How did registration go?

I just signed up for wave one of the Pikes Peak Ascent. How did other people do? Did the server crash? Did you get in? Is it closed now? Comment below.

Ascent/Marathon sign up today

Wave 2 Ascent at noon. Wave 1 Ascent at 12:30 p.m.
Marathon waves at 1 p.m.
Registration links and more info here.

Medicinewheel's plans for 2008

Here's what local bike advocacy group Medicine Wheel wants to do, according to their Website, in 2008

Finish the Bear Creek Singletrack Project
Start the West Bear Creek Trail
Ute Valley Park Trail Building - with Rock Shox
Ongoing trail maintenance in Palmer Park
Red Rock Canyon Freeride Park Phase II
Layout new trail in Cheyenne Mtn State Park
Fight tooth and nail to let bikes back into Garden of the Gods after over 20 years by staging raucous "bike-ins" at city council meetings.

Oh, wait. Never mind about that last one. (That's 2009)

Despite (or maybe because of) opposition from Rep. Doug Bruce, the western painted turtle continues it's plod toward becoming the state reptile. A bill giving it the honor unanimously passed the state senate Tuesday. Now it only needs the signature of the governor to join the roster of other official state creatures.
A gold star to the first non-fourth grader who can name the state dinosaur, mammal and insect.

One day to Ascent sign up

Are you registered with Active.com? You need to be to register for the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon. Go to www.active.com to sign up.
Don't forget, there are new criteria this year for sign-up.

Here's links for sign-up (won't work until noon Wednesday)
Ascent wave 1
ascent wave 2

Marathon wave 1
marathon wave 2

New digs for USA Cycling

The Gazette has reported before that USA Cycling has been wooed by other cities and has considered moving. Today, Brian Gomez reports that Nor'Wood Development, deeded a two-story property at 5935 Delmonico Drive to USA Cycling.
The market value of the property is $691,513, according to the assessor's office.
Very nice of Nor'wood President Chris Jenkins to make that move. We'll see if it works.

Read the full story here.

Now a registry for the trip down, too

I mentioned a few weeks ago that the Colorado Mountain Club keeps a tally of people who have officially climbed all the fourteeners. For a long time there was no need to keep an official list of who had skied down all the peaks because it consisted of one guy, Lou Dawson. Then, last year, Chris Davenport joined him. Now, Davenport's friend and companion on many summits, Ted Mahon is one peak away from making it a trio. (He still has to do Capitol.) In the mean time, Davenport has set up a registry and Web forum at skithe14ersforum.com.
Davenport said in an email today that he hopes the exchange of information on routes and conditions, and the forum's ability to connect like-minded people "can grow into a strong and open community that will help grow the sport of ski mountaineering."

Three days to Pikes Peak sign-up

I ran to Barr Camp yesterday (very snowy above No Name Creek) and talked for a few minutes with caretakers Teresa and Neal. They weren't the first to tell me stories of being left out by the new registration criteria for the Ascent. Basically, you have to have a qualifying time in the race in the last five years, or in another marathon or half marathon. Neal is a superb ultra-runner. He has placed in the top 10 in the Hardrock 100, the toughest race in the state. But he hasn't run the Ascent or any marathons or half marathons in the last five years, so he doesn't qualify for the race. The new regulations were designed to cut less ambitious runners from flooding the race sign-up. We'll see how well it works, but it's too bad it inadvertently kept out some folks who would more than qualify in terms of fitness.

Corral Bluffs video

Local open space advocate Lee Milner continues to champion the cause of keeping motorcycles out of corral bluffs. To that end, he's made a short, somewhat silly video of the place. See it here.
I'm not sure about the canned soundtrack with the howling wolves.

Hummer haters unite

Yes, there is an entire Website devoted only to submitted pictures of people flipping off the Hummer H2. Few gas-guzzling, not-even -very-good -off-road tax shelters have inspired so much hate. I wonder why.

I'm digging the return of Monarch's old logo

The butterfly is waaaay better than the old 1990s logo below.

Eagle is on the nest

Earlier this week I linked to the owl cam Xcel Energy sets up near one of its power plants. More interesting perhaps is Xcel's bald eagle cam. The eagle is on her nest. The eggs usually hatch in early April. Get highlight photos here.

