Elevation Outdoors May 2019

P U E RTO R I CO C LI M B I N G | PA D D LE TO C A M P | T H E B E S T N E W BA N DS MAY 2019

E L E V AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

the 2019 festival guide

FREE!

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O T O G O T E IM T E B T H IG M AFTER THE STORM

Eli Helmuth boulders on the beach in Puerto Rico where he’s helping the island recover through climbing.

M AY 20 1 9

SEE PAGE 14 photo by Joanne Helmuth

DEPARTMENTS 7 EDITOR’S LETTER Trying to find silence in a world of selfies.

9 QUICK HITS Paddle-in to these campgrounds, brews and whitewater in Fort Collins, extend the skiseason buzz in Southern latitudes and more...

14 FLASHPOINT Eli Helmuth moved to Puerto Rico for the limestone. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, he’s helping the island recover by building a climbing community.

WITH FAST TURNAROUND TIMES S N IO AT LT U S N O C E N O N O E N O D N A

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

17 HOT SPOT Head east and explore uncrowded gems like Picket Wire Canyon and the Pawnee Buttes on Colorado’s eastern plains.

19 NUMEROLOGY Ready for rafting season?

These numbers run down the state of wild rivers and water in the West.

21 STRAIGHT TALK Former comp climber Andrea Szekely leads kids to new heights in the gym—but most loves being out on the rock.

45 HEAR THIS Here are five hot bands you wont want to miss at festivals from Telluride to Bluebird this summer.

47 THE ROAD Patricia Cameron traces her family’s relationship with the land and finds a place in the outdoors to pursue the black American dream.

50 ELWAYVILLE It’s the lyrics we write that shape our lives.

39 FESTY FREAKS Stay away from these characters who will yuck your yum this summer.

41 ZAMBIA RISING A Colorado coach is helping these African women create the nation’s first all-female cycling team.

43 FESTIVAL GEAR Stuff to enhance the experience—from boom box to blanket.

ON THE COVER Kevin Howdeshell has been illustrating the annual Elevation Outdoors festival guide for the past decade.

by Kevin Howdeshell/ thebraveunion.com

FEATURES 25 THE 2019 MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL GUIDE Time to get a move on.

Plan that full summer of grooving, racing, sipping, flowing, dancing and maybe even just lounging with EO’s legendary festival guide.

WANT MORE? CATCH UP ON PAST ISSUES, YOUR FAVORITE BLOGGERS AND DAILY ONLINE CONTENT AT ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM

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C O N T R IB U T O R S | 05.1 9

SPRING ON THE EAST MAY 2019

WHAT SONG IS CURRENTLY ON HEAVY ROTATION IN YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU ARE OUT ADVENTURING? E DI TOR-I N -CHI E F

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

doug@elevationoutdoors.com

Ah, #Vanlife in the springtime. We’re looking forward to long days on the Appalachian Trail, surfing at Folly Beach and biking through the forests of Pisgah.

Take a look at the gear that keeps us going through each new adventure.

PRE SI DE N T

BLAKE DEMASO

blake@elevationoutdoors.com PUBLI SHE R

CASEY VANDENOEVER

casey@elevationoutdoors.com CRE AT I VE DI RE CTOR

LAUREN WORTH

lauren@elevationoutdoors.com EDITORIAL + PRODUCTION M AN AG I N G E DI TOR

G E A R W E ’ R E LO V I N G

CAMERON MARTINDELL

cameron@elevationoutdoors.com

SEA TO SUMMIT: WOMEN’S ETHER LIGHT XT INSULATED AIR SLEEPING MAT & WOMEN’S JOURNEY SLEEPING BAG This new woman-specific sleep system offers a wider hip area, narrower shoulder area and additional Thermolite insulation.

The mat pairs perfectly with the shape of the sleeping bag. Our favorite thing about this system is the feel of the bag (think comfy sheets) and the added warmth. $190-$210

BIG AGNES: BIG SIX CAMP CHAIR

Sitting a comfy 18 inches off the ground, Big Agnes’ brand new chair is ideal for relaxing outside the van or adding comfort to a backpacking trip. Weighing just three pounds, three ounces, it’s easy to set up and break down and it collapses small enough to fit in your truck, van or backpack. $150

STIO: ALPHA ALPINE JACKET

Our new best friend for all of our stop-and-start adventures, this technical shell eliminates our need for constant layering changes. At nine ounces, it’s easy to stash in a backpack. It’s reversible, too, so when we get one side dirty and a washer is far away, we still have a whole new jacket on the other side. $289

chris@elevationoutdoors.com G RAPHI C DE SI G N E R

AMELIA MCCONNELL COPY ASSASSI N

TRACY ROSS

E DI TOR-AT-LARG E

5/23-5/26

DELFEST

CUMBERLAND, MD

5/29-6/1

RIVERBEND

CHATNOOGA, TN

LAUREN WORTH

Josh Ritter, “Getting Ready to Get Down.”

conor sedmak

The Doobie Brothers, “Listen to the Music.”

TRACY ROSS

Liz Phair, “Supernova.”

CON T RI BUT I N G E DI TORS

AARON BIBLE, ADAM CHASE, ROB COPPOLILLO, LIAM DORAN, JAMES DZIEZYNSKI, HUDSON LINDENBERGER, SONYA LOONEY, CHRIS VAN LEUVEN

CAMERON MARTINDELL

Led Zeppelin, “Kashmir.”

CON T RI BUT I N G WRI T E RS

JEFF BLUMENFLED, EUGENE BUCHANAN, PATRICIA CAMERON, JEDD FERRIS, KIM FULLER, JESSI HACKETT, KATIE HEARSUM, PADDY O’CONNELL, KRISTEN POPE

PATRICIA CAMERON

“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) [remix].

ADVERTISING + BUSINESS SE N I OR ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@elevationoutdoors.com ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

CONOR SEDMAK

melissa@elevationoutdoors.com

DAMASCUS, VA

When I don't have the “Lego Movie” theme “Everything Is Awesome” stuck up there, I have The Tame Impalas “Let it Happen.”

PETER KRAY

MELISSA GESSLER

33RD ANNUAL APPALACHIAN TRAIL DAYS FESTIVAL

casey vandenoever

amelia@elevationoutdoors.com

BUSI N E SS M AN AG E R

5/17-5/19

The incredible mashup of Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” and The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” Google it right now.

SE N I OR E DI TOR

CHRIS KASSAR

conor@elevationoutdoors.com SCHEDULE

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

CI RCULAT I ON I N QUI RI E S:

circulation@elevationoutdoors.com DIGITAL MEDIA ON LI N E DI RE CTOR

CRAIG SNODGRASS

craig@elevationoutdoors.com DI G I TAL M AN AG E R

TYRA SUTAK

tyra@elevationoutdoors.com

ELEVATIONOUTDOORS.COM 2510 47th Street Unit 209 Boulder, Colorado 80301 (303) 449-1560

CHRIS VAN LEUVEN

Greg Brown, “Two Little Feet.” “Two little feet to get me down the mountain…”

HUDSON LINDENBERGER

“Maybe It’s Time We Let the Old Ways Die” from “A Star is Born.” The line “It takes a lot to change a man / Hell, it takes a lot to try” seems so true.

CHRIS KASSAR

Since January, the anthem that’s been playing over and over in my head is “Setting the World on Fire” by Kenny Chesney and Pink.

PADDY O’CONNELL

Paula Abdul, “Straight Up.”

P U B L I S H E D BY

©2019 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SUMMIT

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PUBLISHING

peter kray

The Grateful Dead, “So Many Roads.”

E D I T O R'S L E T T E R | 05.1 9

13TH ANNUAL SPRING

GEAR

S A T U R D A Y, M A Y 1 8

WHAT IS YOUR VISION? T H E M EM O R I E S W E C R E AT E A R E M O R E P OW ER FU L T H A N A L L T H OSE SEL FI E S .

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

I

was in the city of Paris last month, and no other place in the world reminds you of the beauty people can create. The city made me think about how I can better dedicate the time I have left on this planet to trying to leave it more beautiful. I know Paris is a far cry from the wilderness but there was one phenomenon I witnessed here that I see far too much of in the outdoors back home in Colorado: incessant cell phone photography.

It seems that some people are more obsessed with taking photos of great works of art than they are with actaully looking at them and experiencing them.

The crowd surrounding the Mona Lisa, elbowing to take crappy photos of it or turning around for selfies with that famed smile, has become just as much an experiential art piece as the painting itself, a statement on how our society only views beauty as something to be captured and claimed. Why not just stop and spend some time with the art, see it, interpret it? I have no basic problem with taking photos of art. But when you simply snap and move on, you are engaging in something bizarre.

I all too often see this happening in the outdoor space, too. On one side, outdoor photography has always been about ego gratification. Hey, we all want a shot of us shredding that steep line or standing out on that precipice.

But all too often, influencers are simply heading to beautiful, rare, all too rapidly disappearing places for no other reason than to rack up more followers.

I’m guilty, too, I guess. It seems to be a basic insinct for us in this age, an

WHERE IS THE ART? WHETHER IT'S THE MONA LISA OR WILDLANDS, WE NEED TO STOP AND SEE.

I N T H E P A R K I N G LOT B E H I N D WILDERNESS EXCHANGE

photo by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

addiciton as bad as cocaine in the 1980s.

So here is the first thing I want to commit to doing to try to help bring some sanity to this pressure-cooking planet. I will leave my phone in my pocket more. I may miss out on some incredible posts, but I may also find a sense of peace that seems to be missing from my skull recently. I won’t tell anyone where I went.

The place, the view, the moment will be part memory and imagination.

I thought about the power of memory when Notre Dame burned, too.

I have been to the cathedral several times thoughout my life and it always impresses in a different way. This time, I thought about the building of the place, how it took lifetimes, how nameless artists put their mark and personality in a building meant to serve something far beyond individual lives. I also experienced it differently because of the people with me. My kids were here for the first time. I viewed it through their perceptions. My mom has been to Paris many times since she was 11 years old, and this was the first time she climbed to the top of the bell towers on Notre Dame.

Her smile stayed with me. I also looked closely at the cathedral’s stone and saw fossils in it—it gave me a sense of deep time, that rock once on the bottom of the ocean could build this. Yes, I took some photos, but I looked beyond my phone.

When it went up in flames, I thought how odd that the memories we made there were now more powerful images, and even more powerful memories since they carry a weight we did not know they would have two weeks later.

I thought about so many wildfires that I have fought and seen ravage beautiful wild places. About how important the memories we make in this fading paradise should be to us.

About how we need to get out and see more with the people we love.

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Q U I C K HI T S | 05.1 9

NO BULL DAN BULL BREAKS THE ICE ON HIS WORLDRECORD-SETTING PADDLE IN THE SHADOW OF CHILE'S OJOS DE SALADO, THE HIGHEST ACTIVE VOLCANO ON THE PLANET. / PHOTO COURTESY DAN BULL

The Highest Kayaker on Earth

AUS T R A L I A N A DV EN T U R ER DA N B U L L SE T Y E T A N OT H ER WO R L D R E CO R D W H EN H E TO O K A B OAT U P T H E H I G H E S T M O U N TA I N I N C H I L E.

DAN BULL LIKES TO GET HIGH. UNTIL JANUARY, THE 38-YEAR-OLD HELD THE GUINNESS RECORD FOR THE YOUNGEST PERSON TO CLIMB BOTH the Seven Summits (the highest peaks on each continent) as well the Seven Volcanic Summits (the highest volcanoes on each continent), a feat he ticked off in 2017. And last March, the Aussie broke the record for highest kayak trip on the planet when he paddled the 18,723-foot alpine lake just below the summit of 22,615-foot active volcano Ojos de Salado, which is the highest peak in Chile and highest volcano on the planet.

To pull off the mile-and-a-half-long paddle, Bull had to haul a custom kayak up the mountaineering route on the peak with climbing gear, a kit that weighed over 110 pounds (he refrained from using supplementary oxygen as per Guinness rules). “As I climbed toward the summit of the highest volcano in the world, I experienced the worst snow seen in two decades. I was trapped inside my tent, high on the mountain, for three days, surviving gale force winds up to 140 kilometers per hour and wind chill down to -45°C,” he says. Bull found the lake frozen over when he reached it, and had to use his ice ax to chip out a lane for the kayak to reach open water. “Water froze instantly as it splashed onto my gear,” he says. “I knew that if I fell in, I’d be dead very quickly.” So what’s the next height for Bull to top? “ I’m considering a shot at the highest swimming world record,” he says. “I’m not a swimmer, so I’d be starting from scratch.” —Doug Schnitzspahn M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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Q U I C K HI T S | 05.1 9

FLOAT TO CAMP LO O K I N G F O R T H E P ER FE C T C A M P G RO U N D? L E AV E T H E D R I V E -T H RU LO O P S TO T H E C A R S A N D PA D D L E I N TO T H E SE S I T E S T H AT A R E O N LY ACC E S S I B L E BY B OAT.

features 15 boat-in campsites. While the exact site locations vary based on water levels, each campsite can accommodate a maximum of four tents and up to eight people. Backcountry restrooms are available near some sites, while others require Leave No Trace techniques (bring a small shovel or prepare to pack it out) for disposing of human waste. Enjoy swimming, fishing and even scuba diving between lounging at your camp on the reservoir.

You can reserve these sites online at larimer.org

BOAT-IN CAMPING IS A FUN WAY TO AVOID

the crowds, but it requires a bit more preparation than drive-up sites. First, you’ll have to protect your gear from water—both the stuff you’re paddling across and precipitation. Be sure to pack dry bags, especially to stash your essentials. Also, don’t head out on a paddling adventure without experience and some water-safety training. Ensure your craft is wellmaintained and ready for the journey ahead. You don’t want to find out your boat is leaky halfway across a lake.

Many areas require watercraft permits and inspections, even for canoes and kayaks, so plan accordingly. Be sure your equipment is clean and free of invasive species such as hitchhiking aquatic snails, which can devastate sensitive ecosystems. Be sure to follow safe boating practices, check regulations, and always have PFDs for everyone on board. Consider bringing a way to notify people if you need help in an emergency since cell phones will not work in many areas.

Weather is also an important consideration when you go boating.

During a lightning storm, you don’t want to be anywhere near the water.

Know the forecast, keep an eye on the skies and have a plan to reach safety in a hurry in the event of a storm. Wind storms can also create waves and hazardous conditions.

Ok, with all of that necessary info out of the way it’s time to have fun.

Here are a few nearby gems to enjoy the art of boat-in camping: Horsetooth Reservoir, Colorado Just outside Fort Collins, Larimer County’s Horsetooth Reservoir

Curecanti National Recreation Area, Colorado Located along the Gunnison River, Curecanti National Recreation Area offers three reservoirs with boat-in camping opportunities. Turtle Rock on Blue Mesa Reservoir is a favorite canoe spot since it’s close to Elk Creek Marina. A bit farther out, Cebolla offers two campsites nestled in cottonwood trees with rocky cliffs nearby. Lake Fork is in a shady area near a quiet cove. Backcountry camping is also available in some locations of Blue Mesa Reservoir, though you will need to check on restrictions. Morrow Point Reservoir is available for canoe and kayak camping, but keep in mind the access route requires climbing or descending 232 stairs (inflatables anyone?). Dam releases can quickly create dangerous boating conditions, so also check the reservoir levels information on the National Park Service site to avoid them.

Backcountry permits are required for boaters and available at nps.gov/cure.

Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Ashley National Forest, Utah Hideout Canyon’s boat-in campground will put you far from the crowds on the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The campground is only available for those who boat or hike in and offers 18 sites as well as flush toilets. Be aware that it’s located among cliffs at 6,000 feet, so the sites have limited shade. Reservations are strongly recommended via recreation.gov.

