Elevation Outdoors Early Summer 2022

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FIND YOUR groove The Festival Guide

The Season Is Finally Here LEAVE NO TRACE

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Best River Trips

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IN THIS ISSUE

E A R LY S U M M E R 2 0 2 2

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Small town charm.

Amazing arts and culture.

Easy mountain access.

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BACK IN ACTION: We can’t wait to get back to all the festivals and outdoor events—especially

the illustrious FIBArk—we love so much after a COVID-induced hiatus. (see page 20).

DEPARTMENTS 7 EDITOR'S LETTER A night at the Bluerbird Music Festival proves how songs can heal us.

9 QUICK HITS Timmy O’Neill reflects on the joys of life and the long shadow of mortality; the best ways to communicate and share the ethics of Leave No Trace out on the trail; climber Kai Lightner has a plan to make the sport more inclusive; these dogs save horses; women in Yosemite; rambling through Grand County; and a new gear library.

14 FLASHPOINT Here’s how the departure of Outdoor Retailer will impact Colorado and what the state’s new Director of the Office of Outdoor Recreation Conor Hall plans to do in the big show’s absence.

17 HOT SPOT The water is high and its time to roll on the river.

Here are three of our favorite trips, with good for whitewater junkies, anglers, and casual paddlers alike.

19 OPINION White supremacy and microaggressions are ingrained in our society and outdoor culture but if we all are aware of our actions we can move forward.

31 THE ROAD A year after leaving fulltime van life to embrace a rooted existence, our writer realizes that trail (and particularly mountain) running brings her full circle to why she goes outside in the first place.

34 ELWAYVILLE There are a lot of things wrong with the world right now. But music isn’t one of them. Peter Kray can’t wait to reimmerse himself in the scene.

FEATURES 2O THE ELEVATION OUTDOORS 2022 MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL GUIDE It’s back! Things will start to feel a little bit normal this summer and you can celebrate a little bit of life with other humans at these famed Rocky Mountain festivals. Music, beer, dancing, art, sport— it’s all here and waiting for you to get out on a classic road trip with bikes, SUPs, tents, and loved ones.

27 PADDLING GEAR Swag to float your boat 29 FLY FISHING GEAR Heres everything you need to catch those trout.

ON THE COVER Dan Gavere enjoys a moment of tranquility at Cottonwood Lake near Buena Vista.

By Zach Mahone zachmahonecom Instagram @zach_photo

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

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CONTRIBUTORS | 05.22 What are you going to do to make you feel most alive this summer?

E DI TOR-I N -CHI E F

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

doug@elevationoutdoors.com PRE SI DE N T / PUBLI SHE R

BLAKE DEMASO

blake@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

CAMERON MARTINDELL

cameron@elevationoutdoors.com DE PUT Y E DI TOR

TRACY ROSS

SE N I OR E DI TOR

CHRIS KASSAR

AN ECLECTIC

OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE

10.08.22

COPY E DI TOR

BEVIN WALLACE E DI TOR-AT-LARG E

PETER KRAY

CON T RI BUT I N G E DI TORS

AARON BIBLE, ROB COPPOLILLO, LIAM DORAN, JAMES DZIEZYNSKI, HUDSON LINDENBERGER, SONYA LOONEY, CHRIS VAN LEUVEN CON T RI BUT I N G WRI T E RS

AMELIA ARVESEN, JOSHUA BERMAN, JEFF BLUMENFELD, PARKER MCMULLEN BUSHMAN, KATIE HEARSUM, ARIELLA NARDIZZI, TIMMY O'NEILL, DANI REYES-ACOSTA ADVERTISING + BUSINESS ASSOCI AT E PUBLI SHE R

HANNAH COOPER

hannah@elevationoutdoors.com SE N I OR ACCOUN T E XE CUT I VE

MARTHA EVANS

martha@elevationoutdoors.com BUSI N E SS M AN AG E R

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@elevationoutdoors.com CI RCULAT I ON I N QUI RI E S

circulation@elevationoutdoors.com DIGITAL MEDIA

3 DISTANCES 165 | 99 | 38

ON LI N E DI RE CTOR

CRAIG SNODGRASS DI G I TAL E DI TOR

RYAN MICHELLE SCAVO P U B L I S H E D BY ©2022 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

@theraddirt

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THERADDIRT.COM

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SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

Listening to live music under the stars and standing on top of peaks with people dear to my heart.

HANNAH COOPER

I'll be experiencing the magic of a Colorado summer through the eyes of my toddler.

CAMERON MARTINDELL

Jumping in mountain lakes, midnight stargazing, oh, and trying to keep up with my kiddos on bikes.

TRACY ROSS

Lying on the ground next to a river. That always makes me feel human and primordial.

RYAN MICHELLE SCAVO

I plan to play, play, play!

From signing up to ride the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde to floating the Rio Grande to hitting as many music festivals as possible.

JOSHUA BERMAN

I'll be hiking the 75 best trails in Colorado this summer, most of them at sunrise, as research for my next book, Moon Colorado Hiking.

ARIELLA NARDIZZI

I will be getting off the grid to thru-hike 250plus miles of beautiful, remote wilderness on the John Muir Trail.

AARON BIBLE

I'm going to travel and continue to spend as much time outside every day that I can.

DANI REYES-ACOSTA I’m going to run some high alpine traverses— and question my humanity along the way.

TIMMY O'NEILL

Playing music, climbing cliffs, paddling rivers, and sharing it all with wonderful people.

PETER KRAY

Plant more trees.

EDITOR'S LETTER | 05.22

BEAUTIFUL AND REAL LIVE MUSIC WILL HELP US MOVE ON FROM SEASONS OF ISOL ATION AND GRIEF.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

COURTESY BLUEBIRD MUSIC FESTIVAL/LAUREN HARTMAN

L

ast month I was lucky enough to attend the Sunday night event at the Bluebird Music Festival here in Boulder. I don’t know if it’s just because we have been denied live music during COVID or if the artists were particularly keyed up for the venue, but it was a show—featuring three powerful women artists—that left my heart pumping and reaffirmed how important live music is to my life. Syrian-American singer songwriter Bedouine—whom The Colorado Sound (105.5 FM) presenter Ron Bostwick compared to Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen—kicked it off, bringing the crowd to a lovely and powerful catharsis with her song “Louise” (meaning “light” in Armenian), in honor of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which resulted in the deaths of up to 1.5 million people in the early 20th century. And even if we couldn’t understand the words, the beauty of the song brought a feeling of hope over that incomprehensible legacy of violence to the silent crowd at Macky Auditorium.

Things got rowdy after that.

Country rocker Margo Price and her band burst on with a high-energy show that made me want to break bottles against chicken wire. When a problem with the sound system stopped the show momentarily, she and her husband/guitarist, Jeremy Ivey, played acoustic, singing to a single mic together until the band could come back on. Even if the crowd was politely positioned (but head bopping) in Mackey’s seats instead of dancing in shitkickers in some honky tonk, the show filled me with that spontaneous energy that only live music can—and made me remember how much I miss

HEART SONG: WAXAHATCHEE WOWED THE CROWD AT THE BLUEBIRD MUSIC FESTIVAL.

that communal connection concerts give us.

Waxahatchee ended the night with a set that drew on her 2020 album St. Cloud, which deals with the difficulties of longing, relationships, sobriety—and is simply a beautiful, perfect collection of songs. Coming out just as lockdown hit, St. Cloud got me through that period of global isolation. I would listen to the album on my way to ski at Eldora, feeling the groove and emotion of that music in my bones driving up Coal Creek Canyon. It’s actually one of those albums I like so much I’ll try not to listen to it too often—it’s precious, to be savored. Beyond, COVID, the past two years were a tough slog in my life. The King Soopers shooting left 10 dead in the heart of our neighborhood; a friend was shot in the back; the Marshall fire left other friends homeless; the NCAR fire had me evacuated and wondering what’s actually meaningful in my own possessions; and one of my dearest friends lost both his children in a car crash. In the midst of all that personal and collective sorrow, Waxahatchee gave me something beautiful and very real. For me, the live show felt like a way to move forward from grief. The show was a personal celebration of making it and finding complex beauty in a shattered world.

