the libertarian-minded, often industry-backed lawmakers of the Intermountain West. They want the feds out.

If some of these states are able to exempt themselves from the Antiquities Act, or the Trump administration engages in a wholesale sell-off of federal land, it could forever change the future landscape of the country. There is a silver lining: Over 30 National Monuments have been elevated to the status of National Parks (Grand Canyon, Pinnacles, and Capitol Reef) by Congress. And the threat of a president using the Antiquities Act has actually spurred conservative states to protect wild places—in 2105 Idaho's Republican delegation pushed through the 275,655 acre Boulder-White Cloud Wilderness. And no president has ever rolled back a monument designation since the executive office does not like to usurp its own powers (though Trump has been dismissive of precedent).

“The feeling here among tribal leaders, and [with tribes] across the country is that it would be an extreme lack of respect towards us,” says

Bowekaty. “We would immediately challenge it in court, and we think we would win. In fact, we hope that more tribes follow the blueprint we have set out here to protect the lands they hold dear.”

So while the country anxiously watches the Trump administration's next moves on everything from foreign policy to Twitter use, there is one fight that could very well shape how future administrations set out to protect and manage federal lands. If the Native American triumph at Bears Ears stands, it could lead the way forward to celebrations similar to the ones held on December 28. If not, they are prepared to fight, and oncemarignialized indigenous voices are proving very effective in conservation battles.

Across the U.S., Native American tribes, in conjunction with sophisticated legal teams, have been battling for the environment. They led the way in the removal of Washington's Elwha River Dam removal (the largest dam removal project in the world). They partnered with Oregon and California to free the Klamath River of all dams.

They also temporarily stopped two pipelines (Dakota Access & Keystone), rallying millions of Americans and the eyes of the media to their cause through peaceful protest, in the last decade.

If Trump and the Republicans try to cut down Bears Ears they will have a battle on their hands, one that very well might gain the same national attention as the Dakota Access Pipeline. With the land at stake, the tribes are intent on winning.

HUDSON LINDENBERGER IS A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AT ELEVATION OUTDOORS AND WRITES FOR MEN’S JOURNAL. YOU CAN READ MORE OF HIS WORK AT HUDSONLINDENBERGER.COM

110.976162° W

Our footwear is built to take you amazing places. Every component is designed to work together, starting with our O FIT Insole™ , to deliver an unmatched fit, feel and performance for wherever the trail may lead. ObozFootwear.com

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

17

WE CAN ElevationBeerCo.com

THIS SUMMER!

HOT SPOT

05. 17

LIVING LUXE Adventure for hardcores at Beaver Creek? Yes, it's all here— and you can soak in the beautiful life when you are done playing.

by KELLY CASSIDY

H

orseback riding and rafting by morning, five-star dining by evening, Beaver Creek is a summer destination where you can immerse yourself in outdoor adventure, but also treat yourself right when it’s time to relax. And it’s not as expensive as you might suppose. Indeed, this is a destination when you can seamlessly blend rugged adventure and pampered luxury into one marvellous Colorado cocktail—simple yet refined, bold but not arrogant, and it tastes damn good.

HIKE Ski resorts across the country are quickly evolving into year-round resorts (thanks to the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Act, which has allowed for summer expansion on public lands leases), and Beaver Creek is no exception. Plan a guided hike with the Beaver Creek Hiking Center (bit. ly/2ptOQop), which offers treks within an 80-mile radius of the resort, perfect whether you’re looking to bag an area fourteener like 14,433-foot Mount Elbert, the highest in the state, or just tag along on a complimentary nature hike.

HORSEBACK RIDE Wrangle one of the friendly horses at Beaver

Creek Stables (beavercreekstables.com). The operation offers one- to three-hour rides, and the option to choose a three-hour picnic ride. Go big or go home with the adventure dining option: Canter to Beano’s Cabin (beanoscabinbeavercreek. com), an award-winning restaurant nestled at the base of Grouse mountain, serving invigorating Colorado-inspired cuisine.

SURF Both the Colorado River and the Eagle River are easily accessible from Beaver Creek, which means a class V raft trip is just right down the road. For an adrenaline rush, Timberline Tours (timberlinetours.com) offers Class V trips down Pine Creek and the Numbers on the Arkansas River and Gore Canyon, and Class IV down the Dowd Chute on the Eagle River and Clear Creek.

Previous whitewater rafting experience and a confident level of fitness is highly recommended for these. In other words, if you have never rafted before don’t start with a Class IV or V trip. Timberline Tours also offers intermediate and beginner trips with views of the Glenwood Canyon or of the Colorado Scenic Byway along the

The Essentials EAT Nothing stirs up an appetite like adventuring at 10,000 feet. Good thing you’re in a haven of worldclass restaurants. For the tastiest carb-loaded Italian hit up Toscanini (toscaninibeavercreek. com) for the housemade

pasta, fresh seafood and an extensive wine list. It sits in the heart of Beaver Creek village next to the ice skating rink open year-round. Or indulge in a savory soufflé at Mirabelle (mirabelle1. com), for French-inspired deliciousness. Revolution (revolutiondining.com), specializes in rotisserie-

THE GOOD LIFE float. We like the Class III Shoshone leg on the BEAVER CREEK'S TRAIL Colorado River. This trip SYSTEM TAKES OFF RIGHT offers up some fun rapids OUT THE LODGE DOOR. photos by Jack Affleck (left), to get the adrenaline courtesy Vail Resrts (right) pumping and it also boasts epic views of the Glenwood Canyon you can only get from a raft. Or try the Class II Upper Colorado trip. This float is ideal for families and first-time rafters because it is on a calm stretch of the river.

SEND IT Located at 10,000 feet at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola on Vail Mountain, Epic Discovery (bit. ly/2ozer2b) features a zipline, alpine slide and a summer tubing hill, all with panoramic views of the remote and toothy Gore Range. Grab an Ultimate Adventure Pass ($94) either online or at a lift ticket office at the base of Lionshead and get after all of the activities. To soar through the canopy, purchase the Game Creek Zipline Tour for ($199, includes Adventure Pass), and fly over the tops of the pine trees in Game Creek Bowl, one of Vail’s seven legendary Back Bowls.

style cuisine with multiple sides of locally grown Colorado produce. Grab breakfast, lunch, dinner— or après specials from 3:30 to 5:30 at the bar.

STAY The ability to whip up a quick breakfast in your hotel room before you

get out there for a full day is key. We recommend the Beaver Creek Lodge (beavercreeklodge.net), a boutique hotel located two minutes from the base of the mountain, with 68 suites each equipped with a kitchenette, master bedroom, sofa sleeper and fireplace. —K.C.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

19

THE TRAIL

POWERED BY

0 5 .17

THE PAWNEE BUTTES

GET THE FREE APP

Download the free ViewRanger app and coordinates and head to Colorado’s plains this spring to explore these unique badlands.

GET TRIP INFO

by CHRIS KASSAR

O

ut on the expansive eastern plains past Ault, it’s easy to forget you’re in Colorado.

But it’s well worth leaving the mountains behind you to follow this four-mile ramble through a vast landscape. Your goal is the Pawnee Buttes, two giant sandcastle-like formations that tower a few hundred feet overhead of the lowlands. This easy hike snakes through an unearthly landscape, sandy arroyos and rugged cliffs carved by wind and water, and wildflower blooms in spring. Be on the look out for wildlife, too. Raptors, eagles, pronghorns and coyotes all make their home here.

NOTE: The Pawnee Buttes trail is

open all year, however the Overlook and Lip Bluff areas are closed March 1 through June 30 for nesting raptors.

Please respect all closures and do not disturb any wildlife.

GETTING THERE: Finding the trailhead can be the most challenging part of this adventure. You will want to use a GPS. From Fort Collins, travel east on Highway 14 for 54 miles. Turn left onto CR 103. After 4.8 miles, turn right onto CR 103. After 6 miles, turn right on CR 112. Continue for 2 miles and turn right onto CR 107, then left onto CR 112. After 2 miles, turn left onto FR 685. After 1.2 miles, pass the old trailhead on the left and continue to the new trailhead.

20

AND FOLLOW THIS ROUTE ON IPHONE, APPLE WATCH, IPAD AND ANDROID DEVICES. VIEWRANGER.COM

SEE MORE ROUTE DETAILS, GPS DATA & PRINT MAPS. VIEWRANGER.COM/ELEOUT

1. TRAILHEAD

Starting at an interpretive sign with a map and information about the natural and human history of the area, walk north on a wide dirt trail that immediately passes through a gate before meandering through a grassy field teeming with white, pink and orange blooms including prairie ragwort, white evening primrose, puccoon, sand lily, prickly pea, wallflower and carpet phlox.

2. OVERLOOK TRAIL

Continue straight past a junction with the Overlook Trail (closed March 1-June 30). Step lightly, keeping an eye out for prairie residents: coyote, pronghorn, rattlesnakes, jackrabbits, prairie dogs and birds of all sorts flitting in every direction.

3. LIP BLUFFS

Crest a slight hill, pass through a wooden gate and reach an intersection with the Lip Bluffs Trail (closed March 1-June 30). Continue straight on the main trail to drop into an alien landscape featuring towering rock formations reminiscent of sand castles and arroyos filled with phlox, puccoon and wallflower accompanied by Drummonds’ milkvetch, slender wild parsley, plains milkvetch, Hooker’s sandwort, spiked gilia, manystem pea, mountain bladderpod, silky milkvetch and Missouri milkvetch. Descend along a sandy, well-maintained trail to explore the canyon’s depths..

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

4. VIEW

From a series of sandy arroyos.

The scene then opens up and West Pawnee Butte, which rises 300 feet, dominates the skyline.

5. RAVINE

The trail dips down once more to reach a sweeping, grassy ravine where giant clumps of yucca and light pink roses thrive. Tackle a short, steep set of stairs to pick up the level trail that briefly curves back toward the Lip Bluffs, giant brown sandstone cliffs shaped like tables whose hearty capstone tops protect the skinnier and softer bottom legs from erosion,, before heading straight for the buttes.

6. LIP BLUFFS JUNCTION

At another signed junction with Lip Bluffs Trail, continue east (straight) toward the Buttes.

7. WEST PAWNEE BUTTE Reach West Butte. Carry on to explore the butte’s east side. Wade through the magenta, purple, yellow and white blossoms growing directly out of the rocky surface.

8. EAST BUTTE AND TURNAROUND

Past a sign that reads “Private Property.” East Butte towers in the distance. Turn around here and retrace your steps to the trailhead or continue onto the butte (unless posted otherwise by the landowner).

COLORADO'S EAST COAST FORMED FROM SEDIMENTARY ROCK FROM THE VAST INLAND SEA THAT ONCE COVERED THE NORTH AMERICAN PLAINS, THE PAWNEE BUTTES ARE THE BIGGEST THING OUT HERE. photo by Chris Kassar

TRAIL GEAR Big Agnes Porcupine Hooded Pullover Near-constant wind howls across the plains, but it was no match for this durable, wind-and-waterresistant piece that keeps you warm without weighing you down thanks to PrimaLoft Gold Active insulation.

Women’s version is called the Willow. $240 | BIGAGNES.COM

Maven 35 This women’s packs weigh less than three pounds, but an innovative suspension and ventilated back panel make it feel like a sturdier pack.

Smart details--like a sunglass holder on the shoulder harness and a built-in water reservoir sleeve that can be removed to double as an ultralight summit pack—seal the deal. Men’s version is the Paragon 38. $160-$250 | GREGORYPACKS.COM

—C.K.

SOME OF OUR THEME PARKS ARE MADE BY HAND. OTHERS BY TIME.

Soaring 5,312 feet above sea level and nestled between a myriad of natural wonders, Albuquerque is more than the perfect vantage point for unparalleled views of the beautiful high desert. It’s a jaw-dropping dive into your soul. #TrueABQ

VisitABQ.org

IT’S GOOD TO KNOW YOUR

PLACE IN THE WORLD.

IT’S EVEN BETTER WHEN SEARCH AND RESCUE KNOWS.

INREACH® With an inReach® satellite communicator, you can navigate, trigger an SOS, send and receive text messages, and share your GPS location with friends and family from anywhere on earth, even when there’s no cell phone service.

©2017 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

STRAIGHT TALK

0 5 .17

JOHN HICKENLOOPER The Governor of Colorado discusses the future of public lands, how to bring the Outdoor Retailer trade show to Denver— and, of course, beer.

by TYRA SUTAK

J

presidential candidate, will step down in 2018, due to term limit laws, but he is sure to keep influencing how Colorado evolves.

?

YOU'RE ORIGINALLY FROM PENNSYLVANIA. WHAT DREW YOU TO COLORADO?

I first came through Boulder in the 70s on my way to a geology field camp. Then, after I finished my masters in geology, the only place you could get a job as a geologist was Houston or Denver. That decision took about five seconds. I came out here in 1981 and never looked back.

ALONG WITH COLORADO SENATORS CORY GARDNER (R) AND MICHAEL BENNETT (D), YOU’VE BEEN VOCAL ABOUT LURING THE OUTDOOR RETAILER TRADE SHOW TO COLORADO. WHY IS COLORADO A GOOD FIT FOR THE SHOW AND WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FORESEE WITH THE STATE POTENTIALLY BECOMING THE HOST?

?

ohn Hickenlooper, isn’t your average politician.

He’s a geologist, served as mayor of Denver and co-founded of Wynkoop Brewing Company. He's also an avid outdoor aficionado who embarked on his long career as a public official after a series of political conversations with patrons at In terms of outdoor recreation, Colorado is the best his Denver brew pub. His values and background model you could have of what outdoor recreation represent the spirit of the state—Coloradans can be. We have so many different public spaces. We elected him governor in 2010, indentifying with his have national parks forward thinking. and state parks, His entrepreneurial “A LOT OF THESE LANDSCAPES SHOULD BE PROTECTED FOREVER. ONE HUNDRED YEARS FROM and conservation history and NOW, HOW WILL WE LOOK BACK? ONCE YOU BEGIN stations all over the geologist’s place. That allows connection to the TO DEVELOP, IT'S VERY HARD TO GO BACKWARDS.” us to have so many land still weave different types of outdoor recreation, which we their way through his rhetoric and inform his goals think is a big part of our economic success. One and decisions at the state capitol. But the times, of the things I love about the outdoor recreation they are a changin’—and Hickenlooper faces more industry is that the people who make so much of the challenges than ever to continue protecting the gear like to be in smaller towns (versus big cities). I the state's resources. What's more, the popular think it’s healthy for the financial ecosystem to have governor, who has been mentioned as a possible

MAN ON THE SCENE more businesses in rural parts of your state. That's HICKENLOOPER SURVEYS another reason why we're ROCKY MOUNTAIN PARK. THE so attracted to the outdoor NATIONAL GOVERNOR HAS BEEN A industry. We're also in DEDICATED ADVOCATE FOR the center of the country, PUBLIC LANDS. which means people from photo by Evan Semòn Photography the east coast and the west coast can easily make it here. Our friendly western welcome also makes the state a great place to host large conventions. I know the space in Colorado to hold the show is tight, but we're in the process of creating the National Western Stock Show Center which is only two light rail stops from downtown. We have 650,000 squarefeet of convention space, so we'll figure out the space.