Gear up

Today's cool gear : the Ruffwear Quickdraw leash

Ruffwear Quick Draw leash
Good dogs don’t need a leash all the time.
Deep in the forest on uncrowded trails, dogs love to trot untethered. But you never know when you’ll encounter something (a bear, another dog, a three-dayold, half-eaten breakfast burrito) where quick restraint could be very handy.
That’s just what the Quick Draw leash was designed for. Hook the short leash to a dog’s collar, then wrap it around the neck where it secures with sturdy Velcro. If you need a leash, just pop the Velcro.
Price: $12
Where to get it: ruffwear.com
Bonus: Reflective stitching makes it easy to spot in the dark.
Bummer: Probably will be abused by irresponsible dog owners in busy city open spaces.

See something you think we should try? E-mail your ideas to dave.philipps@gazette.com

The same lion or many lions?

Mountain lion sightings seem to be up on the West Side in the last few weeks, according to the buzz around Manitou Springs. A lion almost snagged a dog on El Paso Blvd. One has been spotted on Lincoln Ave several times. And one on Washington Ave. in the past two weeks, cornereda woman in her jacuzzi room.

DOW says DON’T LET YOUR DOG CHASE WILDLIFE

This just in from the Division of Wildlife: Every year DOW offices receive hundreds of calls reporting dogs chasing deer, elk or other wildlife species, but this year’s heavy snowfall has pushed wildlife closer to homes and has left wildlife in an even more vulnerable condition.

Deer and elk that are forced to run from dogs must use the energy stores that they need to carry them through the winter months. Even if the animal is not caught, the stress and fatigue caused by the chase could cause the animal to die later.This problem is increasing as more people are moving into rural areas that deer and elk use for winter-range habitat. Large animals congregate in the winter months which make them an easy target for dogs.

DOW officials also emphasize that dog/wildlife conflicts are not just a winter problem. Deer fawns and elk calves are especially susceptible to attack shortly after they are born in the spring.

Pet owners are legally responsible for any damages that are caused to wildlife by their dogs. Under Colorado statute, pet owners can be fined $274 if their animals are harassing wildlife. If a dog kills or injures an animal, an additional fine of $500 can be assessed.

One week to Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon sign-up

Will the servers crash? Will the changes to the registration work? Will I get in? Will anyone ever best Matt Carpenter's record?
Registration is March 12. If last year is any indication, it will fill in 10 minutes.

Grand Canyon flooding

The feds let loose the water from Glen Canyon Dam today in an experiment to help rebuild beaches along the Colorado River. This shot by photog Matt York (AP) shows the awesome power of the water - and the tremendous amount.

The Rocky is writing about the plan and about folks who showed up to gawk at the spectacle. Read all about it here.

I floated the river from the dam, through Horseshoe Bend, down a few miles, on a trip with my son and mom about 8 years ago. Absolutely gorgeous. You ride down through the tunnels made when creating the dam and come out on a ramp at the bottom, just above water level. Talk about feeling like an ant.

Back to the drawing board

AN electronic device designed to ward offsharks from surfers was eaten by a great white shark during testing.During the test off South Africa, The Shark Shield surf model was activated on a float carrying bait when the 3.6m female shark approached. Rather than being deterred by the device, the shark bit into it. Some are concerned that the electronic fields generated to repel sharks may attract them.Via the goat

Mountain bike racing may return to C Springs

Longtime bike race organizer Andy Bohlmann called yesterday to say he has a sponsor for three mid-summer bike races on the new trails at Bear Creek regional park. He is still waiting for approval from El Paso County Parks. If it goes, it will be the first races in the city since 2002.

Owl cam is up again

Great horned owls nest very early in the spring and Xcel Energy has placed web cams in nest boxes at its Valmont Power Station in Boulder. When the great horned owls finish their nesting activities this spring, the camera will switch to barn owls that are just beginning to nest. Because these birds are most active at night, we use an infrared camera which captures images under low-light conditions and provides them in black and white.

5280, the official magazine of smug rich people in Denver, surprisingly enough this month has an article on Albert Ellingwood's first ascent of Lizard Head peak. (Those rich subscribers make it one of the only Colorado magazines that pays well enough to attract good writers.) I haven't read the article by Dougald MacDonald, but I have read the original trip report on one of the first technical ascents in Colorado. Read it here.

Better biking...

This summer bike-friendly connections between the Pikes Peak Greenway and downtown will be added thanks to a $5,000 grant Trails and Open Space Coalition got from a national non-profit called Bikes Belong. The proposed improvements will include the construction of ramps and trail connectors between the Pikes Peak Greenway and the South Tejon Street bicycle lanes.

