out there

Cosmic ski race

2011-04-20T10:10:00.001-07:00

Trail Maps test

2008-11-18T14:51:00.001-07:00

We've done gone and moved

2008-06-16T12:05:00.003-07:00

T'wasn't my choice. I could have spent my whole life under Blogger's big sky, but corporate winds have driven us to wordtype. Change your links, we've moved to www.outthere.freedomblogging.com

Captain Jacks motorized designation

2008-06-16T10:26:00.003-07:00

Turns out Captain Jacks, a Colorado Springs trail developed by motor bikes, is not officially designated for motorized use. So parks is holding a hearing on whether official motorized use should be granted.
What interests me though, is Captain Jack herself. Here is a nice article on the woman who lends her name to this popular trail (above) and the guest house she ran at the top of the high drive (below.)

First run up Pikes Peak

2008-06-16T10:15:00.003-07:00

I did my first run of the year all the way up Barr Trail Sunday. All things considered, it went pretty well. There were only three or four stretches of soft snow. The weather was calm and sunny, and I got up to the summit in 3:04, only walking for a short time on the Golden Stairs.
I saw a number of runners up there, and the usual crowd of tourists amazed that people run at all, let alone up a mountain. Hitch-hiked down. A good time, but I need a little variety, I think next week it will be a different fourteener.

Caught in blizzard on Raineer, man dies to save wife

2008-06-12T12:52:00.003-07:00

This is a sad story. Three climbers on Mount Rainier in Washington were caught in a blizzard this week. To survive, they dug a trench for shelter. The man insisted on lying on the bottom to insulate his wife. She made it. He died of hypothermia.

What's in bloom

2008-06-12T08:11:00.004-07:00

Here are a few things I've been seeing on the trail. For a great online flower guide courtesy of CSU, click here. Boulder Raspberry, a gorgeous and widespread bush
Chiming bells (seem to prefer dry areas)
wild clematis (a very cool vine)
Unidentified composit (these guys can be tough to correctly identify.)
Rocky Mountain Pentstemon

Barr trail clear of snow

2008-06-12T08:03:00.002-07:00

Less than 300 steps in the snow now on the front of Pikes Peak. It's officially open for running.

Adopt-a-ferret

2008-06-11T06:48:00.002-07:00

Colorado Springs has long been a partner in bringing back the nearly extinct black-footed ferret thanks to a breeding program at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Young ferrets are shipped from the zoo every fall to re-introduction sites around the West. One of the must successful is Conata Basin in South Dakota, mostly because the prairie dogs there don't carry plague (which kills both the rodents and the ferrets.) But now, plague has shown up in the basin. Several federal agencies and organizations have begun the battle against plague. They've zeroed in on killing fleas, a known vector of plague, by spraying dust into prairie dog burrows. They are also vaccinating ferrets against plague. But all this is expensive. You can help by “adopting” a black-footed ferret at www.paririewildlife.org. The funds go directly to protecting ferrets in the Conata Basin.

Keystone bike park delayed by snow

2008-06-11T06:28:00.004-07:00

Keystone's Bike Park will open June 28, one week later than planned because of a stubborn snowpack (backcountry skiing is still in excellent condition.) The resort plans to open more than 16 trails, bringing the total mileage of this downhill Mecca to 57.
An adult, unlimited run lift ticket costs $30.

Bear captured in downtown C. Springs

2008-06-10T12:22:00.001-07:00

This happened today near Platte and El Paso

Speaking of biking with Obama...

2008-06-10T10:47:00.003-07:00

The AP reports he rode his bike this weekend with his family, causing much speculating and hand-wringing amongst pundits (slow news day anyone?). The Right Wing generally questioned whether his somewhat geeky-looking helmet would be another Dukakis moment.
Newsweek says no, this is good politics: "While the press has tended to focus on Obama's connection to black culture in recent weeks, from his reference to Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" to his fist pound with wife Michelle, the bike photos prove, once and for all, that Obama can be painfully, embarrassingly white as well."

A legend returns... somewhat diminished

2008-06-10T10:41:00.002-07:00

Big Sur, a mythical wave of the Colorado River that only appears during flows above 20,000 cfs is back after several years and well... it turns out it is not that exciting. A good story in today's post details how modern boats and kayak parks have diminished the allure of this prodigal wave.
Photo by Scott Willoughby

One expensive commode!

2008-06-10T10:05:00.003-07:00

According to the AP, Mount Rainier National Park is "celebrating" the installation of a $70,000 ecologically correct toilet at Cougar Rock Campground.

The toilet was donated by Groundwork Mishima, a group that promotes volunteerism at Mount Fuji, which has a "sister mountain" relationship with the park.
The toilet was installed with the help of students from the Japanese Volunteers-in-Parks Association.
The toilet uses cedar chips and natural composting to operate with little water or odor.
Here's a volunteers group blog post about it.

D'oh!

2008-06-10T08:12:00.002-07:00

When asked to choose an answer to the following question, “You are lost in the woods and a storm is coming, who would you choose to lead you to safety?” respondents to The Great Outdoor Survey voted for Homer Simpson more often than George W. Bush. Barack Obama came out on top when it comes to leading Americans out of the woods during a storm, while Sen. Hillary Clinton was a close second and Sen. John McCain ranked third.

If the choice is finding a conversation partner for a long day hike, Oprah Winfrey tops the list with Bill Gates coming in second, the Pope garnering third, and George Clooney nabbing fourth. President Bush was a last choice yet again.

And who wins as a partner for a long bike ride? The nod goes once again to Obama. I just hope he really stopped smoking.

Aspen reopens this weekend

2008-06-10T07:53:00.002-07:00

Don't put those skis away.

Aspen Skiing Co. said it will open the top of Aspen Mountain for skiing this weekend because there's so much snow.
It's a first for the resort, said spokesman Jeff Hanle.
An average depth of more than 3 feet on the upper slopes will allow the ski area to open seven runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. About 45 acres of mainly intermediate terrain served by the Ajax Express chairlift will be available.
Aspen/Snowmass Premier, Silver and 6-and-under passholders can ski for free. Other pass- holders pay discounted rates.
Adult single-day tickets will be $29 a day, youth and seniors will pay $26, and children's tickets will cost $18.