—Kristen Pope

TECHNOLOGY

YOURS ALL YOURS CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA IS THE PERFECT SPOT TO SEEK PADDLE-IN CAMPING. IT ALSO COULD COME UNDER NATIONAL PARK PROTECTION UNDER THE PROPOSED CORE ACT IN CONGRESS NOW. PHOTO COURTESY NPS/LISA LYNCH

SKI THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE

averages 324 inches of white stuff per year and boasts panoramic views of the Andes mountains, including a towering 17,795-foot glacial peak. With such epic terrain, this area is also known for its world-class heli-skiing.

EVENTS: Eclipse chasers will want to flock to Chile to be in the path of totality on July 2.

T H R E D B O, AU S T R A L I A

OPENING DAY: June 8 LOCATION: Three-hundred and seven

S TILL HOLDING ONTO TH AT POW DER HIGH? W HEN TEMPER ATURE S SOA R THIS SUMMER, IKON PA SSHOLDERS C A N FLY SOUTH TO COOL OFF AT EIGHT SK I DE S TIN ATIONS ACROSS SOUTH A MERIC A A ND OCE A NI A . THE PA SSE S OFFER BE T W EEN FI V E A ND SE V EN DAYS AT E ACH OF THE FOLLOW ING SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE RE SORTS.

miles south of Sydney or 132 miles southwest of Canberra in Kosciuszko National Park; car rentals and shuttle services available at both airports.

TERRAIN: Thredbo has Australia’s longest runs, called the “Big 5”, which range from two to three miles long and drop around 2,200 feet of vertical.

Don’t miss the iconic gumtree glades, accessed via the Snowgums chairlift.

EVENTS: Plan your trip around one of the area’s rowdy full-moon dance parties on June 17, July 16 and August 14

VA LLE N E VA D O, C H I LE

OPENING DAY: June 15 LOCATION: Ten miles north of

2019 OPENING DAY: June 22 LOCATION: Forty miles east of Santiago TERRAIN: This 2,200-acre “Snowy

Valley” tops out at just over 12,000 feet,

GEAR WE LOVE

CO R O N E T P E A K , N E W ZE A L A N D Queenstown, New Zealand; bus transport available TERRAIN: Although its highest peak sits

BOOKS

AWAYCO

REI QUARTER DOME SL 2 TENT

TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE

Awayco aims to make it easier to travel for gear-intensive adventures like skiing and surfing by providing a rental system to reserve premium gear at your destination. It’s free to create an account and browse available gear—payment happens right before the reservation. Users can pay-as-you-go or subscribe to the premium service for extra perks. FREE OR $95/YEAR | AWAYCO.COM

Lightweight, versatile, and packed with a bunch of smart design features, this two-person tent has been a pleasure to use and is easy to pack.

Most importantly, the near-vertical sidewalls and generous headroom make it comfortable to live in—add spacious vestibules and waiting out a storm won’t be so miserable.

Make a difference while you see the world with EO contributor Jeff Blumenfeld’s Travel With Purpose: A Field Guide to Voluntourism. The Boulderbased author gathered stories of inspiration from everyday voluntourists on the best ways to approach a volunteer vacation from Las Vegas to Nepal, including health care facilities, animal shelters, orphanages, and impoverished schools. $19 | ROWMAN.COM

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

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THINKING BIG WITH BIG LINES AND DRY POW, CHILE'S VALLE NEVADO IS PRIME TERRITORY FOR SKIERS LOOKING FOR TURNS WHEN SUMMER SHUTS DOWN THE NORTH AMERICAN RESORTS—PLUS IT'S INCLUDED ON THE IKON MEGA-PASS (LEFT).

BRECKENRIDGE-BASED SARAH BARCLAY SHOWS OFF HER SKILLS ON THE RIVER. SHE WORKS TO GET KIDS OFF OF SCREENS AND INTO BIG TROUT (RIGHT). / LEFT PHOTO BY TOM WINTER, RIGHT PHOTO COURTESY SARAH BARCLAY

at just over 5,000 feet, people love Coronet Peak’s proximity to downtown Queenstown, stunning lake views and consistent snow-making ability.

EVENTS: Night skiing is popular here, with lifts running until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the season.

T H E R E M A R K A B LE S , N E W ZEALAND

OPENING DAY: July 8 LOCATION: Fifteen miles south of

Queenstown, New Zealand TERRAIN: These picturesque peaks feature sweeping bowls and seven terrain parks for practicing everything from hitting your first rail to 40-foot launches for experts.

EVENTS: Ladies, grab your girlfriends and signup for one of the girls-only skills sessions throughout the season.

M O U N T H U T T, N E W ZE A L A N D OPENING DAY: June 7 LOCATION: Sixty-eight miles west of

Christchurch, New Zealand TERRAIN: The steep, semi-backcountry chutes, ocean views and long snowmaking season earned it a nod in the World Ski Awards as “Best Resort in New Zealand” the past several years in a row.

EVENTS: Go for the Snowpalooza shenanigans in October to stretch your season to the max. When you come back, the snow will be falling stateside.

—Katie Hearsum

LOCAL HERO: SARAH BARCLAY

THIS RE A LTOR IS DEDIC ATED TO IMPROV ING LI V E S THROUGH FLY FISHING. AFTER STUDYING MARINE BIOLOGY AT

the College of the Atlantic on the Maine shore, Sarah Barclay, a Massachusetts coastal native, moved far inland, but she never let go of her love of the water. Today, her focus is on Rocky Mountain streams and the restorative value of fly-fishing. A full-time realtor in Breckenridge, Barclay, 58, served for five years as the president of the Gore Range chapter of Trout Unlimited, and is currently an Orvis-endorsed guide who delights in donating her time to various nonprofits in Colorado’s Summit County.

Fishing four seasons a year, she has volunteered for the Swan River Restoration Project, on whose behalf she helped raise $135,000; volunteered for the SOS Outreach Society; and has taken at-risk children out on local rivers for a day of fishing.

“I use fly-fishing to ‘pay it forward,’” she says. “I’ve seen 12-year-old screen addicts totally transform their lives as the result of a day on the river.”

To that end, Barclay helped the local TU chapter start a Trout in the Classroom program with beloved Summit High School science teacher Christopher “Jamie” Lambrecht, winner of the EPA’s annual Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. His students collect bugs, test river water, and raise fish eggs in class to release them in the wild.

Barclay also takes pleasure in teaching women how to fish, an estimated 250 to date. “Women feel more comfortable with a female guide.

Besides which, it’s like a sorority out there. We have a lot of fun.”

—Jeff Blumenfeld

2401 15th ST SUITE 100 • DENVER, CO 303.964.0708 • WILDERNESSX.COM

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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EAT SLEEP PLAY: FORT COLLINS, COLORADO CAPPING OFF THE NORTH E N D O F C O LO R A D O ’ S F R O N T R ANGE, THIS HAPPENING CIT Y I S C LO S E R TO T H E W I D E - O P E N S PA C E S O F W YO M I N G T H A N T H E S P R AW L O F D E N V E R . I T ALSO SITS RIGHT WHERE THE S TAT E ’ S O N LY N AT I O N A L LYD E S I G N AT E D W I L D A N D SCENIC RIVER, THE CACHE L A P O U D R E , F LO W S O U T O F T H E R O C K I E S A N D O N TO T H E EA STERN PL AINS. EAT Like other Front Range cities, Fort Collins is a wealth of great eats. For breakfast, be ready for the worthwhile wait for a table at the Silver Grill (silvergrill.com). Dating back to 1912, this is one of the oldest eateries in Northern Colorado and once you walk in and smell what’s cooking, you’ll understand why they’ve stood the test of time. The signature dish is the enormous fresh-made cinnamon rolls. For lunch, head a little way out from downtown to visit the classic Farmhouse at Jessup Farm

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POUDRE FACE SHOTS WITH A HEAVY SNOWPACK IN THE HILLS, YOU CAN EXPECT A BIG YEAR IN THE RAPIDS OF THE CACHE LA POUDRE. / PHOTO BY RICHARD HARO

(farmhousefc.com). Made-fromscratch meals rotate by season and are served on warm cast iron dishes.

These farm-style meals range from the hearty farmhouse burger to classic chicken and waffles. Wrap up the day at Fort Collins’ oldest brewpub, CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewery (coopersmithspub.com). The place actually offers two restaurants in one with The Pub serving sit-down meals and Poolside dishing up pizza and fries

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

for noshing while shooting billiards.

Both offer The Brewery’s dozens of craft brews on tap.

SLEEP Right in the midst of old town sits The Elizabeth Hotel (theelizabethcolorado.com). This 164-room establishment welcomes visitors into an open lobby with a large spiral staircase to the second floor.

The rooms are simple and modern but include a touch of nostalgia for some (and intrigue for others) thanks to a classic-style record player and a small selection of vinyl to choose from to set the mood. The hotel includes a beautiful west-facing open-air space appropriately called the Sunset Lounge. In-house dining restaurant the Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market sports a fun retro-style ambiance with wrap-around bench tables, serving American brasserie fare, along with a gelateria, and of course a substantial selection of wine.

curious kiddos, hit up the Museum of Discovery (fcmod.org) on a stormy day to keep them occupied. The foodies in the family will want to check out the many cooking classes at Ginger & Baker (gingerandbaker. com), or just book a reservation for dinner (which will convince you to take that cooking class here). Their cooking classroom is open, modern and a great place to build long-lasting friendships with fellow culinarians.

—Cameron Martindell

FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS

TO P O D E S I G N S’ ER I C A COT T R EL L F O C USE S O N D U R A B I L I T Y A N D V ER S AT I L I T Y I N T H E B R A N D’ S FE S T Y G E A R .

WITH AN ART DEGREE FROM CU BOULDER

PLAY With the Cache La Poudre flowing through town and the canyon it carved out just above town, Fort Collins is a paddling and fishing haven. Outfitters including Rocky Mountain Adventures (shoprma. com) offer guided rafting and kayaking trips, or just rent some gear for your own adventure. They also rent backcountry ski touring gear for winter adventures. If you have

and a design degree from Parsons in New York, Erica Cottrell leads a talented and energetic team at Topo Designs. She says her role as design manager is to continue Topo’s mission of “defining the new outdoor through bags and apparel.”

“Topo Designs was born in Colorado, so many facets of our company and our design process are influenced by who we are and where we’re from,” says Cottrell. “Inevitably,

Ultralight Jacket. For a bag, Topo’s most compact piece is the Mini Quick Pack with multiple carrying options and tons of organization pockets.

“It’s all you need for a phone, water bottle and wallet,” Cottrell says of the Mini Quick Pack. “You know, the essentials.” topodesigns.com

—Kim Fuller

BEHOLD THE YAMPA MURAL HEAD UP TO STEAMBOAT TO KAYAK, raft,

we consider the activities and sports that are popular here, as well as the lifestyle—the variety of things you can do here demand that your clothes and bags be versatile and durable, this drives many of our choices.”

When it comes to must-haves at festivals this season, Cottrell recommends the very packable Global Dress and the weather-ready

sup or tube this summer and you'll be able to stare at the river both in front of and alongside you. A new, 70-foot-long mural depicting the Yampa River from its source in the Flat Tops to its junction with the Green in Dinosaur National Monument has been painted alongside a wall downtown, drawing attention to this natural resource.

The “Yampa is Wild” mural, a collaboration between Friends of the

Yampa (FOTY) and other partners, also highlights how state-certified Creative Districts like Steamboat are joining forces with conservation groups, recreationalists and artists.

“We’re using it to bring awareness to the importance of protecting one of the last free-flowing tributaries to the Colorado River system,” says FOTY president Kent Vertrees.

Painted on Polytab panels, the mural was designed by artist Jill Bergman and is expected to be installed in July 2019.

It packs a lot into a small package. “It’s a 250-mile-long river,” says Bergman.

“That’s a lot of landscape to cover.

It was also a challenge placing all its elements around the building’s features. I hope it will remind people of the importance of protecting it.”

—Eugene Buchanan ART IN MOTION TOPO DESIGNER ERICA COTTRELL GETS TO WORK (TOP), TOPO'S MINI QUICK PACK (MIDDLE), BEHOLD THE MURAL (BOTTOM) / PHOTO COURTESY ERICA COTTRELL

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The Mother of Comfort · bigagnes.com

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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F L A S HP O IN T | 05.1 9

eye of the Storm WHEN ELI HELMUTH MOVED TO PUERTO RICO, HE WA S SEEKING THE POTENTIAL OF NE W LIMESTONE ROUTES CLOSE TO SURFING. AF TER THE CATA STROPHIC HURRICANE MARIA HIT IN 2017, HE ENVISIONED SOMETHING BET TER, A WAY TO HELP THE ISL AND AND LOCAL PEOPLE BUILD A NE W ECONOMY THROUGH CLIMBING.

W

by HUDSON LINDENBERGER

When you are without power, and the money dries up, it forces people to start to look at things a little differently.

LOOKING FORWARD ELI HELMUTH IS ONE OF THE FIRST CERTIFIED AMGA AND IMGA GUIDES IN THE U.S. NOW, HE'S BRINGING THAT EXPERIENCE TO THE EMERGING CLIMBING SCENE IN PUERTO RICO. / PHOTO BY BY LUIS SALAZAR

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hen Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico in the fall of 2017, it devastated the island, seriously damaged the country’s tourist industry and crushed a lot of dreams.

But one person it didn’t knock down was recent Colorado transplant Eli Helmuth. The storm only helped fuel his ambitions to turn the Caribbean Island into one of the premier climbing destinations in the Western Hemisphere. “The 150-mile-per-hour winds stripped away so much foliage that we were able to identify numerous crags that had been hidden from view,” he says. “It only reconfirmed my belief that this island is a gold mine of untapped climbing.”

As one of the first fully certified mountain guides and instructors with both the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) and International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA), Helmuth, 54, has spent three decades in the mountains. From his home base in Estes Park, he has led 52 guided ascents up the Diamond Route on Longs Peak (a record), summited numerous peaks in Alaska and South America and served as the executive director for the AMGA Alpine Guide Training Program for eight years.

So when he called his wife from the midst of guiding a ski trip in Alaska four years ago to tell her that he wanted to move to Puerto Rico, she told him he was nuts—but he had a vision. “We had just visited the island a few weeks earlier and I could not get it off my mind, I decided that that’s where our family should be,” he says. It took some coaxing, but two years later they sold their house in Colorado, and moved to the Ciales on the northern side of the island with their two young children in tow.

An Island of Potential With a population of nearly 19,000, the town of Ciales sits near world class surf breaks, endless beaches, craggy canyons and steep summits, but what really drew Helmuth to the town was the seemingly endless array of limestone cliffs that encircle it. When he and his wife, Joanne, perused Google Earth images of the town, the topography. suggested that, just underneath the jungle cover, there were even more cliffs than one could imagine.

Climbing in Puerto Rico is still in its infancy. It was only a little over two decades ago that Colorado native Craig Luebben first arrived on the island during his tour of the Caribbean in search of cliffs and crags. As he wandered into the jungle, many in the climbing community thought he’d lost his mind. But Luebben laid out sport routes on both the juggy limestone and sticky granite endemic to the island. When he left, the climbing seed took root with the locals and over the last 20 years several areas have been developed, many by Rossano Boscarino, a noted caver and climber based on the island and the owner of Aventuras PR. But, the climbing infrastructure and industry on this island paradise are still in their infancy. Bouldering and sport climbing areas on Puerto Rico are scattered and

piecemeal. There are a few climbing and guide shops. Beyond Luebben, no offisland climbers really recognized what the scene on the island could be, and no one considered how it could benefit Puerto Rican people. So Helmuth made the development of the climbing business here his mission. He wants to help build an eco-friendly climbing economy that’s both financially profitable for the local populace and long-term sustainable.

Sleepy Ciales sits at the base of the steep mountains that run down the spine of the island, 30 minutes from the beach.