We'll make it work.

YOU'RE CURRENTLY FEATURED IN THE OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION'S #TOGETHERWEAREAFORCE CAMPAIGN. WHAT MESSAGE ARE YOU HOPING TO SEND TO WASHINGTON BY BEING A PART OF THIS OUTDOOR AND CONSERVATION-CENTRIC CAMPAIGN SPURRED

BY THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY?

?

Washington is just now starting to measure the economic impact of outdoor recreation. There are a lot of people in Washington who think that our public lands should be completely opened up to oil and gas exploration. I'm a geologist, and I'm sensitive to the needs of oil and gas, but I think there needs to be a balance. A lot of these landscapes should be protected forever. One hundred years from now, how will we look back? Once you begin to develop, it's very hard to go backwards.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

23

THERE’S A BIG CONVERSATION HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ABOUT WHETHER PUBLIC LANDS SHOULD BE IN FEDERAL HANDS OR TURNED OVER TO THE STATES AND EVEN PRIVATE OWNERS. WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD MANAGE THEM?

?

We work very hard in this state to responsibly manage our state lands. The vast majority of these are off limits to developers. But I think there's a role for the federal government to have some level of public ownership because they're protecting those lands for all Americans and that's ultimately going to be a safer, even more secure lockbox than state control for the next generation and the generations to follow.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT COLORADO'S POPULATION IS GROWIN, WITH THE RESULT OF BIG CROWDS AT POPULAR OUTDOOR DESTINATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO EXPLORE THE STATE’S OUTDOOR TREASURES WHILE MITIGATING THOSE OVERCROWDING ISSUES?

?

There are issues at our popular outdoor destinations.

Are those places going to become more like a national park or state park? That's one possibility.

Our national parks and state parks, and those opportunities that are easily accessible, we want to make sure that more people can get there, but it's probably not going to be the same experience if you go on a weekend. Summer gets really busy when vacationers are here, but if you go to the really remote parts of the state, like the Never Summer Mountains, you won't see another person the entire time you're there. Those opportunities still exist.

24

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

I think the crucial thing is that our development stays confined to urban areas and small towns.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY HERE IN COLORADO?

?

That all depends on the season. I love skiing—I've skied almost every resort in Colorado. But my favorite outdoor recreation is biking. Biking around Breckenridge is gorgeous, and, of course, there are some amazing trails around Crested Butte.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A CRAFT BREWER AND BIG BEER FAN. WHAT’S CURRENTLY ON TAP AT THE GOVERNOR’S MANSION?

?

WESTERN SPIRIT (RIGHT) A GEOLOGIST BY TRAINING, HICKENLOOPER UNDERSTANDS HOW THE TRADITIONAL OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES WORK AND HAS TRIED TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION. WHILE THOSE POLITICS HAVE IRKED SOME ENVIRONMENTALISTS, THEY HAVE ALSO PUT HIM IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROTECTION OF PUBLIC LANDS IN COLORADO.

PAYING IT FORWARD (LEFT) BACK IN 2013 WHEN CONGRESS SHUT PARTIALLY SHUT DOWN GOVERNMENT, HICKENLOOPER KICKED IN $362,700 FROM COLORADO TO KEEP ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK OPEN AND EMPLOYEES PAID. photos by Evan Semòn Photography

Right now we have an IPA, a pilsner and a stout, but it rotates often.

TYRA SUTAK IS ELEVATION OUTDOORS' DIGITAL EDITOR. A COLORADO NATIVE, SHE ALSO WRITES FOR 5280 AND DININGOUT MAGAZIINES, AMONG OTHER PUBLICATIONS. WANT THE GOVERNOR TO HEAR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT HIS POLICIES IN THE STATE OF COLORADO? CALL THE OFFICE OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES AT 303-866-2885.

yoga in the san juan river goosenecks

with James Hardy “Appreciate the serenity of nature around you and to explore and cultivate the serenity wihtin.”

- Yogi James

canyon country discovery center

Immerse yourself in a mind and body experience on the San Juan River in southeastern Utah!

Enjoy a spectacular four-day float along the remote 56-mile stretch between Mexican Hat, Utah, and Clay Hills. Travel through deep and colorful canyons, pass historic ruins, and enjoy the flora and fauna of this legendary canyon.

June 6-10, 2017 | $840

four corners school of outdoor education fourcornerschool.org/adventure | 800.525.4456

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

25

THE FESTIVAL GUIDE

0 5 .17

2017 FESTIVAL GUIDE IT'S TIME TO PLAN HOW YOU ARE GOING TO ROCK, ROLL, RACE, TASTE, CHILL OUT, COMPETE, GET DOWN AND MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON THAT PUTS YOU AND A FEW HUNDRED OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS ON THE SAME FIELD.

by LILY KRASS AND TYRA SUTAK

26

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

W

INTER'S GREAT AND ALL, BUT WE KNOW

know you’ve been jonesing to shake your hula thing in the full sun. To that end, we offer EO’s annual festival guide, your rundown of the best happenings across Colorado and beyond. Circle these events on your calendar—everything from music fests to river fêtes to beer celebrations to gatherings that’ll engage your root chakra. Plus, look for the EO Road Show, which will be stopping at select festivals with swag, high fives and magazines.

MAY ESTES PARK DUCK RACE MAY 6 ESTES PARK, CO Yes, it's duck season. Since 1989, this springtime fun fest has raised more than $2 million to local charities. EPDUCKRACE.ORG

HEAD FOR THE HILLS PICKIN' ON THE POUDRE MAY 13 BELLVUE, CO Back again to kick off the season, Head for the Hills lands at the legendary Mish.

DON’T MISS: Mishawaka Open Jam, every Thursday at 8 p.m. All styles and instruments are welcome and entry is free.

MISHAWAK A.TICKETFORCE.COM

COLORADO BIKE EXPO MAY 19-20 DENVER, CO From a crit to demos, this baby’s the biggest bike event in the state.

COLORADOBIKEEXPO.COM

THE GOLDEN GAMES MAY 19-21 GOLDEN, CO The Golden Games are a paddler’s paradise, celebrating outdoor adventure sports in an action-packed weekend.

DON’T MISS: The two new SUP events this year: Paddle-o-War and SUP-n-Joust.

THEGOLDENGAMES.COM

GRAND JUNCTION OFF-ROAD MAY 19-21 GRAND JUNCTION, CO Hone your skills on technical singletrack with races at 15, 30 and 40 miles, then head downtown to enjoy live music and some of Colorado’s best wine and beer.

DON’T MISS: You're in wine country... need we say more? EPICRIDES.COM/EVENTS/ GRAND-JUNCTION-OFF-ROAD/EVENT-GUIDE

BODIES MOVIN' FESTIVAL SEASON IS ONE MASSIVE, SHAKING PARTY. DON'T MISS OUT. photos (top, clockwise from top left) courtesy Telluride Blues and Brews, Todd Powell/Town of Frisco, Carl Kerridge/Hanuman, John Ryan Lockman/ Vail GoPro, Benko Photographics/Rocky grass, Todd Powell/ Town of Frisco, courtesy Copper Mountain; (bottom, clockwise from top left) Todd Powell/Town of Frisc, courtesy Planet Bluegrass, Todd Powell/Town of Frisco, Benko Photographics/Rockygrass, Steve Zdawczynski/ Hanuman, LoganRobertson/Vail GoPro, Benko Photographics/Rockygrass

COLORADO WHITEWATER TRAINING CAMP MAY 19-21 ARKANSAS RIVER, CO Dive into paddling season with skills clinics for novices and experienced kayakers of all ages. DON’T MISS: Live music Saturday night (TBA).

COLORADOWHITEWATER.ORG/ TRAINING-CAMP

VINTAGE MARKET DAYS MAY 19-21 ESTES PARK, CO This three-day market is the place to find funky and maybe classic vintage swag.

VINTAGEMARKETDAYS.COM

UPSLOPE GET DOWN MAY 20 BOULDER, CO Dance to live music, eat great food, crush your friends in yard games, all while sampling beers on tap. DON’T MISS: The Elevation Outdoors team scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes!

UPSLOPEBREWING.COM/GETDOWN

ELEVATION BEER CO. FIVEYEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY MAY 20 PONCHA SPRINGS, CO This party includes special tappings, food and a free performance by Trout Steak Revival. ELEVATIONBEERCO.COM

THE 2017 LA SPORTIVA TRAIL RUNNING SERIES: BONEYARD BOOGIE MAY 20 EAGLE, CO Arguably one of the most scenic trail races in Colorado. You can sign up for the 5K, 10K or the fun run. DON’T MISS: The rest of the series during the summer: La Sportiva Summer Solstice in Beaver Creek (6/24), Vail Hill Climb (7/8), Camp Hale Half Marathon (7/22), Berry Picker 5K in Vail (8/5), 10K @10,000 Feet in Vail (8/26) and MeadowGold in Minturn (9/16). VAILREC.COM/ SPORTS-ACTIVITIES/VAIL-RACE/TRAIL-RUNNING-RACING

MEADOWGRASS MAY 26-28 BLACK FOREST, CO Camp in the heart of the Black Forest and enjoy a relaxing weekend with live music and local artists. DON’T MISS: Morning yoga classes. MEADOWGRASS.ORG

CKS PADDLEFEST MAY 26-29 BUENA VISTA, CO A jumpstart to Buena Vista’s famous river season, you’ll see some epic whitewater athletes compete from around the country. DON’T MISS: EO is hosting a River Park clean up with CKS Main and Eddyline Brewery on the morning of Monday, May 29. CKSPADDLEFEST.COM

FESTIVAL OF THE BREWPUBS MAY 28 ARAPAHOE BASIN, CO Beer, live music and spring skiing— that's what Colorado does best. DON’T MISS: Skiing at the only resort still open.

EVERFEST.COM/E/ARAPAHOE-BASIN-FESTIVAL-OFTHE-BREWPUBS-KEYSTONE-CO

JUNE MIKE THE HEADLESS CHICKEN JUNE 2-3 FRUITA, CO Come out and celebrate the chicken that lived for 18 months without a head. DON’T MISS: The wing eating contest...seems fitting. MIKETHEHEADLESSCHICKEN.ORG/MIKE

CAMPOUT FOR THE CAUSE JUNE 2-4 BUENA VISTA, CO With a commitment to community and sustainability, the annual benefit Campout features music, yoga and lifestyle workshops. DON’T MISS: The new venue along the Arkansas River.

CAMPOUTFORTHECAUSE.ORG

Want to know what’s featured at each of these festivals? Check these icons in the listings:

SPORTS

EAGLE OUTSIDE FESTIVAL / CO XC & ENDURO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP JUNE 3-4 EAGLE, CO A great opportunity to demo bikes on Eagle’s all-time single track. DON’T MISS: Alison Gannett's Rippin Chix Women's Clinics. EAGLEOUTSIDEFESTIVAL.COM

GOPRO MOUNTAIN GAMES JUNE 8-11 VAIL, CO An adrenaline-filled weekend for the whole family, the GoPro Mountain Games are the country’s largest celebration of adventure sports. DON’T MISS: The Ultimate Mountain Challenge.

MOUNTAINGAMES.COM

Badge Check

MUSIC

than 50 breweries and over 200 canned craft brews. DON’T MISS: Action on the river park. BURNINGCAN.COM/LYONS

PALISADE BLUEGRASS AND ROOTS JUNE 9-11 PALISADE, CO Enjoy three days of nonstop Americana, bluegrass and roots alongside th Colorado River. PALISADEMUSIC.COM

LIBATIONS

FILM

FOOD

PADDLING

YOGA

EO ROADSHOW

ART

PAGOSA FOLK 'N BLUEGRASS JUNE 9-11 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO Settle in for sounds from The O'Connor Band, Loudon Wainwright III and others.

FOLK WEST.COM/FOLKNBLUEGRASS

PRETTY IN PINK

Find the highlighted listings for our must-go festivals.

CAR SHOW AT PAGOSA JUNE 9-10 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO Check out classic and souped-up cars and enjoy music and beer. PAGOSACHAMBER.COM

ANIMAS RIVER DAYS JUNE 3 DURANGO, CO Whitewater slalom, kayak rodeos, boatercross and SUP races—all this paddling fun is packed into one Saturday afternoon. DON’T MISS: The after-party in downtown Durango. ANIMASRIVERDAYS.COM

RUN THE ROCKIES 10K/HALF MARATHON JUNE 3 FRISCO, CO Get ready to set a new PR with a fast course along the Ten Mile Range. DON’T MISS: Beer from Backcountry Brewery at the post-race party. HALFMARATHONS.NET/

DOLORES RIVER FESTIVAL JUNE 10 DOLORES, CO This fête celebrates the life of one of Colorado’s most beautiful rivers. DON’T MISS: The Mountainfilm tour will be stopping here. DOLORESRIVERFESTIVAL.ORG

DENVER BERKELEY ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL JUNE 10-11 DENVER, CO Browse the art and take in the tunes at Denver’s Berkeley Park.