Roan Plateau goes on the block

2008-06-09T14:01:00.005-07:00

The Bureau of Land Management in Colorado plans to auction oil and gas development rights on 55,186 acres in the Roan Plateau
Planning Area August 14. It is the latest development in an on-going struggle between energy needs (evidenced by higher prices and an explosion of gas wells in the surrounding mesas) and a wide-spread local effort to preserve the relatively pristine and wildlife-rich plateau which rises north of Rifle.
As a compromise, the BLM requires stipulations to protect the area’s streams, wildlife habitat and landscape views. Leases on top of the plateau will requird phased, ridge-by-ridge development, in which only one operator conducts operations on behalf of all leassees, which in theory, allows the BLM to exert tight control over oil and gas development, while consolidating infrastructure like roads, power lines and pipelines.

Elk Park Trail Clear

2008-06-09T13:47:00.003-07:00

I just got back from a trip to Barr Camp, and except for a six-foot stretch of snow, Elk Park Trail is good to go. Already have seen several bike tracks on this popular ride and hike, and passed a pick-up full of down-hillers on their way up today.

No one boats until body is found

2008-06-06T07:28:00.002-07:00

Sanchez Reservoir near Alamosa is closed until a recent drowning victim is found. Efforts to recover the body of the victim by the Costilla County Sheriff's Department have turned up nothing.

More fake Rockies?

2008-06-06T05:15:00.003-07:00

The U.S. Postal Service will release this stamp next week as part of the "Flags of our Nation" series. Looking at the stamp, my question is, what mountain is that? Certainly it's distinctive enough that Out There blog readers can name it... that is, unless it is another example of using a non-Colorado peak and calling it a Colorado Peak. (The flip-side is the state quarter, which clearly has Longs Peak on it, but officially has a generic mountain scene.) On the stamp, the profile looks volcanic, so if it's really a Centennial State summit, it's probably in the San Juans. In the background are uplifted mesas. Could it be a scene from along Highway 160 between Wolf Creek Pass and Durango. Study it, then offer your best guess.
Anyone who can provide a convincing candidate gets the first-ever Out There Blog shout out.

Independence pass opens in snow storm

2008-06-06T05:07:00.002-07:00

Independence Pass, the high, narrow, twisting back route to Aspen, finally opened for the season Thursday, two weeks later than usual due to serious snow, but not before cold, soggy weather churning over the state added one last taste of winter. As of now the conditions are "wet with intermittent snow, open weather permitting."

Bike racing in Mexico

2008-06-05T09:16:00.004-07:00

A drunk hit a pack of riders in northern Mexico recently. 1 dead, 14 injured.

More on Harvey Carter

2008-06-05T08:49:00.004-07:00

On wildsnow.com, Lou Dawson, prompted by my profile, tells a good story of climbing with Harvey Carter. Read it here.

Harvey Carter Photos

2008-06-05T07:10:00.009-07:00

Today in The Colorado Springs Gazette's Out There I published a profile on Harvey Carter, the influential pioneer rock climber. Read it here. I wanted to include some more photos.Harvey was a star football and baseball player at Colorado College in the early 1950s, but always preferred the freedom and creativity of climbing. He learned to climb from locals at Colorado College when the sport was still in its infancy.Harvey in May 2008 showing off old angle pitons from his rack. Bolts from Harvey's rack, many of which were cut from climbs where he felt they didn't belong. A photo by Stewart Green of Harvey climbing Montezuma's Tower in Garden of the Gods. Check out that run out. Harvey in 1967 during a trip to Fisher Towers, Utah. Harvey in May, 2008 on his deck on the west side of Pikes Peak. Harvey with the first issue of Climbing magazine, which he started in Aspen with two friends. Harvey has kept detailed, hand-written notes on every climb. He claims to have over 5,000 first ascents. A 1982 Stewart Green Photo of Harvey in Garden of the Gods, where he pioneered several routes. Harvey climbing in Colorado National Monument in the 1960, courtesy Stewart Green.

Snow advisory, but no snow yet

2008-06-05T07:03:00.003-07:00

Cold wet weather is expected in the state today, including snow advisories for the Elk and Gore Mountains. So far, the cams aren't showing any snow.

Did $4 gas kill the Hummer?

2008-06-04T08:36:00.003-07:00

GM announced this week it would close four large truck plants and look at selling off its Hummer line. Apparently sales have been in the tank... which makes me wonder who would buy Hummer. It could be that the giant SUV will fade into history like so many Cadillac fins.

Learning the lingo

2008-06-03T14:58:00.003-07:00

We invited some friends to go camping with us this weekend up in BV for some mountain biking and possibly kayaking. My wife sent out an e-mail that mentioned we had a double duckie if anyone wanted to do a float down the Milk Run.

After receiving the e-mail, my co-worker Christopher came over to ask what a double duckie was. And a Milk Run. And BV.

Which led me to observe that if you floated the Milk Run in a double duckie at 5,000 cfs, you would likely get maytagged and end up yard saling all the way through Browns before the Suckhole spit you out.

All of which is a long set-up for the money quote:

"My god, you're 37. What are you talking about? It's like kindergartner-speak."

Moth watch 2008 - a big year?

2008-06-03T08:53:00.001-07:00

State entomologists say large numbers of army cutworm caterpillars on the plains suggest this could be a bigger year for miller moths than we've seen it two years. I've still only seen one here and there, but they could be coming.

Steepandcheap for the bike crowd

2008-06-03T08:10:00.002-07:00

Backcountry.com just launched it's new bike close-out site, www.chainlove.com. Do, or do not, there is no try.

Tent facotries seized by Chinese government for earthquake victims

2008-06-03T07:07:00.002-07:00

Today Coleman announced today it donated 1,000 tents for aid to people displaced by the massive May 12 earthquake in Sichuan Province, China.
Also today, SNEWS, an outdoor industry newsletter, announced pretty much every other tent manufacturer is donating its tents too, whether they like it or not. SNEWS says the Chinese government seized control of all Chinese-owned tent factories and existing inventory throughout the country as part of the disaster relief effort for the earthquake-ravaged region of central China near Chengdu. Textile factories that supply tent fabrics have also been seized. In all factories, military personnel are stationed on the factory floor to ensure that for at least the next 30 days, and perhaps as many as 45 days, all tent production coming off the factory floors is designated for the earthquake relief efforts. Fair enough. The latest reports out of China have indicate 3 million people have lost their homes. Almost all U.S. tent brands (and everything else) are manufactured in China, including Mountain Hardwear, Coleman, Eureka, Marmot, MSR, GoLite, Kelty, The North Face, and Slumberjack. It's unclear how this will change tent availability and price in the United States, but hey, who cares? You have a home.