As was the Bluebird Music Festival.

The event is a fundraiser for the Future Arts Foundation, which makes sure kids have musical instruments in a time when schools (and perhaps our whole bottom-line focused society) can’t seem to see the value of arts. It also raised money to buy instruments for kids who lost theirs in the Marshall Fire.

I hope you will attend next year. Indeed, I hope you will attend so many of the music and sport festivals in this issue of Elevation Outdoors and reconnect to community, to music, and to what makes you feel fully alive in the midst of so much challenge.

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QUICK HITS | 05.22

MICAH DASH (LEFT), THAD FRIDAY, AND TIMMY O'NEILL IN GREENLAND'S IN THE NALUMOSTOQ VALLEY IN 2003.

JAY FIITZGERALD/JF35MM.COM

DECIDING HOW WE LIVE Almost 20 years ago, Micah Dash, Thad Friday, Nathan Martin, and I visited the granite walls in southern Greenland. We bonded over fried salami and cheese under an excavated kitchen overhang, to combat the constant Arctic drizzle. While Micah and I yammered like jays, Thad and Nathan competed for the fewest monosyllables. When the sun appeared, we completed new routes and first free accents. We lived free and fully. Micah died climbing in China in 2009; Thad was killed in a fall in Eldorado Canyon in March.

I am the last man standing in the photo above. What strikes me in the image is the intense grief of a young death—no more chances to listen, learn, and love. It’s no consolation to die doing what you love, as Thad would never want climbing seen as too dangerous and foolhardy.

A person first dies with their body, and again when no one remembers them. So I live with the joy and sincerity of Thad and the energy and zest Micah embodied in their love of our climbing family. We don’t predict how or when we die, but we do decide how and when we live. I know Thad would love for us to climb with his memory and have our actions speak louder and more loving than any words. He’d nod yes!

—Timmy O’Neill

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COMMUNICATION COUNTS

that they may get fined or ticketed for stepping off trail in Yellowstone or in a high alpine environment,” Reinhold says in an email interview, “explain how fragile those ecosystems are.

Instead of yelling at someone for having their dog off leash, explain how dog waste can contaminate water sources and that many people have had traumatic experiences with dogs and do not wish to be approached by them while in nature.”

This is called the “authority of the resource,” as opposed to the “authority of the agency,” and was developed by Dr. George N. Wallace. It is an empathy-based approach, the first step of which is to give people the benefit of the doubt in all situations.

—Joshua Berman

H OW W E SH A R E T H E L E AV E N O T R AC E P R I N C I P L E S W I T H OT H ER S I S J US T A S I M P O RTA N T A S SE T T I N G T H E R I G H T E X A M P L E.

delivering Leave No Trace tidbits of wisdom on your other social media feeds, everyone agrees that you can’t just go shouting and preaching about “rules.” You need to be more suave than that if you want folks to listen and follow through.

First of all, teaching the seven principles begins with modeling.

Creating a shared culture of picking up trash, leaving campsites cleaner than we found them, being prepared and courteous, not cutting across switchbacks—that all comes from doing it in front of your kids (and in front of students, friends, and strangers).

When it comes to actually explaining, teaching, or reminding folks about Leave No Trace, there are a few important

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OFFICAL FUN: NATIONAL PARK RANGERS PARTICIPATE IN A LEAVE NO TRACE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP.

ideas to keep in mind. “I find that people really need to understand the ‘why’ before they can get to ‘why I should care,’” says Mary O'Malley, a peak steward volunteer with the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative who has frequent opportunities to educate hikers. “When you invite them to care by actually educating them as to why the principles are even needed, I feel like people then realize they're part of a bigger picture.”

Steven Reinhold, owner of The Appalachian Adventure Company in North Carolina, agrees.

“Instead of warning someone

BE THE CHANGE K A I L I G H T N ER ’ S C L I M B I N G FOR CHANGE ANNOUNCES N E W G R A N T P RO G R A M Kai Lightner, professional rock climber and founder of Climbing for Change (C4C), is promoting a new program he hopes will establish more equality within the outdoor industry, connecting brands with historically underrepresented professionals in a new way.

“We have been working hard to continuously evaluate the current state of diversity initiatives across the industry and create new programs to address current gaps,” says Lightner. “Our

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COURTESY OF LEAVE NO TRACE

Leave No Trace and its seven guiding principles—can you name them right now? lnt. org/why/7-principles/—have been around since the boom of outdoor recreation in the 1960s and ’70s. Sure, we take for granted that these ethics are normal, accepted behavior. But the number of trash-strewn campgrounds out there suggests otherwise. The relevance of Leave No Trace (lnt. org) has only increased with the number of hikers and campers and the ethic is still one of the best bridges to this newer, oftenless-aware crowd. But how do those in the know best convey those principles?

If seven principles feels like too many to teach, there’s a shorter version too, called the “Leave No Trace Basics,” published in English and Spanish.

These need-to-knows are: Know Before You Go / Vaya Preparado, Don't Be a Party Pooper / ¿Qué hacer con los desechos?, Trash Talk / Hablando de Basura, and Better Together / Juntos Somos Mejores.

But once you have these principles down, how do you relay them? Whether you’re in-person on the trail, in the comment section of a hiking/ camping Facebook group, or

SOLID BELAY: KAI LIGHTNER (LEFT) AIMS

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY KAI LIGHTNER, COURTESY GRAND COUNTY TOURISM

TO BRING REAL INCLUSIVITY TO THE CLIMBING COMMUNITY.

PBO (Project-Based Opportunity) grants will hopefully continue to move the needle forward and help inspire inclusivity in these spaces we enjoy.”

C4C’s goal is to continue to revolutionize climbing by bringing more diversity into the sport and increase minority participation by removing barriers to entry. The C4C grant takes Lighter’s vision a step further and directly addresses the shortcomings of the broader outdoor adventure industry, connecting brands with talented professionals for paid, projectbased work.

Current projects are centered around graphic design, market research, and app development; but going forward C4C hopes to encompass all facets of business including sales, marketing, finance, product development, HR, project management, and more.

“The diversity gap in the outdoor sector is well known,” Lightner continues, “Company executives have expressed a desire to hire diverse talent but cite difficulty in identifying qualified applicants.

I have worked with incredibly talented BIPOC individuals that are creators, engineers, programmers … we have skilled professionals in all fields.”

Lightner said they developed the grant program to address this hiring gap. “We want to connect companies with highly skilled individuals from diverse backgrounds. In doing so, we will be providing grantees with the opportunity to work with national and international brands to showcase their talents, and perhaps open the door for future opportunities,” he says.

Brands involved in the inaugural grant kick-off include: Adidas Terrex, Adidas Five Ten, and USA Climbing. Brands looking to get involved should send an email to grants@ climbing4change.org.

Anyone interested in applying for the upcoming projects can visit climbing4change.org.

—Aaron H. Bible

EAT, PLAY, STAY: GRAND COUNTY, COLORADO M O U N TA I N B I K I N G , FI SH I N G , H I K I N G , A N D R EM OT E CAMPING ABOUND IN THIS O N E -S TO P P L AYG RO U N D. Located a two-hour drive from Denver, Grand County has grown to include a slew of new restaurants, hotels, shops, and recreational offerings. The rural landscape— which covers more ground than the state of Rhode Island—features four lakes, two ski resorts, and one national park, plus seven distinct small towns to explore.

EAT

Grand County has ranching roots, so it’s a great place to indulge a hankering for red meat. The Fitch Ranch Café (fitchranchmeatsandmarket.com) in Granby sources its sirloin from the family ranch down the road for dishes like corned beef hash and chicken fried steak. Enjoying a classic cheeseburger and milkshake combo from Miyauchi’s Snack Bar is a must during Grand Lake summers. And the Brisket Mania Pizza at the Middle Park Meat Company is worth the scenic drive down the Colorado River Headwaters National Scenic Byway to Kremmling. The town

of Fraser is your best bet for craft booze, with three breweries, a distillery, and a winery all within a few blocks radius.

PLAY

Although Trestle Bike Park is Grand County’s crown jewel for downhill mountain biking, visitors should also check out Granby Ranch (great for families).