COLORADOEVENTSANDFESTIVALS.COM

COLORADO-RUN-THE-ROCKIES-HALF-MARATHON-10K

MEEKERPALOOZA JUNE 3 MEEKER, CO Break out of the city and enjoy live music and art in a friendly small-town atmosphere. DON’T MISS: The beer and wine from Palisade Brewery and Blanco Cellars. MEEKERPALOOZA.COM

BURNING CAN FESTIVAL AT LYONS OUTDOOR GAMES JUNE 3 LYONS, CO This little town puts on one of the best multi-sport throwdowns in the country— and it revolves around beer, with more

HANUMAN JUNE 15-18 BOULDER, CO World famous yoga teachers including Rod Stryker and Janet Stone lead classes and workshops in the heart of downtown Boulder. DON’T MISS: Find balance with the slacklining yoga workshop.

HANUMANFESTIVAL.COM

TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS JUNE 15-18 TELLURIDE, CO The big daddy never disappoints. DON’T MISS: The annual Telluride Troubador Contest. BLUEGRASS.COM/ TELLURIDE

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

27

9TH ANNUAL CAR SHOW

COLORFEST 2017

MUST-SEE EVENTS IN PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO! JUNE 9-10

SEPTEMBER 15-17

The 9th Annual Car Show­is a lively weekend full of the sights and sounds of classic cars. Live music, food and drink are all part of the fantastic show, with awards given out at the end!

Colorfest is packed with fun, including the Wine & Food Festival, the Music & Micro Brew Festival, and the mass balloon ascensions on both Saturday and Sunday morning. These festivities and more continue all weekend!

PAGOSACHAMBER.COM 28

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

970.264.2360 | EVENTS@PAGOSACHAMBER.COM

SONIC BLOOM JUNE 15-18 HUMMINGBIRD RANCH, SPANISH PEAKS COUNTRY, CO An eclectic mix of electronic music in one of the most beautiful venues in the Rockies. DON’T MISS: Early bird camping starts Wednesday night so you can wake up Thursday refreshed and ready to boogie.

SONICBLOOMFESTIVAL.COM

FIBARK JUNE 15-18 SALIDA, CO Hit up the 69th anniversary of the country’s oldest whitewater festival. DON’T MISS: Beer from Eddyline brewing. FIBARK.COM

COLORADO BBQ CHALLENGE JUNE 16-17 FRISCO, CO Bring an empty stomach to this event with 70-plus BBQ-ers, seven bands, pig races, kids’ activities and the third annual Fire Fighter Cook Off. FRISCOBBQ.COM

VAIL CRAFT BEER CLASSIC JUNE 16-18 VAIL, CO More than just a beer fest, the Vail Craft Beer Classic pairs beer with adventure. DON’T MISS: Work off those 300-plus beers with yoga and hiking.

VAILCRAF TBEERCL ASSIC.COM

RAILS AND ALES JUNE 17 ALAMOSA, CO Brewfest by train? Yes Please. DON’T MISS: The brats. SLVBREWCO.COM

Shake That Thing

1) ARISE Bring your tribe to the big, open meadows at Sunrise Ranch, and dance to your soul’s delight.

2) HEAD FOR THE HILLS PICKIN' ON THE POUDRE Jam under the stars and on the riverbank at FIVE BEST FESTIVALS the historic Mishawaka. 3) SONIC BLOOM Electronic music aficionados head to Hummingbird Ranch for FOR GETTING YOUR Colorado’s dance-all-night festival. 4) ROCKYGRASS GROOVE ON The moves may not be pretty, but hippies and hipsters alike join the hillbilly mosh pit at this three-day fullimmersion in thump-and-twang bluegrass. 5) TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS The four-day party never stops with music on mainstage all day long, plus nighttime concerts at every indoor venue in town.

SWAY AWAY NO ONE CARES HOW BADLY (OR HOW WELL) YOU DANCE—JUST GET OUT THERE AND MOVE. HEAD TO ROCKYGRASS (RIGHT) IF YOU WANT TO JAM-BAND BOOGIE TO THE LIKES OF SAM BUSH (LEFT) OR THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS. photos by Douglas Meyer (left), Benko Photographics (right)

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

29

COME RAFT THE DOLORES AND HEAR SOME TUNES! Saturday, June 10th 2017 Gates Open at 10am Joe Rowell Park | Dolores, CO Camping, Kid Zone, Raft Rides down the Dolores, All Day Music, Vendors, Food & Drink (Dog Friendly!)

FEATURED ACTS: JERRY JOSEPH & THE JACKMORMONS, THE YAWPERS, GENE EVARO JR., SELASEE & THE FAFA FAMILY, DDAT, SKY PILOT, PROFESSOR COLOMBO, HELLO DOLLFACE, CARUTE ROMA, ELDER GROWN

DOLORESRIVERFESTIVAL.ORG

ESTES PARK MARATHON AND HALF JUNE 18 ESTES PARK, CO Race past breathtaking views of the Continental Divide on a fast course with a six-mile downhill start. DON’T MISS: The 5K fun run the day before. EPMARATHON.ORG

TELLURIDE YOGA FESTIVAL JULY 20-23 TELLURIDE, CO Now in its tenth year, this unique festival includes biking, slacklining and SUP yoga events. DON’T MISS: Yoga Slackliners Extravaganza. TELLURIDEYOGAFESTIVAL.COM

BEANSTALK JUNE 22-25 RANCHO DEL RIO, CO Jam band fans will delight with three days of the Magic Beans and more in the heart of Vail Valley. DON’T MISS: A morning hike to the nearby Radium hot springs.

BEANSTALKFESTIVAL.COM

GUNNISON RIVER FESTIVAL JUNE 22-25 GUNNISON, CO Not only for the Gunny— the convocation celebrates spring runoff, recreation and ecology of all our clean waterways.

DON’T MISS: The riverbank beer garden.

GUNNISONRIVERFESTIVAL.COM

CRESTED BUTTE BIKE WEEK JUNE 22-25 CRESTED BUTTE, CO The world’s oldest mountain bike festival!

DON’T MISS: The gnarly downhill race.

INSIDER TIP: HIT UP THE CLINICS AT SUMMER WHITEWATER FESTIVALS— CKS PADDLEFEST, FIBARK, THE GUNNISON RIVER FESTIVAL, THE ROYAL GORGE WHITEWATER FESTIVAL—IF Y0U WANT TO LEARN HOW TO KAYAK OR SUP WITH PASSIONATE, QUALIFIED INSTRUCTORS.

SALIDA ART WALK JUNE 22-25 SALIDA, CO The 25th year of celebrating creativity in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. DON’T MISS: The street performers.

SALIDA ART WALK.ORG

ROYAL GORGE WHITEWATER FESTIVAL JUNE 23-24 CANON CITY, CO Join in two glorious days of boats, bands and beer along the Arkansas. DON’T MISS: The scenic train through the gorge.

ROYALGORGEWHITEWATERFESTIVAL.COM

RAPIDGRASS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL JUNE 23-25 IDAHO SPRINGS, CO With a low-key vibe but no downgrade in the quality of bands performing—including Rapidgrass, Head for the Hills and Trout Steak Revival—true fans won't want to miss this one. CLEARCREEKRAPIDGRASS.COM

CBCHAMBER.COM/EVENTS/CB-BIKE-WEEK

STREAM DYNAMICS SUMMER SERVES UP BIG FLOWS AND PLENTY OF WHITEWATER CELEBRATIONS. HERE, THE GUNNISON RIVER FESTIVAL PUTS LIKEMINDED PADDLERS OUT ON THE WATER.

JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS JUNE 23-JULY 1 & SEPTEMBER 1-3 Now in its 27th year, Jazz Aspen Snowmass has grown from a three-day event to a set of multi-day festivals that feature epic line-ups of musicians. DON’T MISS: Any of it. Both weekends are exceptional. JAZZASPENSNOWMASS.ORG

photo courtesy Gunnison River Festival

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

31

Art by Elan Smader Livne

COLORADO EVENT DESIGN PRESENTS

2017 ART & MUSIC FESTIVALS NATIONAL JURIED ARTISTS . LIVE MUSIC

Creative Station For All Ages . Face Painting . Delicious Foods JUNE 10-11

Denver Berkeley Park Art & Music Festival

JULY 1-2

Colorado Springs Art & Music Festival - CO Springs

AUG 12-13

Denver Sloan’s Lake Fine Arts & Music Festival

JULY 15-16 Salida Riverside Fine Arts Festival - in Salida

SEP 23-24 Parker Fine Arts & Music Festival - O’Brien Park

CSR COLORADO SCHOOL OF ROCK

Wounded Warrior

Music PrograM

32

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

FREE ADMISSION!

Feature Performances By Wounded Warrior Band

Details & Music Schedules Online www.ColoradoEventsAndFestivals.com

BOULDER BEER COMPANY 38TH ANNIVERSARY JUNE 24 BOULDER, CO Ring in the big 3-8 with Colorado's oldest craft brewery.

DON’T MISS: This longtime brewery's new look.

BOULDERBEER.COM/COLORADO-EVENTS/38TH-ANNIVERSARY-PART Y

ATTACK OF THE BIG BEERS & GRILLED CHEESE FEST JUNE 23-25 COPPER, CO Craft beer, grilled cheese and a film festival—that's a perfect weekend. AT TACKOF THEBIGBEERS.COM

BLUES FROM THE TOP JUNE 24-25 WINTER PARK, CO Winter Park’s nonprofit blues extravaganza brings some heat to the high country. DON’T MISS: Performances by some of the youngest blues artists in the country.

BLUESFROMTHETOP.ORG

KEYSTONE'S BACON AND BOURBON FESTIVAL JUNE 24-25 KEYSTONE, CO What pairs better than bacon and bourbon? DON’T MISS: The bacon bloody Marys.

KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM

JULY TEN SLEEP CLIMBING FESTIVAL JULY 1 TEN SLEEP, WY Climbing and craft beer in the Big Horn Mountains? Count us in. DON’T MISS: The crazy costumes. TRAVELW YOMING. COM/EVENT/ TEN-SLEEP-CLIMBING-FESTIVAL

JUNE 16-18

MOUNTAIN MIGHT 1) STEAMBOAT HOT AIR BALLOON RODEO Only the illinformed come to Steamboat and skip soaking in the up-to FESTIVAL SEASON IS ABOUT MORE THAN BANJOS 104-degree waters of Strawberry Hot Springs, just a few AND FUNNEL CAKE. THE minutes outside of town. 2) KEYSTONE’S BACON AND ROCKIES HOST A WIDE BOURBON FESTIVAL Adrenaline loves pork, which RANGE OF MULTI-SPORT FESTIVALS INCLUDING VAIL'S is why you hit this tasty festival that's right at the SPRAWLING GOPRO GAMES base of Keystone’s lift-served trails and 100 miles of (LEFT) AND SMALLER, CORE singletrack. 3) RAILS AND ALES After sampling your HAPPENINGS LIKE THE FRISCO TRIATHLON (RIGHT). fill of craft beer, head to Great Sand Dunes National BOTH PUT COMPETITORS FIVE BEST FESTIVALS Park to wander across giant sand mounds that resemble OUT ON LOCAL TRAILS. WITH OUTDOOR the surface of the moon. 4) FESTIVAL IN THE photos by Logan Robertson CLOUDS Get even more elevated and hike a 14er while (left), Todd Powell (right) FUN NEARBY you’re here in the highest incorporated municipality in the U.S. 14,035-foot Mount Sherman, 14,177-foot Bross, 14,295-foot Lincoln, 14,154 Democrat and 14,238-foot Cameron all tower over the populace. 5) MIKE THE HEADLESS CHICKEN FESTIVAL Fruita is all about mountain bike trails built by mountain bikers. Check out the 6.5 new miles of fast and flowy singletrack in the Kokopelli trail system or the new extension of the Edge Loop Trail.

While You Are Here

BEER PAIRED WITH ADVENTURE

3 DAYS OF FOOD & BEER PAIRINGS OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS

VailCraftBeerClassic.com M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

33

7 Must Do Frisco

Summer Events

1

June 3, 2017 | 41st Annual Run the Rockies Road Half Marathon and 10k

2

June 16-17, 2017 | Colorado BBQ Challenge

3 4

Fast and scenic course along the Ten Mile Range

The best BBQ you will have in Colorado this year with a side of live music, pig races, kids activities, chef demos, a Bacon Burner 6k and a fire fighter cook-off.

June 22 - August 17, 2017 | Concerts in the Park

Join us on Thursdays from June 22 – August 17 for free concerts at the Frisco Historic Park gazebo.

July 4, 2017 | Frisco’s Fabulous 4th of July Celebration

All the things you could want from a July 4th celebration- a fishing derby, parade, concerts and fireworks over a lake.

July 15, 2017 | Frisco Triathlon

5

Named “Best Triathlon” in Elevation Outdoors Magazine’s reader poll, 2016 Best of the Rockies.

This triathlon includes trail running and mountain biking, as well as a unique twist on the standard triathlon with a stand up paddle board leg.

6

Join us at the Frisco Bay Marina beach for a free sandcastle competition for kiddos aged 1-13 with avy rescue dogs serving as celebrity judges.

7

August 12, 2017 | Kids’ Sandcastle Competition

August 12, 2017 | Run the Rockies Trail Half Marathon and 10k

Scenic and rolling trail running course on the Frisco Peninsula.

TownofFrisco.com | 800-424-1554

COLORADO SPRINGS ART & MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 1-2 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO There's a wide range of art and live music at this festival that takes place in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs. DON’T MISS: The creative station for the kids.

COLORADOEVENTSANDFESTIVALS.COM

FRISCO'S FABULOUS 4TH OF JULY JULY 4 FRISCO, CO Let freedom ring in this all-American mountain town hoedown. FRISCO4TH.COM

RIDGWAY CONCERT SERIES JULY 6 RIDGWAY, CO Eight bands play for free for four Thursdays over the month of July. DON’T MISS: More shows on July 13, 20 and 27.

INSIDER TIP: TELLURIDE IS FAMOUS FOR ITS MUSICAL HAPPENINGS BUT RELATIVE NEWCOMER THE RIDE FESTIVAL IS COMING ON STRONG IN 2017 WITH A LINEUP THAT INCLUDES BECK, BEN HARPER & THE INNOCENT CRIMINALS, AND THE MARCUS KING BAND.

CRESTED BUTTE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL JULY 7-16 CRESTED BUTTE, CO It’s one of the most colorful and beautiful festivals in Colorado. DON’T MISS: Guided hikes and walks.

ENDURANCE. INTELLIGENCE. TEAMWORK. AND HELLA FUN!