From the first day that Helmuth and his family arrived, they felt welcome. The locals were shocked and surprised that someone from the States would want to live inland, and not next to the ocean like so many other transplants. When the Helmuths bought a home and put their kids in school there, they quickly went from being a novelty to accepted members of the community. As Helmuth talked to his neighbors and told them about his dream for the surrounding cliffs, most of them were skeptical. Climbing seemed like a novelty, not something you could build a life around.

From his experiences in spots around the globe, Helmuth knew that a thriving outdoor industry could be built on the island. It’s never cold, the rainy season is short, and the sun always seems to shine.

His numerous trips to the Red River Gorge and New River climbing areas showed him the financial help that climbers brought to the local communities. He just had to convince his new friends.

Every morning Helmuth would load up his truck with gear—machete, pack, rock drill, ropes, lunch, and anything else he would need—and head out, often with a local climber in tow. He would hack a pathway into an interesting piece of rock and once he saw a line, he’d dive into it, cleaning the stone with brushes and knocking loose any pieces of rock too fragile to climb, and bolting titanium clips and belays bolts into the walls. His goal was to lay out one new route per week. Soon the residents of Ciales and others on the island heard about this crazy American who spent all of his time building climbing routes.

started blowing.

When the hurricane hit, the worst of the storm slammed into his new home.

The damage was catastrophic: Trees were down and denuded, roads were washed out, houses were stripped of their roofs, and there was no power for six months. Helmuth was relatively lucky: The storm wiped out power on the entire island and caused $90 billion in damage, prompting FEMA to declare all of Puerto Rico a Federal Disaster Zone. Nearly 3,000 people died due to the storm and resulting devastation.

There was a small silver lining, however. Over the next few weeks as he and his neighbors worked together, Helmuth would find himself eyeing the nearby cliffs. The hurricane had done something that all of his reconnaissance had not been able to accomplish—it uncovered a myriad of limestone routes. His mind started to swirl with the possibilities, and he was able to convey his vision to his new town.

When you are without power, and the money dries up, it forces people to start to look at things a little differently.

In his conversations with people in his community and others nearby, his promise of climbers coming down and bringing money with them started to get their attention. Once they dug out his town, Helmuth dove back into creating routes on all the limestone cliffs.

At the same time he moved his guiding company, Climbing Life, from Colorado to Ciales. He dove into Mountain Project to update their database and used his blog as a way to promote the island. At his house, he put up a climbing wall and started to teach the local kids how to climb. More locals came to him to get their AMGA climbing certifications. A movement gained momentum.

“He has become the main go-to guy on the island for teaching and promoting climbing,” says Diego Garcia owner of Rocaliza Adventure Tours, which runs everything from zip line to climbing tours in Puerto Rico. “In the few years he has been here he has really helped transform the Ciales area around his home. When he is done it will be the premier sport climbing area on the island.”

disaster strikes

The Word Is Out

By the time the hurricane hit, Helmuth and his hardy crew of locals had started making a difference. In the first year, he estimates they put up 30 new routes and spent untold hours stripping old gear from the walls and putting in new bolts. “So much of the gear was rusting. I knew that to really do it right here I would have to ensure that the existing routes were safe and up to standard,” he says.

He and Joanne had turned the lower part of their house into an Airbnb and were starting to get renters. They had decided on a spot of land to buy to build their dream business, an ecolodge that would serve as a base camp for climbers.

While he still was guiding trips in South America, he found he longed for the island and the continuation of his dream.

Things were going well. Then the winds

It’s been over two years since Helmuth and his family moved to Ciales. He’ll soon break ground on a lodge with camping and tree houses, all built from sustainable products. In the last six months, word has started to spread about about the climbing on the island.

Helmuth is seeing groups showing up from New York, New Jersey and Colorado primed to hit the rock. More importantly, the Puerto Rican climbing community is growing and young people are embracing the wave.

When asked if he misses his old life high in the Rockies, Helmuth pauses for a moment and says, “I don’t miss the cold one bit. I get to climb, surf and swim all while helping create something special.

I wouldn’t go back in a minute. What we are creating here is special.”

Charge ahead on life’s great adventures with the comfort, fit and support of the versatile New Sawtooth II Collection.

#LeadTheWay

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Campfire Companions Be sure to bring these four Colorado craft bottles with you on your next campout.

By Hudson Lindenberger WE HAVE ALL BEEN IN THIS SCENARIO BEFORE. The sun has gone down, meals have been snarfed and someone breaks out a bottle to share around the campfire. It’s a tradition that traces back for centuries. But, when that tradition can turn terrible is if the bottle proffered is a low-grade whiskey or, even worse, cheap vodka. Avoid that travesty the next time you are out in the woods with your friends by bringing one of these four fine sippers from Colorado distillers.

Boulder based Suerte Tequila (drinksuerte. com) is prepared in Mexico using traditional methods that date back decades. Made from Blue Weber Agave these tequilas have won awards at major competitions across the planet.

The Extra Añejo is aged eight years in charred American oak whiskey barrels, imparting a smoky flavor that’s super-smooth with a slight bite. Your friends will be shocked that this is tequila—Jose Cuervo it ain’t. It’s best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

The drink of pirates and poets, rum is the ideal libation for a fun night under the stars.

Based in Crested Butte, Montanya Distillers (montanyarum. com) has been making some fantastic rum at 9,000 feet for the past 11 years using Colorado snowmelt and non-GMO sugar cane from Louisiana. The Oro is a barrel-aged rum that spends one year in American white oak whiskey barrels that previously held Laws Colorado Whiskey. This imparts a slight whiskey backbone that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the sugar and Colorado Mountain Honey added at bottling. Careful, you might sip this all night long.

Founded by a Tennessee transplant, 291 Colorado Whiskey (distillery291.com) is a small batch distiller based in Colorado Springs that is turning out some of the best whiskeys this side of the Mississippi. In the eight years since 291 started crafting spirits, it has garnered national acclaim and numerous accolades. The Colorado Rye Whiskey boasts a spicy and complex flavor that makes it perfect for warding off the evening chills.

Sometimes the night just calls for something a little off center, and that’s where JL Distillings (jldistilling.com) FYR Liqueur comes into play. Made from sugar cane, herbs and spices, this booze tastes like the lovechild of Jagermeister, Fireball and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum. It’s loaded with flavors and perfect as a mixer or straight sipper.

Sponsored by

GEAR UP FOR THE 8TH ANNUAL PEDAL THE PLAINS September 13-15, 2019

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The towns of Lamar, Holly & Springfield are looking forward to hosting you in 2019!

Highlights: • Comanche National Grasslands • Santa Fe Historic Trail • Western Heritage • And Kansas!

JOIN US! This content is proudly sponsored by Molly's Spirits, Colorado's most beautiful way to shop over 12,000 wines, spirits and beers. Molly's values are rooted in serving our local community, collaborating with our industry partners and offering our customers the best experience possible. Located right off I-70 and Sheridan in Denver, Molly's is the perfect first stop to stock up for all of your mountain adventures. Get directions at MollysSpirits.com or check us out on Instagram @mollysspirits.

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

3 days/166 Miles (Mileage is approximate) • Average Mileage = 56 miles A Century & Gravel Option provided

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H O T S P O T | 05.1 9

Embrace the Flatlands M OS T O U T D O O R J U N K I E S H E A D TO T H E M O U N TA I N S CO M E SP R I N GT I M E — B U T D O N ’ T OV ER LO O K T H E S TAT E’ S VA S T P R A I R I E S . W I T H W I L D FLOW ER S I N FU L L B LO O M A N D N O C ROW DS TO B E F O U N D, T H I S I S T H E P ER FE C T T I M E O F Y E A R TO E X P LO R E T H E E A S T S I D E O F CO LO R A D O.

T

by CHRIS KASSAR he Great Plains, which though they seem flat actually rise from 4,000 to 6,000 feet above sea level, dominate Colorado’s eastern side.

Shaped by drought and wind, the state’s shortgrass prairie is a land of extremes where dust storms, hail, blizzards, tornadoes and stiff winds all hold court. Though native grasslands rank among the most imperiled ecosystems in the world (only half remain today), Colorado claims two protected areas where you can visit rare, intact shortgrass prairie: Pawnee National Grasslands in the northeast and Comanche National Grasslands in the southeast. In between, Castlewood Canyon State Park, a designated Colorado Natural Area with Cherry Creek flowing through its center, harbors a unique ecosystem that supports a range of flora and fauna.

There’s no better time to visit these big, open spaces than spring, when temps are ideal, tiny flowers bloom in colorful contrast to the oceans of grass and dry soil and critters—among them pronghorn, coyote, black-tailed prairie dog, burrowing owls and a range of birdlife from ferruginous hawks to mountain plover— become active after a long winter.

Read on to discover our favorite adventures in this oft-overlooked region that rewards visitors with solitude, subtle beauty, wildlife, historic gems and unheralded outdoor adventures.

PAW N E E BUT TE S

Enjoy an easy, peaceful 4.0-mile-outand-back meander through these unearthly badlands, sandy arroyos and rugged cliffs carved by wind, water and time. Your destination is the two giant sandcastle-like rock formations that tower a few hundred feet above the surrounding prairie. In spring, colorful blooms stand in stark contrast to the severe, flesh-toned landscape that supports a diversity of wildlife including raptors, eagles, pronghorn and coyote.

CLOSEST TOWNS: Grover (population 150) and Raymer (population 109) are the nearest towns, if you can call them that— and there are the ramshackle buildings of the (almost) ghost town of Keota nearby. Claiming 1,757 souls, Ault, located

SPEND SOME TIME IN PURGATOIRE CUTTING DEEP INTO THE COMANCHE NATIONAL GRASSLANDS NEAR LA JUNTA, VOGEL CANYON SHELTERS WILDLIFE AND WILDFLOWERS FAR FROM THE CROWDS.

on Highway 14, is the nearest major population center with a range of facilities and spots to grab a bite.

ENVIRONMENTAL NOTE: The Pawnee Buttes trail is open year-round; however the nearby Overlook and Lip Bluff areas are closed March 1 through June 30 for nesting hawks, eagles and falcons.

MORE INFO: Pawnee Buttes National Grassland, fs.usda.gov/main/arp

C A S TLE WOO D C A N YO N LOO P

Revel in a unique opportunity to explore a giant creek-carved chasm cutting through rolling grasslands as you meander through a healthy riparian corridor and forest dominated by scrub oak, Douglas fir and ponderosa pines. Full of understated wonders, this two-mile loop will activate all of your senses as it skirts the rim of Castlewood Canyon before dropping down to follow the swirling waters of Cherry Creek. Views of Pikes Peak and the Front Range stretch out above the expansive space of the high plains.

CLOSEST TOWNS: Franktown/Castle Rock MORE INFO: Castlewood Canyon State Park, cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/ castlewoodcanyon

PI CK E T W I RE C A N YO N

Steeped in history, the 350-foot deep Picket Wire Canyon offers an interesting adventure complete with ruins, an old

mission, dinosaur tracks and grassland wildflowers. The scenery along this gentle 11+-mile hike through a rugged canyon dappled with grassland flowers and rimmed by piñon-juniper forest is only surpassed by the historic, prehistoric and archeological surprises it harbors.

Go back in time as you follow the river past the ruins of an old Mexican mission, Native American rock art, and an early 19th century homestead. Travel even farther back as the exposed rock layers of prehistoric seabeds and ancient lakeshores reveal the largest dinosaur track site in North America, containing over 1,300 prints in 100 separate trackways. Along the riverbanks, you can find three-toed allosaurus tracks and herds of brontosaurus prints.

CLOSEST TOWN: La Junta ENVIRONMENTAL NOTE: Picket Wire is the only portion of the entire U.S. Forest Service system with a specific mandate for the management and protection of fossil resources. Though you might not see them, there are also bones and skeletons representing as many as 100 different animals that lived 150 million years ago. Federal law protects all cultural resources within Picket Wire. Collecting or damaging artifacts is strictly prohibited so please take only pictures and leave only footprints. Return the way you came.

MORE INFO: Comanche National Grassland: fs.usda.gov/psicc

VOG E L C A N YO N

Carved out of sandstone by the Purgatoire River, Vogel is a unique and captivating destination nestled within the state’s southeastern prairie lands, which—in wet years—can be awash in spring and summer wildflowers.

Explore this hidden gem by combining the easy Overlook and Canyon trails to create a 2.1-mile loop that meanders across a mesa top, over sandstone planks, through the valley bottom and past steep cliffs. Sandy, grassy landscape, delicate blossoms, stony red rock formations and sweeping prairie sky join to create an expansive and tantalizing scene, while piñon pine forest, Native American rock art, natural springs and homestead ruins make a visit to Vogel beyond worth it.

Four varied hiking trails allow visitors to explore the canyon bottom and rim so you can also extend your journey on the Mesa and/or Prairie trails.

CLOSEST TOWN: La Junta ENVIRONMENTAL NOTE: Rock art is a sensitive and important piece of history that is protected by federal law. Please help preserve this valuable resource by taking photographs, but not touching or vandalizing the petroglyphs.

MORE INFO: Comanche National Grassland, fs.usda.gov/psicc

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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SPRING CONCERT SERIES APRIL

27

Mama Magnolia (Soul Rock)

MAY

4 11 18 19 25 26

Dragondeer (Psych-Blues and Soul) Atomga (Afrobeat, Afrofunk) Iceman Special (Swamp Funk) The Rhinelanders (Bavarian) Part & Parcel (Folk/Bluegrass/Rock) The Jauntee (Psychedelic Jazz/Blues/Funk)

FREE live music in Mountain Goat Plaza starting at 1:00pm

20 19

JUNE 1

2

Sunday Bankers (Rocking Bluegrass) and Hobo Village (Psychedelic Rock) Hobo Village (Psychedelic Rock) and High 5 (Jammy Mountain Music)

ARAPAHOEBASIN.COM/EVENTS

We believe in visionaries who can turn skyscrapers into mountains. Early risers who would rather cast a line than wait in one. Optimists who are only overbooked when they’ve packed too much to read.

We don’t believe in tourists.

We believe in explorers.

Explorers welcome.

VisitCOS.com

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N U ME R O L O G Y | 05.1 9

1

In the Flow T H E W E S T ’ S R I V ER S A R E I T S L I FEB LO O D, A N D O N E O F O U R M OS T T R E A SU R ED P L AC E S TO G E T O U T A N D U N P LU G . B U T T H E Y FAC E SER I O US T H R E AT S W I T H T H E D EM A N DS O F A G ROW I N G P O P U L AT I O N A N D I N C R E A SED P R E S SU R E FRO M E X T R AC T I V E I N D US T R I E S . S T U DY U P O N T H E FAC T S H ER E.

J

by TRACY ROSS une in the West means it’s time for boating to kick into high gear. Thanks to this past winter’s huge snowpack, we’re in for some high water.

Scrub the raft, load the coolers and put your swift-water rescue skills to use. (Actually, don’t. Bad idea. Avoid swift water rescuenecessary scenarios. But get the skills if you don’t have them!)

As you float through different landscapes, remember that the West’s rivers—like all rivers—are fragile: They need stewardship and protection to remain vital and healthy. With help from Radha Marcum and Carly Schmidt from the river protection non-profit River Network, here’s a snapshot of some dreamworthy and raftable western rivers, coupled with the reasons why our treasured waterways need to remain protected.

250,0 0 0

Approximate number of rivers that flow through America’s landscape, amounting to about 2,900,000 miles and including the U.S.’s biggest waterways: the Ohio, the St. Lawrence, the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Colorado.

226

Number of rivers the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act protects throughout the U.S.—a paltry amount. According to the National Wild & Scenic Rivers System, which includes land and water management agencies like the BLM, the National Park Service, and the National Forest Service, this amounts to only 13,439 miles of river in 41 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. That’s less than one-quarter of one percent of the nation's rivers.