A seemingly infinite number of trails in the surrounding Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forest and Indian Peaks Wilderness areas are easily accessible— including a portion of the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail—for hiking, snowshoeing, and camping (just keep an eye on local fire restrictions, as the county experienced a devastating wildfire—one of the largest in Colorado history—in the fall of 2020). Anglers will find an abundance of brookies and German browns on the Fraser and Colorado rivers, and those who drop a line into Lake Granby or Grand Lake, the largest alpine lake in Colorado, might reel in a monster

laker. For a truly local experience, the High Country Stampede Rodeo (highcountrystampede.com) is the place to be on summertime Friday nights.

STAY

The county has seen several newcomers to the hotel scene expanding lodging options for all budgets. Gravity Haus (gravityhaus.com) in Winter Park features a cutting-edge fitness center, hip cocktail lounge and its signature “haus quiver” amenity, where members have access to a gear closet stocked with top-ofthe-line skis, bikes, paddle boards, and more. Families love the River Run RV Resort in Granby, where your campsite or cabin rental provides access to a swimming pool, bowling alley, and two onsite bars. For a romantic getaway, it doesn’t get much more idyllic than cozying up in a cabin in the woods such as those at the Grand Lake Lodge (grandlakelodge.com) or Colorado Cabin Adventures (coloradocabinadventures.com).

—Katie Hearsum

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EQUINE MINDER: BERNADETTE SPILLANE, PRESIDENT OF HAPPY DOG RANCH FOUNDATION, POSES WITH A RESCUE HORSE.

can be a pretty ugly road for horses no longer deemed desirable. We rescue horses and, in the act of saving them, we save people.”

Learn more: happydogranch.org

S AV I N G H O R SE S A N D P E O P L E

Griffin was a three-year old thoroughbred racehorse considered unrideable by an eastern racetrack. About to be euthanized, he was shipped instead to a nonprofit 53-acre rescue ranch in Littleton, Colorado, adjacent to Chatfield State Park.

“He was very sensitive and untouchable. We had a hard time working with him,” says Bernadette Spillane, president of Happy Dog Ranch Foundation.

Then something amazing happened: Griffin walked right up to a young boy with Fragile X Syndrome, which causes intellectual disability. The horse put his head on the boy’s chest.

“Weirdly, things immediately changed for both the boy and the horse,” says Spillane. “It’s as if horses know something that we

—Jeff Blumenfeld

don’t. It’s so beautiful, personal, and touching to see how this enormous animal can operate at this level of sensitivity.”

Since 2006, up to 3,000 people have come to the facility to work with horses. Some are therapists learning the latest techniques; others are volunteers tasked with caring for 40 horses; and still more are veterans suffering from PTSD, recovering addicts, victims of domestic violence, breast cancer survivors, people with autistism, “younger onset” Alzheimer’s patients, and at-risk teens.

Happy Dog is often the last stop for troublesome horses whose owners can no longer care for them. It’s a last stop for many people as well,” says Spillane. “It

LIBRARY OF EVERYTHING T H E ROA RI N G F O RK G E A R LI B R A RY I N C A RBO N DA LE A I MS TO M A K E T H E O U T DOO RS M O RE ACCE S SI B L E. Imagine paying one dollar to have access to a wide supply of outdoor gear at your fingertips.

At the Roaring Fork Gear Library in Carbondale, this dream has become a reality for many, thanks to founders Kyle Watts and Olivia Lewis (libraryofeverything.com).

Nicknamed the “Library of Everything,” the nonprofit is on a mission to promote equal access to the outdoors. An annual

membership costs $1 for locals and Roaring Fork Valley residents, and $30 for visitors and tourists, which grants members free access to all the gear.

Kyle Watts, manager and cofounder, grew up in the Roaring Fork Valley and has seen the lack of access to the outdoors first-hand.

“The economic disparity is apparent. It doesn't take a local to realize there is a need to provide outdoor equipment for those who can either not afford it or just want to give it a try before investing money into a new outdoor activity,” Watts says.

While it has a range of equipment available—such as skis, snowboards, bikes, kayaks, camping and fishing equipment, and more—the library relies on community donations for its gear and wants to see the inventory continue to expand.

According to Watts, “Our goal is to level the playing field when it comes to accessibility to the outdoors and to provide a resource that the whole community can utilize.”

—Ariella Nardizzi

© 2022 Eagles Nest Outfitters, Inc.

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FLASHPOINT | 05.22

HERE’S HOW THE DEPARTURE OF OUTDOOR RETAILER WILL IMPACT COLORADO AND WHAT CONOR HALL, THE STATE’S NEW DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION PL ANS TO DO IN ITS ABSENCE.

by AMELA ARVESEN

W

hen Colorado created its Office of Outdoor Recreation in 2015, Conor Hall told Gov. John Hickenlooper and other leaders that outside his role at The Trust for Public Land, the only other job in state government he could envision himself wanting was leading the new department.

Now, Hall, who grew up in Crestone and has dedicated his career to outdoor issues, is fulfilling that vision at a salient juncture for Colorado’s outdoor recreation

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BUTT END: OUTDOOR RETAILER IS LEAVING DENVER TO RETURN TO UTAH.

and then return live with far fewer attendees as well as the costs of holding the event in Denver made Outdoor Retailer reconsider the move. Marisa Nicholson, the show’s director, said in a statement that spending the last five years in Colorado has not brought the intended political change in Utah and that engagement on pertinent public lands issues would be better achieved in Salt Lake City. “We will push back, not pull back,” she wrote.

Nicholson claimed the move was also due to logistics and costs. “We were working closely with Denver officials to try and find a location for on-water (access) for our paddle community, and also bike and hiking trails—the ability to do different outdoor activities in order for people not only to test gear but footwear and various products,” she told the Denver Post . “Our demo in 2019 took over an hour and a half in each direction because of the amount of traffic on the roads. It made it really problematic because

SCOTT MARTIN

OUTDOOR GRAVITY

industry. Not only is the industry Convention Center, drew brands, in the midst of redefining itself, athletes, advocates, and artists all Outdoor Retailer, historically under the same banner, looking considered its biggest event, to prove how the outdoor industry decided to leave the state of could become not just an economic Colorado to return to Utah only a force but also a political influencer. month after Hall Luis Benitez, took office. the director of “We’re excited to Colorado’s Office of “I VIEW THIS AS AN host it one final time Outdoor Recreation OPPORTUNIT Y TO in June,” Hall says. at the time saw S TA R T F R E S H A N D “But I also think if the move as a big C R E AT E S O M E T H I N G we’re being honest, win for a state with N E W I N I T S S P A C E .” they’ve got some forward-thinking — C O N O R H A L L— real challenges to views on public keep it relevant and lands. “The outdoor bring it back to what it was. I wish recreation community not only them the best in doing that. More serves as a significant economic than anything, I view this as an driver for our state and our nation, opportunity to start fresh and create but it also plays an important role something new in its space.” in contributing to the national dialogue regarding important issues around climate change, access to public lands, and the promotion Outdoor Retailer originally left Salt of health and wellness,” he said at Lake City for Denver in 2018 in the time. “We are honored to have protest of Utah legislators’ push the responsibility of helping lead for President Donald Trump to this dialogue at a national level and revoke Bears Ears as a national creating a legacy for our state to be monument. The move to Colorado proud of.” energized the outdoor industry and But two years of COVID-19 the show, held at Denver’s Colorado that caused the show to go online

people felt like they were spending more time commuting back and forth than being able to participate in the demo itself.”

But with brands, including Patagonia and The North Face panning on boycotting a Utah show, the indsutry has been left without a central gathering point. Even though Hall and his team are still in the early days of reimagining a platform to fill Outdoor Retailer’s void in Colorado, he is clear that a new gathering wouldn’t be in direct competition with the show or Utah, as divisiveness is the last obstacle the industry needs. His intention is to keep Colorado at the industry’s center by collaborating with stakeholders who consider the state an important touchstone for its natural resources, talent pipeline, brands, and outdoor recreation ecosystem.