County budget plan keeps nature centers open

2008-06-03T06:54:00.002-07:00

The county plan approved Monday to make up for the $9 million budget shortfall will cut $280,000 from the Department of Parks and Leisure Services but keep open the county's two nature centers. The plan does not sell any park land. Since lackluster tax revenues will continue for the foreseeable future, treat this as a temporary reprieve, not a solution.

Another wild ride

2008-06-03T06:46:00.002-07:00

Swift water on the Eagle River flipped a raft Monday, dumped a couple rafts sending one woman on a five-mile unintended swim. The rafts flipped near Eagle. The woman was picked up on an island near Gypsum. Of the 19 people tossed in the drink, none were seriously injured. This is normally a very calm stretch of water, but is running at flood stage due to a huge snowpack.

Gondolas through downtown Denver

2008-06-02T09:15:00.004-07:00

Just in case you're not seeing enough concrete in your life, downtown Denver offers gondola rides from Larimer Street to Confluence Park and back. I didn't know this, but the city has been doing this for 10 years. The boat rides start and finish at Larimer Street, a half block west of Larimer Squarea and somehow takes 60-70 minutes.

3 die in rivers this weekend

2008-06-02T07:22:00.002-07:00

The Rocky Mountain News reports three people drowned in river accidents this weekend. An Aurora doctor who was rafting on the Gunnison River, a man who saved a friend trapped by currents in the Little Dolores River, and a New Mexico woman who tumbled into the Cache La Poudre River while toobing died. Water is high now as a big snowpack in the mountains starts to melt in the summer heat.

The trade-off for Front Range crowds

2008-06-02T07:19:00.004-07:00

Yes, skiing of the Front Range is a crowded, traffic-ridden affair (unless you ski Monarch or Cooper). But, on the up-side, you get amazingly cheep season passes starting at about $300. Compare that to Telluride, which just released its "summer sale" price for a season pass: $1,198. Yikes!

County budget plan would save park land

2008-05-30T07:27:00.003-07:00

The Gazette has a story today about how the cash-strapped county government, which needs to come up with about $10 million, is no longer talking about selling park land to scrounge up the cash. Instead, they have devised an across the board series of cuts to various social services. A citizen's group also plans to pen a ballot initiative that would increase the sales tax rate by 1 percentage point. That would bring in roughly $70 million in the first year, which the county would use to restore some of the cuts and chip away at a backlog of hundreds of millions of dollars in other needs.

New plans call for I-70 train

2008-05-30T07:01:00.002-07:00

You can hear the skiers cheering. A group that has been meeting for eight months to come up with a plan to ease congestion on the mountain interstate approved a plan for an "advanced guideway" train by 2025.

This is not so much a Colorado Springs story as a Denver story, but won't it be cool for skiers to be cool for skiers to be able to get on the train, relax, have a breakfast burrito, and ski as long as they want without worrying about missing traffic on the way home.

Even better, if they can build a train on the narrow I-70 corrridor, can one on I-25 be far behind?

Skydiver's attempt to set a free-fall record fails when his balloon leaves without him

2008-05-29T13:29:00.002-07:00

From the AP: Yesterday French skydiver 's latest attempt to set a new free-fall record by riding a balloon to the stratosphere, then jumping out wearing a space suit ended when his baloon to the sky left without him.

The helium balloon was going to use Tuesday to soar to the stratosphere detached from the capsule he was going to use to jump from 130,000 feet.

It happened after the balloon was inflated on the ground at the airport in Saskatchewan. The balloon drifted away without the capsule.

"It was like having a hammer over my head," he said later.

D'oh

The river runner's obsession? Good canned beer

2008-05-29T08:20:00.002-07:00

Not even the news of record CFS spreads as fast among rafters and kayakers as the news that a favorite local microbrewery is coming out with a canned version on its beer. After all, bottles aren't allowed on many rivers (too much broken glass) and cans are lighter and easier to store on multi-day river trips. So it was with much glee that a thread went up on mountainbuzz.com trumpeting the decision by New Belgium Brewery to start offering Fat Tire amber ale in a can.

"Woohoo!! My summer just officially got waaaaay better, no more Tecate with hot sauce on the river for me," one poster raved.

The beer joins these other fine cans: Dale's Pale Ale, Old Chub, and a small selection from local dudes Arctic Brewery.

Man survives tornado to be drowned in Royal Gorge

2008-05-28T07:46:00.002-07:00

The first white water fatality of the year happened Sunday in Royal Gorge when a raft flipped in a class IV rapid and a 26-year-old computer software subcontractors from Kansas drowned. On the way out for the trip, friends said, he had narrowly dodged a tornado while driving on the plains. The water on Sunday was 1,600 cfs. Not particularly high.

World Alpine to Vail?

2008-05-28T07:32:00.002-07:00

Just read on First Tracks!! that Vail is making its bid this week for the 2013 FIS World Alpine Ski Championships. A decision is expected Thursday by the International Ski Federation Congress, which is meeting in my old stomping grounds, Cape Town. (Love that - ski folks meeting by the beach!)

It Vail gets the nod it will be 14 years since the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships have been held outside Central Europe or Scandinavia. Bring it on!

Now, let's get back to the discussion about "locals only" mountain bike trails...

County still eyeing selling park land

2008-05-28T07:29:00.002-07:00

According to a story in today's Gazette, the financially beleaguered county government must cut almost $9 million from the budget, and is talking about temporarily closing its two nature centers and selling off some park land, among other drastic measures. What will really happen? Who knows. The county has made dire prediction before. On the other hand, they are required by Tabor to balance the books, so something's got to give.

Ski hall of fame inductees announced

2008-05-27T15:29:00.002-07:00

And the inductees are:

Paul T. Bailey - founding member of the Copper Mountain Ski area and Chairman of the Board from Copper Mountain’s inception in 1972 through 1978; president of the Loveland Basin Ski Team; This past season he was the National Nastar Champion in the 85 and over category.

Chuck Ferries – a U.S. Alpine ski racer and U.S. Ski Team coach. Chuck was a member of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team, a member of the U.S. World Championship Team, and president of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association from 2002-2006.

Merrill G. Hastings Jr. - served in the 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army and after returning to the U.S. a decorated hero, joined the construction crew in building Arapahoe Basin. Merrill was a Berthoud Pass ski school director and a national ski patrolman starting the ski association that evolved into the Rocky Mountain Division of PSIA. He started Skiing Magazine in 1948 and successfully ran it for 16 years.

Bill Jensen – began his career working as a lift operator and quickly rose up through the ranks landing at the helm of Vail Resorts serving as the President and CEO.