( LEFT TO RIGHT) THE WILD AND SCENIC RIO GRANDE IN NEW MEXICO BY BOB WICK/BLM, THE WILD AND SCENIC RIO GRANDE IN TEXAS THOMAS O’KEEFE, THE COLORADO RIVER BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN, COLORADO’S CACHE LA POUDRE BY TIM PALMER

250,000

226 620

Miles of new Wild & Scenic Rivers that were protected in the Public Lands Bill passed in February 2019—including 63 miles of Utah’s Green River, a favorite of recreational paddlers.

1

Number of Colorado rivers protected under the Wild & Scenic Rivers act (the middle section of the Cache la Poudre, which is just 76 miles long).

1 07,4 03

Total river miles in Colorado, including the Colorado River.

The state’s namesake waterway starts in Grand County, flows generally southwest across the Colorado Plateau through the Grand Canyon and terminates in the Sea of Cortez.

120 +/-

Number of Class IV and V rapids in the Grand Canyon. But the Big Ditch is so big that it has its own difficulty classification—1 through 10. A Class 10 rapid, according to Advantage Outfitters, is one “many professionals and daredevils [go to for] the optimum adrenaline rush. The Gore and Tunnel rapids are just two examples [with] plenty of

gushing rapids, spinning and twisting water features, and obstacles the size of a house.”

Boy howdy!

2

Total stretches of river that use the Class 1-10 designation: the Colorado through Grand Canyon and Cataract Canyon in Canyonlands National Park.

18

Number of raftable rivers in Colorado. Choose the Taylor, near Gunnison, for views of the Collegiate Peaks, or the Blue, near Frisco and Breckenridge, for prime fly fishing. Or head to the San Juan, which has its headwaters near Durango, for a multiday sick-of-winter spring float that starts near Mexican Hat, Utah, and winds deep into the desert near Canyonlands before re-joining the Colorado.

1

Number of Class III rapids on the San Juan, making it the perfect starter multi-day family trip—if you have a handle on river running, desert camping and river rescue.

50

Percent of U.S. wetlands that could be polluted and degraded

by Trump’s “Dirty Water Rule,” “including prairie potholes, vernal pools, coastal prairies, and other important natural features of the American landscape.”

6,0 0 0 - PLUS

Number of NGOs, government agencies, indigenous groups,

While numbers dipped last year with low flows, this season’s snowpack could set the stream up for another record in 2019.

18

7 30

Miles of the Green River author Heather Hansman floated solo in a pack raft to explore the collision of water, wilderness and necessary resources for her new book Down River: Into the Future of Water in the West. You can learn more here: heatherhansman.com/book

5

and utilities in that protect rivers and drinking water across the U.S. You can check here to see a map of who is doing what where: rivernetwork. org/membership/map-who-isprotecting-your-water

⅔

Amount of the 16-million acre feet of water generated in Colorado each year that heads to other states. As the population of the state grows, water will become a much more precious and expensive resource for those living on the heavily populated Front Range. resourcecentral.org/watercolorado-situation-problemsolutions-galore

9 0,0 0 0

The number of commercially guided rafters who floated the whitewater of Clear Creek in 2018, setting a state record.

Number of Love Local Water events taking place in Colorado this May through August. These community clean-up events conclude with discussion and a cold beverage hosted at sponsors such as Patagonia and Mountain Toad Brewing. rivernetwork.org/connect-learn/ lovelocalwater

45,0 0 0

Number of private landowners who are working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 3,000 conservation organizations to voluntarily improve and restore habitat through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, which has successfully restored over 1,000,000 acres of wetland habitat, 3,000,000 acres of upland habitat and 11,000 miles of streams. The program was funded by the recently passed John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. fws.gov/partners

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GEAR Up FOR A SUMMER ON THE TRAILS This Spring & Summer Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa will be hosting a wide range of mountain bike clinics and events. Join us for one of the events below to kick off a summer of adventure.

BASIC MOUNTAIN BIKE MAINTENANCE CLINIC Learn a wide array of tips and tricks for how to get your bike tuned for the summer season.

Cost: $40 May 4th, 11th & 18th | 9–11AM

KIDS MOUNTAIN BIKE CAMP

WOMEN, WHEELS AND WINE

Our mountain bike camp offers an opportunity for the kids to learn how to develop their overall mountain bike skills!

This is a full day event for women of all skill levels filled with riding, clinics, lunch, wine, yoga, chair massage and poolside relaxation.

Cost: $100/per camp (includes trail pass, water and snacks)

Cost: $150 July 7th | 8:30AM–5PM

June 16th & July 14th | 9AM–12PM

UNTRY SK -CO SS

DE

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I L’

2018

ST

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#1 CR

RT ESO IR

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Visit devilsthumbranch.com/event or call (970) 726-8231 for more information or to reserve your spot today.

A HUMB R

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S T R A I G H T TA L K | 05.1 9 What brought you to the U.S.?

I was born in Budapest, Hungary, but my family moved a lot throughout my childhood, since my dad was working for different organizations. He’s an economist and we once moved to the U.K. when he was getting his PhD. Then we briefly went to the States, and I later returned to the U.S to attend Stanford. I stayed after graduating. My family lives in Brussels now.

PHOTO

BY JOHN EVANS

OUT OF THE GYM WHILE SZEKELY WON INDOOR COMPS THROUGHOUT HER YOUTH, SHE FEELS THAT THE REAL SOUL OF THE SPORT IS OUT ON THE ROCK RATHER THAN INDOORS WITH FANCY TRICK MOVES.

Andrea Szekely T H E C L I M B I N G COAC H TA L K S A B O U T H OW K I DS ( A N D A D U LT S) C A N P USH T H EM SELV E S I N T H E GY M A N D O N T H E RO C K .

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by CHRIS VAN LEUVEN hough Andrea Szekely calls Boulder home—she shares a condo with Climbing editor James Lucas and his partner, pro climber Nina Williams—my first memory of her is from 1,250 miles across the country. Szekely and I first crossed paths 10 years ago in Yosemite Valley, back when she was studying psychology at Stanford in Palo Alto, California. During a cool autumn day, from across historic Camp 4, I saw her midway up the world’s most famous boulder problem, “Midnight Lightning,” a line as difficult as it is tall. The overhanging climb boasts hard moves 20 feet off the ground, and many notable climbers have broken bones attempting it.

Szekely made easy work of it, even employing a crazy cross-through move with her arms that I’d never seen done before. It may have looked smooth on the outside, but on the inside she was gripped. “I was so terrified at the top that I closed my eyes when I reached the last hold,” she says. Her climb marked the third or fourth female ascent (she doesn’t know for sure) of the route that was first ticked off in 1978. “I don’t pay much attention to the female thing,” she says, laughing. “I was more psyched to do that boulder problem than anything.”

Today Szekely, 30, who started the sport at age 8, is still climbing hard as ever, and is sponsored by some of the top brands in the industry including Organic, La Sportiva and FrictionLabs. She competed indoors throughout her childhood and into her mid-twenties. In 2005, when she was 16, she placed first in Youth Nationals. She also placed second at several adult U.S. Nationals in the sport climbing and bouldering disciplines.

She no longer competes but still climbs several days a week and also trains with weights and with hang boarding (hanging from her fingertips). She’s currently earning her Masters in Business via online classes from a school in Madrid, while working full time at the climbing fashion company Verve, managing clothing orders and communication. “I do everything that needs to be done in the office, aside from sewing clothing,” she says. As if that’s not enough, she also coaches the youth climbing team at Movement + Fitness climbing gym in Boulder. And she raises her three-year-old dog, Emiko, sharing their travels on Instagram @emiko.thehappysheba.

I caught up with her recently to get her thoughts on coaching, comps and the future of climbing.

Do your parents climb?

My parents don’t climb but there was a wall at the school where my brother (one year younger) was going to grade school, so I started there. I started climbing when I was 8 and did my first comp that same year. At first, I sucked at it; my brother was much more talented than I, but he stopped climbing five years ago. When we moved to Maryland when I was 10, I joined the climbing team there and took it more seriously. I was psyched on competitions and pushed myself really hard.

How do you stay motivated?

I more or less finished comps a few years ago, but I sometimes still compete at the Psicobloc Masters (deep water soloing) Series in Salt Lake City. I went to Youth Nationals last summer with one of the kids on my team, but before that I hadn’t been in 10 years. It’s incredible to see how the sport has grown—the field has gotten so dense. Kids are just climbing so well. The attitude is positive and everyone is friends with everyone else. Go to any climbing comps and all the kids in finals cheer and support one another. I like how that’s stayed the same.

But it hurts my soul sometimes how the indoor style has evolved from what climbing is to me—outside climbing is more technical and requires using bad holds and unique body positions—to the jumpy circus tricks that you see now at indoor comps. It emphasizes the fast dynamic skillset, but there is so much more to climbing.

What do you like about coaching?

It’s always been a side job.

It’s not what I aspire to for the long-term but I love doing it. I started coaching when I was at Stanford. There, I did clinics for adults and I worked with their

youth team as well. It’s great to pass on the experience I got through training and competing. I’ve been climbing for 22 years now and it’s satisfying to use that info and see it be useful for someone else, to take what I’ve learned from my own experiences to help people solve obstacles.

What impact does your coaching have on the kids?

I always hope that every kid and adult I coach leaves practice thinking that he/she can accomplish any goal by putting all their motivation, dedication and 120 percent of their effort into their climbing.

Each person has the ability to go as far as they want, they just have to figure out how to get there and put in the work.

Where do you like to climb?

I love sport climbing at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky.

I climbed there through my teens until I was 18. My favorite spots to boulder are here in the alpine in Colorado at Mount Evans and Lincoln Lake. The more remote, the more I like it. In the summers I go up to Mt. Evans three to four days a week for night bouldering.

Since it’s dog friendly, I like to bring Emiko with me. I did that almost every week this past summer. Sometimes I would go out by myself with a light and have a bouldering session in my own little world.

How do you take care of Emiko despite the fact that many areas have dog restrictions?

My roommates watch Emiko and in exchange I watch my roommate Nina’s hedgehog.

I’ve been wanting to go to the bouldering mecca at Hueco, Texas, but it’s hard to travel with dogs. Rocky Mountain National Park doesn’t allow dogs so I don’t get there very often. I feel bad too when Emiko has to stay home.

What do you see as the future of the sport?

I see competition and outdoor climbing becoming more and more separated. If the sport grows, those who compete will have to specialize in that, and vice versa. The style of competitions enhances that dynamic: It’s no longer very similar to what we encounter outdoors. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s definitely different than when I started.

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APRIL Flatbush Zombies & Joey BadA$$ Snoop Dogg / Ice Cube 311 x Method Man and Redman Stick Figure Easter Sunrise Service Pardon My French featuring DJ Snake, Tchami x Malaa, and Mercer Lotus The 1975 M AY Interpol Twiddle / Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Shpongle Live In Concert NGHTMRE / SLANDER 4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince with the Colorado Symphony The Music of ABBA Vulfpeck Papadosio & The Polish Ambassador featuring Wildlight Luke Combs I Prevail: 107.9 KBPI Birthday Bash 2019 Lord Huron Walk Off the Earth Global Dub Festival 2019: Adventure Club / Bear Grillz Trevor Noah Florence + The Machine Iration / UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro The Devil Makes Three The Disco Biscuits Celtic Woman - Ancient Land Tour Disclosure (DJ Set) Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band Bela Fleck: Friends & Family featuring the Colorado Symphony Chromeo / Thievery Corporation

JUNE moe.

Parade of Bass featuring Dillon Francis Billie Eilish Brit Floyd Michael Franti & Spearhead Big Head Todd and the Monsters Dispatch Sublime with Rome Rainbow Kitten Surprise Young the Giant / Fitz & The Tantrums San Holo Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals Lettuce Nahko and Medicine for the People + Trevor Hall Turnpike Troubadours Zedd on the Rocks John Fogerty Umphrey’s McGee Stevie Wonder: A SeriesFest Benefit Celebrating TV & Music 25 Death Cab for Cutie 26 Kasey Musgraves 28–30 Widespread Panic 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21–23 24

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J U LY Zeds Dead Blues Traveler The Avett Brothers MercyMe Dirty Heads

OUR SPONSORS

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J U LY (CO N T I N U E D) Face Vocal Band Louis the Child The Motet / Galactic Cody Jinks Pink Martini & Mary Chapin Carpenter with the Colorado Symphony 15 Lyle Lovett and His Large Band 16 Norah Jones 17–18 The Head and The Heart 19–21 The String Cheese Incident 22 Diana Ross 23 Killer Queen 24 Trampled By Turtles 25 Tenacious D with the Colorado Symphony 26–27 Tedeschi Trucks Band 28 John Prine with the Colorado Symphony 29–30 Chris Tomlin: Worship at Red Rocks 31 Peter Frampton 10 11 12 13 14

1 2–3 4 6–7 8 9 10 11–12 13 14 15 16 17 20 21–22 24 26–27 28 29

AU G U ST "Weird Al" Yankovic with the Colorado Symphony My Morning Jacket Gregory Alan Isakov Flume O.A.R. Dave Chappelle & Jon Stewart Alison Wonderland Joe Bonamassa Judah & The Lion Lionel Richie Shakey Graves John Butler Trio / Yonder Mountain String Band Slightly Stoopid The Piano Guys Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats Reggae on the Rocks 2019: Rebelution OneRepublic with the Colorado Symphony Josh Groban with the Colorado Symphony Joe Russo's Almost Dead

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SEPTEMBER Kidz Bop Amos Lee Gary Clark Jr. The Wood Brothers STS9 Dark Star Orchestra An Evening with Mark Knopfler and Band Old Dominion Alison Wonderland Greensky Bluegrass Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Big Wild / Whethan The Revivalists REZZ Tash Sultana Big Gigantic Lauren Daigle

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O C TO B E R RÜFÜS DU SOL Jeep On The Rocks: AJR Mac DeMarco Vampire Weekend Illenium Wardruna

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THE 2019

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the 2019 festival the 2019 guide

MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL festival GUIDE guide E L E V AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

Prepare yourself for a big summer (and fall) of music, beer, wine, films, yoga, hula hoops, downriver SUP rallies, conversations, bike races, dog jumping contests, campouts and community. The annual Elevation Outdoors Festival Guide is here to help you choose and plan from an incredible assortment of happenings this summer where you will be able to partake in everything from swaying to Phil Lesh bass lines to sipping craft whiskey to fist pumping with Michael Franti to hitting the the dirt with the best trail runners in the Rockies. Pack the cooler, load up the vehicle, turn up the volume and dig in.

By Rob Gordon and staff

MAY Wednesday Night Trivia

E V ERY WEDNE SDAY, 7-10PM DENVER, CO

Every Wednesday night from 7-10pm, 10 Barrel asks the questions. Provide all the right answers and you can win swag and beer. Don’t, and it’s still a blast.

10barrel.com

Food Truck Carnival M AY 10 -12 NORTHGLENN, CO

Indulge in everything from Vietnamese to BBQ at this tasty party featuring bluegrass and Americana music on the main stage, beer tastings and a Tilt-A-Whirl-style carnival. foodtruckcarnival.com

your friends in yard games, all while sampling beers on tap at this spring fling held in the back parking lot at the Upslope Brewery. You are sure to see EO staff here and, best of all, it’s free. upslopebrewing.com/getdown

4th Annual Swimwear Day

BOOM BOX CANYON THE CROWD ASSEMBLES FOR TELLURIDE BLUES AND BREWS.

