The mountain biking on the Monarch Crest is well known, but the first I heard of it was from Mark. Almost as soon as I got my mountain bike he was talking about riding it, and I heard a lot about what a great ride it was before I ever made it out there. In READ MORE
Month: February 2022
Sewing Bicycle Bags
When Mark and I bought our tandem we briefly consider purchasing custom frame bags to use the bike’s double sized frame as storage. After a little thought and reflection on cost we realized that we would be better off sewing the bags ourselves. I had sewn my own tarp for backpacking and had a little READ MORE
Why Tandem?
When I was hiking the CDT, Mark got the idea that we should plan a bike trip together. Maybe, he thought we should do it on a tandem. I had never ridden a tandem before, but I was on board with the idea. We talked to many of our friends about the idea and received READ MORE
Oh What Big Eyes You Have Couloir
Mark, Parker and I set out to do an aesthetic line that had peaked our attention last season. The “Oh What Big Eyes You Have” Couloir sits off of East East Red peak. It consists of a steep continuous ski, down a 20 ft hallway made up of tall cliffs on either side. Date: May READ MORE
Skiing La Plata Peak
Date: April 29, 2021 Distance: 8 miles round trip Elevation Gain: approx 4,200′ Trailhead: La Plata trailhead La Plata peak had been on Parker’s ski list for a while and when we viewed the north face at the break of day, Mark and I could see why. The face boasts a beautiful web of snowfields, READ MORE
Twelve hours and a midnight start: Skiing Mt. Daly
Date: May 23, 2020 Distance: approx. 14 miles round trip Elevation Gain: approx. 5000′ Trailhead: Snowmass Creek Mark had set his sights on mountain biking and all but put away his ski boots when Parker called us with a flash of inspiration: ski Mt. Daly. I was working in Aspen for a couple months before READ MORE
A Little Line off of Woods Peak
Date: April 18, 2021 Distance: 4.8 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 2,600′ Trailhead: Watrous Gulch As the spring snowpack consolidated, Mark and I found our first day to take advantage of it this season. With a fairly restrained time window, we decided to ski something with a short approach that allowed for easy skiing. We READ MORE
Skiing Torrey’s Peak: Emperor Couloir
This was another ski line we were lucky enough to undertake during the initial COVID-19 lock down. Mark, Parker and I skied this line only two days after Mark and I had skied the Dead Dog couloir on the East facing side of Torrey’s peak. Usually a popular peak for spring skiing, we were lucky READ MORE
Skiing Torrey’s Peak: Dead Dog Couloir
Date: April 7, 2020 Distance: approx. 11 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 4,500 ‘ Trailhead: Bakerville exit Dead Dog Couloir is a prominent feature on the East face of Torrey’s peak. Easy access from I-70 makes this steep aesthetic line a popular ski. Mark and I used the stable spring snow as an opportunity to READ MORE
Mt Elbert: hike, ski, slog
Date: April 5, 2020 Distance: approx. 12 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 5,000 ‘ Trailhead: South Mt Elbert Trailhead Mark and I set out to ski the box couloirs on Mt Elbert on April 5th 2020. The springtime snowpack had begun to consolidate and we thought it a good time to try something steeper. We READ MORE