Merry Christmas! Free Give Away

I’m pleased to announce a free giveaway in conjunction with GPSMyCity, a travel app that provides offline GPS guided maps for numerous cities.

For a limited time (November 30, 2020 – December 6, 2020), my article Top Things to Do in Steamboat Springs is available to upgrade to a GPS-guided article for FREE! 

It only takes two quick steps to get your FREE upgraded article!

  • Click on the aforementioned link and follow the instructions to download the GPSMyCity app.
  • Upon being redirect to the article app page, click on Upgrade and the app will be automatically linked to an offline map and the GPS navigator
TRY FOR FREE
at kettle ponds

Happy Hiking: Kettle Ponds

For the first time since Memorial Day, I finally got to reconnect with Jim, Diana, and Danelle to hike Kettle Ponds.  My fellow hiking buddies, along with Zoe the dog, were staying up in Breckenridge Saturday night.  Annie and I arose early Sunday morning to meet them in Silverthorne, CO at the trailhead.

HAPPY HIKING!
view from summit of Pennsylvania Mountain

Happy Hiking: Pennsylvania Mountain

  • Pennsylvania Mountain
  • Distance:  4.7 miles
  • Type: Moderate, out-and-back
  • Elevation Gain: 1,341 ft
  • Other: Dogs Allowed
  • All Trails Link

Pennsylvania Mountain is a 13,000 foot mountain located near Fairplay, Colorado.  Access to the trail head is via a well graded dirt road. When I arrived early on a Saturday morning, I was the first car in the cul-de-sac parking area.

HAPPY HIKING!

Happy Hiking: Shrine Ridge Trail

  • Shrine Ridge Trail
  • Distance:  4 miles (6.6 if adding on additional trail)
  • Type: Moderate, out-and-back
  • Elevation Gain: 961 ft
  • Other: Dogs Allowed, Dirt Road to Trailhead
  • All Trails Link

Shrine Ridge Trail is located off Shrine Pass Road in the White River National Forest near Vail, Colorado.  Though dirt, Shrine Pass Road from I-70 is easily navigable to the dirt parking lot complete with pit toilets.  Tanya and I arrived just before 8am on a Thursday and there were only a few other cars.

HAPPY HIKING!
kroenke lake

Happy Hiking: Kroenke Lake Trail

  • Kroenke Lake Trail
  • Distance:  9.3 miles
  • Type: Moderate, out-and-back
  • Elevation Gain: 1,673 ft
  • Other: Dogs Allowed, Rough Road to Trailhead
  • All Trails Link

Kroenke Lake lies in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness and is just a short drive from Buena Vista.  Buena Vista and Salida are wonderful small towns to visit while exploring this amazing wilderness area chock full of Colorado’s famous 14ers. 

HI HO, HI HO, IT’s OFF TO THE LAKE I GO!
lake isabelle

Happy Hiking: Lake Isabelle

  • Lake Isabelle
  • Distance:  8.6 miles RT (7.6 from where I started)
  • Type: Moderate, Out-and-Back
  • Elevation Gain: 950 ft
  • Other: Toilets Available, Dogs Allowed

Brainard Lake Recreation Area

I have been wanting to hike to Lake Isabelle for a long time.  For some reason, however, I only think about it in the winter time when the gate is closed which requires many extra miles along the road.  Finally, I timed my hike to coincide with opening day at Brainard Lake Recreation Area.

HAPPY HIKING!

Roadtrip to the Rockies: Thunderhead Trail

  • Thunderhead Trail
  • Distance:  3.3 miles (longer on map provided by the ski mountain)
  • Type: Moderate, Point to Point
  • Elevation Gain: 1,322 ft
  • Other: Toilets Available, Dogs Allowed, Parking Fee, Gondola Fee (uphill only)
  • All Trails Link

Thunderhead Trail is the most popular hiking route on Mount Werner, the ski mountain in Steamboat Springs.  The point to point trail travels 3.3 miles from the base of the mountain to the summit. 

GO HIKING!

Top Things to Do in Steamboat Springs

About Steamboat Springs

Steamboat Springs, also known as Steamboat or the “boat”, is located in Routt County, Colorado and has a population of approximately 13,000.  The town came by its name during early times when trappers heard a chugging noise and thought a steamboat was coming down the river.  Upon discovering the sound came from the surrounding natural hot springs, they named the settlement Steamboat Springs.

Today, the small, mountain town is popular tourist destination for both winter and summer activities.  While I have visited Steamboat in the summer, winter and fall, this post focuses on things to do during the warmer months.

EXPLORE!
ranch land on the high line canal

The High line Canal: Segments 2 and 3

When in Colorado for months due to the COVID crisis, why not take advantage of all the state has to offer.  While my outdoor preference is to hike in the Rocky Mountains, living in Denver, I can’t always be in the high country.  As a result, I thought why not hike and bike the High Line Canal.

I have walked, biked and even ridden horses on portions of the High Line Canal, but I have never completed it in its entirety.  I honestly didn’t know where it began or ended or if it was easily accessible in segments like the Colorado Trail.

GO BIKING!
blanketflower on stone mountain

Roadtrip to the Rockies: Stone Mountain

I changed up my hiking scenery this past week.  Instead of heading toward the Rocky Mountain foothills near Bailey, I ventured toward the foothills near Loveland, Colorado.  Here, I hiked the trail to Stone Mountain.

GO HIKING!