Knox T. Williams - Knox developed an avalanche safety program recognized throughout the world. He built the Colorado Avalanche Information Center, the oldest avalanche forecast center in the United States, into one of the most respected centers in the world. He developed a methodology for archiving weather and avalanche data which has allowed for more accurate mountain weather and avalanche forecasting in Colorado and managed to preserve the CAIC through 35 years of government cutbacks.

Bikers are angry

2008-05-27T07:47:00.002-07:00

They're angry at me because I published an article about a "secret" downhill mountain bike trail in the Pike National Forest called I-35. Here is one of the responses I got (typos included.) It's fairly typical of others:
You must be the dumbest person I know!!! Thanks for your article, your direction's were a little off, but people that should not be riding our trail found it anyway. Our national DH champ is from Colorado and this is where the local Pro athlete's train, including myself. That is why it is so technical. What we managed to keep secret for more than 8 years, was let out in one article. I guess that's what newspaper's do, report news. I'd like to know how you got the name and the direction's, because I don't know you, and I don't see you doing any maintenance on the trail. This trail is a place that keep's the fastest people in the state from going down Jack's, Chute's, area's in Palmer Park, and Ute. Hopefully it does not get shut down now. We've talked to the Forest rangers and they don't seem to have a problem letting a few people ride up there as long as people are not building wooden stunts nailed into the tree top's. I personally don't mind hitting single s! peeders coming up the chutes, but seeing that I race Pro 4x, DH means I have to train on my XC bike as well as road, and don't like it when dudes are bombing Edna Mae in body armor when I'm triing to climb it. This trail is the only thing on the front range (left). Where you did'nt have to worrie about someone hiking/biking up or boobie trapping it because they don't like bikers on a muti use trails going fast. I.e., palmer park and all the mysterious boulders that just seem to roll down and stop on the trail in the middle of the night. In the futer I wish you would keep unmarked trails out of the paper and especially don't give direction on how to get to them, your article was one third about the trail and two third about how to get to it. The next time you can hit a 35 ft. gap over a mine tailing , make it down that trail in one piece or you and your buddie flatting several times(I know people you know and talk get's aroung real fast) maybe then you can tell you buddies.&nbs! p;You h ave no buisness talking about, especially writing about a trail you don't even ride, you're worse then a little kid on the internet talking crap. Maybe next time you could write an article on how people that train for the pikes peak accent use the incline, and how it's illegal, and get that shut down too, or maybe where all the local dirt jumps are.Your informant is going to regret they told your dumb @ss anything about this. P.S. be carefull the next shop you drop your bike off to, may forget to tighten all the bolts, beacause most of the mechanics in town ride DH.Stoops!!!!

For Denver teacher, 50 state summits in 50 days

2008-05-27T06:50:00.002-07:00

Denver schoolteacher Mike Haugen plans to climb all 50 state high points in as many days. Sure, that's sounds easy enough when you're knocking around Missouri and Arkansas, or even Vermont's stately Mount Mansfield, but the trip includes a jaunt up Alaska's Mount McKinley too. Haugen, 31, hopes to combat increasing rates of childhood obesity due to poor eating and exercise habits by hosting an online virtual challenge, which begins June 9. The public can follow along in real time HERE during June and July.

Haugen will summit by any means during his 24,000-mile journey this summer, even if by car.
His goal is to finish on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea, less than 50 days later, on approximately July 25, beating the current record by a few hours.

The upside of $4 gas

2008-05-27T06:04:00.003-07:00

The Gazette has a front-page story today about how, socked with $4 gas, people are slowly shifting to bicycle commuting. Cities are experimenting with more bike lanes. Bike sales are climbing even though other consumer markets are in the tank. Colorado Springs, for its part, continues to add to its network of over 100 miles of bike paths and lanes. I can't help but think, long term, this may be the only elixir able to cure the exurban sprawl that now covers much of El Paso county. Plus, biking is good for you, fun, and less likely to foster road rage -- well, until some yahoo passing by throws his half-eaten Slurpy at you while you're riding to work. At least now you can take comfort in imagining him swearing when he has to pay $70 to fill his truck again.

More on single speeds

2008-05-22T09:30:00.003-07:00

We have a story in Out There Friday on single speed mountain bikes. I wanted to include a few more photos from the day these locals beat me down on a super tough ride.

Is single speed mountain biking a weird cult? You decide, comment below.

Barr Trail conditions

2008-05-21T12:30:00.003-07:00

A recent report from the Incline Club on the trail up Pikes Peak:
It is clear to Barr Camp with only a few small, very old patches of snow. I didn't go beyond Barr, but it looked like the trail was clear for quite a ways past it and I would guess that I could have run quite a bit further without encountering any notable snowy obstacles.

Expect large, deep snowfields above tree line. Axe, gaiters recommended

One virtual step closer to creepy futuristic world

2008-05-21T07:08:00.002-07:00

Nintendo announced this week that it is bringing Wii Fit to the United States, this tricked out version of the wildly popular game system allows players to stand on a bathroom scale-sized sensor and virtually walk a tightrope, ski jump or even strike yoga poses. All this standing around on the scale instead of actually doing these things may make standing around on a real scale that much more scary.

A rare bit of good luck on Rampart Range Road

2008-05-20T05:34:00.002-07:00

I was flying down Rampart Range Road Sunday, and having successfully navigated the blowing piles of trash at the unfortunately managed public shooting range there, I suddenly heard a loud, staccato clang coming from my bike. I stopped and got off to find this giant, rusty nail (picked up from the trash at the shooting range) had miraculously pierced my tire, but not popped my tube. What are the odds?

Mountain Mix-up

2008-05-19T13:57:00.002-07:00

The Gazette ran THIS STORY Friday about how Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, in a commercial whose theme was "Colorado is my life" ran the wrong mountain in the background while explaining how he proposed to his wife on Pikes Peak.

Easy mistake, anyone could have made it.. It was Denali. But in an election year, the question is, would Mark Udall, long-time Outward Bound instructor, make the same mistake?

Warming up for bike season

2008-05-16T10:41:00.002-07:00

Winter Park, perhaps the resort that has invested most seriously in summer biking, has unleashed a new bike website, where it says the future holds some freaky rad stuff:
Pending Forest Service approval, Trestle is on the verge of adding ... over 9.5 miles of additional trails to the bike park. New trails will include excavated trails, jump trails, elevated trails and single track trails. Our existing trails provide a great way to learn and progress your skills and techniques so you will be prepared for the new trails being added to the park. Keep an eye on Trestlebikepark.com for the latest trail construction updates.