“It’s been a really fun process of dreaming up an event that’s better aligned with the industry and more inclusive of folks across different sectors of the industry and Colorado,” says Hall.

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY COLORADO OFFICE OF OUTDOOR RECREATION, IAN FORMAN

New Perspectives Only in the last five years has the industry fully realized its size and potential. The Outdoor Industry Association first measured itself as an $887 billion economic driver in 2017, and then the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis quantified the industry as being larger than agriculture and oil. Those numbers took into account all aspects of outdoor recreation, however, from RVers and boaters to hunters and anglers to backpackers and climbers to snowsports.

But with stakeholders in every corner, some longtimers view the industry’s broadening and widening as an identity crisis. “I hear people who have been in the industry longer than me and who are probably smarter than me say we are losing our center of gravity.

What is the outdoor industry?

What does it even mean?” says Brady Robinson, who is currently unaffiliated but previously led nonprofits like The Conservation Alliance and Access Fund.

The answer depends on who you ask, says Kim Miller, CEO of Scarpa in Boulder. As it pertains to OREC’s priorities, he says the definition contains all the different subcommunities of activities, including walking in open spaces and skiing in the backcountry.

“Just look at how outdoor sports participants and outdoor sports in general have changed,” Miller says.

“That’s where the answer starts to show up. Those changes, in my opinion, are the forces that help us

evolve and are the things we should be paying attention to.”

With or without a trade event, the industry is flourishing and evolving in Colorado. Robinson says it’s better that it’s becoming less of an insider’s club. However, he adds, if the benefit of being a juggernaut is bringing everyone into the fold, the sacrifice might be losing a north star to unify around. Traditionally, he says, that guiding light was conservation and protection of public lands and natural resources.

Miller sees the industry’s priorities as sustainability and access, especially for underrepresented populations.

But with conflicting interests and priorities come more disagreements and confusion—a potential setback when it comes to engaging policymakers. “If we can come up with one coherent approach, we collectively are going to have a bigger chance of actually making an impact as opposed to canceling each other out,” Robinson says.

While Outdoor Retailer was a platform for those debates, the show’s departure doesn’t change the fabric of Colorado, Miller says. The outdoor businesses and organizations like

MAN WITH THE PLAN: HALL (SECOND FROM LEFT) POSES WITH THE OREC TEAM.

Scarpa, VF Corporation, The Alpine Club, and others who call Colorado home remain mostly aligned.

“This industry, while it is wildly decentralized and disparate in some ways, is massive when it’s all put together,” says Hall. “It’s a sleeping giant that has never been able to really come together to use its voice in the same way that most other industries, like pharmaceutical, automotive, and agricultural, have been able to do.”

Hall’s task is to make space for the disparate entities to agree. “One of our jobs as Colorado’s Office of Outdoor Recreation is to create that common ground amongst all those disparate parts and to serve as a convening force,” he says.

Amelia Arvesen writes about the outdoor industry and environment.

She’s also the creator of a newsletter called Honing Her Craft (@honinghercraft), about creative womxn in various industries sharing their secrets to success.

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BRING THE FAM! FROM SCENIC CHAIR RIDES TO GUIDED HIKES AND SO MUCH MORE, TARGHEE HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERY ADVENTURER.

SUMMER AT TARGHEE Grand Targhee Resort is a year-round mountain resort situated in the Western slope of the Tetons in Alta, Wyoming.

Located in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest it’s a mountain biker and adventure-lovers paradise. The mountain serves up over 70 miles of multi-use trails for hiking and biking, including 18+ miles of lift-served downhill trails and 50+ miles flowing cross-country trails. Plan your next adventure and escape to the Tetons this summer.

RIDE THE TETONS ALTA WY. | WWW.GRANDTARGHEE.COM | 800.827.4433

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HOT SPOT | 05.22

ROLL ON A RIVER THESE THREE CL ASSIC RIVER TRIPS TAKE YOU INTO THE WILD AND BACK AGAIN.

by CHRIS KASSAR

O

nce the waters start to rise, they’ll be calling your name.

Whether you’re looking for a longer lazy meander, a heart-thumping adventure, or a fishing-focused trip, we’ve got you covered.

ZACH MAHONE

Ruby Horsethief Loma, Colorado, to Westwater, Utah Looking for an easy-going rafting adventure complete with big sandy beaches, stunning red rock canyons and arches, and day hikes that allow for deeper exploration? Look no further. This 25-mile stretch of mostly flat water with sections of class I and II rapids has all this and more, including wildlife viewing opportunities, petroglyphs, desert waterfalls, and the chance to kick back and take in the oranges and reds of Vishnu schist, the same ancient rock you’ll find in the Grand Canyon.

PERFECT FOR: First-time overnight raft trips, family floats, learning how to row, watching wildlife

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Overnight camping permits required year-round must be reserved in advance: recreation.gov/ permits/74466. You can find full trip requirements here: recreation.gov/ permits/74466/additional-informatio.

Maximum of 25 individuals per group, including adults, children, and dogs.

DO YOUR PART: Please remember and respect the fire ban for RubyHorsethief Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Westwater Canyon Westwater to Cisco Just finished Ruby-Horsethief and looking for more whitewater?

Experienced boaters can add this challenging 17-mile stretch to lengthen the trip. Or, with 11 named rapids ranging in difficulty from Class I to Class IV, a trip down Westwater Canyon can stand on its own as a long day adventure or an overnight.

Your experience will depend largely on water levels, so time your trip based on what you seek. Lower levels (2,000 to 7,000 cubic feet per second, or cfs) make the trip a more technical class III, while mid-level flows (7,000 to 12,000 cfs ) deliver splashy and fun class III. In the “terrible teens” (13,000-20,000 cfs), the hydraulics pack a punch and Westwater morphs into a serious class IV with sparse (if any) eddies between rapids. Water levels over 20,000 cfs, turn the canyon into fast moving flatwater.

No matter what, this trip offers the chance to experience unique desert geology (you’ll see Grand Canyon rock here, too) and interesting historical sites,

including a cave used by outlaws who made Ruby-Horsethief and Westwater a home base in the Wild West.

PERFECT FOR: Experienced boaters— this is a challenging stretch of river at all water levels.

MAKE IT HAPPEN: Permits are required year-round. Only one night is allowed in the canyon so decide if you’d like to camp before or after the rapids. recreation.gov/permits/621744.

DO YOUR PART: If you visit the Miner’s Cabin, Outlaw Cave, or any other site with historical artifacts, please be respectful and don’t touch anything.

Blue River Green Mountain Reservoir to Confluence with Colorado Covering a 680-square-mile area west of the Continental Divide in central Colorado, the Blue River watershed—which drains an impressive range of elevations, from 14,265 feet on Quandary Peak to 7,400 feet where it meets the Colorado River—encompasses undulating plains, rolling rangelands and agricultural fields, developed urban areas, historic mining sites, and untouched high-alpine environs including swaths of the Tenmile, Mosquito, and Gore ranges.

This 14-mile section of the Blue, between Green Mountain Reservoir and its confluence with the Colorado River, runs through Gold Medal Waters and provides a haven for trout and

AWAY FROM IT ALL: WESTWATER CANYON SERVES UP BIG WATER AND SOLITUDE.

people alike. Green Mountain Canyon, a 3-mile stretch below the reservoir is ideal for a mellow float that includes fishing. Those continuing on below Green Mountain Canyon should be experienced on the oars and utilize a craft that is appropriate for current water levels. The water on this stretch is characterized by rock garden rapids and can be challenging class II and III, which requires some technical moves.

A solid portion of the float travels through private property so there are no opportunities for stopping, resting, or taking off of the river.

Those with the skills to float the entire length will find a section of water largely free from angling pressure, and thus teeming with wildlife and trout, especially rainbow and browns. Here, the Blue cuts through arid, wide-open ranching country covered in fragrant sage—a very different landscape than its upper reaches.

PERFECT FOR: Anglers and intermediate to experienced boaters seeking a scenic, isolated float or fishing day trip MAKE IT HAPPEN: No permits required.

Area outfitters may offer shuttle service.

Be prepared for a lack of developed facilities for launching and/or taking off of the river as most put-ins and takeouts are unimproved, undeveloped, and even require a belay rope for your boat.