CRESTEDBUT TEWILDFLOWERFESTIVAL.COM

RIDGWAYCONCERTSERIES.COM

HIGH MOUNTAIN HAY FEVER BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL JULY 6-9 WESTCLIFFE, CO Bluegrass, and summer nights in the mountains of Colorado go together like peanut butter and bananas. DON’T MISS: Uncle Shuffelo and His Haint Hallow Hootnanny. HIGHMOUNTAINHAYFEVER.ORG

COPPER MOUNTAIN MUSIC FEST JULY 7-9, 2017 COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO The views alone at this outdoor venue make this funky music festival worth attending. Plus, the activities day pass costs just $49! DON’T MISS: Title sponsor Elevation Outdoors will host a team scavenger hunt for a chance to win prizes.

COPPERCOLORADO.COM

RESORTS GO CHILL BIG WINTER RESORTS LIKE COPPER TAKE ON A BACKYARD VIBE IN THE SUMMERTIME.

SALIDA BREWERS RENDEZVOUS JULY 21 SALIDA, CO Seventy-five Colorado breweries will pour over 300 beer samplings in downtown Salida. SALIDACHAMBER.ORG

TEQUILA & TACOS JULY 8 WINTER PARK, CO Two things that make life better. Plus live music. PL AY WINTERPARK.COM/ TEQUIL A ANDTACOS

RIDE FESTIVAL JULY 8-9 TELLURIDE, CO The new on the Telluride block features a lineup of heavy hitters. DON’T MISS: Beck, baby. RIDEFESTIVAL.COM

STEAMBOAT HOT AIR BALLOON RODEO JULY 8-9 STEAMBOAT, CO Hold onto your hats because this hot air balloon festival meets rodeo is not your average outdoor event. DON’T MISS: The colorful Balloon Glow. STEAMBOATCHAMBER.

SAT.

22

JULY

2017

9AM-2PM (plus after party!)

COLORADO SPRINGS

tinyurl.com/2017ROAR

COM/SIGNATURE-EVENTS/HOT-AIR-BALLOON-RODEO

photo courtesy Copper Mountain

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

35

25 + SPORTS | REGISTER EARLY FREE CONCERTS | FREE FOR SPECTATORS

#GOPROMTNGAMES

M O U N TA I N G A M E S.C O M

The Vail Valley Foundation is an equal opportunity service provider and is under a special use permit by the White River National Forest.

Small Towns...

Big Personality

What's happening in Paonia, Hotchkiss & Crawford?

Relax and savor a tasty mélange of activities.

You won't forget the peaches. Or the people.

FIND MORE AT NORTHFORKCREATIVE.ORG

FRISCO TRIATHALON JULY 15 FRISCO, CO This mountain-town-style tri includes SUP, mountain biking and trail running.

FRISCORECREATION.COM

LOHI MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 15 DENVER, CO Great music and vibes in downtown Denver. DON’T MISS: The after party at Cervantes. NIGHTOUT.COM/EVENTS/LOHI-MUSICFESTIVAL-2017/ TICKETS

SALIDA RIVERSIDE FINE ARTS & MUSIC JULY 15-16 SALIDA, CO Browse the best offerings in many mediums and stay for the riverside tunes.

SALIDACHAMBER.ORG

TARGHEE FEST JULY 14-16 ALTA, WY Hit the road for the winner of the best festival award in the EO Best of The Rockies reader poll. DON’T MISS: The Marcus King Band (see page 63).

GRANDTARGHEE.COM/EVENT/ TARGHEE-FEST/

BOB COOK MEMORIAL MT. EVANS HILL CLIMB JULY 15 EVERGREEN, CO Do you have the lungs to race up a fourteener? BICYCLERACE.COM

INSIDER TIP: IF YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF ADVENTURE-RACE CURIOUS, BUT NEVER TRIED, ROAR IN THE CITY IS THE PERFECT INTRODUCTION.

SALIDA BREWERS RENDEZVOUS JULY 21 SALIDA, CO Seventy-five Colorado breweries will pour over 300 beer samplings in downtown Salida. SALIDACHAMBER.ORG

KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM

THE NATURAL HIGH IN MOUNTAIN ATHLETE FASHION, THE FRISCO TRIATHLON SWAPS STAND-UP PADDLEBOARDING FOR SWIMMING.

Plus

FOOD & DRINK vendors

Additional night shows & FREE CONCERTS

vIp tickets available

NEVER SUMMER 6 AND 24 HOUR ADVENTURE RACE JULY 22-23 GRANBY RANCH, CO Compete in epic singletrack mountain biking, on and off trail trekking, and packrafting. MYJOURNEYRACING.COM

COLORADO FUNC FEST JULY 22 MONTROSE, CO That’s short for fun on the Uncompahgre at the Montrose Water Sports Park.

VISITMONTROSE.COM

KEYSTONE WINE AND JAZZ JULY 15-16 KEYSTONE, CO Joel Rodney Simieon and a jammy red are just two pairings to enjoy on this weekend.

Mu sic Art s Craf ts Wine Food Farms Kids Activities

FESTIVAL IN THE CLOUDS JULY 15-16 ALMA, CO Twenty-five bands, 40 regional artists and a beer garden. DON’T MISS: Work by 40 regional artists. ALMAFOUNDATION.COM

June 24 & 25 H 2017 Starring ANDERS

OSBORNE

THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS featuring Kim Wilson c.j. chenier & the red hot louisiana band

carolyn wonderland H little hurricane H analog son UPADOWNA: ROAR IN THE CITY JULY 22 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO ROAR stands for Really Outrageous Adventure Race. UPADOWNA.ORG

alvin youngblood hart H jimmy vivino + kate moss 3 dany franchi H austin young band

WINTER PARK RENDEZVOUS MOUNTAIN BIKE CAPITAL USA WEEKEND JULY 28-30 WINTER PARK, CO If you ride a bike, be here. DON’T MISS: The epic downhill terrain in Winter Park.

PL AY WINTERPARK.COM

photo by Todd Powell

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

39

Salida, Colorado

June 15-18

free music G r e at b e e r

runninG races mountain bike races

Hooligan race tons of river events!

www.fiBark.com

ROCKYGRASS JULY 28-30 LYONS, CO Reserve a camping spot (early) at this big small-town fest that gets people grooving alongside (and in) the St. Vrain River. DON’T MISS: The Infamous Stringdusters.

BLUEGRASS.COM/ROCK YGRASS

OYSTER RIDGE MUSIC FESTIVAL JULY 28-30 KEMMERER, WY Ever heard of a Bandscramble? Witness this ultimate band jam here, this year. DON’T MISS: The Wyoming State Flatpick / Fingerpick Contest.

OYSTERRIDGEMUSICFESTIVAL.COM

BRECK 100 JULY 29 BRECKENRIDGE, CO Test your legs and your lungs on this off-road course that climbs nearly 14,000 feet over 100 miles and crosses the Continental Divide three times. DON’T MISS: Entering as a two- or three-person relay team. WARRIORSCYCLING.COM/RACES/ BRECKENRIDGE-100

AUGUST PICKIN’ IN THE PARK AUGUST 3 PAONIA, CO The four-show series, with two bands each night, is free to the public and features top notch music from around the country. DON’T MISS: More shows on August 10, 17, 24—and hard cider from Delicious Orchards.

PICKINPRODUCTIONS.COM

RAISE THEM RIGHT 1) BLUES FROM THE TOP:The Future of the Blues stage features dozens of young musicians, encouraging FESTIVALS TURN A CROWD OF STRANGERS INTO ONE kids of all ages to join the stoke. 2) MEADOWGRASS HAPPY, LOVING FAMILY, Leave the babysitter at home, because children WHICH MEANS KIDS ARE under 12 enter for free. MeadowGrass has tons of A BIG PART OF THE SCENE AT PLACES LIKE COPPER interactive activities for the pipsqueak set and plenty MOUNTAIN (LEFT). SOME, of open space to run around. 3) GRAND JUNCTION LIKE THE UPSLOPE GET BEST FESTIVALS OFF ROAD Shimano sponsors the Kids Fun Ride on DOWN IN BOULDER (RIGHT), EVEN OFFER ACTIVITES FOR Sunday morning, with two different courses for miniFOR THE KIDS SO THAT PARENTS CAN adrenaline seekers and enthusiastic beginners. 4) CKS KIDS ENGAGE IN SOME “UP” TIME. PADDLE FEST Kids paddle their own kayaks at this photos by Michael Murphy (left), courtesy Upslope Get Down (right) Buena Vista hoedown that features kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding under professional supervision. 5) UPSLOPE GET DOWN Children at a brewery? Hell, yeah, the Upslope Get Down is meant to be a family friendly beer event. Kids can play all day on the 25-foot rock wall, built for beginners as well as vets.

Bring the Family FIVE

THE GOLDEN GAMES

MAY 19-21 COME JOIN THE FUN! SUP, KAYAK, FLY FISH, SLACK LINE, AND MORE! VOTED BEST PADDLING EVENT OF THE ROCKIES FOR 2016 & 2017 BY ELEVATION OUTDOORS

Colorado’s Largest Consumer Bike Show.

Friday Night Lights Criterium and Street Sprints • M&M Urban Bike Race

MAY 19 - 20, 2017

SPORTS AUTHORITY FIELD @ MILE HIGH

FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

ColoradoBikeExpo.com 100+ EXHIBITORS • DEMOS • TEST RIDES • ENTERTAINMENT • BEER GARDEN • FOOD TRUCKS

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

41

3 annual rd

MON T R O

C O LOR

A

SE

DO

on the U nc om

h pa

g

2017

Fun

re

FEST

$3,000 PURSE!

. e . Play eve e r e h r e y rywh Sta

MONTROSE

Water Sports Park july 22

/MontroseWSP

ND

/VisitMontrose

/@VisitMontrose

WATER COMPETITIONS ★ FUN ★ FOOD ★ DRINKS SB

Live music featuring Chris Daniels and The Kings FOR MORE

INFO

VISIT

★

Snootch

ColoradoFUNCfest.com

★

Blue Gators

22017 20 001 017 1 17

GGunnison Gu Gun unni un nisson ssooonn Colorado Color oolorra rado doo

June June June

22 Summer Solstice Kickoff - IBAR Ranch 23 Rocky Mountain Rafts Downriver Races 24 Whitewater Events Gunnison County Whitewater Park LIVE MUSIC - COMPETITION - EXPOS - DEMOS DETAILS gunnisonriverfestival.com

MIDDLE PARK FAIR AND RODEO AUGUST 4-13 KREMMLING, CO After all, rodeos are festivals too!

MIDDLEPARKFAIRANDRODEO.COM

CRESTFEST AUGUST 4-5 CRESTONE, CO Mountain music festival meets carnival meets charming small town good time.

DON’T MISS: Carnival games. CRESTFEST.ORG

ARISE MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST 4-6, 2017 LOVELAND, CO Relax, rejuvenate and dance the night away in the mountains of northern Colorado. DON’T MISS: Finding your inner warrior at the Yoga Sanctuary.

ARISEFESTIVAL.COM

TELLURIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL AUGUST 4-6, 2017 TELLURIDE, CO Camping passes for this iconic music festival are only $59. DON’T MISS: Mavis Staples. TELLURIDEJAZZ.ORG

CRESTED BUTTE ARTS FESTIVAL AUGUST 4-6 CRESTED BUTTE, CO Art in all its forms (thin cuisine, too) is on display in this iconic mountain town.

DON’T MISS: Art Alley, where kids (and adults) can make art of their own.

INSIDER TIP: GINA CAPUTO, FOUNDER OF THE COLORADO SCHOOL OF YOGA AND 2016 WINNER OF EO'S WILD CARD BADASS AWARD, WILL BE KICKING SOME ASANA AT BOULDER'S HANUMAN.

CRESTED BUTTE ARTS FESTIVAL

Band Competition raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Left Hand Brewing Foundation.

LEF THANDBREWING.COM/EVENT/ HIGH-FIVE-EVENTS Terry Evans

KEYSTONE BLUEGRASS AND BEER FESTIVAL AUGUST 5-6 KEYSTONE, CO Appalachia meets Colorado at this funky festival. Add in 40+ craft beer vendors and you have one hell of a weekend. DON’T MISS: Headliners the Peter Rowan Band.

Amy Gillespie

KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM

STEAMBOAT MOVEMENT FEST AUGUST 10-13 STEAMBOAT, CO Festival attendees at this fest are encouraged to consciously connect through music, movement and the great outdoors. DON’T MISS: The panel of presenters that includes Shannon Paige and Laura Rust. STEAMBOATMOVEMENTFEST.COM

Glynn Powell

CRESTEDBUT TEARTSFESTIVAL.COM

LEFTAPALOOZA AUGUST 5 LONGMONT, CO Beer festivities and the Mile High Tribute

TASTE MY BLISS YOGA HAS BECOME PART OF THE FESTIVAL FABRIC AND BOULDER'S HANUMAN FESTIVAL DEFINITELY UPLEVELS THE OM. photo by Carl Kerridge

August 4-6, 2017

VELORAMA FESTIVAL AUGUST 11-13 DENVER, CO Meet our favorite new festival when it comes to high-flying lineups. It's time to rock out in Denver's hip RiNo Art District and maybe stop by Stem Ciders (see page 53) for three days of bands, brews and bikes. DON’T MISS: Wilco, The New Pornographers, La Santa Cecilia, Death Cab for Cutie. VELORAMACOLORADO.COM

The CBAF is an annual, nationally recognized festival, celebrating the visual and performing arts, whose proceeds provide for a year round sustainable arts outreach program for the community of the Gunnison Valley.

Dona Bollard

Beauty, Art and Inspiration at 8,885 feet CrestedButteArtsFestival.com Dan McCabe

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

43

SOLSHINE MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST 12 WINTER PARK, CO Soak in live music at the newly remodeled outdoor stage in the heart of Winter Park. PL AY WINTERPARK.COM/SOLSHINEMUSIC-FESTIVAL

ASPEN BACKCOUNTRY MARATHON AND HALF MARATHON AUGUST 12 ASPEN, CO Ready your legs and lungs for the most challenging marathon you'll ever run. DON’T MISS: Spectacular views of the Elk Mountains. ASPENBACKCOUNTRYMARATHON.COM

DENVER SLOAN'S LAKE FINE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST 12-13 DENVER, CO Perfect location, meet unbeatable live music and art.