Moth watch 2008

2008-05-16T07:14:00.002-07:00

My mom spotted a moth last night between her door and screen door. Are the millers on their way in droves? Hard to know. Report your sightings below.

Crested Butte ski photo bonus

2008-05-16T06:13:00.004-07:00

I skied Mount Axtel near Crested Butte May 11, with some very gracious locals, Jayson Simons-Jones and Karina Speere. Here are some photos that didn't fit in today's story on the near-record snowpack there in Out There.
With snow still at winter levels, everyone parks their snowmobiles at the edge of town and uses them to access closed roads.We had planned on a corn snow day, but after a storm overnight, we got powder instead

The spring snowpack lets you ski steep chutes with little avalanche danger.

Who figured we'd be getting face shots in May?

A look back up at some of the terrain we skied.

Polar Bear added to Endangered Species list

2008-05-14T12:52:00.004-07:00

Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne today announced that he is accepting the recommendation of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dale Hall to list the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The listing is based on the best available science, which shows that loss of sea ice threatens and will likely continue to threaten polar bear habitat. This loss of habitat puts polar bears at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future, the standard established by the ESA for designating a threatened species.

Wolverines return to California, ask mountain lions "What you lookin' at?!"

2008-05-14T07:01:00.004-07:00

This picture was captured in March by a motion-triggered camera in Tahoe National Forest. According to a Bloomberg story, it's the first Wolverine spotted in the Golden State since 1922.

As few as 200 to 300 wolverines are thought to remain in the United States, mostly in Montana and Idaho. They are notoriously bad-ass, as this recent essay shows.

For 13 years, the Biodiversity Legal Foundation, based in Louisville, Colorado, has led a campaign to win federal protection for wolverines under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejected petitions in 1995 and 2000, saying not enough was known about wolverines to put them on the protected list.

In fact, very little is known about these super-sized killer weasels. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has no idea if they live in the state or not.

Snow line at 10,000 feet

2008-05-14T06:59:00.003-07:00

Tuesday's cold, wet weather left a white dusting all the way down to 10,000 feet. I was preparing for a frost in town, but it never came.

Still lots of snow... I mean lots

2008-05-13T07:19:00.003-07:00

This is a photo I took Friday of the trinket igloo on Monarch Pass. The central Rockies still have a yeti-chocking load of snow... so much that water managers have drained Blue Mesa Reservoir by more than half in anticipation of a deluge. That thing usually takes years to fill.
The flood isn't coming yet though, today forecasts call for up to a foot of fresh powder in the mountains.

Moth watch 2008

2008-05-13T07:13:00.002-07:00

And the tally as of May 13 is... one moth, spotted behind the visor of my car. Reports from Fountain, where the moths can be thick, suggest no moths. Maybe they're late, maybe they're not coming.

Moth watch 2008

2008-05-09T06:01:00.002-07:00

Every year the miller moths come in May and early June. Sometimes its just a trickle. Sometimes it's a flood that provoke odd rituals in which locals sit in the dark by soapy bowls of water, jingling keys. (The best way to trap moths.) The last few years have been tame. This year could go either way. So far, I have spotted zero moths. But send your reports to dave.philipps@gazette.com.

County wants to sell park land to fill coffers

2008-05-09T05:44:00.002-07:00

Ready to spit out your morning coffee? El Paso county, which is hurting for money because of the foundering economy, is thinking about selling off park land, including some of its flagship regional parks to raise cash. According to a story in Friday's Gazette the county is examining which parcels in the more than 7,000 acres of park land they are permitted to sell to make up for a $3 million and growing shortfall in tax intake so far this year. Commissioner Dennis Hisey said not to worry, the sales are unlikey to reduce the county's park inventory by more than 50 percent. (Spit coffee now.)
Maybe this is all just scare tactics aimed at getting voters to approve a November sales tax increase, but maybe not. The story says the land could be sold for development, but could also sell to other government agencies (The city?). We'll see what happens, but from its founding, Colorado Springs' economy has relied on providing huge parks for a high quality of life, selling parks is the equivalent of eating your seed corn.

Altitude Research Center needs you

2008-05-08T07:29:00.002-07:00

Want a splitting headache? The Altitude Research Center at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine is looking for some guinea pigs. You just have to be healthy, between 18 to 40 years old and have no current medical problems or summer plans. Oh, yeah, it also helps to have no fear of needles or stationary bikes. Test subjects will be compensated. But here's the bummer: they won't be sending you to a cot at the army research center on Pikes Peak or any place with a cool view. You'll be getting your altitude headache in the altitude chamber at the University of Colorado Denver Medical Campus.

Torch reaches top of Everest

2008-05-08T07:18:00.002-07:00

A Chinese party carrying the Olympic flame reached to top of Mount Everest Thursday. Politics aside, the torch is a pretty need idea. In the the frigid, windy, oxygen-thin Himalayan air, the team used a propane and solid fuel torch based on technology that keeps rockets burning in the upper reaches of the atmosphere. Similar torches will be available through R.E.I. by Christmas... maybe.

The next round of pass wars?

2008-05-07T08:55:00.004-07:00

When Vail created the Buddy Pass in the 1990s, it started a pass war among ski areas catering to Colorado-based day skiers. This year, Vail announced the Epic Pass, a dirt cheap season pass for all Vail mountains available to anyone, whether they live in Colorado or not. The move is expected to significantly increase skier numbers at Vail. The Epic has the potential to start a pass war with traditional destination mountains such as Aspen Ski Company, according to this Aspen Times story. The article suggests there's some hand-wringing over Vail's move to grab out-of-staters. Will we see prices at Aspen drop? Will Vail's move ripple through the industry like the Buddy Pass did?
Maybe, maybe not. Cheap season passes have their own pitfalls. They make it tough to get on-mountain employees, because the incentive for a free season pass isn't as sweet when a pass costs $500 instead of $1,400.

Telluride growing again

2008-05-07T08:07:00.003-07:00

Telluride will for the first time next winter provide lift access to Revelation Bowl, increasing the ski area's vertical drop to nearly 4,000 vertical feet, one of the tallest in the U.S. This above-treeline terrain, located directly off the back side of Telluride's Gold Hill and Chair 14, will be served by a new Leitner-Poma quad chairlift. Details here.
Wow, another big expansion from Telluride, and another "side country" backcountry powder stash gone.

