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Paddling with Kids

Four people in blue kayaks paddle on a calm lake with a mountainous background.

I was a water droplet of a man when I joined my family as a fifth-grader on a five-day float down Colorado’s Yampa River. Whether that trip influenced me to eventually raise my own kids a block away from the same river, I’ll never know. But it left an impression as indelible as the desert […]

Moody River

A person wearing fishing gear is standing on grassy riverbank, holding a fishing rod over a calm river at sunset.

Fast changes on the Big Thompson It never fails to amaze me how quickly conditions can change on a trout stream. It’s ancient knowledge that rivers never sleep, that they’re in a never-ending state of flux, always rising or falling, changing color, clarity, or course. Rivers — and the fish in them — can be […]

HAPPY HIKING: VOLUNTEER TO MAINTAIN TRAILS

A dirt trail winds through a meadow with wildflowers and pine trees, leading towards distant green hills under a cloudy sky.

You don’t have to hike often to know that trail quality and conditions can make or break a day of hiking in the mountains or foothills of Colorado. If you enjoy being in nature and you love making a difference, then volunteer opportunities to help maintain trails are a perfect fit for your summer plans. […]

Happy Trails

A winding trail cuts through a lush mountain meadow filled with wildflowers and flanked by evergreen trees under a cloudy sky.

Volunteer to help maintain trail conditions You don’t have to hike often to know that trail quality and conditions can make or break a day of hiking in the mountains or foothills of Colorado. If you enjoy being in nature and you love making a difference, then volunteer opportunities to help maintain trails are a […]

Pursuing Equilibrium

A person in camouflage gear sits among decoy birds in a field at sunset, watching birds fly overhead.

The Light Goose Conservation Order, now in its 26th year, draws to a season close in Colorado (east of I-25) April 30. In 1940, there were fewer than 1 million snow geese on the continent, but due to changes in the agricultural landscape in the Central Flyway, their numbers began to soar astronomically, and today, […]

Explore the Backcountry SAFELY

Mountain road with a curve and snow-covered slopes, featuring a yellow warning sign that reads "Avalanche Area.

For many avid skiers and snowboarders, the backcountry is the final frontier of their snow sports progression. The backcountry is a place of solitude, excitement, and exercise. You will often hear the phrase “earn your turns,” when hiking up a valley before slashing down the mountain back to the car. While backcountry enthusiasts will often […]

Backyard Bird Watching

A blue jay holding a peanut in its beak stands on a pile of mixed seeds and nuts. Snow is gently falling around.

I’m not exactly a dedicated bird watcher, but I am fascinated by the little buggers. I grew up in a tiny mountain town and spent much of my youth in the woods hunting, fishing, and doing other countryboy stuff. Birds were everywhere, so I naturally learned to identify them, but I was more interested in […]

Ski the Gems

Person in ski gear stands on a snowy mountain slope with a backdrop of snow-covered peaks under a clear blue sky.

There’s no better bonding time for me and my daughters than skiing in the Colorado Rockies. We spend the drive up talking and listening to music (I’m still trying to convince them that ’80s music is the best), and when we get to the slopes it’s equal parts adventure, fun, and friendly competition. Like most […]

Hot Fishing on Cold Days

Mountain range with snow-capped peaks and forested slopes under a partly cloudy sky. Vegetation in the foreground.

I’m no longer surprised by the number of anglers who fly-fish through the winter, though I once was. It’s not for the faint of heart or folks who like to stay warm, but still, winter fly-fishing has grown to the point where it’s fairly commonplace. Even if the local freestone streams are iced over, there […]

Be Thankful

A river flows past a grove of trees, with one tree displaying bright orange foliage among the green and yellow leaves.

Thanksgiving is almost here, and like millions of others, I’m thinking about some of the things I’m thankful for. Right at the top of the list, of course, is my wife and our family, and that we had the remarkably good fortune to have been born in the USA. Our clan has been remarkably blessed […]