COLORADOEVENTSANDFESTIVALS.COM

OUTERBIKE AUGUST 18-20 CRESTED BUTTE, CO Find all things bikes at the new summer edition of the ever-popular event. DON’T MISS: Demos with your favorite brands. OUTERBIKE.

Get Crafty

COM/SUMMER-CRESTEDBUT TE

ROCKY MOUNTAIN FOLKS FESTIVAL AUGUST 18-20 LYONS, CO Cap off your summer with one last outdoor music festival in everybody's favorite quirky Colorado small town. DON’T MISS: Local hero Gregory Alan Isakov.

BLUEGRASS.COM/FOLKS

OPEN IT UP 1) GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL The kingpin of all beer festivals keeps getting better and better every COLORADO HAS BECOME THE EPICENTER OF FESTIVAL year. Rub elbows with your favorite brewery celebrities, CULTURE BECAUSE THERE'S sample from nearly 4,000 different beers and celebrate JUST SO MUCH DAMN the craft beer community. 2) TELLURIDE BLUES SPACE HERE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER IN BEAUTIFUL AND BREWS FESTIVAL More than 50 craft SPOTS LIKE BOULDER, AT breweries from across the country will quench the UPSLOPE BREWERY (LEFT), thirst for festival-goers at this September festival OR TELLURIDE, IN THAT POSTCARD-PERFECT BOX with a music lineup (think Bonnie Raitt and Taj CANYON (RIGHT).

BEST FESTIVALS Mahal) that's as good as the suds. 3) UPSLOPE photos courtesy Upslope Get GET DOWN Boulder’s Upslope Brewing Company FOR BEER Down (left), Tellluride Blues and Brews (right) throws a fun beer event that's as much about music LOVERS and family as it is about serving up brews ranging from year-round and seasonal line-ups to aged and cellared treats. 4) BOULDER BEER CO. 38TH ANNIVERSARY The oldest craft brewery in Colorado knows how to party, and this year, they’re going big at their newly remodeled Boulder digs. 5) KEYSTONE BLUEGRASS AND BEER FESTIVAL There are unlimited craft beer samples along with a beer garden and a home-brew hub.

FIVE

ROYAL GORGE WHITEWATER FESTIVAL 2017

JUNE 23 AND 24 CANON CITY, COLORADO M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

45

SUMMER

2017

Keystone Festivals KEYSTONE, COLORADO

N

N, BEER & M RBO OR OU EB ,B A

N! CO

BA CO

Pick Your Passion 2017

KEYSTONE BACON & BOURBON

July 29-30, 2017

FESTIVAL

JUNE 24-25, 2017

JULY 15-16, 2017

21st annual

keystone, CO

AUGUST 5-6, 2017

!

T I F O T U O D N E K MAKE A WEE AT: Y A W A T E G R U O PLAN Y WWW.KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM /keystonefestivals

@KFestivals

@keystonefestivals

NEDFEST AUGUST 25-27 NEDERLAND, CO This kid-friendly festival in Nederland highlights a variety of musical genres in an intimate space. DON’T MISS: The rockabilly sounds of The Gasoline Lollipops. NEDFEST.ORG

TRINIDADDIO BLUES FEST AUGUST 26 TRINIDAD, CO From the Fabulous Thunderbirds to Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, this fest is the real deal. TRINIDADDIOBLUESFEST.COM

BUSES AT THE BREWERY AUGUST 26 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO Hey Millenials, there's #vanlife and craft beer here. BRISTOLBREWING.COM

10TH ANNUAL ALBUQUERQUE HOPFEST AUGUST 26 ALBUQUERQUE, NM The Land of Enchantment proves it has some hops at this beer festival with over 70 breweries and seven bands on three stages. ALBUQUERQUEHOPFEST.COM

SEPTEMBER FOUR CORNERS FOLK FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 1-3 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO The Wood Brothers, Los Lobos, The Drunken Hearts—they’re all coming to year's Four Corners Folk Fest. DON’T MISS: Early bird ticket pricing. FOLK WEST. COM/FOURCORNERSFOLKFESTIVAL

SALIDA WINEFEST SEPTEMBER 2 SALIDA, CO Colorado’s grapes take center stage in the heart of the mountains.

INSIDER TIP: WANT TO DO MORE THAN HOISTING A COLD ONE IN FRONT OF THE STAGE AT BLUES AND BREWS? ENTER THE TELLURIDE BLUES CHALLENGE AND YOU COULD BE ON THE OTHER SIDE. THE COMPETITON IS OPEN NOW AND GIVES UP-AND-COMING ARTISTS THE CHANCE TO PLAY A 20-MINUTE SET ON THE MAIN STAGE AT THE SHOW.

TELLURIDE BLUES AND BREWS SEPTEMBER 15-17 TELLURIDE, CO Take in changing autumn colors along with world-class music (think Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal) and exceptional beer at the Telluride Blues and Brews festival. DON’T MISS: Late night concerts throughout Telluride. TELLURIDEBLUES.COM

COLORFEST WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 15-17 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO The Mountain Harvest Festival is small town Americana at its best. DON’T MISS: The colorful hot air balloon mass ascension in downtown Pagosa Springs.

VISITPAGOSASPRINGS.COM

17TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN HARVEST FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 21-24 PAONIA, CO This autumn weekend celebration is jam-packed with a variety of fun events.

DON’T MISS: The farms and winery tours.

MOUNTAINHARVESTFESTIVAL.ORG

COLORFULCOLORADO.COM/ WINEFEST

FINISH LIKE A PRO TUCKED INTO THE TAIL END OF THE SEASON BUT NOT TO BE MISSED, TELLURIDE BLUES AND BREWS SAVES THE BEST FOR LAST.

SALOMON GOLDEN LEAF HALF MARATHON SEPTEMBER 23 ASPEN, CO Incredible autumn views between Snowmass and Aspen make this 13.1-mile half-marathon a tad easier. DON’T MISS: Free lunch post-race as long as you have your bib. GOLDENLEAFRACE.COM

photos courtesy Telluride Blues and Brews

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

47

PRIZE

PACK

JUNE 8-11

2 VIP TICKETS ($150/ticket) 2 VIP GIFT BAGS ($150/bag) 2 COMPED ENTRIES ($150/entry) 2 NATIVE EYEWEAR SUNGLASSES ($100/pair) GOPRO HERO5 CAMERA ($400) OSPREY BACKPACK ($100) ENTER TO WIN AT

48

ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

LONGMONT OKTOBERFEST SEPTEMBER 22-23 LONGMONT, CO Longmont shuts down for a massive family-friendly carnival and beer fest featuring Left Hand Brewing.

LEF THANDBREWING.COM/EVENT/HIGH-FIVE-EVENTS

PARKER FINE ARTS & MUSIC FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 23-24 PARKER, CO Enjoy live music and browse fine artisan wares in O’Brien Park. COLORADOEVENTSANDFESTIVALS.COM

14ER FEST SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 1 BUENA VISTA, CO Celebrate a love of trails, no matter if you 4x4, mountain bike, hike, fish or run. COLORFULCOLORADO.COM/14ERFEST

OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL OCTOBER 5-7 DENVER, CO It's Disneyland for craft beer drinkers. DON’T MISS: The food pairing pavilion where 21 chefs pair up with 21 craft breweries.

GREATAMERICANBEERFESTIVAL.COM

NITRO FEST NOVEMBER 11 LONGMONT, CO Forty-plus breweries from across the U.S. pour rare, never-beforeseen nitro styles alongside circus acts.

LEF THANDBREWING.COM/EVENT/HIGH-FIVE-EVENTS

1) THE RIDE FESTIVAL With showers and a pool on the grounds and just a short walk from downtown, Telluride Town Park Campground makes for an ideal base camp (but get there early; it's first come, first served). 2) FOLKS FEST Pitch your tent and settle in for a weekend of folk music surrounded by red rock FIVE FESTIVALS buttes, a rolling stream and a night sky full of stars.

3) GRAND TARGHEE FEST Up here in Wyoming, WITH THE camping passes with parking will run you a decent BEST CAMPING $65 for four nights. Plus, the Tetons! 4) BURNING CAN FESTIVAL In addition to kayaking, biking and running events at the Lyons Outdoor Games, this event features a huge space for onsite camping. 5) CAMPOUT FOR THE CAUSE Camping in a Buena Vista meadow is a key component to this benefit festival.

Pitch a Tent

LIVE LIKE A FESTY BEAST IF YOU TAKE ONE THING AWAY FROM THE FESTIVAL SEASON, MAKE IT THIS: LIVE AND LOVE FROM THE DEPTH OF YOUR HEART. EXPRESS YOUR PASSION WHETHER YOU ARE JUST KICKING BACK ON A BLANKET FOR FRISCO'S FOURTH OF JULY (LEFT) OR SHOWING OFF YOUR STUFF AT VAIL'S GOPRO GAMES (RIGHT). GET OUT THERE AND GET FESTY. photos courtesy Frisco (left) ,by Zach Mahone (right)

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

49

S PE C I A L A DV E RT I S I N G S E C T I O N

OUTERBIKE MEETS CRESTED BUTTE THIS SUMMER, THE BIGGEST BIKE DEMO EVENT IN THE UNIVERSE IS COMING TO THE MOST ICONIC MOUNTAIN BIKING DESTINATION ON THE PLANET. THE SINGLETRACK FAITHFUL WILL BE THERE. WILL YOU?

by CHRISTOPHER COGLEY

NO SELF-RESPECTING MOUNTAIN BIKER has

bikes currently on the market while

riders who have a passion for the sport

simultaneously soaking in all that this

and an absolute zeal for life.

ever needed an excuse to tackle

mountain biking nirvana has to offer.

the miles upon miles of singletrack

Outerbike was started by Mark and

says Mark Sevenoff. “But we wanted

sweetness that is Crested Butte,

Ashley Sevenoff, who own and operate

to get people into the mountains in

Colorado. Now there’s even more

Western Spirit Cycling Adventures,

the summer months and give them a

reason to load up the roof rack and

as a laid-back way for people to get

different Outerbike experience than

make the pilgrimage: The premier

together and try out a wide variety of

what they’ll find in Moab.”

mountain biking demo event in North

bikes from different manufacturers on

America is coming to Crested Butte this

their hometown trails in Moab, Utah.

What Outerbike has become,

summer when the famed Outerbike

“The events in Moab are amazing,”

Whistler, British Columbia has

It has become a celebrated gathering with an almost cult-like following of riders who have a passion for the sport and an absolute zeal for life. are incredible. When we were looking for a place to bring Outerbike, this was

hosted Outerbike in the past, but this

an easy choice.”

year Mark and Ashley decided to

festival summer goes down here

however, is anything but subdued.

pick a spot closer to their home—and

August 18-20, 2017. If you aren’t yet

Every spring and fall, bike nerds from

their hearts. “We have a soft spot for

familiar with the phenomenon that is

around the world—yes, the world—

Crested Butte because I lived here for

Outerbike, get ready to be blown away.

descend on Moab to check out the

many years, and it’s where Ashley and

T

he same vibe that was born in the high desert of Moab will be alive and well when Outerbike

opens in Crested Butte this summer.

latest and greatest rides from nearly

I met,” Mark says. “But even beyond

And while there are many activities

the base of Crested Butte Mountain

every bike manufacturer on the planet.

that, Crested Butte is just an amazing

and festivities planned for all ages and

Resort. It will provide participants with

It has become a celebrated gathering

place. They have so much history, and

interest levels, Outerbike is first and

the chance to ride some of the best

with an almost cult-like following of

so much to offer, and the people here

foremost a bike demo event. More than

The big event will be held at

50

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

MAKE IT HAPPEN LODGING The summer Outerbike event will take place at Crested Butte

ELEVATE YOUR STAY

Mountain Resort, in the town of Mt. Crested Butte, roughly three

BUYER BE THERE (LEFT) OUTERBIKE GIVES ATTENDEES THE CHANCE TO DEMO THAT BIKE THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO RIDE ANYWHERE ELSE. photo by Dave Kozlowski, courtesy of Outerbike

Both the Full Demo and the BYOB Outerbike passes include access to Crested Butte’s celebrated Evolution Bike Park, offering some of the best lift-served riding in the state. Whether you’re a gravity expert or have never felt the thrill of downhill riding, this lift-serviced trail system offers something for every level of rider (don’t miss cross-country trails like Columbine Park and Meander). Even if your goal at Outerbike is to take in as many miles of the valley’s iconic singletrack as possible, don’t pass up the chance to get some turns in at Evolution Bike Park.

Just don’t blame us if you walk away with a new addiction.

photo by Petar Dopchev, courtesy of MTB Home

Butte. Mt. Crested Butte is home to a wide range of lodging options that will keep you in the middle of all of Outerbike’s festivities. To find accomodations that will help make sure you get all the comfort you deserve and the rest you need without missing out on anything Outerbike has to offer, get in touch with Gunnison-Crested Butte

SINGLETRACK HEAVEN (RIGHT) THE BUTTE ALWAYS DELIVERS.

miles from downtown Crested

Reservations by calling 855out of the event regardless of what

For $160, you can still have access to

your reasons for joining the festivities

the Evolution Bike Park and unlimited

might be. The Full Demo package is

shuttle rides without the temptations

$200 and includes the opportunity

that come with trying out new bikes.

to demo as many bikes from as many

The BYOB pass also includes lunches,

975-3373 or visiting the website mtbhome.com/events/outerbike.

FOOD AND DRINK

manufacturers as you can get your

beer and access to all of the events

The Ironhorse Tap Room

40 bike manufacturers—from the most

hands on during the three days of the

and festivities.

(ironhorsetapcb.com) is within

well-known brands to local favorites to

festival. The pass includes access to

obscure shops and even some custom

Crested Butte’s most celebrated trails

for those people who love the bike

the resort, and it’s a safe bet that

bike makers—will be on hand to give

as well as access to the new Evolution

they have and are just looking for a

more than a few biking junkies will

eager mountain bikers a chance to test

Bike Park (see sidebar) and all the lifts

way to explore all the mountain biking

gather here to grab a quick bite

the newest rides—and hopefully find

and trails at the resort.

opportunities that Crested Butte has

and brew before heading back out

to offer,” Runcie said. “Just the shuttled

on the trail. While there are many

lunch for the three days of the event

rides and access to Evolution Bike Park

other excellent options within easy

and beer for two evenings. It makes

make the pass a great deal.”

walking distance of the venue, if

the one that fits their unique taste and individual riding style.