Loveland plans ski cat operation

2008-05-06T07:44:00.003-07:00

According to the Backcountry Alliance's latest newsletter, Loveland Ski Area plans to expand by starting a snowcat operation on Mt. Trelease northeast of the ski area. It's a popular destination for Front Range backcountry folks. Yet another place where backcountry and lift-served are competing for snow.

Runner dies of heart attack in Buena Vista Ultra

2008-05-06T07:32:00.002-07:00

BUENA VISTA - A distance runner collapsed and died Saturday morning during the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run.
59-year-old John Marini of Littleton was running the 25-mile race when he collapsed Saturday about 13 miles in. He died while being taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Officials say the race had EMS squads and six aid stations.

Roads closed as part of Arkansas

2008-05-06T07:12:00.002-07:00

The BLM formally approved the Arkansas River Travel Management Plan Decision Record last week, limiting off-road access to off-highway vehicles in the area west of Royal Gorge. Here are the changes

· OHV open designations in Texas Creek, Grand Canyon Hills, and Sand Gulch are changed to OHV limited to roads and trails.

· OHV open designation at Turkey Rock, a 52 acre portion of the Sand Gulch area, is changed to limited by vehicle type;

· OHV limited designation on High Mesa Grassland Research Natural Area/Instant Study Area is changed to OHV closed.

Falling off rocks: it must be spring

2008-05-05T06:10:00.002-07:00

Here's a sign of the season, snapped by Gazette photog Bryan Oller. Colorado Springs firefighters pulled Robi Saunders, 9, to safety on Sunday after he fell about eight feet near Territory Trail south of Ute Valley Park, said fire spokesman Jesse Kruckeberg. Robi injured his knee and hip. Firefighters were also called to another rescue Sunday when a 17-year-old boy fell 20 to 60 feet at Garden of the Gods, Kruckeberg said. The teen, who had been illegally climbing on a rock formation, was taken to a local hospital with a broken bone. As weather warms a new crop of yahoos always seems to spring up on local crags. Often, they have to be harvested from high ledges by the fire department. Of course, when I was younger, before there were rules about climbing in the Garden without equipment, my sister and I did the same thing. Fortunately, dad never had to call 911.

Skiing Pikes Peak: coverage still good

2008-05-05T06:02:00.003-07:00

A friend who skied Pikes Peak Sunday sent this note: Snow was decent today. I went up for a few runs. Easy to hitch a ride and do laps. Still plenty of white stuff, esp on the more east-facing runs. Little Italy will still be good in June.
A first-hand report is always better than trying to decipher the Devil's Playgroud Webcam.
For map and information on skiing Pikes Peak, click here.

Capitol Peak Skied Again

2008-05-03T07:40:00.003-07:00

Only Lou Dawson had skied mighty Capitol Peak until Chris Davenport and friends repeated the feat in 2006. Now it's been done again. On April 28 Frank Konsella, Pam Rice, Pete Sowar and Chris Webster repeated the feat by a new route. Check out the awesome photos on Frank's blog
Asked if he would do the harrowing route again, he said "NO, under any circumstances."

Climber banished from Everest for Free Tibet banner

2008-05-03T06:43:00.002-07:00

On Monday, Virginia climber Brant Holland was the first person kicked off Mt. Everest and out of Nepal for carrying a “Free Tibet” banner up the mountain. The National Geographic Adventure blog reports Chinese authorities, worried that the Olympic torch will be held up on its way to the top of Everest by protests over China’s role in Tibet, have closed access to the summit until May 10. Although Holland was climbing the south side, Nepal has been cooperating with China and has deployed army troops at Everest Base Camp.

Update on the hippy-pop up. This time with solar

2008-05-02T10:14:00.003-07:00

A company called Verdier has come up with a new, sustainable version of the VW westfalia, minus any clearance you might need to get to an interesting camping spot.

Corral Bluffs Motorcycle Park idea killed

2008-05-02T06:28:00.002-07:00

Yep, it's true. Due in part largely to an organized group of non-motorized opponents, the El Paso County Commissioners voted unanimously yesterday to nix the idea of a county-funded, privately managed dirt bike park. Here's the story.

Spring flowers: pretty much on hold

2008-05-02T06:16:00.002-07:00

I'm amazed that I was walking in the lower part of Cheyenne Canon this week and saw pasque flowers everywhere. These flowers are supposed to emerge in early April, or even March, yet here they were in May. April was, on average, more than a degree cooler than usual and extremely dry, so maybe the wildflowers have decided to wait it out. What ever the reason, there's not much going on right now. Here's what I saw:

Pasque flowers, lots of them.Chiming bells, just one in a warm, dry placeChoke cherries: their long columns of flowers were about to open.

Six inches at A Basin

2008-05-02T06:12:00.002-07:00

Yesterday's Front Range flurries translated to half a foot of snow at Arapahoe basin on top of a very respectable 64-inch base. Loveland got the same gift (which doesn't sound surprising since they're right next to each other, but I've seen many storms where one will get several more inches than the other.) Weather is cool enough today that there won't be melting, making for great snow Saturday. Enjoy.

May powder day?

2008-05-01T08:20:00.003-07:00

It's dumping outside, and with the mountains calling for 6 to 16 inches, A Basin could be off the hook this weekend. Loveland and Echo are also still open.

Packing in National Parks, no backpack required

2008-05-01T06:37:00.002-07:00

The Bush administration formally proposed today to scrap a longtime ban against bringing loaded weapons into national parks and wildlife areas. Under the plan, individuals could carry a concealed weapon in national parks and wildlife refuges if they are authorized to do so on similar state lands in the state in which the national park or refuge is located. That would free up people to pack heat in Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde, and all the rest of our local parks and monuments. Critics have pointed out that there is no need to carry concealed hand-guns in the parks, since there is so little crime, you're statistically more likely to be hit by lightning than involved in an altercation. Being someone who has never owned a gun, I'm always surprised to see people feel the need to carry one, even where there seems to be little reason. Threads on 14ers.com regularly feature discussions of whether to pack heat on climbs. Opinions swing widely, but the consensus leans toward yes. For what though? Bears? Not really an issue. Banditos? Again, I haven't seen them. Mountain lions? They'll see you before you see them. Go figure.

Pine beetle closing campgrounds

2008-04-30T06:39:00.003-07:00

Two more popular campgrounds near Rocky Mountain National Park will be closed much of this summer so trees killed by pine beetles can be cleared.