College gives freshmen free bike if they leave car at home

Ripon College, a small liberal arts joint in Southern Wisconsin, is giving away a Trek 800, helmet, and lock to every incoming freshman next fall. In exchange, students only have to agree not to bring a car to campus.

via the goat

Deep snows just won't melt around Gunnison, which means the DOW is still feeding about 8,600 deer at 131 different sites, and about 440 pronghorn at 12 sites. In addition, hay is being provided to about 3,300 elk to bait the animals away from ranchers' hay stacks and major roads.

Snow depths are above 30 inches at many of the feeding sites and most available food sources remain covered north of Highway 50. Total snow accumulation in the low elevation areas near Gunnison for this winter is 86 inches, which puts this season in the top five since records started being kept in 1899. Temperatures remain cold and little melting has occurred at the feed sites.

Terrifying to watch, but you can't look away

Check out this crazy speed free climber.

Up all 54

The Colorado Mountain club keeps an online list of all the people who have officially climbed all 54 fourteeners in Colorado. Pretty cool. Not that you need to show up on a list to make it count, but it's fun to look back 50 years and see pioneering locals Albert Ellingwood, Robert Ormes and Betsy Cowles.

BASE jumper skier on Mount Hood

Did you see this footage of the skier BASE jumping 7200 feet off Mount Hood?

Checkit.

Daredevil on Skis
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/ver/251.7/popup/index.php?cl=6762436

Local climber/skier dies in car crash

THE GAZETTE

The victim of a fatal car crash Saturday on Garden of the Gods
Road has been identified as 59-year-old Larry McDonell of Colorado
Springs, a long-time resident who had climbed all
of Colorado's 14ers and was working his way up the state's dozens of
13,000-foot peaks, his wife of 34 years, Janet McDonell, said Monday
morning.
McDonell was pronounced dead at Penrose Hospital after his car clipped
another vehicle, crossed a median and crashed into a concrete drainage
ditch, flipping onto its top.
It was the mountains that drew the couple here about 30 years ago.
"Larry saw those mountains and he just had to come here," she said.
He was a telemark skier and ice climber.

He had told his family he was going hiking the day of the crash.
McDonell, a Qwest technician by trade who once earned a living as a lead
rock and jazz guitarist, earned the nickname "Logical Larry" for his
matter-of-fact demeanor and penchant for problem solving.
"In any crisis he would bring everything down a notch. He was my
stabilizer," Janet McDonell said.

McDonell is survived by two grown daughters, Angel and Joy, and a
grandson named Johnny. His daughter's dog, Lucy, a chow/labrador mix,
survived the 1:30 p.m. crash and is recovering.

Skier deaths depart from norms this year

The death of the 39-year-old woman skiing at Winter Park this weekend is just the latest proof in what one of my friends who ski patrols has been saying: the demographics for skier deaths are far from normal this year.
They're too young, too old, or too lacking of a Y chromosome.
Here's what I mean. Most fatal accidents happen when an advance or intermediate male skier between the ages of 18 and 35 strikes a tree on a green or blue run after lunch.
This weekend's skier struck a tree (as have 5 of the 10 skiers who died this year in Colorado) but it was at 9 a.m. And she was a she.
She comes in addition to two boys and a 67-year-old man who died this year.

Spring before more winter

It was so warm Saturday I had tulip buds coming up. Friends and I didn't have time to go ride Pueblo, like a lot of people did this weekend, so we went to Palmer Park. There were a few icy and muddy spots, but the trails were 99 percent clear. The didn't keep us from getting five flat tires for three riders, which may be my all-time record. Still, the riding was great and we stopped at Flor de Jalisco, my favorite taco wagon on the way home. Then we sat on the porch drinking Manitou Lemonade. Not a bad taste of spring. The next morning I shoveled snow.

Avalanche danger

The storm that is expected to bring up to a foot of snow in the high country through Sunday also may increase the likelihood of avalanches.

Officials said danger could increase as cold air moving in mixes with the warm air we've had in recent days. A slide on Highway 40 at Berthoud Pass closed the road for about an hour today.

Check the snow report in The Gazette's sports section or at Colorado Ski Country.

Hiker rescued off Pikes Peak

A Denver-area man in his early 20s was lifted off the peak this afternoon after spending a night on the mountain.