Grand Junction Off-Road

M AY 11 AR APAHOE BA SIN SKI ARE A , CO

Sure, it's May but this ski season shows no signs of slowing down. Nor does the Basin, open until June 2. Come in spring style—bikini, Speedo, whatever—and receive a raffle ticket for big prizes. arapahoebasin.com/event/ swimwear-railjam-

M AY 17-19 GR AND JUNCTION, CO

Test yourself in singletrack, doubletrack and gravel bike races of 5, 30 or 40 miles on the world-famous Lunch Loops trail system. epicrides.com/events/grand-junctionoff-road/event-guide

Head for the Hills Pickin' on the Poudre

SUMMER KICKOFF and GEAR SWAP

Colorado fest season kicks off here when Head for the Hills—a post-modern bluegrass, progressive string band—hits the stage with Daniel Rodriguez (of Elephant Revival) and Whippoorwill at Mishawaka Amphitheatre. mishawaka.ticketforce.com

Summit County’s Wilderness Sports may be closing down its Second Tracks Consignment shop upstairs, but the famed retailer still wants to give loyal customers a chance to buy/sell/trade used gear. The 9 a.m. swap kicks off a whole day of celebration for the coming summer and a cookoff—and it raises money for The Cycle Effect, an Eaglebased non profit that works to empowers young women through mountain biking. wildernesssports.com

M AY 11 | BELLVUE , CO

Upslope Get Down

New Belgium Brewing + Leopold Bros.

Beer & Whiskey Tasting

Dance to live music, eat great food, crush

Grab your tickets available on Eventbrite

M AY 11 | BOULDER, CO

by April 27 for this tasty event and look for Instagram updates here: @newbelgium_ thesource newbelgium.com

M AY 11 | FORT COLLINS, CO

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TELLURIDE JAZZ FESTIVAL AUGUST 9-11, 2019 | telluride, colorado

Trombone Shorty & O r l e a n s Av e n u e Lettuce Robert Randolph Victor Wooten BAND Cha Wa

SPAGA

Matthew Whitaker

Turkuaz

& The Family Band

Veronica Swift

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio

Mattson 2 play A Love Supreme

Battle of Santiago

Danny Green Trio plus strings LP and the Vinyl Tyree Morris & Hearts of Worship voodoo orchestra j-calvin Telluride Student All-Stars All-S Jazz Ensemble The Telluride All-Stars 25th Reunion Band LITTLE BIG BAND LA ONDA CARIBEñA KINGSTON WINTER stillwater all-stars THE MCCARTHY TRIO THE SPEAKEASY JAZZ QUARTET 26

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www. Telluridejazz .org

Bentgate Presents: Bike Packing with Justin Sumoni M AY 22 GOLDEN, CO

Are you bikepacking curious? Head to Bentgate to learn valuable tips and tricks from the experienced bikepacking fiend and La Sportiva athlete Justin Simoni, who will share a trip breakdown from the pages of the new bike packing guidebook he’s currently at work on.

Ebentgate.com L E V AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

MeadowGrass Music Festival M AY 24-26 COLOR ADO SPRINGS, CO

the 2019 festival guide Spend Memorial Day weekend shaking your thing to eclectic bands, hiking or hammocking with your fam and practicing yoga at the La Foret Conference & Retreat Center. rockymountainhighway.org/ meadowgrass6/

CKS PaddleFest

M AY 24-27 BUENA VISTA , CO

Held in the mountain town EO readers voted “Best of the Rockies,” this four-day paddling blowout includes comps and other fun events in whitewater, flatwater and land races in the heart of Buena Vista.

You can plunge in or simply kick back and enjoy the party. ckspaddlefest.com

Bluebird Music Festival M AY 25 BOULDER, CO

This second annual daylong musical happening at CU’s Macky Auditorium will feature Jim James, Gregory Alan Isakov, Neyla Pekarek and more. It benefits the Future Arts Foundation, which provides arts opportunities for Colorado youth. bluebirdmusicfestival.org

Denver Day of Rock M AY 25 DENVER, CO

This free one-day music event will feature five stages along Denver’s 16th Street Mall and benefit local non profit Amp the Cause. denverdayofrock.com

Fly Fishing 101

M AY 25 TABERNA SH, CO

Head to Devil's Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa to learn the basics of fly angling. devilsthumbranch.com

Bike Junkies Fest M AY 26 GOLDEN, CO

Join the party at this demo and ride festival at Golden Bike Shop. goldenbikeshop.com

Festival of the Brewpubs M AY 26 AR APAHOE BA SIN, CO

Plunge in to spring skiing, tunes and brews at A-Basin’s an endless corn snow and suds block party. arapahoebasin. com/event/festival-of-the-brewpubs

Bonfire Block Party M AY 3 1-JUNE 2 E AGLE , CO

Live music, food vendors and craft beer make this street fair a winner.

Don’t miss the Sunday Sayonara event with The Lil Smokies and tasty bloody marys and mimosas. Combine it with the Eagle Outside Festival (see below). bonfireblockparty.com

Eagle Outside Festival M AY 3 1-JUNE 2 E AGLE , CO

Test new bikes at the bustling demo and sign up for events like the RippinChix Skills Clinic or races like the new Enduro or the Intergalactic Footdown Championship. Finish up by getting down at The Bonfire Block Party (see above). eagleoutsidefestival.com

Campout for the Cause M AY 3 1-JUNE 2 BUENA VISTA , CO

Feel good about your festival vibe— the annual benefit Campout held in Buena Vista features music, yoga and lifestyle workshops with a positive focus on sustainability and community.

Campoutforthecause.org

Oskar Blues Burning Can at the Lyons Outdoor Games M AY 3 1 LYONS, CO

Partake in trail running, biking, yoga and kayaking—or bring your kids and watch them crush it—all while enjoying craft brew at this outdoor lifestyle throw down. oskarblues.com/burning-can-festival

FIVE FESTIVALS FOR RACERS

JUNE 21st Annual Buena Vista Bike Fest

GORPO Mountain games The real beauty of the Mountain Games is that it turns outdoor sports into spectator sports.

Eagle outside festival Take the opportunity to get out and enjoy the incredible singletrack that the good folks in Eagle have been building.

JUNE 1 BUENA VISTA , CO

FESTIVAL OF ONE BUENA VISTA'S 14ER FEST PUTS ATTENDEES OUT PLAYING IN THE MOUNTAINS.

Ride a stunning century route along the rolling hills of Turquoise Lake Road, around the Mineral Belt Trail, through the rarefied air of the historic Leadville Mining District—and turn around and head back to Buena Vista. bvbf.org

Animas River Days

Burning Can

JUNE 1 | DUR ANGO, CO

This is a multi-sport festival with a community vibe. After you race, you can just kick back and enjoy the music and the beer.

Durango embraces its lifeblood—its downtown river—with whitewater slalom, kayak rodeos, boatercross and SUP races. And all this paddling fun is packed into one Saturday afternoon. animasriverdays.com

CKS paddlefest

Upslope Brewing 5K Colorado Brewery Running Series

This year, the festival will benefit The River Fund at Chaffee County Community Foundation (CCCF), which helps support Buena Vista’s outstanding river park.

JUNE 2 BOULDER, CO

FIBARK The famed longest downriver race in the country is the crown jewel in a festival that draws the best paddlers in the world.

Join Colorado Brewery Running Series at Upslope Brewing for a 5k-ish course that starts and ends at this awesome brewery!

Weave through the surrounding area at whatever pace you like, no matter what, there’s a beer waiting for you at the finish line. upslopebrewing.com/events

ERk. Elephant Rock

JUNE 2 | CA STLE ROCK , CO

Head to the 30th iteration of this Colorado cycling classic to compete on three road

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Grand Targhee resort summer music festivals

JULY 12 - 14, 2019

AUGUST 9 - 11, 2019

TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS LOS LOBOS GALACTIC TAJ MAHAL QUARTET THE MOTET ANDERS OSBORNE NICKI BLUHM DUMPSTAPHUNK RYAN BINGHAM LARKIN POE AMY HELM HAWTHORNE ROOTS THE COMMONHEART

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS RAILROAD EARTH THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS SAM BUSH BAND DEL MCCOURY BAND MARK O’CONNOR BAND DAVID BROMBERG QUINTET TRAVELN’ MCCOURYS TOMMY EMANNUEL & JERRY DOUGLAS THE LIL SMOKIES JEFF AUSTIN BAND TOWN MOUNTAIN LANEY LOU AND THE BIRD DOGS LARRY KEEL EXPERIENCE JOE CRAVEN - ARTIST AT LARGE

GRANDTArGhEE.COM | 800 . TARGHEE (827.4433] | ALTA, WY 28

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courses (40, 62 and 100 miles) or two gravel routes (27 and 56 miles)—or hop along on a fun family ride (eight miles). rollmassif.com/elephantrock

FIVE beer FESTIVALS

Crawford Pioneer Days JUNE 6- 9 CR AWFORD, CO

Telluride Blues and Brews

Seeking a shot of old-fashioned charm?

Here you can enter a baking contest, holler in an auction, march in a parade or stand atop the throne in the outhouse crawfordcountry.org/crawfordEraces.

LEV AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M pioneer-days

No other festival combines beer and tunes with such big names.

Don't miss the Grand Tasting.

Upslope Get Down

2019 GoPro Mountain Games

The hoedown in Uplsope Brewery’s back parking lot in Boulder just proves the brand’s dedciation to its local vibe.

the 2019 festival guide JUNE 6- 9 VAIL , CO

Come join in on the country’s largest celebration of mountain sports or just ogle Olympians. Don’t miss three free nights of concerts, including Rapidgrass, Joan Osborne and Citizen Cope at the historic Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. mountaingames.com

Burning Can Oskar Blues can goddamn party.

Arapahoe Basin Festival of the Brewpubs

Hanuman

Spring skiing and snowboaring alongside beer tastings on the A-Basin Beach? See you there.

JUNE 13-16 BOULDER, CO

Open your heart and experience awakening, belonging and connection at this four-day celebration of world-class yoga, mind-blowing music, inspirational experiences and nourishing community. hanumanfestival.com

Brewers Rendezvous Salida’s beer cognoscneti gathering is a serious suds affair.

FIBArk

JUNE 13-16 SALIDA , CO

including Gramatik, Opiuo, Spoonbill, Zilla, Merkaba Sasha Rose and dozens more under the sparkling Colorado skies. sonicbloomfestival.com

FIBArk is the oldest whitewater festival in the world! The festival, best known for its paddling events, will include so much more this year, its 70th year. Head to downtown Salida for four days of whitewater, free music from national acts and an always hopping beer garden. fibark.net

Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival JUNE 2 1-23 CANON CIT Y, CO

Join in on two glorious days of boats, bands and beer along the Arkansas—and you might even take a scenic train ride along the gorge. royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com

North Fork Uncorked Paonia JUNE 14-16 HOTCHKISS, CO

Pop it open. The West Elk wine-makers invite you to North Fork Uncorked. Meet local wine-makers, take part in vineyard tours and tasting, and enjoy farm-to-table dinners or food-and-wine pairings with local chefs. westelksava.com/north-fork-uncorked

Denver PrideFest JUNE 15-16 DENVER, CO

Join 350,000 people of all orientations celebrating love and inclusion. denverpride.org

Dinner on the Divide JUNE 16 TABERNA SH, CO

Point it to Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort and Spa for a special farm-to-fork event featuring local farms, breweries and distilleries. The four-course menu includes wine pairings. devilsthumbranch.com

Vail Craft Beer Classic JUNE 2 1-23 VAIL , CO SEEING DOUBLE SEPTEMBER'S TELLURIDE BLUES AND BREWS IS THE FEST WE DREAM ABOUT ALL SEASON LONG.

Clear Creek Rapidgrass Bluegrass Festival JUNE 19 -20 IDAHO SPRINGS, CO

Low-key but delivering high-energy entertainment, this core fest features Rapidgrass the band and friends— it’s a no-brainer for bluegrass fans. clearcreekrapidgrass.com

favorite burger from an impressive, curated bracket of independently owned restaurants from across the Rocky Mountains. Yum. rockymountainburgerbattle.com

Telluride Bluegrass JUNE 20 -23 TELLURIDE , CO

Don’t miss the big daddy. Beyond the pickers, Sunday is going to be a special day with Brandi Carlile and Kacey Musgraves headlining. bluegrass.com

Rocky Mountain Burger Battle

Sonic Bloom Festival

Be there for this intense burger showdown! Taste and vote for your

Electronic music freaks rejoice! Join acts

JUNE 20 VAIL , CO

JUNE 20 -23 HUMMINGBIRD R ANCH, SPANISH PE AKS COUNT Y, CO

The Classic kicks off with the Sip of The Summit on Friday, June 21 with arguably the highest altitude beer tasting in the country. Saturday's Toast of Vail is the biggest tasting of the weekend and will feature a wide variety of breweries from around the country as well as various food vendors and live performances all in the heart of Vail Village. vailcraftbeerclassic.com

Keystone's Bacon and Bourbon Festival JUNE 22-23 | KE YSTONE , CO

What pairs better than bacon and bourbon? Top it off with a bacon Bloody Mary and hard lady rock from Hell’s Belles and the Sweet Lillies. keystonefestivals.com

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Keystone Festivals 2019 SUMMER LINE UP

PICK YOUR PASSION

WWW.KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM

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/KEYSTONEFESTIVALS

@KFESTIVALS

@KEYSTONEFESTIVALS

@KEYSTONEEVENTS

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the 2019 festival guide 10 Barrel Brewing Denver Deluxe JUNE 22 | DENVER, CO

30th Annual Colorado Brewers’ Festival

The Denver Deluxe combines all summer essentials for an incredible afternoon music fest. Jam to live music all afternoon with cold beers on tap and burgers flipping. The event will also feature live art from local street and graffiti artists. This is a family-friendly event and kids under 12 are free. denverdeluxe.com

JUNE 28-29 FORT COLLINS, CO

Gunnison River Festival

Salida Art Walk

This festival is more than fun and games: It celebrates the importance of clean water for everyone, bringing people together to celebrate at the headwaters of the Taylor and Gunnison Rivers and regional creeks off the Continental Divide. gunnisonriverfestival.com

The lovely annual Art Walk features exhibits from local and regional artists in many forms, including art demos, musicians and busking street performers. salidaartwalk.org

JUNE 22-24 GUNNISON, CO

Crested Butte Bike Week JUNE 27-30 CRESTED BUT TE , CO

You cannot call yourself a true fat-tire freak unless you crank it out at the world’s oldest mountain bike festival. cbchamber.com/events/cb-bike-week

Telluride Yoga Festival JUNE 27-30 TELLURIDE , CO

Now in its 12th year, this limber fest includes biking, slacklining and SUP yoga events. Bonus: The gondola ferries yogis between classes. tellurideyogafestival.com

This free hoppy happening features 150+ Colorado beers, 40+ Colorado breweries, an interactive Beer School with tastings and demonstrations, music vendors and food trucks. downtownfortcollins.com/ events/colorado-brewers-festival

JUNE 28-30 SALIDA , CO

Blues From the Top JUNE 29 -30 WINTER PARK , CO

Winter Park’s non-profit blues extravaganza brings some heat to the high country. It also serves as a showcase for young and up-and-coming blues artists. bluesfromthetop.org

FIVE fests for yogis Hanuman What better place to congregate for mutal practice and the chance of enlightenment than Boulder?

Arise This festival does it all, combining an inspired music lineup with yoga classes and community.

steamboat movement festival Chant and practice with Steph Schwartz at this chill gathering.

telluride yoga festival Groove with MC Yogi and take class with Gina Caputo, voted a resident badass by EO readers.

sonic bloom Expect to see your favorite yoga teacher swaying to the electronic beats at this relevatory rave.