“In most towns, there’s typically a

The Full Demo Pass includes your

“The BYOB pass is a great option

And for those people who don’t

walking distance of the hotels at

you want to get an honest feel for

limited selection of demos available at

you eligible for the many prizes and

the local shops, so it can be tough to

contests throughout the festival, and

want to ride and are just here for the

the area, make sure to grab the

get out and ride a lot of different bikes

it grants you full access to all of the

party, there is a Social Card option for

free shuttle that runs to downtown

and find the one that fits you,” says

additional events and parties that

$70 that gives you access to all the

Crested Butte every 20 minutes.

Laurel Runcie of Crested Butte who is

accompany Outerbike.

events, parties, lunches and beer at

You’ll definitely want to check

Outerbike without any of the biking

out some of the world-renowned

helping organize the event.

“Anyone who’s looking for a new ride owes it to themselves to try as

demos or shuttle rides. Regardless of

dining and drinking establishments

bike manufacturers together in one

many different bikes as possible so

which option is right for you, you can

here. From the famous burgers

place that it makes it easy to find the

they can be confident they’re making a

be sure that there will be no shortage

at The Last Steep (thelaststeep.

bike that you’re going to love to ride

wise investment,” Mark Sevenoff said.

of opportunities to find your bliss

com) to the mountain pizzas with

for years to come.”

“Outerbike is the perfect chance to do

among some of the most passionate

30+ beers on tap at Brick Oven

that, and Crested Butte is the perfect

people on the planet. As Mark

(brickovencb.com) to the smooth

place for it.”

Sevenoff says, “Whether you’re riding

tastes and wondrous treats created

or not, it’s pretty hard not to fall in love

by Montanya Distillers High

with this place.”

Mountain Rum (montanyarum.

“But Outerbike brings so many

Although the opportunity to demo new bikes is the cornerstone of Outerbike, the event isn’t just for people who are in the market for a new steed. Crested Butte Outerbike will offer three different participation packages to help you get the most

F

or those riders who might not want to be enticed by the lure of a new ride, there is also a

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bike) option.

It’s also pretty hard not to fall in love with Outerbike. We dare you to try.

•

com), there is something to suit every taste along Crested Butte’s famed Elk Avenue. Soak it all in.

TESTED TOUGH FOR EPIC TRAILS AND FASTEST KNOWN TIMES.

There’s a reason you celebrate a Fastest Known Time (FKT).

It’s the record time on your favorite trail. It tests how tough you are. It’s your best against everyone else.

The new Columbia Montrail FluidFlex™ F.K.T. is up for the challenge with the perfect blend of flexibility, fit and traction.

It’s all delivered in a lightweight trail shoe built for speed.

Now get out there and crush that FKT.

FluidFlex™ F.K.T.

LIBATIONS

05 .17

BOOZAPALOOZA! BEER, WINE, LIQUOR, CIDER… COLORADO CRAFT BREWERS, VINTERS AND DISTILLERS HAVE BEEN WINNING AWARDS AND PLEASING PALATES WITH ALL OF THESE LIBATIONS. BUT WHO RISES TO THE TOP WHEN YOU SQUARE THEM ALL OFF? by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

I

N THE PAST WE HAVE LIMITED OUR MARCH MADNESS

reader polls when it comes to booze to separate categories. After all, mixing beverages is usually the ticket to one hell of a hangover.

Beer has been our mainstay. After all, Colorado is the best brewing state in the contry. But when we looked at the landscape of the state’s craft libation creators, we realized that there’s more than hops here. We decided to run a bracket that would determine the best beer, wine, liquor and cider in the state in each category and then face the four winners off to determine our readers’ favorite drink. Here are the results. You may be surprised who won.

OVERALL WINNER BEST CIDER Stem Ciders | Denver, Colorado That’s right, cider came out on top with our readers.

That should not come as a huge surprise, though, since cider is the hot new drink in the state and as producers gain more fans, they continue to find innovative new ways to differentiate their offerings. Stem Ciders opened in 2014 in Denver’s RiNo district in the midst of the once-blighted and now-trendy area’s revival. With a space that’s easy to enjoy and a wide selection of ciders on tap— including special releases such as a killer whiskey barrel-aged apricot cider—it’s no wonder the place is leading the charge when it comes to putting cider on top. “Stem Ciders produces cider founded on three main principles: quality, style and tradition. It's this philosophy that drives our business, our products and our team's commitment to making the highest quality cider imaginable, while reviving the cider traditions that we cherish,” says Courtney O’Rourke, director of marketing.

But why cider? How can it beat beer? “With the U.S. cider market booming, there's an added layer of curiosity around the craft cider industry,” says O'Rourke. “Whether it's orchard to glass, farm to table or mass-produced in a factory, consumers are eager to know what's in the cider they are drinking, where it came from and how it was produced. Stem's

commitment to quality and transparency at the forefront and our ‘keep it simple, keep it craft’ philosophy resonates deeply with today's craft thirsty consumer.”

STEMCIDERS.COM

RUNNER UP BEST BEER Ska Brewing | Durango, Colorado

SO MUCH WINNING COLORADO HAS BECOME THE EPICENTER OF CRAFT LIBATIONS AND THE TOP VOTE-GETTERS IN OUR BOOZE POLL ARE ALL WORTH A VISIT, AS WELL AS GREAT REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. THEY ARE DENVER'S STEM CIDERS, SALIDA'S WOOD'S HIGH MOUNTAIN DISTILLERY, DURANGO'S SKA BREWING AND GRAND JUNCTION'S TWO RIVERS WINERY.

Ska has been basking in EO-reader love as of late, winning best brewery in our Best of the Rockies poll in March, too. That’s no surprise when you consider that not only does Ska pump out outstanding drafts, such as its famed Modus Hoperandi and Mexican Lager, it’s also a community gathering place with trivia photos (clockwise from right) nights and food that keep fans coming back. “You can’t make great beer without Stem Ciders, courtesy great people,” says Co-Founder, Dave Thibodeau. “We have an interesting culture courtesy Wood's High Mountain Distillery, courtesy Ska Brewing, by Roger here: We’re kind of old-school punk rockers, but pretty progressive brewers. We Miller care deeply about our sisters and brothers here, and we have what some might describe as an ‘over the top’ love for all things Colorado. The beauty is that when people fit into that culture, great things happen. It’s actually pretty organic. When it comes down to it, it’s our team here and the energy that they put into making good things and make great beers happen.”

SKABREWING.COM

BEST LIQUOR Wood's High Mountain Distillery | Salida, Colorado Brothers and master craft distillers Lee and PT Wood have become Colorado icons, brewing their classy, award-winning hootch in Salida and enjoying fly fishing and powder skiing when they are not at work on their Tenderfoot Whiskey or Treeline Gin. “We like to do things in a very hands-on way that really showcases our love of the mountains and Colorado,” says PT Wood. “From big robust whiskeys to our fun playful gins made with ingedients like Colorado-grown Cascade hops to our aluminum Backcountry bottle, we try and add a bit of adventure to each bottle.” It’s that attention to the human connection that makes the brothers’ brand a crowd favorite. “I like to think we won because we make great juice and our friends that drink our spirits from across the state know that we do things the right way,” says PT. WOODSDISTILLERY.COM

BEST WINE Two Rivers Winery | Grand Junction, Colorado Colorado’s West Slope has been producing award-winning wine for decades. This savvy winery and chateau on the state’s sunny side has succeeded by working with the unique terroir and environment of the Grand Junction area to craft outstanding Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and more. “Two Rivers favors the elegant wine flavors that can be achieved with grapes grown at altitude,” says winemaker Brandon Witham, who appreciates the love from readers but also gives a shout out to the whole region. “Folks here in the Colorado wine industry are in it together. We actively share knowledge and help each other out. The Grand Valley is a good community and our quality continues to grow.” TWORIVERSWINERY.COM M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

53

Flagship Store Now Open!

1412 Larimer Square Denver, CO (303) 505-1566

MountainKhakis.com

A DOG'S LIFE

0 5 .17

COLORADO

DOG DAYS

WITH THE RIGHT PLANNING AND GEAR, YOUR PUP CAN ACCOMPANY YOU ON ALMOST ANY OUTING IN THE WILD. WELCOME TO THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE GUIDE FOR YOUR DOG. by CHRIS KASSAR

S

EVEN YEARS AGO, SAM, a sweet,

adventurous black lab pounced into my life—she was a bonus of my falling in love with her owner Nick Watson, who runs the non-profit Veterans Expeditions. Peas in a pod who adored running, swimming, peanut butter, winter, cuddling and giving out and covering faces in wet kisses. Sammy and I treasured each other from the start. When she died suddenly a few years after we met, my heart fell out of my chest. Without her each day turned noticeably darker.

After a week of binge watching mind-numbing shows like “Friends” and “The Office” I peeled myself off the couch. A few steps into a five-mile snowshoe, sobbing, snotting, puking grief brought me to the ground. This was where I felt Big Sam’s loss the most. She made even the most mundane hike new again with her bounding ears aloft, exuding joy, mouth grinning. Though she had to wait so often for us—the slower, weaker species— she never complained. She just trotted back to make sure we were coming. Stomping through the snow without her was unbearable.

A year ago, Dixie, who shares Sam’s birthday, entered our lives. I swore to appreciate every moment and never to take her for granted. She’s a hilarious, two-year-old yellow lab who whines with excitement within a mile of the river or a trailhead she remembers. She is still growing into her body.

She still runs sloppily, stumbling on the downhills, her long ears flopping comically. My belly hurts from laughing every day, because of her antics.

Sometimes we run as fast as we can for a stretch,

and sometimes we stop to sniff every single piece of dirt for 100 yards, for no apparent reason. My spirit comes alive outside; it soars even higher if I channel my inner dog. Finding joy in the small things, playing wildly, never questioning my abilities, hugging complete strangers and acting out of love in every moment—it’s what Dixie (and Sam before her) does effortless each day. In that vein, the following guide (written by Dixie with a little help from mom) will help you get out and adventure with your dog. Adhere to these tips on trips and gear and bound through life together.

COLORADO’S BEST DOG ADVENTURES

BY DIXIE, THE VETERANS EXPEDITIONS DOG TRAIL RUNNING The Monarch Crest Trail is my favorite place to spend early summer mornings. There's high, rolling alpine terrain and the freedom to roam amid fields of flowers while mom runs (and dad rides).

INSIDER TIP: Start from Monarch Pass and turn around at the Fooses Creek Junction for a 10-plusmile adventure. Begin early and skip weekends to avoid throngs of mountain bikers.

BONUS: We usually have it all to ourselves!

DOGGY DRAWBACK: There isn’t any water, but mom packs extra in her Osprey pack.

PEAK BAGGING

DOG IN CHARGE

DIXIE HEADS DOWN THE My favorite fourteeners ARKANSAS WITH CHRIS so far are 14,197-foot AND NICK IN TOW. BE SURE Mount Princeton, YOUR PUP HAS A PFD WHEN YOU HEAD OUT ON RIVER 14,420-foot Mount Harvard and 14,196-foot TRIPS, EVEN IF THEY SWIM. photo by Brendan Drapeau Mount Yale. They’re gradual and not too scary or narrow. I have also enjoyed 14,005-foot Mount Holy Cross, 13,971-foot Mount Ouray near Salida and 13,223-foot Mount Audubon, a strenuous eight-mile hike that begins from the Brainard Lake area in the Indian Peaks.

If you need a quick fix, try the South Boulder/ Bear Peak link up, near the Flatirons and just a few minutes from downtown Boulder.

INSIDER TIP: My parents leave me at home for sketchy routes like the Crestones, Maroon Bells and many in the San Juans, including the Wilsons and El Diente. I miss the folks, but know it’s for my own good since I don’t like technical climbing.

BONUS: Periodic snow patches, which stick around all summer, help me cool off.

DOGGY DRAWBACK: I especially enjoy boulderhopping along the ridges of peaks like Holy Cross and Yale, but smaller dogs or those who aren’t into this challenge might not be suited for big peaks.

SNOW Living in Colorado means we get to play in snow much of the year. Hiking or snowshoeing a few miles of the Colorado Trail from Kenosha Pass (an hour and a half from Denver) gives us spectacular views of the lovely Mosquito and Ten Mile Ranges. For M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

55

RISE UP GET HIGHER THIS FESTIVAL SEASON.

Step up your base camp this festival season with a little help from Yakima. The all new SkyRise rooftop tent and SlimShady awning turn your vehicle into a VIP suite.

Sleep better, dance longer.

ENTER TO WIN THE ULTIMATE FESTIVAL BASE CAMP AT YAKIMA.COM/ELEVATIONFESTIVAL

Yakima is a registered trademark of Yakima Products, Inc.

more of a challenge, we hit Quandary, Elbert or Shavano, fourteeners that are safe for me.

BONUS: Snow is my favorite thing in the world.

DOGGY DRAWBACK: The elements up high can be tough on the eyes so make sure your buddy has some canine goggles like those made by Rex Specs.

HIKING When I first visited Crested Butte and Copley Lake, I couldn’t believe all the flowers. They were over my head and everywhere! My favorite adventure ended at a tranquil lake surrounded by lush, bloom-filled meadows, towering pines and some of the most beautiful mountains I’d ever seen. Getting there was fun: We climbed a moderately steep four-mile roundtrip trail lined by amazing arrays of blossoms.

INSIDER TIP: The forest offers shade so this is a good one for warm, sunny days.

BONUS: We followed a creek most of the way so I could swim and drink! Heaven!

DOGGY DRAWBACK: The trail is an old road— rocky and rough—so it can be tough on the paws.

RAFTING I’m a lab, so clearly when my parents put me in a raft, I was psyched! My favorite run on the Arkansas River (Fisherman’s Bridge to Stone Bridge) passes through Browns Canyon National Monument, where magnificent pillars of pink rock, craggy eroded spires and immense granite walls tower above. I also enjoy floating the upper Colorado River from Pumphouse to Rancho del Rio. Both stretches are mellow (Class II-III), but dappled with enough rapids to keep me panting.