DO YOUR PART: If you’re fishing, trout must be returned to water immediately.

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TOP AND SIDE PROTECTION in our helmets.

Various construction methods of our harnesses.

Longevity of our carabiners.

THESE ARE THE PETZL DIFFERENCES WORTH JUSTIFYING. © 2022 - Petzl Distribution - JEREMIAH WATT

Half Page running_Elevation Outdoors.indd 2

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4/13/22 4:32 PM

OPINION | 05.22

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION WHITE SUPREMACY AND MICROAGGRESSIONS ARE INGR AINED IN OUR SOCIET Y AND OUTDOOR CULTURE, BUT, IF WE ALL ARE AWARE OF OUR ACTIONS, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

by PARKER MCMULLLEN BUSHMAN, AKA KWEEN WERK

COURTESY PARKER MCMULLEN BUSHMAN

I

n 1997, I worked as a full-time counselor at a summer camp with a Native American theme.

Campers were divided into the Shawnee,Cherokee, and Muskogee tribes. Throughout the week, children would compete in activities to try to win the coveted “tribal shield.” The camp’s talent show was held in an auditorium described as the “air-conditioned tepee,” and every week counselors would perform a fake Native American love story during a ceremony called “The Pageant.” I participated, even wearing a feathered headpiece designed for female counselors while the male counselors wore headdresses. I still think about the children I worked with and the harmful stereotypes I helped perpetuate among them.

During this time in my life, I was woefully unaware of the ongoing genocide against Indigenous people in the U.S. The camp’s activities not only gave campers an inaccurate representation of Indigenous customs; they also helped perpetuate the idea of the “extinct Native American.” These harmful stereotypes disrespect and degrade Native people.

In my early 20s, I worked at an environmental education center that hosted an event known as the “Underground Railroad Activity.”

Students would pretend to be slaves in a traveling choir accompanying their master. Toward the end of the activity, a lantern would be lit and a quilt hung to signal that the students could enter a safehouse, where they waited in a dark room while the local “police” visited the house looking for escaped slaves.

The folks upstairs would yell that they knew slaves were hiding in the house, threatening to find them and take them back. The activity concluded with a short discussion that lacked any semblance of depth or nuance. By participating, I was complicit in how this activity impacted both the students and myself.

Years later, I was again challenged

in a different way. The director of a new outdoor spaces. Under these same environmental organization where I was systems, Black, Indigenous, people working would bring her dog to work. of color (BIPOC) are often forced The dog noticeably only barked at Black to assimilate in order to survive— people. She sometimes referred to her such as by subscribing to white pet as her “little KKK supremacy. Although dog,” saying it had a accountability for “bad experience” with upholding white a Black person. One of supremacy is WHILE my colleagues, a Black absolutely necessary, REMEMBERING OUR man from Philadelphia, BIPOC survival is often PA S T WRONGS IS eventually approached bartered with our I M P O R TA N T, I T ’ S me about the ability to conform.

A L S O I M P O R TA N T director’s reference. I These previous T H AT W E A N S W E R shrugged and told him events are all prime THESE WRONGS that it was okay. “It’s examples of structural WITH VIGOROUS just the South,” I said. bias and assimilation ACTION AND In a moment to white supremacy.

CHANGE. when I should Albeit subconscious, have supported my I acknowledge that fellow Black colleague, I excused the my participation was in alignment director’s actions, minimizing both of with white supremacy. For BIPOC, our experiences. In a way, I thought the risks for addressing racism are that I was protecting my colleague. The astronomically different. I could've director’s behavior was reprehensible been the one who lost my only on many levels, but I was worried source of income, socially outcast, about the ramifications of calling it out and suffering the consequences publicly. By shrugging off my colleague’s for confronting bigotry, while the concern, I was actually protecting the perpetrator might not even receive director’s racism. disciplinary action. This is the narrative for BIPOC across industries. The ublic Lands are often developed outdoors are no different. through the same legislative Reading the literature of those systems that once prohibited at the margins of these systems and Black people from entering certain seeking out intentional affinity groups

"

P

DOING THE WERK: “KWEEN“ STANDS FOR KEEP WIDENING ENVIRONMENTAL ENGAGEMENT NARRATIVES—SOMETHING WE ALL WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE.

help to build courage and community.

Still, education and allyship are only one part of the solution.

While remembering our past wrongs is important, it’s also important that we answer these wrongs with vigorous action and change. If you have any semblance of power in our white supremacist country, you can act now to elevate the perspectives disregarded in key business decisions.

We can’t dismantle the systems that continue to harm us if those at the margins of our society have no seat at the table.

I—like everyone on this journey— am still in the process of unlearning some of the problematic behaviors that our white supremacist society encourages. I’m not perfect, but I’ve come a long way. Everyone is affected by white supremacy. Nobody’s perfect.

Therefore, we’re all capable of growth and change. Acknowledging our past transgressions is the first step.

Follow Kween Werk on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikToc and learn more at kweenwerk.com.

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the 2022

ELEVATION OUTDOORS FESTIVAL GUIDE

IT’S BACK! THINGS WILL START TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT NORMAL THIS SUMMER AND YOU CAN CELEBRATE A LITTLE BIT OF LIFE WITH OTHER HUMANS AT THESE FAMED ROCKY MOUNTAIN FESTIVALS. MUSIC, BEER, DANCING, ART, SPORT—IT’S ALL HERE AND WAITING FOR YOU TO GET TO THESE FESTS ON A CLASSIC ROAD TRIP WITH BIKES, SUPS, TENTS, AND LOVED ONES. DIG INTO THE GUIDE. MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND WE WILL SEE YOU OUT THERE.

BY DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

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MAY Food Truck Carnival May 13–15,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

Upslope Get Down May 7, Boulder, CO Dance to live music, eat great food, crush 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

Head for the Hills Pickin’ on the Poudre May 14, Bellvue, CO Colorado fest season kicks off here when Head for the Hills—a post-modern bluegrass, progressive string band—hits the stage with the Horsetooth Horns and Tejon Street Corner Thieves and Morsel at Mishawaka Amphitheatre. mishawaka.com

OPPOSITE PAGE COURTESY PLANET BLUEGRASS. THIS PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY PLANET BLUEGRASS, BLUES FROM THE TOP,

MeadowGrass Music Festival May 27–29, Colorado Springs, CO

FIBArk June 16–19, Salida, CO

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

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 73rd year.

Head to downtown Salida for four days of whitewater, free music from national acts and an always hopping beer garden. fibark.net

CKS PaddleFest May 27–30, Buena Vista, CO Held in the mountain town EO readers voted “Best of the Rockies,” this fourday 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

ARISE Music Festival May 27–30, Boone, CO Open yourself to this joyous event that celebrates community and life with music, yoga, camping, art and more. Alison Wonderland, Galactic, The Polish Ambassador and more will keep your body moving all night long. arisefestival.com

Denver Day of Rock May 28, Denver, CO Don’t miss this free one-day music event will feature four stages along Denver’s 16th Street Mall and benefit local non profit Amp the Cause. denverdayofrock.com TIS THE SEASON: THE DAYS OF ISOLATION ARE OVER. IT’S TIME TO DANCE, DRINK, AND BE MERRY (AND REMEMBER TO RECYLE).

Telluride Bluegrass June 16–19,Telluride, CO

Festival of the Brewpubs May 29, Arapahoe Basin, 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-ofthe-brewpub

JUNE Eagle Block Party June 3–5, Eagle, 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. eagleoutside.com

Animas River Days June 3–5, Durango, CO 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

2022 GoPro Mountain Games June 7–12, 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 Twiddle, Grace Potter and Gov’t Mule at the historic Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. mountaingames.com

Gunnison River Festival June 10–12, Gunnison, CO 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

Don’t miss the big daddy. Beyond the pickers, Sunday is going to be a special day with Phil Lesh and Friends headlining. bluegrass.com

Sonic Bloom Festival June 16–19, Hummingbird Ranch, Spanish Peaks County, CO Electronic music freaks rejoice!