Ridgway River Festival

Jam band fans will delight with three days of the Magic Beans and more in the heart of Vail Valley. Kill the hangover with a morning hike to the nearby Radium Hot Springs. beanstalkfestival.com

Float into this celebration of the Uncompahgre River and the Ridgway community. Events include SUP races, an inflatables race, a hard shells race and “Junk of the unc” race. Riverfest is produced by a Ouray nonprofit that

JUNE 29 RIDGWAY, CO

Rapids & Grass Beer Festival

JUNE 29 -JULY 1 BUENA VISTA , CO

KICK ASANA! FIND YOUR FLOW WITH YOGA AND LIVE MUSIC DURING BUENA VISTA'S CAMPOUT FOR THE CAUSE

It’s time to double dip.

For the price of one festival ticket here you get access to unlimited tastings from over 50 breweries. Enjoy shows at the Surf Hotel’s stunning Ivy Ballroom and the Beach Stage, where Head for the Hills will play on Friday evening. rgfest.com

On tap with KBCO JULY 7 LIT TLETON, CO

You won't want to miss soulsters St. Paul and the Broken Bones at the brewery!

Sign up for the ticket lottery now and make use of the ride share program. breckbrew.com

JULY

Beanstalk

JUNE 27-29 R ANCHO DEL RIO, CO

is dedicated to helping protect the Uncompahgre River watershed. ridgwayriverfest.org

Colorado Springs Art & Music FestivalGreen Box Arts Festival JULY 4-JULY 13 GREEN MOUNTAIN FALL S, CO

You can both enjoy and take part in the arts at this community festival in the shadow of Pikes Peak. greenboxarts.org

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the 2019 festival guide Crested Butte Wildflower Festival

Under the Big Sky Festival

If you want to celebrate summer in the mountains, head to one of the most colorful and beautiful festivals in Colorado. Be sure to get out on one of the insightful guided hikes. crestedbuttewildflowerfestival.com

This new Americana bash up in Whitefish should be worth the drive with headliners including Nathaniel Rateliff, Band of Horses, Jenny Lewis and Dwight Yoakam. underthebigskyfest.com

JULY 5-14 CRESTED BUT TE , CO

4th Annual Tequila & Taco Fiesta JULY 6 | WINTER PARK , CO

Top off one of the world’s best food and drink mixes with live music. playwinterpark.com/tequilaandtacos

Copper Live

JULY 6 COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO

Enjoy free music all summer long at these casual, but rocking concerts up at Copper Mountain. Plus the EO Live Outside and Play Tour will be here on this date! coppercolorado.com

Blues Under The Bridge, 91.5 KRCC JULY 13 COLOR ADO SPRINGS, CO

Now in it's 13th year, Blues Under the Bridge will celebrate with cool tunes from Tabb Benoit Nikki Hill and more. bluesunderthebridge.org

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JULY 13-14 WHITEFISH, MT

14th Annual Targhee Fest JULY 13-15 ALTA , W Y

Get high in the Tetons with pumping beats, great food and drink and the spirit of sustainability. Best of all, enjoy Targhee’s mellow, accepting vibe and dance with some new friends. grandtarghee.com/event/targhee-fest

Colorado Brewers Rendezvous JULY 13 SALIDA , CO

Suds take over historic downtown Salida, with over 75 Colorado breweries and 300 frosty samplings. salidachamber.org

Ride Festival

JULY 12-14 TELLURIDE , CO

Telluride’s new-school festival features heavy hitters including Widespread Panic, Rose Hill Drive and The Yawpers. ridefestival.com

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

FIVE fests for community campout for the cause This entire festival revolves around community. What more can you ask for?

hanuman Yoga is not a competition and the vibe at this festival focuses on how it can become a family.

denver pridefest Take over downtown with a massive crowd out to prove that love knows no boundaries.

rockygrass Sure, the musical lineup kicks ass, but it's the picking sessions after the show that make it real.

upslope get down The whole idea here is for Upslope to have fun with friends.

Frisco Triathlon JULY 13 FRISCO, CO

DIG IN!

This mountain-town- THE COORDINATED CHAOS OF THE style tri includes DOWNRIVER RACE SUP, mountain biking AT FIBARK IS A and trail running.

THING OF BEAUTY. friscorecreation.com

Steamboat Hot Air Balloon Rodeo JULY 13-14 STE AMBOAT, CO

If you have never taken to the sky in a hot air balloon, this is your big chance. Just don’t let that good old Steamboat cowboy attitude scare you off. steamboatchamber.com/signatureevents/hot-air-balloon-rodeo

Keystone Wine and Jazz JULY 13-14 KE YSTONE , CO

Lift a glass of Malbec and bob your head to fest favorites Dotsero. keystonefestivals.com

Global Dance Festival JULY 19 -20 DENVER, CO

Diplo, Excision, Kaskade, Black Tiger Sex Machine. Get moving. globaldancefestival.com

Hooplagers IV

JULY 20 -2 1 LONGMONT, COLOR ADO

FIVE resorts that love festivals

Float around in oversized pools while you get your mug filled with a refreshing lager, or relax on our sandy beach, Wibby Riviera style! Live island music will be pumping from the shaded pavilion's main stage or hit the silent-disco-arcade taking over the blacked-out, air-conditioned taproom. wibbybrewing.com

Keystone You will find fun happenings all summer long in the underrated village (plus you can ride the lifts M OC. S O O D Tdownhill U O Nbiking).

O I TAV E L E forR outstanding

Red Ants Pants

JULY 25-28 WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, MT

Vail

9102 eht lavitsef ediug

Montana’s big summer blowout will bring Patty Griffin, Shakey Graves, The Waifs, Valerie June, Colter Wall and more hot acts to the Treasure State. redantspantsmusicfestival.com

The Mountain Games make the entire village a playground.

Arapahoe Basin

A-Basin stays open all spring and the independent resort realizes that skiing and snowboarding are all about the community.

Oyster Ridge Music Festival JULY 26-28 KEMMERER, W Y

The Oyster Ridge Music Festival is Wyoming's Largest free festival.

Kemmerer is quirky and cool, too. oysterridgemusicfestival.com

Copper

Music is on tap all summer long.

Rockygrass

Targhee

JULY 26-28 | LYONS, CO

Wyoming's rocking resort in the Tetons hosts one of the very best music fests in the West.

The premier hoedown for bluegrass aficionados features Sam Bush, Punch Brothers (playing bluegrass), I’m With Her (the collaboration of Sara Watkins, Sara Jarosz and Aoife Donovan) and all the hot pickin’ you can handle. bluegrass.com/rockygrass

UPLIFT YOUR PRACTICE

Denver Summer Brew Fest

YOU JUST MIGHT FIND THE PERFECT MATCH FOR YOUR YOGA JOURNEY AT HANUMAN.

JULY 27 | DENVER, CO

Taste from a selection of 100+ beers, ciders and more from 40 different breweries at this annual throwdown. The action goes down at Denver’s Mile High Station spreading out into the parking lot where there will be live music and food trucks. brewfestevents.com

Sanitas Taco Fest

JULY 27 | BOULDER, CO

Come enjoy drinks from five craft breweries, 10 tacos vendors and men in tight pants and masks (a.k.a. lucha libre wrestlers). sanitastacofest.com

Copper Mac & Cheese Fest JULY 27-28 COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO

Gobble down indulgent, crafty, cheesy dishes at this extravagant get down. If samples are not big enough, you can stretch your tummy at the “eating.” Kids can partake in an afternoon of free funfilled activities and entertainment and everyone can boogie down to live music. coppercolorado.com

AUGUST Pickin’ in the Park

AUGUS T 1, 8, 15, 22 | PAONIA , CO

This 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 9, 16, 23—and hard cider from Delicious Orchards. pickinproductions.com

ARISE Music Festival AUGUS T 2-4 LOVEL AND, CO

Join EO's Live Outside and Play team and open yourself to this joyous event that celebrates community and life with music, yoga, camping, art and more. Slightly Stoopid, Trevor Hall, Fierce le Fev and more will keep your body moving all night long. arisefestival.com

Rhythms on the Rio AUGUS T 2-4 BOULDER, CO

Hosted by the South Fork Music Association this fest serves up a relaxed vibe at a beautiful site on the upper Rio Grande and will feature acts including the Gasoline Lollipops, Bill Nershi and Fruition. rhythmsontherio.com

Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival

Telluride Jazz Festival

AUGUS T 9 -11 | TELLURIDE , CO

AUGUS T 3-4 KE YSTONE , CO

Appalachia meets Colorado at this quintessential mountain festival. Add in drinks from 40+ craft breweries and you have one down-home weekend. keystonefestivals.com

Evergreen Town Race AUGUS T 4 E VERGREEN, CO

The real sophistcation hits Colorado’s favorite festival town with jazz in the box canyon. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue top an impressive lineup. telluridejazz.org

Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest AUGUS T 9 -11 FORT COLLINS, CO

This classic 5k or 10k run down the Upper Bear Creek Valley will be celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019. And feel good as you huff—the race benefits the Alpine Rescue Team. evergreentownrace.org

This free community music festival features 80+ Colorado bands on six stages of entertainment; more than 250 specialty, art and food booths; and a family-centered Kids’ Music Adventure and Kids’ World area. bohemiannights.org

Colorado FUNC Fest

Run the Rockies Trail Race

AUGUS T 9 -10 MONTROSE , CO

AUGUS T 10 | FRISCO, CO

Water sports enthusiasts, competitors, and the fun-loving Montrose community gather to enjoy the Fun on the Uncompahgre “FUNC Fest” at the Montrose Water Sports Park. visitmontrose.com

Get ready to set a new PR on this fast course along the Ten Mile Range. townoffrisco.com

Steamboat Movement Fest

AUGUS T 15-18 | STE AMBOAT, CO

Far more than yoga, this enlightened happening encourages conscious

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E L E V AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

the 2019 festival guide connection through music, movement and plenty of outdoor play. steamboatmovementfest.com

Colorado Classic

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival

Step aside bros. The premier, four-day Colorado Classic stage race, which is sponsored by just-moved-to-Denver VF Corp, is now solely for women. veloramafestival.com

Dig out the lederhosen and the dirndls and bring out the family for Keystone’s Oktoberfest. Earn your stein with Das Bier Burner 5K fun-run that kicks off the day. keystonefestivals.com

Trinidaddio Blues

Royal 50 Mountain Bike Race

AUGUS T 16-18 LYONS, CO

Kick back creekside on the Planet Bluegrass grounds and enjoy an all-star lineup this year, including Ani Difranco, Mandolin Orange and Ben Folds. bluegrass.com/folks

Keystone Mountain Town Music Festival AUGUS T 17 KE YSTONE , CO

Blind Pilot and Lone Bellow take the main stage while local food vendors line the streets concocting their best Colorado peach recipes capped off with fireworks over the village to wrap up the evening. keystonefestivals.com

2019 SBT GRVL Race

AUGUS T 17-18 STE AMBOAT SPRINGS, CO

SBT GRVL is a new, world-class gravel race experience held on the greatest gravel roads on Earth in magnificent Steamboat Springs. The town’s unique combination of the quiet roads surrounding a thriving resort town create an unmatched venue for a world-class gravel bike race action. sbtgrvl.com

AUGUS T 22-25 DENVER, CO

AUGUS T 24 | TRINIDAD, CO

Cruise down to the New Mexico border for this hot, end-of-summer happening that features Sugarray Rayford Band, Jaqui Gibson, Rick Estin and more. trinidaddiobluesfest.com

Four Corners Folk Festival AUGUS T 30 -SEPTEMBER 1 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO

Earls of Leicester, Billt Strings, Molly Tuttle—they’re all coming to this year’s fete. Spend your downtime soaking in Pagosas steamy pools. folkwest.com/fourcornersfolkfestival

Seven Peaks Festival

AUGUS T 30 -SEPTEMBER 1 BUENA VISTA , CO

The Collegiate Peaks will echo with roots music: Country star Dierks Bentley, in partnership with Live Nation, will once again hold the Seven Peaks Music Festival, a multi-stage country and bluegrass extravaganza. sevenpeaksfestival.com

Keystone Oktoberfest

AUGUS T 3 1 | KE YSTONE , CO

CAmpout for the cause The whole concept of this fest is for people to camp together, dance together and connect.

AUGUS T 3 1-SEPTEMBER 1 CAÑON CIT Y, CO

Turn your cranks on the outstanding Royal Gorge Park Trails. Sign up for a rugged race on either the 50- or 20-mile singletrack course and then celebrate at a post-ride party with music, food and plenty of beer at the Royal Gorge Bridge & Park. royal50.com

Copper Country

14er fest The celebration of the mountains surrounding Buena Vista is the perfect place to pitch a tent.

folks fest and Rockygrass Be sure to book camping ahead of time and enjoy the creek.

AUGUS T 3 1-SEPTEMBER 1 CAÑON CIT Y, CO

Copper’s annual free hoedown will get your boots movin’. Plus, kids will revel in the arts and crafts. coppercountryfest.com

A Taste of Colorado

AUGUS T 3 1- SEPTEMBER 2 DENVER, CO

FIVE festivals for camping

Arise Bring all that resonant, flowing love back to your camp site.

hard cider fest

The festival will continue its 36-year tradition of being the largest free admission food and music festival in Colorado. A Taste of Colorado has something for everyone with over 50

Pack your warm bag and snuggle into community camping at this big autumn blowout.

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A fun-loving, indie folk inspired, flannel themed fundraiser!

E L E V AT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

the 2019 festival guide food vendors, 175 marketplace vendors, a Kids Zone experience with arts, crafts and a children’s entertainment stage and the elevated music experience with a larger main stage featuring over 25 national and regional musical acts. atasteofcolorado.com

septemBER Septemberfest Eagle SEPTEMBER 6-7 E AGLE , CO

Break a sweat at the Mountain Rats at Septemberfest comps—a 50k, trail marathon and half marathon race on Saturday morning with the start and finish in Septemberfest's venue. septemberfesteagle.com

Telluride Blues and Brews SEPTEMBER 13-15 TELLURIDE , CO

This fall classic will feature Phil Lesh & The Terrapin Family Band, Boz Scaggs, TBA, Ryan Bingham and more—oh, and plenty of hoppy refreshment. The Grand Tasting is the perfect way to cap off the entire festival season with one big, extended toast. Extend the buzz with late-night concerts throughout town. tellurideblues.com

Including: Camping & Van Rally • All meals included • live music • cold beer • hiking • fly casting • rock climbing stand up paddling • Yoga and Sup yoga • cornhole tournament • bear & Mustache competition

September 27th –29th, 2019 Camp shady brook | Deckers, CO tix & info: upadowna.org/folk

Lead King Loop Charity Races

them goes down (where else?) in craft-beer central. Designate a driver. greatamericanbeerfestival.com

Run, walk, or hike the 25k loop around Lead King Basin or cheer the kids on as they run the 2.5k kids loop around Marble. Proceeds benefit the Marble Charter School. leadkingloop25k.com

Mountain Harvest

SEPTEMBER 15 MARBLE , CO

Pirate Fest

SEPTEMBER 20 -2 1 NORTHGLENN, CO

Costumes are very much encouraged at this celebraton of arggh that includes a traditional pirate feast, pirate music, raucous dancing and a costume contest.

And don't miss the Cardboat Boat Regatta races on Saturday. thepiratefest.com

Colorfest Weekend

SEPTEMBER 20 -22 PAGOSA SPRINGS, CO

SEPTEMBER 26-29 | PAONIA , CO

Tour the local wineries and farms and lace up your boots for a full lineup of roots music at this fall shindig. mountainharvestfestival.org

14er Fest

This homegrown Buena Vista fest brings together all disciplines of outdoor play: off-roading, mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing and trail running. Add in trail events, clinics, camping, live music and local libations and you have the premier event celebrating life among the peaks.