INSIDER TIP: Even if your dog's a good swimmer,

snug her into her PFD IN THE SNIFFING ZONE in the car and keep it on THE RIGHT HIKE GIVES until she's back in the car. YOUR PUP THE CHANCE TO AND SNIFF WITHOUT You never know when she ROMP THE WORRIES OF STAYING might jump in a stream ON A LEASH. CRESTED BUTTE IS DIXIE'S FAVORITE. that could carry her off.

BONUS: Both runs have photo by Chris Kassar flat spots where I can jump off the raft to swim.

DOGGY DRAWBACK: The only thing I like more than snow is water, so I can’t think of one.

No matter where you go, obey the law: Be sure dogs are allowed and follow leash restrictions. Be cognizant of and respectful to other people, dogs and the wildlife.

Finding joy in the small things, playing wildy, never questioning my abilites, hugging complete strangers and acting out of love in every moment— it's what Dixie does effortlessly each day.

Garden of the Gods Park Rated #1 park in the US by Trip Advisor®

VisitCOS.com

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

57

1,102 “Tastes great! Keeps for a long time. Good for camping, preppers, boats, etc. Just add hot water, zip it closed for 7-8 minutes, then eat! My family loves the lasagna, chicken teryaki, and beef stew.” - CF

® ®

Up to $11.00 value TO RECEIVE REBATE: 1) Purchase any one individual Mountain House pouched meal by 10/31/2017 2) Clearly fill out form completely 3) Circle product on original receipt 4) Mail form and receipt in stamped envelope by 11/14/17 to: MOUNTAIN HOUSE Mandlik & Rhodes PO Box 490 Dept # 4001-R00749 Tecate, CA 91980

Now is your chance to try one of our dozens of meals – on The House!

Find them in the camping aisle of your favorite retailer.

NAME (print clearly) ADDRESS PO Box Address without street address are not accepted

STATE

CITY UPC (12-digits)

REAL FOOD FOR REAL ADVENTURES.

Just add hot water and eat right out of the pouch.

ZIP PRICE

E-MAIL Check if you would like to receive e-mail offers and news from us Mail-in Rebate Terms & Conditions: Limit one refund per household, or address. Mail-in submission only. Rebate applied to price paid and does not include tax. Maximum rebate value of $11.00. Rebate not payable at retail stores. Only valid in USA. Must be at least 18 years old. Fraudulent submission may result in prosecution. Please allow 8 weeks for delivery of refund check. Call 1-847-387-8721 to check refund status. © 2017 Mountain House

www.FreeMountainHouse.com

Spring Concert Series 29 Robbie Wicks Band (Folk Soul-Rock) 6 13 20 27 28

Pg. 6ix (Funk) New Sensation (80s Rock) White Water Ramble (Mountain Dancegrass) Mama Magnolia (Rock and Soul) The Freddy Jones Band (Acoustic Rock)

3 Jakarta (Old School Funk and R&B) 4 The Sweet Lillies (Bluegrass)

ARAPAHOEBASIN.COM 888.ARAPAHOE 58

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

FREE

live music in the Base Area Plaza starting at 1:00pm

DOGGY GEAR

BY DIXIE, THE VETERANS EXPEDITIONS DOG MOUNTAINSMITH K9 PACK This comfy, streamlined pack with two zippered pannier pockets lets me haul my share of the load when we go out for a day or a few nights. Mesh panels keep me from overheating, and a metal d-ring and haul handle make it easier for my parents to give me a lift or leash me up. $65 | mountainsmith.com

RUFFWEAR GRIP TREX BOOTIES When my humans first put these on me, I was a tad apprehensive, but now that I’m used to them, I appreciate the protection that these durable, yet comfortable booties provide. They keep my paws healthy and cut-free even when I’m running hard on gravel, sand, rocks or snow. And their robust Vibram sole gives me all the traction I need. $75 | ruffwear.com

RUFFWEAR DOUBLEBACK HARNESS We never know where our adventures may lead, so my humans keep this strength rated harness on hand in case they need to safely lift or lower me over some technical obstacle. With a padded belly, leg loops and an easy

rope tie-in point, it also comes in handy on steep slopes, glaciers or slippery edges where they want an added layer of security. $124.95

D’LITE BURLEY TRAILER Burley makes a specific trailer for dogs (the Tail Wagon), but my parents use this one since it’s compatible with Burley's new 16-inch wheel kit.

Thanks to the rugged, knobby tires on this baby, my humans can transport me safely to the trailhead or the river, regardless of weather or terrain. Plus, I feel safe and secure in the comfy, well-ventilated pod. Also, since

Best. Summer. Ever.

I’m facing forward, I can keep an eye on my humans the whole ride.

The weight capacity of the trailer is 100 pounds so it should hold all but those really big dogs. $689 (trailer), $189 (wheel kit); burley.com DIXIE'S MOM, CHRIS KASSAR, IS SENIOR EDITOR AT ELEVATION OUTDOORS AND THE WINNER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN TRAVEL JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION GOLD AWARD. FOR DOG QUESTIONS, SHOOT HER AN EMAIL AT CHRIS@ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM.

THE AWARD-WINNING

new

chair zero Helinox Chair Zero

C

skin & frame weight

M

Y

1lb

CM

MY

CY

CMY

bigagnes.com

K

DISTRIBUTED EXCLUSIVELY BY

1-800-blu-skys

www.alamosa.org M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

59

HYDRATION, TRANSFORMED Introducing the extremely durable, ultra-light and leakproof Stash water bottle.

100% BPA free, easy to clean and packs down to less than a quarter of the filled size.

Smart, safe & reliable hydration Give one a twist at a dealer near you hydrapak.com

FESTIVAL GEAR

0 5 .17

DRESS TO FEST You’ve heard us say this before, but if you are going to spend a weekend dancing, hiking, hula-hooping, playing some music and generally relaxing, you need the right gear. Trust us.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Toad and Co. Debug Trail Tight

Rocky Mounts Back Stage Bike Racks

This versatile tight is just the ticket for travel and all sorts of festival action. It’s got just enough stretch and breathes, thanks to a polypro-spandex blend. Insect Shield treatment keeps the mosquitoes at bay when the sun goes down. $89 | toadandco.com

The problem with tailgate bike racks is that it’s a pain to get to the stuff in the back of your vehicle. Say hello to the Back Stage, which hauls your precious carbon-fiber steeds and swings out of the way when you need to grab a dry-hopped IPA out of the cooler. $550 | rockymounts.com

Helly Hansen Kirkwall Festival Poncho

Wallaroo Trilogy Trillby Hat

You’ll look like the heroine in a Wes Anderson flick when the weather goes south and you pull out this retrostylish piece. You’ll also stay nice and dry thanks to Helly’s signature fully waterproof polyurethane fabric and bomber seam sealing. $90 | hellyhansen.com

Folk Rebellion Analog As Folk Raglan “Analog as Folk” is a testament to Folk Rebellion’s philosophy of unplugging from all screens and electronics and simply enjoying the music of what happens. Other messages: “Kill Nothing But Time” and “Hold Some Body Like You Hold Your Phone.” $58 | folkrebellion.com

Chaco Z/Cloud X2 If you focus on protecting one body part at a festival, let it be your dancin’ feet. With a beefy, non-marking sole that can stomp through gunk, and tough, adjustable webbing, these Chacos keep your feet secured, ventilated, and happy. $110 | chacos.com

Our own Lily Krass said it best: a good hat protects you from the festival sun (see page 6). This snazzy number not only shields fair skin— you can also roll it up and pack it away without crushing it. $44 | wallaroohats.com

Ibex Jackson Shirt One dude, one festival, one shirt.

It’s possible thanks to the powers of merino wool in this lightweight, classy short sleeve that can survive everything from sweat to beer spills but still breathes and looks good enough to wow security. $145 | ibex.com

Dish and Duer Live Lite AC Pant Performance denim gurus Dish and Duer crafted the best festival pant we’ve had the pleasure of slipping over our shanks. Credit that performance to proprietary T2X fabric that’s light but tough enough to take a beating. $128 | dishduer.com

RovR RollR 80 Cooler Cart this portable party on wheels into your festival campsite and you’ll soon be the center of the tribal drum circle. With 80 quarts of carrying capacity, you can keep enough beer on ice to survive clear through the Phish encore. Bonus: the top doubles as a cutting board. $449 | rovrproducts.com M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

61

HEAR THIS

05 .17

FIVE BANDS YOU MUST SEE Planning for festival season?

Catch these bands playing on the Rocky Mountain Festival Circuit this summer.

by JEDD FERRIS

MARGO PRICE

As a longtime, hardworking Nashville songwriter, Margo Price finally got her due last year with the debut album “Midwest Farmer’s Daughter.”

To make the powerfully honest record, Price’s husband and bandmate, bassist Jeremy Ivey, sold his car to pay for a three-day session at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. Then Price found an ally in Jack White, who brought the album to the world through release on his Third Man Records. Following a whirlwind breakout period that saw Price playing Saturday Night Live as well as singing with John Prine, Kris Kristofferson and Ryan Adams, her first record won the 2017 American Music Prize for Best Debut Album back in March.

It’s easy to understand the critical appeal.

Price’s voice is sweet and sturdy, in the vein of Dolly Parton or Loretta Lynn, and, like them, she’s startlingly open about her personal tragedies in songs that use traditional country as a base to get gritty and soulful. The heartache feels tangible in “Hands of Time,” a six-minute tearjerker about her family’s economic hardship and the death of her newborn son. She’s turning life’s troubles into beautifully raw and inspirational music.

APPEARING AT: TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

MARCUS KING BAND

At just 21 years old, Marcus King has the voice of a seasoned juke joint veteran and the chops of a well-worn Southern rock guitar hero. King grew up in South Carolina as the son of a bluesman, and his talent has already been discovered by some of the best in the music business. The eponymous album by his six-piece band was produced by Gov’t Mule’s Warren Haynes and one of the record’s highlights, “Self Hatred,” features King trading guitar licks with Derek Trucks. King and his band can definitely jam, moving deftly between funk, rock and swampy grooves, but they also know when to tone it down and deliver soulful tunes like “Ain’t Nothing Wrong” and “Sorry ‘bout Your Lover.”

APPEARING AT: RIDE FESTIVAL, TARGHEE FEST

FRONT COUNTRY

Progressive bluegrass quintet Front Country made an impact in Colorado before taking the broader string scene by storm. Back in 2012, the thennewly-formed group won the band competition at Rockygrass and the following year earned the same honor at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival.

Through the rustic scope of wood and wire, the band creates a dynamic roots-pop sound, led by the soaring vocals of frontwoman Melody Walker.

Her voice mingles with the skilled string work of some accomplished pickers, including mandolin wiz Adam Roszkiewicz and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Groopman, offering fresh, song-centric perspective in a field of solo-hungry string bands. The group’s second full-length record, “Other Love Songs,” just dropped back in April.

Rolling Stones and just a few months ago Elton John had them play at his Oscar Party.

APPEARING AT: ESTES PARK MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL, PALISADE BLUEGRASS AND ROOTS FESTIVAL, ROCKYGRASS

This emerging L.A. trio takes the foundation of blues greats like John lee Hooker, and amps things up with the distorted bombast of the Stooges. As the band name suggests, its members, guitarist and lead vocalist Chris Vos, bassist Alex Stiff and drummer Marc Cazorla, bonded while listening to vinyl favorites together on a back porch. That spiraled into living room jams that eventually yielded the band’s lauded debut, last year’s “Give It Back to You.” The album’s breakout single, “Off the Ground,” is soaked in the fuzz of early Black Keys with less garage slop and more fullthrottle groove. Over a short period of time, these guys have been honing their sound with relentless gigs in small clubs and on arena stages opening for John Mayer.

ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES

Crowds can’t stand still when witnessing this eightpiece Alabama outfit, which specializes in classic Southern soul revivalism. The main attraction is Paul Janeway, a versatile vocal powerhouse, who looks like Drew Carey but sounds like Otis Redding and Al Green. Once on track to be a preacher, Janeway has million-dollar pipes that he uses to howl with fiery intensity and croon with tenderhearted sincerity. On the band’s latest album, last year’s “Sea of Noise,” tempos shift between the down-and-dirty funk of “Flow With It (You Got Me Feeling Like),” the moving retro ballad “Burning Rome” and the gospel-rock unity anthem “All I Ever Wonder.” In a short time together, the group has gained some famous fans. They’ve opened for the

APPEARING AT: JAZZ ASPEN SNOWMASS LABOR DAY EXPERIENCE

THE RECORD COMPANY

CENTER STAGE ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES, MARGO PRICE, FRONT COUNTRY, THE RECORD COMPANY AND MARCUS KING BAND (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT). MATCH THESE HOT BANDS WITH THE VENUE THEY'LL BE PLAYING WITH OUR GUIDE ON PAGE 26. photos courtesy of the artists

APPEARING AT: TARGHEE MUSIC FESTIVAL, RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE OPENING FOR TROMBONE SHORTY

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

63

WHERE WILL YOU GO

IN YOUR LOWAs?

THE BLACK FOREST. ICELAND. WHITE MOUNTAINS. ADIRONDACKS. THE BAVARIAN ALPS. NEPAL. THE DOLOMITES. OTZTAL ALPS. AUSTRIA. THE INCAN TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU. NAMIBIA.

COMB RIDGE.

THE BOB MARSHALL WILDERNESS. THE MOJAVE DESERT. THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL. THE AT. SIBERIA. THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS. LONGS PEAK…

Our new lightweight trekking boot, the Arco GTX® Mid, exemplifies our 90+ years of boot-making savvy. The Arco features our patented lasted GORE-TEX® lining for a wrinkle-free fit with improved climate control, while the dual-density DuraPU® midsole underfoot absorbs shock and supports with every step.

It’s details like these that go into every LOWA – to make every every hike, trek or long-distance trip as comfortable and satisfying as you intended it to be.

Leave your footprint

#LOWABOOTS

(your pix could be in our next ad....)

Arco GTX® Mid I www.lowaboots.com

GORE-TEX®, GTX®, GORE®, and GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY® and design are registered trademarks of W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. ©2017 LOWA Boots, LLC.

LOWA EO_May17_Final.indd 1

3/29/17 11:42 AM

GET TO THE LAKE THIS SUMMER Warm water, sunshine, sunsets, fishing, boating, and camping.

It’s all waiting for you at the lakes in Western Nebraska.

Plan your summer trip and find your next adventure.