Join acts including Tipper, Lettuce, Lab Group, and dozens more under the sparkling Colorado skies. sonicbloomfestival.com

Denver PrideFest June 25–26, Denver, CO Join 350,000 people of all orientations celebrating love and inclusion. denverpride.org

Keystone’s Bacon and Bourbon Festival June 25–26, Keystone, CO What pairs better than bacon and bourbon? Top it off with a bacon Bloody Mary. keystonefestivals.com

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Telluride Yoga Festival June 23–26, Telluride, CO Now in its 15th year, this limber fest includes biking, slacklining and SUP yoga events. Bonus: The gondola ferries yogis between classes. tellurideyogafestival.com

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY PLANET BLUEGRASS, COURTESY GOPROMOUNTAIN GAMES

Salida Art Walk June 23–26, Salida, CO 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

Ridgway River Festival June 25, Ridgway, CO 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 is dedicated to helping protect the Uncompahgre River watershed. ridgwayriverfest.org

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 CLASSIC VISTAS: THE MAGIC OF TELLURIDE (TOP), MOUNTAINS OF MUSIC (BOTTOM)

JULY

Keystone Wine and Jazz July 16–17, Keystone, CO

Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival July 22–23, Canon City, CO

Ride Festival July 6–10, Telluride, CO

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

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

Telluride’s new-school festival features acts including James McMurty, Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown, and Danille Ponder. ridefestival.com

Crested Butte Wildflower Festival July 8–17, Crested Butte, CO 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

Hanuman July 14-17, 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

Oyster Ridge Music Festival July 22–23, Kemmerer, W Y The Oyster Ridge Music Festival is Wyoming’s Largest free festival.

Kemmerer is quirky and cool, too. oysterridgemusicfestival.com

Keystone Mountain Town Music Series July 2, 9, and 30; August 13 and 20, Keystone, CO The Mountain Town Music Series celebrates the sunny afternoons of summer in Keystone with outdoor concerts in River Run Village, complemented by a variety of other entertainment throughout the day. keystonefestivals.com

Under the Big Sky Festival July 15–17, Whitefish, MT This new Americana bash up in Whitefish should be worth the drive with headliners including Lord Huron, turnpike Troubadours, and Cody Jinks. underthebigskyfest.com E A R LY S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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KEYSTONE FESTIVALS CHEERS TO 2022!

FOR THE FULL SUMMER EVENT LINE UP VISIT: KEYSTONEFESTIVALS.COM

YOU CAN’T DO THIS IN THE MOUNTAINS. Sure you could go rafting or tubing.

The rivers are fast, cold, and full of rocks.

Do you really want to take the kids?

Kids need adventures.

Families need adventures.

So go tanking.

Bring everyone, the kids, the dog, everyone.

Go for a float.

Down a peaceful spring-fed river.

Let the kids splash and play.

Enjoy the sun.

Enjoy the outdoors.

Find your next adventure.

Come to Western Nebraska.

TankWestNebraska.com

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Rockygrass July 29–31, Lyons, CO The premier hoedown for bluegrass aficionados features Sam Bush, Punch Brothers (playing bluegrass), Hot Rize, Steep Canyon Rangers, Yonder Mountain String Band, and all the hot pickin’ you can handle. bluegrass. com/rockygrass

AUGUST Pickin’ in the Park August 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. pickinproductions.com

TOP TO BOTTOM: COURTESY FIBARK, COURTESY KEYSTONE FESTIVALS, COURTESY GOPROMOUNTAIN GAMES

Keystone Bluegrass and Beer Festival August 6–7, Keystone, 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

Telluride Jazz Festival August 12–14, Telluride, CO The real sophistcation hits Colorado’s favorite festival town with jazz in the box canyon. The Motet, Yola, and Rufus Reid top an impressive lineup. telluridejazz.org

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival August 12–14, Lyons, CO Kick back creekside on the Planet Bluegrass grounds and enjoy an allstar lineup this year, including Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Ani Difranco, Sarah Jarosz, and Indigo Girls. bluegrass.com/folks

Trinidaddio Blues August 26–27, Trinidad, CO Cruise down to the New Mexico border for this hot, end-of-summer happening that features Bernard Allison, Vanessa Collier, Bob Margolin and more. trinidaddiobluesfest.com

FESTY SESSIONS: DIG IN THIS SUMMER FOR WHITEWATER, TUNES, AND JUMPING DOGS.

SEPTEMBER Four Corners Folk Festival September 2–4, Pagosa Springs, CO Yonder Mountain Strnig Band, Gangstagrass, Heratless Bastards— they’re all coming to this year’s fete.

Spend your downtime soaking in Pagosas steamy pools. folkwest.com/ fourcornersfolkfestival

Seven Peaks Festival September 2–4, 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 September 3, Keystone, CO Dig out the lederhosen and the dirndls and bring out the family for Keystone’s Oktoberfest. Earn your Bavarian steeze at the stein hoisting contests. keystonefestivals.com

Telluride Blues and Brews September 16–18, Telluride, CO This fall classic will feature Buddy Guy, Gov’t Mule, John Hiatt and the Goners, Ceelo Green 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

Mountain Harvest September 23–25 | 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

OCTOBER Great American Beer Festival October 6–8, Denver, CO The world’s greatest gathering of brews and those who make and imbibe them goes down (where else?) in craft-beer central. Designate a driver. greatamericanbeerfestival.com E A R LY S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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Quality fly fishing gear Driven by Performance and Function

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THE GOODS | 05.22

WATERWORLD! OUR PICKS FOR THE L ATEST, GREATEST PADDLING GEAR WILL GET YOU OUT EXPLORING AND ENJOYING THOSE LONG, SWEET SUMMER DAYS.

by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

1. Kokopelli Nirvana Self-Bailing X Big and beefy enough to take on major endeavors, this self-bailing pack raft can run whitewater and haul a bike or backpack, but it’s still easy to hike the boat into remote spots. It rolls down to just 14 inches by 10 inches and tips the scales at an impressive 16.2 pounds with key accessories. Don’t worry that this packability makes it any less of a performer on the water—the Kevlar construction on the floor and up the sidewalls can handle a lot of abuse. $1,499; kokopelli.com

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when you are out on the river in pristine environments. Dispose of your waste wrong and you degrade the environment and the experience for everyone. This clever all-inone kit gives you all you need to relieve and clean up after yourself responsibly outside—including a shovel that can dig into tough soils, hand sanitizer, and mycelium tablets that help break down your waste. $50; pactoutdoors.com

6. Blackfin Model X

This front-entry PFD puts comfort foremost. The back works with the high setbacks of many new canoes and kayaks, and the wrap-around fit is easy to adjust to any body shape. Bonus: The hand-warmer pockets are a simple innovation you will wish was on every PFD. $139; kokatat.com

Designed specifically for SUP fishing, this big, stable board (35-inches wide and rated up to 450 pounds) is the perfect deck not just for fighting beefy trout in the middle of the lake but also for taking off on overnight adventures on the far shores. Two cargo areas hold plenty of gear, and it’s fully compatible with a fishing rack attachment that will give you the ability to manage multiple rods. Oh, and it’s also just fun to paddle. $800; irockersup.com

3. Astral The PFD Sandal

7. Body Glove Performer 11 Inflatable

2. Kokatat WKNDER

Here’s a boating shoe that was specifically designed for the needs of river guides who spend all day standing in the water and navigating random terrain. Webbing straps (the same as Astral’s famed PFDs) batten down for the perfect secure fit, and a proprietary rubber sole grips to wet rocks and logs. It’s the technical shoe you need for that big river trip but you will want to wear everywhere. $115; astraldesigns.com

4. Dragon Flare LL H2O Polar

Thanks to a new wider tail shape, this inflatable tracks easier and provides a lot of stability out on the water, making it a nice option for beginners as well as experienced paddlers looking for a reliable ride. And here’s an upgrade we really appreciate: an electric pump means you won’t feel beat by the time you get on the board. And paddle easy: For each board sold, Body Glove donates a tree to reforestation nonprofit One Tree Planted. Want more? If you are a Costco member, look for it at select stores where you can grab the board for a killer deal at $399. $999; bodyglove.com

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8. Dermatone Sport Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 Don’t mess with the sun when you are out on the water at altitude. The Sport formula (we go with the highest SPF we can) goes on easily and provides moisturizing for your mountain-dry skin and, most importantly, it’s resistant to water and sweat (but reapply frequently). $19; dermatone.com

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With big lenses and frames, these polarized shades offer up plenty of protection when you paddle. But the big benefit here is that they float. That means you can confidently wear them without the annoyance of a retainer strap and not lose them if they slip in the drink. $209; dragonalliance.com

5. Pact Kit

Pooping requires some forethought

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Stay on the water longer with BUFF® Caps, Multifunctional Neckwear and Sun Gloves.