I haven't seen the report, but I heard on KOAA that the man was hiking up from the Crags.

A Teller County Search and Rescue official said the man summited but got lost on the way down. He had a cell phone and talked to sheriff's officials occasionally last night. He had been hiking with a friend, but the friend had turned back after experiencing problems with the altitude.

The friend notified authorities when the man failed to meet up. He is said to be an experienced hiker, and had snowshoes. He was checked out and said to be in good health.

El Paso County Search and Rescue, the Teller County Sheriff's Department and the Army National Guard helped with the rescue. Rescuers also had snowshoes but said they often found themselves in waist-deep in snow.

Skier dies at Winter Park

A 39-year-old woman was killed this morning on lower Mary Jane trail after hitting a tree at Winter Park.

Doctors pronounced the woman dead at about 9:30 a.m. The woman was the 10th skier killed on Colorado slopes so far this season.

Our thoughts go out to her family and friends. Weather forecasters say we'll get snow tonight. Be careful out there.

Looking for inspiration?

How about a meeting of top athletes?

You should be able to find it this weekend at Copper Mountain.

Copper's hosting the Special Olympics Colorado Winter Games for the 20th consecutive year.

Competition begins at 10 a.m. Sunday with alpine skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The Opening Ceremony is 7:15 to 8 p.m. in the Burning Stones Plaza. They'll light the Flame of Hope and there'll be a Snow Cat parade followed by fireworks. The Games continue Monday.

Copper's snow forecast is a possible 3-6 inches late Saturday and another 2-4 Sunday.

If you go, stop by Zizzo Ski Bar, where they're matching dollar for dollar for Special Olympics.

Want to help out? Click here for volunteer opportunities, or call Mandi DeWitt at (720) 359-3117.

Lacing for different feet

Yes, you can tie your shoes differently depending on foot shape to prevent injuries. According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, HERE is how you can tie for heel slipping, high arches, etc.



via The Goat

Gear up

From our gear review files:

Nikwax Down Proof

Nothing beats puffy down for lightweight warmth in jackets and sleeping bags, but get the feathers wet and they’ll collapse like Superman after a kryptonite martini, losing all insulating ability.

To protect your down, and yourself, nothing works better than Nikwax Down Proof. It even staves off humidity and dew that can sap down’s insulating power.
Just pour the waterproofer in the washing machine, add your sleeping bag or jacket, and set on gentle. Directions suggest using a front-load washer, but we threw a 12-year-old down bag into a home top-load washer with no problems. It came out with renewed puffy loft and more waterproof than the day it was made.
Bonus: It’s fun to watch water droplets bead on the nylon shell.
Bummer: Nikwax recommends you use its down cleaner ($7.50) before waterproofing.
Price: $9-$11
Where to get it: Mountain Chalet, REI
See something you think we should try? E-mail your ideas to dave.philipps@gazette.com.

Wolf Creek extends season

With tons and tons of snow, Wolf Creek will stay open through April 13th and reopen for two additional weekends: April 19th & 20th and April 26th & 27th, 2008. A special rate of $27 for adults and $16.00 for children will be available on Wednesday, April 9th, and also on the the last 2 weekends.

For more information call 970-264-5639 or visit wolfcreekski.com.

Mountain Film Fest this weekend!

Don't miss the Banff Mountain Film Fest Saturday. Not only is this bundle of short outdoor films always a good time, but 100 % of proceeds go to local trail stewards Rocky Mountain Field Institute!

When: Saturday, March 1st, 2008 @ 7:00pm

Where: The Lloyd Shaw Auditorium @ Cheyenne Mountain High School, 1200 Cresta Rd.

Cost: $12.00 General Admission

More on Taos Ski Valley history

In Out There Friday the Gazette has a story on Taos Ski Valley allowing snowboarders. In addition, I wanted to include more about the history of the family-owned mountain. You can read more here.
And here's a cool video of granddaughter Adriana Blake talking about her grandfather who started the mountain. Click here.

Close encounter of the cetacean kind

Local writer Kate Keeley spent two months in Antarctica on a National Science Foundation grant for writers and artists. She worked side-by-side with scientists and researchers, studying penguins and seals, and spent a few days sifting 65-million-year-old dirt for mammal bones.

A highlight of her trip was a close encounter with a humpback whale, which she wrote about for Out There.