Come to Western Nebraska.

to Western Nebraska

TankWestNebraska.com

64

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

THE ROAD

05 .17

LIVING IN THE STREAM A survivor of abuse befriends a woman battling cancer on the Middle Fork of Idaho's Salmon River, and learns what it truly means to live.

by TRACY ROSS

F

ifty minutes after leaving Boise, Idaho, our a nickname earned from her drug of choice for inCessna bumps to a stop in one of the most flight panic. Other participants have nicknames too: beautiful places I’ve ever seen. We’re deep “Truffles,” “Birdshit,” “Peaches,” each acquired on in the River of No Return wilderness, the largest previous FD trips. Each has also undergone hideous protected roadless area in the continental U.S. rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, just as each, The weather, however, sucks. A cold drizzle casts at some point, was healed. They then faced another a grey film between us and the sun. We shiver in obstacle: a dearth of post-cancer support for their layers of polypropylene and neoprene foam. But the age group. But at some point, each found FD, which, river water is emerald clear here at the confluence since 2001, has provided hundreds of trips for young of Indian Creek and the Middle Fork of the Salmon adult cancer “fighters and survivors.”

River where tinfoil-bright fish swim a thousand-plus Ativan is in remission, like nearly everyone in miles from the Pacific to spawn and perish. our group. Only one person still actively battles That’s a thought I keep to myself, since I am on cancer. She’s “Rev,” so named because she’s an this trip with 16 men and six women, ranging in ordained priest. Rev’s the one I most want to boat age from 26 to 40, who have refused to die. They’re with. I was abused as a child. I ran away at 14, cancer survivors taking part in First Descents (FD), nearly leaping off a 400-foot-high bridge. Leap I did a non-profit adventure-therapy program that offers not, and eventually I found healing in the outdoors. healing through surfing, Or at least I thought I was climbing and kayak trips.

ATIVAN IS IN REMISSION, LIKE NEARLY healed. My therapy grew Our plan is to negotiate into a career connected EVERYONE IN OUR GROUP. ONLY ONE 75 miles of wild, untamed to wilderness, and I even river, littered with 30 Class PERSON STILL ACTIVELY BATTLES confronted my abuser. But III and IV rapids. For safety, CANCER. SHE’S “REV,” SO NAMED sexual abuse survivors suffer we’ll follow world-class FD BECAUSE SHE’S AN ORDAINED PRIEST. many lifelong after-effects, kayakers Willie Kern and including fear, shame, guilt Corey Nielson, with guiding and support from Greg and feelings of powerlessness. Abuse and cancer McFadden’s Idaho outfitter Canyons Incorporated. differ, but studies show survivors of both share some We set off, and paddle a flotilla of oar rafts, of the same mental struggles. To me, First Descents paddle rafts, one- and two-person duckies and makes sense—and so does running the Middle Fork hardshell kayaks into water with jouncy riffles. I with this group. share a ducky with a young woman named “Ativan,” I ducky with Ativan but my eyes keep drifting

DIVINE GUIDANCE toward Rev. She’s fivefoot-four and weighs 190 REV HEADS STRAIGHT INTO THE THICK OF IT WITH pounds. Years ago, she COURAGE BORN OF A BODY was a Crossfit fanatic.

FIGHTING FOR LIFE. She laughed on day one photo by James Dickey when we sat around after paddling, sharing stories on the beach. She told us how years back, she’d gone to a Crossfit championships and, hungry, sought a burger. “But get this,” she said. “With my meal ticket, I could get an organic, grass-fed one with a gluten-free bun. A bun with gluten, though? That was $2.50!” Then the real kicker: Rev had done the Crossfit comp with only one lung.

She told me this one day as we lounged on a riverbank: Back 2005, at 29 years old, she felt “just down, just crappy.” She went to several doctors.

None believed she had a problem at her age. It took seven weeks between the first scan that showed “an area of abnormal density” until she could convince a doctor to operate. “It wasn't until they were inside that they realized what we were up against and decided to remove the lung,” she says.

Then in 2010, she met FD co-founder Brad Ludden. “He started bugging me about coming on a trip,” she says, “and I kept saying, ‘No thank you.’

Then it got to the point where he wasn’t asking me if I would come on a trip, but which one would I come on.”

She finally enrolled in a surf trip in Santa Barbara. It was the fall of 2012 and she felt relieved M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

65

Photo: Fred Newcomer

NEW FLAVORS

GLUTEN FREE ORGANIC WAFFLE FLAVORS AND ORGANIC STRAWBERRY ENERGY CHEWS!

2017 ROAD TOUR FIND US THIS MONTH AT:

23 RD ANNUAL CHEAT RIVER FESTIVAL MAY 5-6 ALBRIGHT, WEST VIRGINIA

30 TH ANNUAL APPALACHIAN TRAIL DAYS MAY 19-21 DAMASCUS, VIRGINIA

CKS PADDLEFEST

MAY 26-28 BUENA VISTA, COLORADO PRESENTED BY

FOLLOW THE ADVENTURE @LIVEOUTSIDEANDPLAY LIVEOUTSIDEANDPLAY.COM

66

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

to have had an incredible adventure. Perhaps more importantly, she met a young woman named Lisa Panici with metastatic brain cancer. Despite neartotal spine immobility, several FD’ers got ‘Nini up on a surfboard. With the help of a guide, she caught a small wave, rolling in from the steel-blue Pacific. “There’s ‘Nini, and she’s yelling, ‘I’m surfing!

I’m fucking surfing!’” Rev remembers. “That was September. ‘Nini died in December. But for that week she was happy.”

N

ow I am witnessing Rev’s enjoyment.

Over the days, we talk and joke. Paddling alongside me, Rev seems healthy. But she’s taking a cocktail of seven different medications.

She can’t eat—strange, given her recent 80-pound weight gain. By day three, she’s losing her spark, mostly because her pain drugs counteract her lung drugs. As a result, she foregoes her pain medication, which leaves her body feeling as if it’s burning in acid.

The usually upbeat Rev retreats from her ducky to an oar raft while the rest of the group goes on whooping down the river. In the morning, she seeks relief by dunking herself in an eddy. But by lunch, it’s all she can do to walk the hundred or so yards from the beached oar boat to a tree, collapsing beneath it.

We carry on, but later that night, I hear a terrifying hacking coming from her tent. Just as I’m about to call out, it goes silent. During this stretch I’m frightened. But then the hack starts up again, continuing most of the night. The next morning, though, Rev's up, saying, “I have lung cancer. I cough. What do you expect?”

It goes on like this, as I watch my now-friend act in the bravest manner possible. It’s not easy running a river, in the middle of nowhere, with buckingbronc rapids. It’s not easy enduring blazing sun or freezing rain with no real shelter to retreat to. It’s not easy realizing that even with hardships, this place is paradise, and you’ll soon be leaving paradise.

And it must be a thousand times harder battling the effects of cancer than the effects abuse.

It’s this thought that leads to my tiny epiphany: no matter what happened to me, it’s nothing compared to what happened to Rev. By day four, Rev seems to be feeling better. Team FD rises early, with 15 river miles to tackle, and in those, no less than nine rapids rated Class III or higher. Over the course of the trip, I’ve surprised myself by being more afraid of big water than I've been in the past. I have whitewater kayaked before, but of late I’ve grown chicken. On this trip, when others tried kayaks, I didn’t. Now, inspired

by Rev, I decide to win GROUP DYNAMIC back my courage. I talk FIRST DESCENTS PUTS YOUNG ADULT CANCER my way onto a stand-up OUT IN THE WILD, paddleboard, and take off PATIENTS GIVING THEM FRIENDS feeling brave and special.

AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY CAN'T FIND IN OTHER Before long, we come GROUPS FOR to a stretch of water with SUPPORT PEOPLE THEIR AGE. two technical rapids. The photo by James Dickey first goes great—I stand, proud albeit wobbly. But in the second, I hit colliding, offset waves, drop to all fours, and flip in fast, hissing water. Fortunately, one of our guides rescues me in his kayak. It was exhilarating, swimming in the icy shock, but also disorienting, and after the swim-to-near-rock hit, I get jumpy. That night, I join several FD ladies to sleep on the beach. But instead of soothing me, like it has in the past, the sound of my favorite river spooks me.

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

67

gsi_2017_BeerWine_ElevationOutdoors_5.2017_r.1.pdf 1 3/27/2017 1:31:17 PM

FORT ROBINSON

DiscoverNWNebraska.com 68

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

@DiscoverNWNebraska

T

he next morning, our last, we wake, eat breakfast and do yoga. When we board our crafts, Rev and I take the single duckies and head toward the most rapid-heavy section of the river.

I still feel off, which works against me. At the top of a Class III wave train, I freeze up, flip and come out of my boat. I’m underwater, getting sucked into roiling hydraulics. I’m stuck—no idea which way is up. I’m recirculating in a frothing hole.

For several interminable seconds, I think I might actually drown. I make a decision: fight. With lungs screaming, I curl into a ball, thrash my arms and pop out of the chaos. Almost immediately, I see our guide Sweet D’s kayak, and, beyond it, Rev’s face.

Within seconds, someone grabs my PFD and pulls me onto a raft. Then for some fuckedup reason, I start laughing and crying. Cold, shuddering sobs wrack my body, followed by wild, maniacal laughter. I know why. Here's what’s happening: I’m so relieved, because I just lived—and so sad, because Rev might die.

But that’s what we all will do, isn’t it? Die, with or without warning. And maybe Rev is so strong because she knows more viscerally what’s coming. I look up river and see her in her hot pink ducky. She’s on the middle of a tongue of water leading to the rapid. She’s going straight for the one that sunk me.

I see her face, squished atop her size-XL life-vest.

At first, I think she’s afraid, but no—she’s focused.

Our guide grabs the nose of her boat and angles it so she’ll hit the line just right.

She’s already paddling when she crashes into the rapid. Then she keeps paddling, for her life.

BEACH PARTY IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IT UP ON A RIVER TRIP, SPEND SOME DOWNTIME WITH A GROUP OF SRUVIVORS. photo by James Dickey

TRACY ROSS IS THE AUTHOR OFTHE SOURCE OF ALL THINGS.

photo by Gabriel Dohrn

NOW INTRODUCING ONE BAD HOMBRE TO OUR YEAR-ROUND LINEUP OF MADNESS....

MELVINBREWING.COM M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

69

ELWAYVILLE

0 5 .17

AMERICAN GIRL Music—and skiing—will keep us young. And don’t only the young find love?

by PETER KRAY

I

was in sixth or seventh grade when my friends and I went to Red Rocks to see Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on the Damn the Torpedoes Tour. How could I forget? My mother hired “Freddie,” a free-spirited neighborhood girl to drive and “babysit” us. My friend Andy recalls that we all brought pocket knives, just in case we had to defend ourselves against any of the demon urges of rock and roll.

Instead, we discovered the joy of feeling good with a few thousand other people and moving our bodies to the magic of the music soaring through the soft summer air. It was such a transformative experience that the T-shirt I bought became a kind of holy relic, living in my dresser until some 20 years later when I met the woman of my dreams—a red-haired, green-eyed lady from Cherry Creek named Catherine—and I gave it to her.

I have a treasured picture of her wearing that shirt, flashing a peace sign, with me grinning like an idiot at my good luck beside her. I still call her my “Tom Petty Girl.”

MILES OF MUSIC

Good parents, great dogs, random road trips and memories made of music are just a few of the things that have kept us laughing and in love. It's the way certain albums remind us of certain summers. Or certain songs bring back seminal moments when we felt so happy we thought we might live forever, or at

Illustration by Kevin Howdeshell / THEBRAVEUNION.COM

70

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017

least for another hundred years. to encapsulate the adventure of being human (other I’ll always marvel at how hearing a new song can than religion, of course, which we covered here two shake me, and make me want to listen to it 20 times columns ago) than someone sharing a deep powder in a row. I once read that Beach Boys founder Brian stash or a new song with you. And the beauty is, you Wilson had to pull off the Pacific Coast Highway don’t have to exchange a single word about those the first time he heard moments. After that “Be My Baby” by The first turn, or first chord, I THINK IT’S SAFE TO SAY A MAJORITY OF Ronettes. Sometimes I you say, “Don’t you feel ELEVATION OUTDOORS READERS WOULDN’T feel that way when his it, too?!” to each other BE WITH THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS IF IT own creation, “Good without ever saying it.

WEREN’T FOR SOME SONG OR SHOW. Vibrations,” comes on I feel it. And so does the radio. my Tom Petty Girl.

When my dad fell ill, my mom said the best It was margaritas at The Rio followed by Lucky way to make him happy was to put on The Rolling Dube at The Fox that set us on the path we’re still Stones. Even now, I smile remembering long-dead finding. I think it’s safe to say a majority of Elevation dogs when I hear Jagger sing “Sweet Black Angel,” Outdoors readers wouldn’t be with their significant or Petty “Here Comes My Girl.” others if it weren’t for some song or show.

Which is why the comments of two mentors of If you agree, you can fill in the blanks right mine still have me reaffirming my own thoughts here: “I was always attracted to _____________, about how we continue to find and celebrate the but it wasn’t until that day/night when we went to magic in the world, especially as we age. How do we see ____________ at ________________ that I keep renewing our love? One said: “Well, you’re still really knew.” crazy about skiing.” (Ha! As if flying down a snowAnd, if you can’t fill in the blanks, I’d strongly covered hill could ever get old.) suggest you make a plan to get out and listen to a lot And another: When one of dad’s best friends, of live music this year (and to ski next winter). Not who turned me onto at least a dozen bands, said, because I am sure you can find love, but because I “I’m not really interested in music at this point.” am absolutely positive the experience will make you (That one took longer to shake off.) feel better about you.

Bottom line: That’s what music can do.

THE MEMORY MOTEL

Here's what I say to them: No skiing? No music?

Really? How the hell do you feed your soul?

I can’t imagine two more inspirational, transubstantially active experiences that do more

—ELEVATION OUTDOORS EDITOR-AT-LARGE PETER KRAY IS THE AUTHOR OF THE GOD OF SKIING. THE BOOK HAS BEEN CALLED “THE GREATEST SKI NOVEL OF ALL TIME.” DON’T BELIEVE THE HYPE? YOU CAN BUY IT HERE: BIT.LY/GODOFSKIING

M AY 2 017 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

71

72

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 017