B U F F U SA . C O M

Photo courtesy of Flylords BUFF® is a registered trademark of ORIGINAL BUFF, SA

CONNECT TO WHAT MATTERS

THE GOODS | 05.22

CASTING CALL WE HAVE ALL THE BEST NEW FLY-FISHING GEAR TO GET YOU OUT ON THE WATER AND CATCHING FISH.

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by DOUG SCHNITZSPAHN

1. Orvis Helios #D Blackout Rod

The 9-foot, 5-inch version of this sweet stick was designed for the ability to cast quickly and efficiently from a drift boat. Those same qualities make it quite effective at perfectly placing dries and managing nymphs, while mending on big water from the bank. Pack it for that big trip on legendary waters like Montana’s Madison River. $998; orvis.com

2. Maine Fly Company Tumbledown

This 7-piece, 9-foot 5-weight rod is ideal for backpacking or big day trips up to alpine lakes. It weighs just 3.6 ounces but delivers moderate to fast action to chuck muddlers or loft tiny dries to those cutthroats. Founded in 2018, the core New England company is committed to rediscovering the art of rod building. $340; maineflyco.com

3. Ski Town All-Stars Printed Trucker Hats

You need that lucky hat if you want to catch fish, and we can recommend no lids better than Vail’s Ski Town AllStars. The mountain-town messages— they range from “Mend” to “Putin Skis in Jeans” to “Go Back to Texas”—make you feel at home on Colorado waters. $36; skitownallstars.com

4. Costa del Mar Lido These shades both help sharpen your vision when you are chasing trout on the water and look sharp when you’re telling fish stores back at the brew pub.

With lens options in color-enhancing, polarized glass, and polycarbonate they perform and protect. Plus, the nose pad and temple ties secure them without turning you into a dork. $209–$259; costadelmar.com

5. Dakine Mission Fish Waist Pack 12L We are big fans of the waist pack.

It’s easy to swivel and reach into the pack while you are on the stream,

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and it keeps all your gear handy for quick changes. Made from recycled nylon and Bluesign-approved material, Dakine’s new fishing fanny pack can handle lots of abuse and has the space to bring all you need to the river. $150; dakine.com

standby is not just beautiful but also performs just as well as it did back in 1971 when fly-fishing innovator Stan Bogdan revamped the original design that put Charles Frederick Orvis in the fly-fishing pantheon back in 1874. $328 (3-5 weight); orvis.com

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6. Patagonia Women’s Swiftcurrent Waders and River Salt Boots

Lightweight (just over 2 pounds) and breathable—and designed with the female shape in mind—these waders are just the ticket when you are going to be spending long days out in the stream. Plus, they are made of recycled polyester and you can trade them in or have them repaired through Patagonia’s Worn Wear program. The River Salt Boots provide plenty of traction on slick rocks but still hike comfortably down the trail. $499 waders, $299 boots; patagonia.com

7. Redington Trout Field Kit

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This kit gives you all the gear you need to get after it. A 9-foot mediumfast-action rod is easy to cast in various conditions; a Redington Run reel brings ’em in, and Rio Gold trout line completes the set. It’s ideal for beginners. But what about knowledge and skills? Fear not. Parent brand Far Bank just launched a series of learn-to-fish videos hosted by trout whisperer Simon Gawesworth. Pair the lessons with your new kit and slay them. $390; farbank.com

8. Orvis CFO III Reel

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The 50th-anniversary edition of this E A R LY S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 / E L E VAT I O N O U T D O O R S . C O M

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THE ROAD | 05.22

BENEATH MY FEET A YEAR AFTER LEAVING FULLTIME VANLIFE TO EMBRACE A ROOTED EXISTENCE, OUR WRITER REALIZES THAT TRAIL (AND PARTICUL ARLY MOUNTAIN) RUNNING BRINGS HER FULL CIRCLE TO WHY SHE GOES OUTSIDE IN THE FIRST PL ACE.

FELIPE TAPIA NORDENFLYCHT

by DANI REYES-ACOSTA

“C

an we go just a little bit further today?”My eight-year-old self loved the last, long stretch of the daily dog walk—or run, as it often would become for Kika and me. Getting to join our father on the walks along the beach with our Samoyed, Mishi, was always the best, each time. We’d scamper over sand dunes, chase each other along

the road, run to the horizon we could never seem to find.

“Of ccourse, mija,” Poppy answered, as the sandy and semi-mojado Mishi wagged his tail and tugged on the leash. These moments on the beach were a time away from his office (he was an early work-from-homer), and I’m sure a needed break in his day. Not to mention that watching his favorite of three dogs and two eldest daughters bound towards the ocean must have been a joy.

Running ahead, Kika and I found seashells, then collapsed in giggles at the impossible spirals in their design.

We ran back to Poppy, then ahead again, tornadoes of child-like energy.

Joy, in its purest form, scattered further with each grain of sand that stuck to our feet. Onwards! It was time to head home.

The Early Years

My high school years brought changes, some more pleasant than others. But the simplicity of running cross-country never left me. This unexpected pursuit, a product of my family’s expectation

that I’d engage in a fall sport to balance out long piano practices, became a staple throughout those four adolescent years.

At my first school in west Los Angeles, a Catholic all-girls academy, our team often ran one of two loops: the loop around UCLA’s campus entranced us, whether bounding through the wafting sweet smells outside Diddy Riese’s cookie shop or trotting along fraternity row. But the runs through Bel Air—quiet underneath a canopy of greenery, mysterious alongside towering walls hiding mansions—always pushed me. The “Mother Hill” of those runs challenged my teenage legs. This certainly wasn’t Kansas, and I wasn’t trotting Toto.

The next season, our running routes completely changed, from rolling hills in Bel Air to endless farm fields outside of Fresno, I was on unknown terrain.

I didn’t understand that running a distance day in what felt like 100-plusdegree heat (September temperatures average in the low 90s, a big change from my SoCal ways) could knock my feet out from under me. I didn’t realize

OPEN TO THE EXPERIENCE: A LIFETIME OF RUNNING GIVES US THE CHANCE TO EXPLORE WHO WE REALLY ARE—AND WHERE WE COME FROM.

how important hydration was until I completely bonked one day when I got lost in a maze of maize. And I certainly didn’t expect rejection from the Mexican girls who looked like me when I tried to be their friend.

Running showed me that the kindest humans were also willing to suffer a little—several girls welcomed me, the new girl, into their clique. We were a mixed bag, we girls.. We refused definition along the clearly delineated social boundaries of high school and race. (Several of us came from mixed families and didn’t “fit into” other affinity groups; we lacked a cultural understanding of our heritage, as our families ascribed to assimilationist practices, and didn’t teach us Spanish).

Running taught me more than the fact that I could have a diverse group of friends who loved being outside. It also allowed me to find a place where I

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History. Heritage. Craft CULTURE. The Great Outdoors.

Sheridan is The Nature of the West.

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∞

million acres of pristine wildland in the Bighorn National Forest, encompassing 1,200 miles of trails, 30 campgrounds, 10 picnic areas, 6 mountain lodges, legendary dude ranches, and hundreds of miles of waterways. The Bighorns offer limitless outdoor recreation opportunities.

restaurants, bars, food trucks, lounges, breweries, distilleries, tap rooms, saloons, and holes in the wall are spread across Sheridan County. That’s 101 different ways to apres adventure in the craft capital of Wyoming. We are also home to more than 40 hotels, motels, RV parks, and B&Bs.

seasons in which to get WYO’d.