14erFest.com

OCTOBER

Great American Beer Festival

Stay tuned for details on the 17th edition of Michael Kirkpatrick’s costumesrequired good-time ball. michaelkirkpatrickmusic.com

The world's greatest gathering of brews and those who make and imbibe

Put your endurance to the test in the San Luis Valley in the fourth-annual iteration of this local favorite. Sign up to race solo, duo or trio teams on the epic 17-mile course. 12hoursofpenitence.com

8th Annual Hard Cider Fest Taste cider from all over Colorado at Big B's Delicious Orchards annual Hard Cider Fest. Top it off with finger-lickin’ BBQ, live music all day long and community camping in the orchard. bigbs.com

NOVEMBER Nitro Fest

Celebrate the peaceful, easy feeling of small-town Americana at this fall shindig that will wow you with a colorful hot air balloon mass ascension in downtown Pagosa Springs. visitpagosasprings.com

OCTOBER 3-5 DENVER, CO

OCTOBER 13 PENITENTE CANYON, SAN LUIS VALLE Y, CO

OCTOBER 26 HOTCHKISS, CO

SEPTEMBER 27-29 BUENA VISTA , CO

NOV EMBER 9 LONGMONT, CO

The Holler!ween XVII OCTOBER TBD FORT COLLINS, CO

12 Hours of Penitence MTB Race

It's a gas, gas, gas. Left Hand Brewing Foundation will host this sixth annual nitro-exclusive beer festival. That feeling that it just got crazy? It’s not the beer. The fest hires circus acts and encourages costumes. lhbfoundation.org/nitro-fest

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C O LO R A DO

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

rand Mesa GBYWAY N CO• HWY 6 5 M

GRANDMESABYWAY.COM

THE DROPS IN THE GUNNISON GORGE NCA

DNelta CouMnty

WESTERN SLOPE SUP

10,500 ft at a time!

GUNNISON GORGE NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA ~ BOB WICK

Be Inspired to Linger

Elevate Your Attitude

T HE L IF E | 05.1 9

ILLUSTRATION

BY JOSÉ G. GONZÁLEZ / JOSEGAGONZALEZ.COM

I

t’s mountain town music festival season. Thank sweet Lord. Few things in life compare to movin’ and groovin’ to twangy tunes in your favorite mountain town. Unfortunately, sometimes while you’re swayin’ and slammin’ corndogs you may run into a few folks that’ll turn the vibe from 11 to bummer in a hurry. Be on the lookout for these not-so-awesome festival characters.

TH E PATCH OU LI - O I LE D H I PPI E

For those not in the know, patchouli is a species of plant that smells like wet wool and unwashed camper ass. It’s a thick herb that grows on the undercarriage of mules and in the skin folds of overweight marmots. When the herb is made into a wearable fragrance, the offputting notes of gag-inducing yuck combine to create a nauseating bouquet that would make mouth-breathing in an over-filled festival port-a-potty after a road flare had been dropped down its pipe seem like a stroll in a flower shop. Neo-hippies use patchouli oil to combat skin problems such as cleanliness. You will smell this person before you see this person, and once you see this person you’ll think Ah, that smell makes sense.

TH E CU LTU R A L A PPRO PRI ATI O N GU YS- N - G A L S

Smell that? It’s the stench of obliviousness and “soft” racism. These festy folks are out for Instagram likes, because demeaning marginalized minority cultures is tres chic and totes adorbz. You’ll see these space cadets clicking selfies and staging “Oh, I didn’t see you taking my photo” photos while wearing bindis, face paint, sombreros, headdresses, dashikis or the like.

What pairs well with rock music and bluegrass in the shadow of precipitous peaks? Using one’s privilege to employ ignorance or the excuse “I’m honoring

by PADDY O’CONNELL the culture” while divesting cultural objects of their significance and meaning. Ugh.

TH E “ I WO RK OUT ” S H I RTLE S S GU Y

TH E “I TA K E M Y JO B V E RY S E RI OUS LY ” S ECU RIT Y GUA RD

This young man should be quite easy to spot. You see, this young man is very ripped and he wants all to see.

And wouldn’t ya know it, he just can’t seem to find his shirt. Oh, there it is, conveniently tucked into the back of his frayed cargo shorts. Why shirtless? Well, muscles radiate an extreme amount of bro body heat, like the gas venting of a fumarole or that sausage water that oozes out of a piping hot bratwurst. Because science.

Plus, this dude’s Axe Body Spray only increases that temp, as does his chest biceps masquerading as man nipples. This fest-goer will be wearing a straw Quicksilver beach hat and a pooka shell necklace. You can find him hitting on your girlfriend while quad-fisting beers. What’s today’s W.O.D.? Keg stands and loud inappropriate public behavior, of course.

TH E M O RE ZE N TH A N YOU FO LK S

TH E DRU N K , DRUGG E D A N D D ISO RDE RLY M O NS TE R

This uniformed bro has seen “Robocop” and “Cobra” one too many times. Most likely a police academy dropout or reject, this Oakley-clad, flat-top, Crossfitting, tribal-tattoo-having rent-a-cop is taking this weekend to hassle concert goers until next week when he’ll return to writing locals and tourists parking tickets on Main Street. He would love to rehash his high school third team honorable mention all-conference football stats with you if he wasn’t so concerned with checking your backpack for glass bottles and excess fun. Are you having a good time?

Not so fast.

This person will try to sell you a rock. Run away. Run away as fast as you can.

TH E “O FF M Y TA RP!” C A M P CH A I R GU Y

This is the same person who used to keep your ball if it flew over the fence and hit his grass. “In my yard, I keep it!” This person will be sitting in a folding chair, upset, protecting the boundaries of his blue tarp like a certain orange-faced, border-battling freak job.

H U L A H OO P H U M A NS

Sure, they’re just swingin’ hips and havin’ a good time but it’s hard to enjoy music if you catch a mouth full of glow-in-the-dark hoop. Especially when you realize no one in the history of hoopin’ has ever washed their hoop. Mmmm, greasy circular plastic. Tasty.

This Cro-Magnon uses guttural grunts to fain communication and is somehow already partiedout though the fest has just started. Standing still, or standing at all, is not in this cave-dwellers quiver.

Possibly shoeless with dirty furry feet that would make Bilbo sprint back to the Shire or completely unable to stand on unfortunate and terribly chosen hemp wedge sandals, the DDDM will be on a mission to run into as many festers as possible. You see, the DDDM has ingested enough party spirits to kill a pod of orcas and make Keith Richards exhort, “Really, dude?!” This gremlin will be on a terrifically wild path of fest destruction before crumpling into a skin-puddle of subdued drunkenness.

Give the DDDM a wide berth. Getting bumped into is easily brushed off. Vomit is not.

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Beer. Sports. Music. Camping.

burning can festival Lyons Outdoor games

Join us this year for a perfect weekend for lovers of adventure, beer, music, and camping. Nestled at the base of the Rocky Mountains, Lyons Colorado boasts a natural playground for runners, riders, kayakers, dogs, and climbers. Featuring adventures to see and do, a mountain-side beer fest with close to 100 breweries, world class athletes, beautiful camping, and a huge concert, the Burning Can Fest at the Lyons Outdoor Games is a don’t miss weekend!

Sat. June 1, 2019 | lyons, CO burni ngcancolor a d o.co m 40

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T HE W O R L D | 05.1 9

ZAMBIA RISING

by JESSI HACKETT

outheastern Zambia is well known for its picturesque safaris, with herds of elephants and big cats drawing tourists from across the globe. But head north to Solwezi near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo and you’ll find a different scene. This rural district’s notoriety lies with its large copper reserves. Follow a red-dirt road out of the city of Solwezi’s town center, and small villages dot the lush, green countryside where a tropical climate makes for warm weather year round.

Though it’s the capital of Zambia’s North-Western province, few Americans have Solwezi on their radar—especially mountain bikers. But while the usual day-to-day of Solwezi’s mining community carries on, a dedicated group of cyclists have been gaining recognition here and beyond as they train tirelessly on miles of singletrack they’ve helped build.

“This is Zambia’s first pro cycling team,” says coach and Colorado native Nora Richards. “We get asked by locals every day about how they can join, and we always tell them to get on their bikes and come to races.”

R

ichards, 28, grew up riding her bike down sketchy trails littered with rocks in Durango. Once she graduated from University of Colorado at Boulder where she raced downhill, she made her way to Solwezi to follow her now-husband Ryan Ellis, a native Zambian and a fellow zealot when it comes to all things cycling.

Solwezi revolves around the mining industry economically, and it got the cycling ball rolling here. In 2014, a senior member who was an avid biker at First Quantum Minerals’ (FQM) local Kanshanshi Mine decided he wanted to start a team. He’d

FRONT OF THE PACK THE FOUR MEMBERS OF ZAMBIA’S approach talented runners FEMALE PRO CYCLING TEAM HOPE TO and encourage them to join.

COMPETE INERNATIONALLY AND SPREAD And since Richards and Ellis A NATIONWIDE LOVE FOR THE SPORT. / were notorious local cyclists, PHOTO BY NORA RICHARDS always out riding and working it this year, representing the FQM Team. on trails, FQM recruited them Headquartered in Canada, FQM has been heavily in 2016 to ride for and help train a small, but elite team of involved in community development in Solwezi. “We want male racers—including Richards as the only female on to promote gender equity,” says Victor Nsana, the local the team. But by June 2018, she was putting together coordinator of sports activities with FQM’s Kansanshi Zambia’s first elite-level national team of fully sponsored Mine Foundation. female riders.

“This keeps women focused on a passion and they “Over those two years, I started to discover that I are more likely to keep away from early marriages. really liked coaching, and I wanted to make more of No one signs a contract as we do not want to hold the an impact in women’s cycling,” says Richards. “Today, cyclists down. They must be free to leave anytime,” we have four female riders. Once they were done with Nsana says. school, they could become fully sponsored and now this With young, mainstream riders like Red Bull’s Bianca is their full-time job.”

Haw as well as legends like Mountain Bike World Cup The racers range from ages 18 to 21, and in August racer Greg Minnaar, both from South Africa, pro cycling 2018, Richards was able to send one, Martha Sandondi, has a foothold in the continent. But Zambia may be 21, to Rwanda to attend a training camp with Team poised for a boom.

Africa Rising, a notable cycling organization. The team’s “Cycling was mainly for transportation. Now you see newest member, Rabecca Chiyuka, 21, smiles over a local kids riding on trails that previously were only used Skype call as she explains how she officially joined for carrying charcoal,” says Richards, who moved to the the team in 2018. “My dad is a cyclist and I always Zambian capital of Lusaka in early 2019, but will continue admired the sport,” Chiyuka says. So she competed in to help coaching at races and from afar. “Right now, not a village 30K race and placed sixth out of many Zambian women participate in sports.” approximately 150 cyclists, including men.

A big goal for the team is to get a Zambian cyclist to “That’s when my dad talked to Richards and the Olympics. “At the moment, that’s a possibility for one I was recruited,” she says. of the men,” says Richards. “For now, we’d like the ladies to be able to participate and hold their own for Zambia ot only does the mining in the World Cups.” And longterm, all four women on the company FQM cover a team want to study medicine or nursing. monthly salary, along with In April, Yama won the U23 event in the African fully sponsored housing, food, Continental Championships in Namibia, Africa’s equipment, race entry and equivalent to the Pan American Championships. travel, it also hosts major races within the “I want to grow my skills and become a true community, including the “1 Zambia MTB”, professional cyclist,” says Kadimba. “I want to coach (1zambiamtb.com), a scenic 250-kilometer others. I want to empower more young women. And I race through the African bush. Ruth want to represent Zambia.”

Kadimba, 19, and Anita Yama, 18, will race in

Cycling was mainly for transportation.

Now you sEe local kids riding on trails that previously were only used for carrying charcoal.

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Go for a float.

Bring friends.

Bring a cooler.

Bring snacks.

Bring a smile.

Definitely bring sunscreen.

Find your next adventure.

Come to Western Nebraska.

FloatWestNebraska.com

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B E S T G E A R | 05.1 9

The Blanket KLYMIT VERSA

FESTIVAL SEASON MUSTHAVES

When the sun sets and a cool downslope breeze hits the field, you’ll be glad you packed this 23-ounce, easyto-stash polyester-andsynthetic insulated blanket that can withstand spills and squalls—and keeps you cozy. $80; klymit.com

LONG DAYS OF MUSIC, ADVENTURE AND FUN CAN TAKE A LOT OF ENERGY. HERE’S THE GEAR TO KEEP YOU SHAKING INTO THE WEE HOURS.

The Sound System JBL BOOM BOX

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

The water Bottle PURIST FOUNDER Hydration is key to making the most of long summer days, and this 32-ounce wide-mouth has become our festival bottle of choice.

The glass finish on the interior—don’t worry, it doesn’t break—means the liquid in the bottle won’t pick up that nasty metallic taste, and sports-drink residue washes right out. $56; puristcollective.com

The Hat CHAOS MARTIN A trusty festival hat keeps you cool in all senses of the word.

The shapeable wire brim and adjustable suede chin strap on this baby ensure it stays fit. Plus, it's made to be crushed and stuffed in a bag. $32; chaoshats.com

If you want to bring the party back to your campsite (or even host a bash in your backyard) this big, loud bluetooth speaker has the bass (and volume) to pump up any gathering. Don’t worry about the weather or finding a place to plug in: It’s waterproof and holds a charge for 24 hours. $360; jbl.com

The Edibles WILLIE’S RESERVE CHOCOLATES A wide range of chocolates infused with THC—including dark, almond and, our favorite, Maui espresso bean—provide just the ticket for that sophisticated cannabis buzz. Each piece is dosed at 5mg, just enough to get you grooving.

Plus, Willie Nelson stands behind the brand. $16; williesreserve.com

The Shirt ARC’TERYX PELION POLO This snazzy, über-light merinowool polo will survive the crush of getting close to the stage with the patchouli-stink masses as well as summer hikes away from the fray, making it ideal not just for big gatherings but also for travel and even a nice dinner in the midst of an adventure road trip. $115; arcteryx.com

The Bag KAVU ROPESICLE The best festival gear excels by making it easier to walk across a hot field with all the stuff you need for an afternoon of chilling out. This stylish rope-strap bag is a winner, since it also serves as an insulated cooler (made to work with ice packs). $60; kavu.com

The Dancing Dress KRIMSON KLOVER NOVA The perfect festival dress combines function and fashion, with just enough style to stand out from the crowd without looking like a rave reject. Let’s sing the praises of the Nova: This classy polyesterblend dress is ideal for dancing with the crowds or a date. $98; krimsonklover.com

The Chair BIG AGNES MICA BASIN Plopping your ass down to enjoy tunes or just a cold beverage is an art made better by the proper tool. Enter Big Agnes’s new line of camp chairs. Made for backpacking and weighing just two pounds, this surprisingly comfortable seat is required gear if you are looking to stake out a spot in a hurry. $130; bigagnes.com

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JULY 27TH - 28TH Come and enjoy indulgent, crafty, cheesy dishes as our chefs deliver the yummiest most creative concoctions. If sampling is not enough, test your tummy in the eating competition. Kids can partake in an afternoon of fun-filled activities and entertainment. Enjoy live music all weekend.

FREE PARKING | DOG FRIENDLY | KIDS ACTIVITIES | HIKING. Visit CopperColorado.com Copper Mountain isn’t just a winter ski resort. With summer activities both on and off the mountain, a full 18-hole golf course and plenty of events, it’s the ultimate playground in the Colorado Rockies. Great summer lodging deals available.

HE A R T HI S | 05.1 9

Summer’s Best Festival Bands C ATC H T H E SE FI V E M US T-SEE AC T S T H I S SE A S O N .

F

by JEDD FERRIS estivals are busy affairs and it’s often tough to choose which bands you want to prioritize seeing. Nothing is worse than missing a legendary set or the big breakthrough from an up-and-coming act. To help you choose wisely, we offer this list of the top must-see bands at Colorado’s upcoming festivals.