That's on top of nearly two dozen Forest Service campgrounds in northern Colorado and Wyoming that the U.S. Forest service announced in March would stay closed this summer because of concern over dead trees. So far none in the Pikes Peak area are closed due to beetles.

Officials worry the pine beetle infested trees could fall on campers. So... the areas will be clear-cut, then reopened. Bring a sun shade.

Zipcar for the pedaling crowd

2008-04-29T11:59:00.002-07:00

A new public-private venture called SmartBike in Washington DC plans to make 120 bicyclesavailable at 10 spots in central locations in the city. According to the New York Times the automated program, which district officials say is the first of its kind in the nation, will operate in a similar fashion to car-sharing programs like Zipcar. You become a member, then rent a bike with a swipe of your card.

My sister, who lives in Chicago, is a big fan of Zipcar. So maybe this would work too, though I have a feeling, not in Colorado Springs.

The gear depression

2008-04-29T07:46:00.002-07:00

Hit by a weak U.S. consumer environment, Columbia Sportswear reported a 24-percent drop in first-quarter profit and a lower backlog.

Columbia is an outdoor juggernaut which includes r Sorel Mountain, Hardwear, Pacific Trail, Montrail and Moonstone brands. With gear at all price points, its generally a good bellweather for the rest of the industry. And the industry is.... not doing so good.

Compared to last year, quarterly earnings fell 24 percent. Revenue rose 3 percent.

A year for the books

2008-04-28T06:55:00.002-07:00

What a winter, not that it has stopped snowing in the high country yet, but the numbers are in and eight of Colorado resorts received record snowfall .

2007-08 Season Snowfall Record Breakers:

Aspen/Snowmass - 450 inches
Beaver Creek - 430 inches
Crested Butte - 422 inches
Monarch Mountain - 482 inches
Powderhorn - 320 inches
Silverton - 550 inches (and counting)
Steamboat - 489 inches
Telluride - 353 inches

Vail saw its third snowiest winter on record, Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort saw their fifth snowiest winter. Both Copper Mountain’s and Sunlight Mountain Resort’s snowfall totals landed in the top ten in resort history. Keystone tied its best snowfall in the previous eight years, and Eldora received their best snow year in the previous five years.

Rock on!

Help Mother Earth

2008-04-22T08:32:00.003-07:00

Here's a couple of ways you can recycle gear - aside from giving away items you don't need or want, or taking them to a gear swap (saw this in Newsday):

Nike wants your shoes: Its Reuse-A-Shoe program takes beat-up kicks (any brand) and recycles them into goop used in basketball courts, tracks, playgrounds.

Patagonia wants your fleece: The Common Threads Garment Recycling Program accepts worn-out (washed, please) Patagonia organic cotton tees and fleece and other makers’ Polartec fleece.

The results from Oklahoma City

2008-04-18T15:01:00.003-07:00

Got a call from Tim Barnes, the sprint kayaker I profiled in today's Out There section. He said paddling conditions in Oklahoma City, where the U.S. Olympic Trials are being held this weekend, were not good. Actually, quite bad, with 35 mph cross winds.

But, Barnes said, he gave it a shot. He finished fifth in his heat and fifth in the "B" finals, putting him in roughly 14th place overall.

"My biggest thing, I was happy I wasn't last," he said.

The top paddlers, Barnes said, were able to knife through the wind and waves more efficiently than he could. They lost maybe 10 seconds to the wind, while he was 20 seconds off his pace.

Still, this was the 500-meter sprint. Barnes believes he'll do better in the marathon distances. Those aren't Olympic events, but Barnes believes he can be competitive enough to make it on the U.S. team for the marathon world championships this fall.

By the way, and here's the funny bit, that photo of the kayaker flailing in the water on the bottom of Out There? That would be me.

Seriously, I've paddled Class V whitewater. I'm a pretty decent kayaker. But I couldn't stay upright in that flatwater sprint boat long enough to take two strokes. Picture putting a three-year-old on a 10-speed bike. It was hilarious... but I was really glad I had a drysuit on.

Skiing in short sleeves

2008-04-18T05:50:00.007-07:00

(Photo from Breck's Bump Buffet, 2007, snagged from Colorado Ski Country USA.)

Ready to hit fresh snow under sunny skies? Luckily, Colorado's the place. Seven ski areas are still open, but Breck, our largest, is closing Sunday.

Here are the closing dates for resorts that remain open:
Arapahoe Basin - June 8
Aspen Highlands - this weekend and next; closing day April 27
Breckenridge - Sunday
Echo Mountain - May 4
Loveland - May 4
Silverton - April 27
Wolf Creek -this weekend and next: closing day April 27

Here are some reasons - other than snow - to make the drive to the mountains:

A-Basin: The Beach

Aspen Highlands: Been working at a ski resort that has already closed for the season? Head to the Highlands and show a current season picture pass and pay just $12 for a lift ticket.

Breckenridge: Sunday's closing day brings the annual Spring Massive party and the 29th Bump Buffet, in which telemark skiers shred the bumps dressed in all sorts of crazy costumes.

Echo Mountain: This is college weekend, and you can get lift tickets for $20, there'll be trick contests, a live DJ, free food, demo tents, bar specials and prizes.
Next weekend is Last Park Standing, a finale season party with $12,000 in cash and $4,000 in prizes, an amateur rail jam and pro slopestyle competition, live music, a sponsor village and more. To register for the competition, go here.

Loveland: April 26 is the Corn Harvest Benefit Ski Party, which helps raise cash for the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Silverton: What more do you need? It's Silverton.

Wolf Creek: Lift tickets will be $27 for adults and $16 for children and seniors, no ID required! Lifts will be operating from 9am-4pm.

Wolves in the woods?

2008-04-14T08:33:00.002-07:00

Any of you Out There readers ever encounter a wolf or a wolf hybrid while hiking or biking in the area?

Check out Gaz reporter Scott Rappold's story about locals' worries about a wolf hybrid pack roaming the hills.

(That's a DOW photo of a gray wolf. Wouldn't want to meet him, hungry, on a trail at dawn.)

weekend slopes or trails?

2008-04-14T07:59:00.002-07:00

That's a shot from Loveland on Friday. Nice April skiing. It was tempting, but so were local trails. I stayed local - way local, as in Garden of the Gods. It was nice to get out in the sun.

Oh, and Amy Kemp from Vail Resorts sent more info about those RF scanners in the works for next year. She says they'll use handheld devices "that will still show your pass photo and pass info." Looks like there'll still be lifties AND pass/line wranglers. Nice to know we're keeping people in the equation.