If you’re a skijoring savant, you’ll want to check out the Winter Rodeo. July features the beloved WYO Rodeo. Spring and fall are the perfect time to chase cool mountain streams or epic backcountry lines, race the Bighorn Trail run, and more.

Sheridan features a thriving, historic downtown district, with western allure, hospitality and good graces to spare; a vibrant arts scene; bombastic craft culture; a robust festival and events calendar; and living history from one corner of the county to the next.

could push through pain—both physical and mental. After all, being uprooted from my childhood home to join a new high school and broader world that reminded me, daily, that I was different really sucked.

My job at the Sierra Running Company, where I became an assistant manager, taught me the basics of running mechanics, and connected me with runners all across the age and experience spectrum. This whetted my appetite to tear through the trees.

My running shoe collection grew. I got access to discounted trail shoes. I learned about Gu. But it was the Santa Barbara college years that made me realize running would never not be part of my life. After my father’s death, I often ran from my grief, but towards what, I’m not sure.

Maybe a different life, an alternative path through the eucalyptus, towards the butterfly sanctuary.

FELIPE TAPIA NORDENFLYCHT

Reconnecting

This disconnection from my roots isn’t something I’m alone in. Our family had learned to thrive through assimilation, an erasure of that which makes us culturally “different” from the dominant culture of White, Western society. The way I heard classmates talk about their gardeners and maids shamed me from embracing my roots and dark skin. Speaking Spanish was a curious

pursuit. I was good at it (after all, I’d within my reach; it just zapped my bank heard it as a young child), but my account. relationship with the language didn’t Returning to the States after months blossom until adulthood. of searching for myself, I moved to In How to Be an Antiracist, Ibram Crested Butte (South) with my favorite X. Kendi tells us that assimilationist souvenir, a man I’d met while traveling. ideas are racist ideas. He continues, The tall peaks and endless trails “Assimilationists can position any opened up options I’d found I loved racial group as the superior standard during my travels the previous year. that another racial group should be Walking, hiking, running, scrambling— measuring themselves against, the the search for self intersects beautifully benchmark they with a pursuit of joy. should be trying to We continued the reach. The only way journey of dirtbaggery RUNNING UP CHOSSY to undo racism is to together for years.

VOLCANOES IN THE consistently identify He may have been a ANDES, STRUGGLING and describe it—and homeowner, but the FOR AIR, I GASPED then dismantle it.” man had a hankering AT T H E T R U T H . I ’ D It was only after to climb, ski, and travel.

BEEN SOLD A LIE. I began traveling in I was game, growing South America, postalong the way. Our resignation from my adventures took us to corporate job in Oregon, that I started far-flung places, oftentimes giving me to name what my family had taught more opportunities to flex my Spanish me. Running up chossy volcanoes in skills. the Andes, struggling for air, I gasped But it was spending time in Mexico at the truth. I’d been sold a lie. We’d where I finally understood how the lost everything when my father died ground beneath my feet gives me and mother’s MS worsened. No more everything. The sand squished skiing, no more beach runs. The annual through my toes, just as it had during vacation had been sidelined for endless childhood, as I ran towards pounding work, two jobs throughout both high surf. The narrow trails alongside a school and college, and an overloaded series of tropical waterfalls unfurled class schedule. Working myself past a path before me. I’d sat beneath a exhaustion bought me nice things, sacred Ceiba tree, barefoot, basking in but the American Dream was never the culture of my heritage, something

"

FACE OF A RUNNER: THE AUTHOR FOUND NOT JUST CONNECTION TO FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY BUT ALSO TO HER CULTURE AND THE LAND ITSELF ON LONG RUNS.

I’d never experienced before. Padding through my grandmother’s house as a child, eating tamales, was one thing.

But this? This was different.

This ground gives me resilience, a way to rebound and push through.

Running toward summits in the San Juans taught me this much. The ground teaches me creativity. Linking peaks in the Sierra tells me I can find a way, if only I try. And the ground, more than anything, teaches me connection.

Running routes in the Wasatch with my dear friend Vanessa gave me endless giggles as much as sunburn from turning my face to the sky.

We can find connection not just to each other but also to our culture, our communities, and this land when we take a moment to appreciate the ground beneath our feet. And isn’t this why all of us go outside?

—Dani Reyes-Acosta (she/her) is an athlete and storyteller redefining who plays outside and how we build community with others on this planet.

She recently joined the Janji Field Team to tell more stories of connection.

Find her @NotLostJustDiscovering.

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ELWAYVILLE | 05.22

THE RETURN OF THE SCENE LET THERE BE SONGS TO FILL THE AIR…

by PETER KRAY

Come As You Are My dad had this wonderful appreciation for different lifestyles and tastes and interpretations of cool, just so long as you went all in on whatever it was you were into and how it made you who you are.

He was a Bob Dylan and John Prine and The Eagles and The Beatles kind of guy who loved to ski and hike and be outdoors. At every wedding, he was the first person on the dance floor. And when we were too little to know how lucky we were, he took us to Red Rocks to see acts like Chuck Mangione and John Denver.

I remember on one clear summer night in the stands, how he said, “The stars are on the stage and in the sky.”

Which I thought was the coolest thing ever and repeated it at the top of my

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lungs a couple dozen times for everyone else in the amphitheater to hear.

He happily shared the turntable at home as my brother and I worked our way through everything from AC/DC to Bob Marley, Joy Division, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Patti Smith, The Clash, Blondie, The Cars, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Generation X, T. Rex, David Bowie, and the Rolling Stones.

And he let my brother’s punk band practice in the basement all through high school, quietly letting the neighbors know they’d only “play ‘Rebel Rebel’ one more time and be done by 9,” because he knew how good it made them feel.

Let’s Feel Better Right Now Through college, I came home and cut trees for the Swingle Tree company every summer and went to

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every concert I could get tickets to. A couple guys I pruned with would work security at night at Red Rocks and Mile High and Folsom Field. Each day we’d compare notes about what we saw and what we heard.

Matches said the heavy metal shows were his favorite as everyone came “all dressed up to rock.” Reno liked country and said, “They keep singing about whiskey, but those folks take the best care of themselves.”

I said I’ve always been more of a Deadhead, “with Sugar Magnolia and the twirling skirts and long hair.”

But I’d go to any one of those shows right now and fall a little bit in love with everybody there. In fact, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do than let some good music move me across a grassy dance floor this June.

It does feel like a good summer to go all in. Like maybe a better summer than any other ever to buy the tickets and dress up for the

show. To put on that old mint ABBA t-shirt that says “Japan Tour 1980” and recharge your groove. Or camp out for the three-day festival, driving home in a happy daze of sight and sound while trying to remember who you let paint your face red, white, and blue. Or invite a first date to see someone you never saw before, and first hear that song you can’t stop listening to.

You see, I know there are a lot of things wrong in the world right now.

But music isn’t one of them. And I think maybe if we take a little more time to celebrate the things that make us feel better about us, we’ll have a little more for everything else.

I’ll see you at the show.

—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.” Buy it here and read it now: amzn.to/35AfxlL

KEVIN HOWDESHELL

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here’s something transcendent about listening to live music outdoors. As if even the sky is energized by the electric rush of a modern hymn rising through the air.

At the height of the pandemic, in the Summer of 2020, when we really didn’t know when and if we’d ever revel again together in an open field, the community college near my house hired a Grateful Dead cover band to play in the school parking lot. The audience listened to the concert from their cars.

In the still summer night, the sound was soft and pure. About a mile away, I danced to “Jack Straw,” “Bertha,” and “Lazy Lightning” with my dogs in the backyard. I updated the setlist to all the Deadheads I knew from my phone. Texting up into the stars.

It felt better than almost anything else I remember from that time, a message of hope humming through the little aura of love we’d built around our home. But it also made me feel a little more alone because none of you were there.

That’s the other thing about live music. It’s the scene that makes it real.

We are the Mountain People.

Where some see rock, we see lines.

Where some see peaks, we see possibility. Where some see rain lashed ridgelines or impenetrable fog, we see an opportunity to challenge our skills.

Crafted by conditions, sharpened by every step. Our mountain gear gives you absolute protection, comfort, and mobility, when you really need it.

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