Here are a few more photos that show how close she and others got to the whale, which can weigh 45 tons.





















The researchers found "a lot of ancient sharks' teeth, a mummified seal, and possibly a bone from a prehistoric, 6-foot tall penguin," she said.

Way cool. I'm ready to go. I think Dave is, too.

Bill would OK Leadville cleanup

From the AP:

Colorado congressmen Doug Lamborn and Mark Udall introduced legislation today that makes the Bureau of Reclamation responsible for removing up to 1 billion gallons of contaminated water trapped in a Leadville drainage tunnel.

The legislation comes two weeks after Lake County officials declared a state of emergency, saying water pressure in the tunnel could cause a blowout and flood the town.

The tunnel drains water from hundreds of abandoned mine shafts. A collapse inside the tunnel, detected in 1995, caused the water to back up inside the shafts.

Udall has said some of the water could be pumped to a nearby well the EPA owns. But longer-term, Udall and Lamborn want Reclamation to build another well and transfer the water to its treatment facility.

Far Out ski fashions

Dave's out skiing today. Probably testing out gear he'll break out at Saturday's Retro Ski Day at Eldora.
Check this ensemble:



That could be Dave as a boy - he's prone to Day-Glo outfits, even now - but I can't see his mom ever pulling on that getup.

Head on up to Eldora Saturday and rock it old school - '70s and '80s - all day. There's a kids costume contest at 12:30 -- grooviest, most far out and coolest.

There's an adult apres ski costume contest at 3:30 with "live, funky music." A little Parliament, anyone?

If you've got pix of yourself in great old ski gear, send 'em in. We'll have a little contest of our own. dena.rosenberry@gazette.com

One Crazy Summer

So after a few personal break downs and serious doubt about our decision we got to work trying to make a normal and structured life for Tali. We had lots of walks, stood, for what felt like hours, at the far side of our local park watching other dogs. We exposed her to as much as possible in a supportive and safe environment. As the summer went on we made some big and not so big break-throughs. We took off her gentle-leader, started leaving her training treats at home, and no longer ducked and ran when we saw another dog. She began playing with other dogs, she would listen to basic commands, and started to live a happy life. Not to say that she is now the perfect dog, but we can walk her without a leash, and know how she will respond in certain situations, and her basic obedience is now better than some other dogs we come across.
Because of her breed, which we now believe to be a mix of English Setter and Border Collie, Tali needs lots of exercise. We got her a Frisbee, which we doubted would draw any interest but thought it was worth a try. After a throw or two she became obsessed. Her drive to get the Frisbee, find the Frisbee, and never leave the Frisbee was almost alarming. As fall started we began to notice traits that might make her a good avalanche dog. What we saw was first and foremost a strong work ethic, a desire to please, loyalty, and a love to play. As the winter started my wife and I discussed the thought about seeing if she could make it as a working avalanche dog.
I talked to everyone in the dog program at work and they were all very encouraging and supportive about her starting the training. With that she was on her way to a potential new career.

Denver TV story on Pikes Peak ski area

A fairly bad Denver TV story on the proposed ski area. The reporter seems to have limited her research to reading Dave's story and looking up a ski shop in the yellow pages.

The average skier

According to 2007 Snow Sports Industry data, the average skier...

is between 27 and 31 years old

has a college degree an an average household income of more than $100k

skis an averae of 13 days a season

skis on gear purchased in 1997

Snowboarding quarter

When I lived in Vermont, you always used to have to watch for other Vermonters trying to slip you Canadian change. Sure, it was sort of the same, but it wouldn't work in vending machines or parking meters (Vermont has three) and, more than that, was just a sign that you were too much of a dolt to spot the lame coin. No more. Never mind that 25 Canadian cents are now worth as much as an American quarter, they have these fresh new graphics released for 2008. Canada is cool. Who knew?

Iditarod Trail invitational

Regular reader and local blogger Ultra Rob rightly pointed out that before the Iditarod starts next week, we have the running and biking/hike version of this suffer fest. The Website is not quite as high-tech, but you can see occasional updates and really cool photos here.

Great films for a great cause

This Saturday you can catch the local showing of the Banff Mountain Film Festival at Cheyenne Mountain High School. 100% of proceeds go to Rocky Mountain Field Institute.