Out There blog takes a siesta

2008-04-11T15:52:00.003-07:00

Dave's in Oaxaca for two weeks.

Pasque flowers out

2008-04-11T08:36:00.002-07:00

I saw a cluster of the flowers a mile up on Barr Trail, as I was getting pelted by snow.

Gear test: The Gadget bottle

2008-04-11T07:39:00.001-07:00

When cyclist and tinkerer Steve Lach got tired of fishing in his jersey pockets for his cell phone while riding, only to realize the person who was calling was someone he’d rather not talk to, a light bulb went off. The result is the Gadget Bottle — a 22-ounce water bottle with a nook where riders can strap a cell phone, iPod or BlackBerry so you can see who’s calling or what’s playing while you’re riding, running, or getting crazy on the StairMaster.
Cost: $7.50
Where to get it: gadgetbottle .com
Bonus: If a band snaps, it can be replaced with one of those colorful, charity wristbands cyclists seem to have a lot of.
Bummer: An iPhone doesn’t work as well with a sticky coating of Gatorade.

Vail takes que form New York Thruway

2008-04-11T06:26:00.004-07:00

Vail announced today it will useradio frequency technology on its season passes, instead of bar codes, giving skiers an “easy scan” process that lets them keep their pass zipped inside their jacket in the lift lines, much like EZ Pass drivers breeze through toll booths all over America with out having to search for change.

“Instead of fumbling to find your season pass in your coat to present at the lift lines next season, our scanners will be able to detect your pass through your jacket which will provide our guests with an easier and more convenient experience,” said Rob Katz, chief executive officer for Vail Resorts.

I'm sure as soon as he said it, he realized a ton of ski bums are going to use this as a way to share season passes. Now you don't even have to buddy up with someone of the same gender.

More backs to the beach

2008-04-10T14:43:00.005-07:00

Friday's Out There in the Gazette offered a glimpse of the end-of-season craziness that is the Arapahoe Basin "Beach." I wanted to include a few more photos. Bonus points for anyone who knows what a Shotski is called in German. (answer at the bottom of the post

a Schnappski

A foot of fresh for the final weekend

2008-04-10T13:57:00.003-07:00

Wolf Creek got dumped on last night, just in time for the end of the season. This Sunday is a "locals appreciation day" which means $27 tickets, whether you're a local or not. Then
Wolf Creek will re-ope for two Local Appreciation weekends, April 19th and 20th and April 26th and 27th. Take advantage of it!

The rest of the ski country is reporting powder too, even though some of it is falling on runs that won't open again until next November. Oh, April is the cruelest month.

Do fourteeners make you dumb?

2008-04-10T08:15:00.002-07:00

Scientists have long seen signs of brain damage among certain climbers on Mount Everest and other high peaks, and now a National Institutes of Health researcher says that even tackling Colorado's fourteeners could lead to irreversible brain damage.R. Douglas Fields, a senior investigator in neuroscience at the NIH, writes about his concerns in the latest issue of Scientific American Mind.

Read more at Newwest.net

Traffic cops on the slopes?

2008-04-10T07:50:00.003-07:00

There are some interesting comments on a Denver Post article about whether additional measures should be taken to try to prevent skiers and snowboarders from dying or getting seriously hurt on the slopes.

Gates to pass through to slow riders?
No grooming near trees?
Mandatory safety classes?
Skills tests?

Check it out and comment below.

Snow line at 7,600 feet, and ready to drop

2008-04-10T07:34:00.003-07:00

A rainy day in Colorado Springs was snowy in the foothills. I can see, a a brief moment of clearing, aasnow starting at about 7,600 feet. More snow is on the way.

Woman buried/rescued from Avalanche near A Basin

2008-04-09T14:48:00.002-07:00

Just east of Arapahoe Basin (in the Front Range Zone), a skier Sarah Thompson of Boulder was caught in an avalanche just before noon. The cornice she was standing on broke under her, and then triggered an avalanche, slid about 1,000 feet and was buried her with just a hand above the snow surface. She rescued and evacuated for medical care. See thread at 14ers.com

Dead snowboarder was on the clock for Aspen

2008-04-09T13:40:00.002-07:00

Snowboarder Wallace Westfeldt died last week after jumping a 35-foot backcountry cliff beyond Aspen Highlands. I didn't realize until yesterday that it was part of a a ski/snowboard film shoot. And I just found out today, from www.wildsnow.com, that he was working on the shoot for the Aspen Skiing Company.

I spoke with Lou Dawson, the ski mountaineering godfather behind Wildsnow, yesterday about how he sees the film industry increasingly encouraging young athletes to do reckless things in order to make it into ski films, and as pro skiers.
"It's a short career and it can end really badly," he said. He has more thoughts on it today.

Dewey Bridge burns

2008-04-09T08:13:00.003-07:00

For many early Moab lovers, this 1916 suspension bridge over the muddy Colorado River was the gateway to canyon country. A modern bridge was added next to it in the early 1980s and the Dewey was restored and became part of the Kokopelli Trail.

Apparently a seven-year-old kid playing with matches at a riverside campsite upstream of the Dewey pullout started a brush fire Sunday night and the rest is history.

Colorado Springs climber Stewart Green said in an email this morning:

"Ed Webster and I just drove past the Dewey Bridge a week ago, en route to Moab and the canyon country, and talked about how crossing the old bridge in the seventies was the magical entry point to the desert and all those sandstone cracks and towers. Ed remembered driving across it for the first time in Jim Dunn's old Youth Challenge VW bus in 1976, on the way to climb the first ascent of Supercrack. It was well after nightfall below a sky filled with stars. Jim stopped the bus in the middle of the bridge above the torrent and Jim, Ed and Bryan Becker stepped out onto the creaky wood planks. Funny, I said, Jim and I did the same thing in 1971 on our first climbing trip to Utah. After that, I always stopped at night when I drove across the old bridge going either to or from the Canyonlands, hands sore from jamming cracks, hair full of desert sand and grit, listening to the river currents sweeping below like a strong black god.

I'm gonna miss that old bridge and what it meant."

Hell on wheels

2008-04-09T07:02:00.002-07:00

Maybe you've been sitting on your couch, watching highlights of Lance crest the Alp D'huez in the tour, and just for a second, seen a shot a cantankerous little devil man, complete with pitch fork, running along side. That would be Didi Senft — a 56 year old German cycling fan. But according to this cool story, the guy is more than just horns and pitch forks. He builds some crazy, crazy bikes.