S T. PAU L A N D TH E B RO K E N BO N E S Planet Bluegrass is about to get a blast of Southern soul. This hard-hitting eightpiece Alabama crew continues to evolve with subsequent albums after making a big, fast impression with its authentic vintage revivalism. Front and center is emotive lead singer Paul Janeway, a versatile vocal powerhouse, who can howl like a fiery preacher and croon like a tender-hearted lover as his horn-fueled backing band shifts tempos between down-anddirty funk and slow-burning R&B. The band’s latest album, “Young Sick Camellia,” is even more expansive, incorporating futuristic soundscapes and modern beats with help from producer Jack Splash. As Janeway puts it, “The record really flexes the muscle of this band. Musically, it’s a kaleidoscope of flavors and it covers a lot of ground.”

APPEARING AT: Folks Festival

B RO K E M OU NTA I N B LU EG R A SS BA N D The name Broke Mountain might not be familiar, but for avid string-band fans the faces certainly will be. The shortlived but beloved bluegrass crew from the early 2000s featured Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon, Anders Beck of Greensky Bluegrass and Travis Book of the Infamous Stringdusters long before they moved on to bigger successes in their current bands. Rounded out by guitar wizard Jon Stickley and mandolinist Robin Davis, the group will come together this summer for a rare reunion show, triumphantly taking the main stage at Telluride’s Town Park—the place where members used to cut their teeth picking in the campground.

APPEARING AT: Telluride Bluegrass Festival

TH E YAW PE RS The box canyon isn’t just for bluegrass.

Power chords and guitar-heavy jams also reverberate in Telluride every summer

CLASS ACTS NEYLA PEKAREK (TOP), SAINT PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES (BOTTOM RIGHT) AND RISING APPALACHIA (BOTTOM LEFT) WILL THRILL COLORADO'S FESTIVAL FAITHFUL. PHOTOS BY LIZA NELSON (TOP), CREDIT SAINT PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES (BOTTOM RIGHT), CREDIT RISING APPALACHIA

at the Ride Festival, which has become a southwestern Colorado staple since it debuted in 2012. This year, Widespread Panic and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit top the bill, but you should be sure to make time to see Denver-based garageblues trio the Yawpers.

Propelled by the throaty vocals and angst-fueled lyrics of front man Nate Cook, the band—named after the “barabric yawp” in Walt Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself”—blends fist-pumping distortion with heady depth. The band’s 2017 effort “Boy in a Well” was a critically hailed concept album about a tragedy set in World War II-era France that mingled scuzzy Delta blues and jangly proto-punk.

On the new release “Human Question,” the band’s third album for alt-country label Bloodshot Records, the group takes its raw sound in new roots-based directions.

There’s gospel fire in “Carry Me,” while “Dancing on My Knees” stomps along with hypnotic hill-country riffs.

APPEARING AT: Ride Festival

RIS I N G A PPA L ACH I A Good vibes abound in the sounds of Rising Appalachia—the longstanding world-folk band built around the ethereal harmonies of sisters Leah and Chloe Smith. With steady touring around the globe, the North Carolina outfit’s acoustic style has earned a loyal fan following that flocks to the group’s uplifting live shows. On May 3, the band will release “Leylines,” a new studio album produced by roots stalwart Joe Henry that also features an appearance by Ani DiFranco.

True to title, the lead single “Harmonize” features the Smith sisters gracefully combining their voices, enveloped in airy strings, to champion mindfulness as an enlightening path to self-empowerment.

APPEARING AT: Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Festival and Arise Festival

N E Y L A PE K A RE K Neyla Pekarek is best known as the

longtime cellist/vocalist in folk-rock heroes the Lumineers. Last year, though, she left the band to pursue a solo career and hasn’t wasted any time getting to work. Earlier this year, she hit the road with Devotchka and made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry.

In January, Pekarek also released her debut album, “Rattlesnake,” a rootsdriven collection of songs produced by indie troubadour M. Ward. The record is described by Pekarek as a “Folk Opera,” chronicling the life of “Rattlesnake” Kate McHale, a Colorado legend who singlehandedly killed 140 snakes to protect her young son.

In researching and creating the record, Pekarek was inspired by McHale’s courage and found symbolism that relates to her new career endeavor: “Snakes are symbols of rebirth and transformation,” she said in a statement on her new album. “It all felt really symbolic for me in this new adventure.”

APPEARING AT: Bluebird Music Festival

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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T HE R O A D | 05.1 9

Feet to the Ground H OW B U I L D I N G A LOV E O F T H E O U T D O O R S H EL P ED M E R E C L A I M T H E B L AC K A M ER I C A N D R E A M .

M

by PATRICIA A. CAMERON y grandmother had a dream for me. She never wanted me to work the land, unless I so desired. She spent much of her youth picking cotton in southeast Texas, where she and my great-grandmother picked cotton even though they were free women. I talk to my grandmother at least once a week. She’s 75, still sharp, and a little tight-lipped about her past unless I ask her specific questions.

To her, segregation was “just a thing.”

She talks about racism matter of factly, without anger or regret. It was what it was and she is eerily resigned when I remind her that it still is what it is.

I recently asked her just how poor she was. Without losing a beat she responded: “Poor. That’s it. Ain’t no other word for it.”

Grandma put that poverty behind her when she met my grandfather and eventually settled down in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Already the mother of one little girl (my mother) she was determined to leave the economic uncertainty and the small cabin deep in Texas behind her.

I am from a family full of matriarchs, another manifestation of broken and blended families, a generational curse that I’ve come to call a blessing. I’ve only ever known strong and determined women.

I’ve been to her childhood home a few times. I remember running barefoot between all of my aunt’s and uncle’s houses. The roads weren’t paved and you would know someone was coming by how the car kicked up red clouds as it rumbled over the dirt. Barbed wire kept the kids away from a huge tank filled with catfish around back, but, when I felt like it, I carefully maneuvered through the barbed fence to go play at the edge of the water.

What’s left of Dimebox, Texas, is as segregated as it ever was. The aging population is still divided by color in this town where my grandmother went to oneroom segregated schools. Old habits die

harder than the senior residents passing away into the night.

It’s important to connect my grandmother’s dreams to my own, because her story is inevitably my story, and the story of many black Americans.

I grew up in Temple Hills, Maryland, in the middle 50 percent. I had a childhood much like anyone else in my demographic. My grandmother tried to make me a ballerina—until I laid down on the studio floor and told her I hated ballet and I hated leotards and I wouldn’t get up unless she promised I wouldn’t have to come back. She tried to teach me piano and even went as far as to buy one for the house, but I was much more interested in rolling down the hills surrounding our cul-de-sacs boxed in by the neighboring Capital Beltway. My grandfather had a huge boat he would take to the Chesapeake and as often as I could I would ride off with him and help him bring home bushels of blue crab for my grandmother to steam.

W

e’ve come to understand the intersections that create many of the social issues we face.

Being black in the outdoors means you meet at one of those complicated intersections. From an actual fear of being harmed in the outdoors to the history of segregated park practices there are understandable barriers to confront when heading outdoors.

One of those roadblocks is wealth.

The wealth gap between black and white families has widened since my birth in 1983. According to the New York

CREATING REAL WEALTH

PATRICIA WITH HER MOTHER, G MOTHER AND GRE RA ATGRANDMOTHE NDR Times, the median black household experienced a 75 percent decline in wealth while the wealth of the median white household actually rose by 14 percent since that time. Much of that gap lies in home equity—buying property of value in neighborhoods of value can make the difference in what wealth your family will have for generations to come.

This is called “generational wealth.” As a whole, the millennial cohort has faced tremendous difficulties with becoming homeowners and building wealth and black families have struggled at far greater levels.

For instance, half of white new homeowners received down-payment assistance from their family while 90 percent of black first-time homeowners do it without any familial monetary assistance at all. My great-greatgrandfather gave his daughter—my great-grandmother—30 acres of land in Dimebox.

The dream my great-greatgrandfather had of passing land and equity down to his family has dissipated as homes in predominately black neighborhoods are assessed at lower

AUTHOR PATRICIA CAMERON IS BUILDING A SAFE SPACE AT CAROLE’S GRACELAND WHERE ANYONE CAN LEARN AND EMBRACE THE OUTDOORS. PHOTO

BY SETH K. HUGHES

values and predatory loans and financial practices have siphoned wealth away from black families. Finally, we’ve arrived at my generation, where the black homeownership rate is 44 percent compared to 73 percent for whites.

I

am from a family full of matriarchs, another manifestation of broken and blended families, a generational curse that I’ve come to call a blessing. I’ve only ever known strong and determined women. I’ve only known women who work and fight and love and cook and cry and take care of their families. I’ve never known how to quit or be quiet or wait for destiny to find me.

Perhaps it was that part of me that woke up when I found Colorado. When I moved here in 1995, I started to use the mountains as a compass like everyone else. But I always wanted to go west, further west, as far as possible, until one day I found myself living in Divide, Colorado. I found a man to show me and teach me everything he knew about

M AY 2 019 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

WR18COADV0192 - Print - Multipack - CO - E

PHOTO BY SETH K. HUGHES

this state and start a family with me. I bouldered for the first time, practiced climbing in a yard full of aspen trees, learned how to start and maintain a fire—all while pregnant with my son.

Unfortunately, years later, while staying in a domestic violence shelter, destiny did in fact, find me. I became a divorcee and a single mother.

Beyond those challenges, I feared raising my child in Colorado without giving him what everyone else who was raised here had: a proper knowledge of the outdoors. I wanted him to know how to swim and pitch a tent. What to do if he encountered a bear and how to snowboard. But my own education in the outdoors was truncated by violence and divorce. I didn’t have parents that could loan me a tent or teach me how to backpack. How would I teach my son?

If wealth were not a challenge when it comes to being black in the outdoors, then generational knowledge most certainly is. Even if I had the money, I didn’t know where to begin.

Motivated by wanting to seamlessly transition from a two-parent household into a one-parent household, I turned to Google for help. I worked overtime for weeks and finally one day, I invested in enough gear to get me through a night outdoors. Next, I taught myself how to

I bouldered for the first time, practiced climbing in a yard full of aspen trees, learned how to start and maintain a fire—all while pregnant with my son. Unfortunately, years later, while staying in a domestic violence shelter, destiny did in fact, find me. I became a divorcee and a single mother. pack my backpack. I didn’t know what products I needed to filter water, or even how to filter water. I read everything I could on solo wilderness backpacking.

What I didn’t learn from reading I learned on the trail the hard way. Now, my son proudly tells his friends how his mom taught him how to fish.

As I was building this life in Colorado,

I never forgot the land my family owned and worked. That experience followed me to the Rockies where I spend as much time as I can with my bare feet touching a ground that is as arid here as was it was in Texas. I’m also as Maryland as ever, with the remnants of a southern accent and I’ve come to find out I’m a natural with a fishing pole.

I don’t like to say I own land. I don’t believe land can be tamed enough to be owned. But I’ve put my name and dreams into some land I have purchased in the mountains with the hope that I can tap into the same spirit of my family. I am calling it Carole’s Graceland, in honor of two women my investor lost.

In that vein, I’ve also created Blackpackers LLC. My goal is to get as many people out into nature as I can, and to completely subsidize the cost of those expeditions. I want to pass on what I know of Colorado as generational knowledge to my community. I want to pass on land as generational wealth to the next generation of outdoors.

It was nature that helped me bridge the gap between the future my family believed in and the dreams I’ve fought for. Carole’s Graceland will become a homestead, a campground and a safe space as long as this black woman’s name is associated with that land.

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E LWAY V IL L E | 05.1 9

The Music of Words T H E P ER S O N A L LY R I C S A N D N A R R AT I V E S W E W R I T E S TAY W I T H US—A N D S O M E T I M E S T H E Y E V EN CO M E B AC K A RO U N D.

I

by PETER KRAY remember reading how jazz legend Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker used to love country music. He would play it on the jukebox at his favorite bars.

When his friends asked him how he could listen to something so corny, he said something along the lines of, “I like the stories the songs tell.”

I feel the same way about country— especially when I’m driving on a highway late at night—and also about blues, soul and rock and roll. If you play me Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane,” Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” or Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing,” I will fall into a kind of trance, as if the story contained in the music and lyrics were something I had never felt before yet had always known.

Or more appropriately, remembering how it felt so good it to hear the song the first time, I wanted to keep hearing more.

In college, I wrote a two-page love letter based on The Grateful Dead’s version of Wilson Pickett’s timeless latenight love anthem, “The Midnight Hour.”

It felt really good to make an essay out of a song, making music into words.

There were also some lyrics I started writing around the same time. I put them in a big black book that said “Notes,” on the cover. I thought someday I might pair them to chords, but no one needs to hear me sing, and even fewer need to hear me play guitar.

A LOV E O F LE T TE RS

The fascination with notebooks, journals and scribbled scraps of paper has stood the test of time for me, however. Other than dogs, fresh snow and kind people, nothing makes me happier than sitting down with a blank page and a pen, stringing sentences together.

It’s a family thing (like our clan’s unceasing fascination with sweet, naughty English Labradors). My Mom’s younger sister, Harriet, has recently begun sharing the letters and speeches of my great grandfather, nicknamed “Skipper” for his love of boats, who lived to be 101, and who was an accomplished guitarist.

In a speech to his surviving Cornell Class of 1899 classmates, delivered in April of 1957, he said, “I look upon the years since 1899 as one long postgraduate course, majoring in human relations and the study of mankind. Being something of an extrovert, I have found that the yield has been substantial.”

After sharing one of the letters, Harriet recounted how every night he said to

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Illustration by KEVIN HOWDESHELL / THEBRAVEUNION.COM

his wife, “I love you, Eva.” To which she always replied, “And isn’t that a good thing?” They were married for 65 years.

One of my cousins is a successful author. And I personally have Moleskines filled with manifesto-like notes scribbled down while riding sunlit chairlifts, watching out the windows of planes, or sitting on an après-stool at the bar.

I take notes of the funny things my wife says, such as how someone is as interesting “as an unsalted potato chip.”

Or at the clinic for a recent ski injury, when she said, “If there are sick people in there, I’ll just go wait in the car.”

What people say to each other fascinates me. As Bird said, I love the stories that we tell.

A TH OUS A N D WO RDS

In an antique store in Little Falls, New York, my grandfather found a photo of his own grandparents and his mother on horseback in front of the house he grew up in, and bought it without telling the

E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 9

salesman a word.

I have a copy of it on my office windowsill. Right next to it is a photo of my wife basking in the late September light on the Arno River in Florence, Italy, with Sophia Loren-like sunglasses she bought at an open-air market. Wherever we have gone, Edinburgh, Lake Como or even Mazatlan, the locals speak to her in their own language, because of the mystery in her eyes I think, and her long red hair.

In the photo is a notebook with a cover like a Navajo rug at her elbow, and together she and that book and the open-ended pathway of that river winding through town create a perfect mix of European sun-stroked coolness and her own personal American savoir faire.

I left that book on a plane coming back from Las Vegas after a snow sports industry trade show. With it, I lost the details of Assisi and the Basilica of St. Francis, the rolling fields on the morning flight into Munich, a draft of a short story about “Europa,” and Catherine’s own lists

of the styles she saw, and the addresses and phone numbers of our hotels.

That same notebook was returned to me more than a year later, by a Southwest employee named Brooks, with a four stanza poem that began: “It’s always sad when something’s lost when what was yours is gone, and the hope that it will be found is what keeps us going on.”

He didn’t want me to share my gratitude with his bosses. He joked, “They might start to expect it of me.”

But I always think of him when I pull that notebook off the shelf, and all those memories come flooding back like a favorite song on the radio.

—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? BUY IT HERE AND READ IT NOW: AMZN.TO/2LMZPVN

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