When: Saturday, March 1st, 2008 @ 7:00pm

Where: The Lloyd Shaw Auditorium @ Cheyenne Mountain High School

1200 Cresta Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Cost: $12.00 General Admission

Race the Iditarod

OK, maybe we won't keep as close tabs on this year's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race (starts Sunday) as last year's. Then again, maybe we will.

Clarke Lachlan of Buena Vista is competing again this year.

It'll be much easier for all of us to follow the race because 20 veteran mushers in the 36th running of the 1,100-mile race will be outfitted with technology used to track oil-pipeline inspection tools. We can watch their progress online.

“Basically, it winds up looking like a video game but it’s a way to watch a representation of an event that’s happening many thousands of miles away — in real time,” Jerry Miller with IonEarth, a satellite race tracking company based in Traverse City, Mich., told the Associated Press.

You can see where teams are along the trail, along with speed, direction, altitude and temperature. And you can choose views - three-dimensional, aerial - that show past images of the actual terrain.

Not all mushers are happy about it, though. Some fear such instant information can ruin their race strategies.

Bill Pinkham of Glenwood Springs and Kurt Reich of Divide already have withdrawn from the race.

Say goodbye to Claus

NOAA climatologist Klaus Wolter said this fall that this was going to be an exceptionally dry snow year for the mountains. He must have been hanging out with the same guys this fall who predicted John McCain was broke and done because snow continues to hammperthe Colorado Rockies making the 2007-08 season one for the record books. The first of a two part storm swept across the western region of the state yesterday leaving mounds of snow in its wake. The second wave of the storm further steeped the state in snow last night and today resorts are enjoying the 60th powder day of the season (calculated as at least one resort receiving 5 or more inches of new snow).

The southwest portion of the state leads by the sheer volume of snow they’ve received this winter. As of this morning, Wolf Creek Ski Area has had nearly 41 feet of snow this season to date and neighboring Silverton Mountain is reporting 37.5 feet for the season.

The incline

Hmmm... I hear from my Manitou Incline sources that The Independent is calling the city to do a story on the history of the area's favorite masochistic workout, The Incline. A better place to start might be Matt Carpenter's thorough series about the railroad, or even my regular updates and story about it turning 100.

Digitizing the past

Just got a note from my good friend John Murphy, pointing me to some recently digitized manuscripts at Colorado College written by George Hapgood Stone. Stone was a resident of Colorado Springs from 1881 until his death at age 75 in 1917. He gained a firm reputation as one of the best local authorities on the historical, scenic and geological facts of the Pikes Peak region. He was also the first guy to explore the route Zebulon Pike took when he tried to climb Pikes Peak. The route is in dispute. Stone put Pike on Black Mountain. Murphy, with hiking help of me and others, thinks it was Mount Rosa. You can read the yellowing manuscripts of Stone's excursions here.

A great burrito shop

In my quest to document good, fast food (but not "fast food") places across the Western Slope, I bring you this week's edition: Durango's Cocina Linda. This little, family run joint next to the Albertson's downtown (311 W. College Dr.) specializes in what I would call college hippie Oaxacan cuisine. It's mole sauces and amazingly good poblano rellenos from the southwestern mountain coast of Mexico, with local hippie ingredients such as organic, grass fed Taylor Ranch beef. The grass give the beef almost a venison taste, and it's great on a taco with cotija cheese. If you're on the go, the place also has big burritos with excellent beans and rice.

Great avalanche footage

This is from Ophir in 2004, but pretty amazing. Judging by the number of cameras they had set up, I think they knew this slide was going to go big. Watch it here.

Big snow in high country

Summit County, Aspen area, Monarch, Southern Mountains all reporting around a foot in the past 24 hours.

New record for ascending

Eric Sullivan, a.k.a. Sully, a Team Salomon Crested Butte Adventure Racer (among other things) set a new world record for human-powered vertical feet climbed on skis in a day Sunday when he topped 51,000 feet during the 24 hours of Sunlight Race. Then he went up for yet another lap.
Damn, son.

A real problem, but is it real poison?

Came across this sign Sunday at the start of the Red Rock Canyon Trail in Red Rock Canyon Open Space. No doubt there are scores of off-leash dogs in the park. Even worse, there is an endless amount of un-scooped dog poop. Perhaps to battle this, the sign was put up. But is there actually poison bait that is bad for dogs but somehow OK for wildlife? Most visitors, if you can judge by whether they leashed their dogs, didn't seem convinced. I suspect this was put up by a well meaning park regular, and is not a city program. We'll find out.