The friendly folks at Tilley Endurables wrote to ask if I’d like to try one of their hats. I’d never heard of a Tilley before, but it turns out they’re like the Cadillac of hats…

Wait a sec, that’s not fair…Cadillacs are gas-hogs, unreliable, and generally behind the times. I guess I mean, Tilley hats are like a loaded Toyota Camry, the one you didn’t realize was pretty badass, totally reliable, and a way saner choice than a Caddy or Lincoln Town Car. That make sense?

Anyway–a bit of research and reading revealed that Tilley makes incredibly durable, well-made hats, as well as clothing. Die-hard fans post all over the web, boasting of 20-year relationships with their Tilley hats, the supreme comfort, you name it. So I bit: I surfed their site and got a “Tec-Wool” ball cap, a turbo-charged, cutting-edge lid with a slightly “plainer” look to it than some of Tilley’s other models. Belying the mellow appearance, though, were some pretty cool innovations.

First, Tilley uses Schoeller C-Change membrane in the top of the hat–regular readers know I have an infatuation with Swiss-made Schoeller fabrics. They’re absolutely great, but so costly these days most manufacturers choose cheaper (usually inferior!) alternatives. The waterproof/breathable C-Change stuff claims to breathe better the higher one’s body temperature rises, and vice versa. The result is a warmer feel to any jacket, pant, hat made with it.

I wore my Tec-Wool all winter, including a few days ski touring, just to test it out. The hat uses 75 percent wool, 19-percent polyester, and six percent polyurethane fabric (I think this is the C-Change). There’s also a thin layer of quilted insulation in the crown.

Apologies on the lighting, but Dominic and Luca took over the camera from Momma, resulting in less-than-ideal photography...but a funny adventure with the little dudes.

After 20-plus days skiing, hanging, and traveling (in rainy Seattle) I gotta say, this Tilley hat rocks. Comfy as can be, warm, and completely functional. It’s as warm as a beanie, if not more so. I wear some sort of visor/sun hat/ball cap 90 percent of the time I’m out (testimony to Colorado’s great weather and my battle against sunburn!), so I appreciate having a brim to shade my eyes. The Tec-Wool also has fold-away ear flaps (think Elmer Fudd hunting cap, without the dopey look), which were totally cool when ski touring and walking around Seattle on a blustery winter day.

This is one of Dominic and Luca's unsupervised pics. The Tilley Tec-Wool didn't quite make it into the frame.

Until I sat down to write this post, I didn’t realize the hat also has an adjustable band built-in. Two things: one, great idea and nice feature, but two, it shows how well they pull it off because I never noticed and never found it bulky or uncomfortable. There’s also a “secret” pocket in the hat, which was so secret it took me about three minutes of tugging on seams and turning the thing inside out to find it. Not sure what I’d put up there, but who knows, maybe it’ll come in handy?

The Tec-Wool is a surprisingly functional and comfortable hat. I won’t get much use of it in summer, but come fall, I’ll pull it back out of storage and wear it again–it’s a great piece!

Most people only forget their sunglasses once in Colorado.

If eyes are indeed the window to the soul, my friend’s spirit was a red, burning mess. His mistake: hiking at altitude on an overcast day without sunglasses. The radiant solar glare from the snow cooked his peepers into red-hot cinnamon balls. Luckily, his was only a mild case of snowblindness and after a day or two of looking like he watched repeated viewings of Old Yeller, his eyes were back to normal. Lesson learned.

Anyone who ventures into the high country eventually learns that there’s a lot of subtle ways to feel awful and get frustrated on the mountain. In honor of all the little things one learns in the field, Elevation Outdoors presents 7 Spiffy tips to make your time in the hills a little more enjoyable. And yes, we’ve learned most of these lessons the hard way as well.

1. Headaches: It Might Not Be the Altitude
I hope Advil finally gives me some kind of pro sponsorship because I’ve gone through many gallons of their liquid gels. The two main culprits in many headaches are altitude and dehydration. These two conditions should be the first suspects on your list of headache inducing ailments. However, don’t overlook some of the other causes that might be ringing your bell. The aforementioned lack of sunglasses (or ill-fitting, cheap-o specs) is easy to overlook on cloudy days.

Sunburn in general can give you a dull, annoying headache and promote fatigue. Let’s face it, it’s easy to get lazy on the mountain but if you can remember to apply sunblock every 90 minutes or so, you’ll be in good shape. Keep a little tube in your pocket so you won’t have to root around in your backpack.

A less obvious cause of headaches are having sunglasses, baseball hats or backpacks that are too tight. Having something squeezing your head and neck for hours on end can create fatigue headaches. Loosen up a bit and relieve the squish!

2. There’s Something Afoot
Hiking knowledge 101 says to address hot spots on your feet before they explode into blisters. Once again, this is a classic error hikers make in the name of efficiency: instead of taking 10 minutes to clean up and cover up hot spots, they hike on and deal with the pain. Stop and patch up any foot issues before they get worse.

Because everybody has unique feet, there’s no one system that works best for all. A few universal rules tend to help the majority of hikers. Wearing the thinnest, non-cotton sock you can (that still keeps your feet warm) helps prevent moisture that can accelerate blisters. A little foot powder pre-hike can make a big difference in reducing friction, especially in thicker hiking boots. And don’t forget hiking poles; they can take some of the strain off your feet.

3. Hot n’ Cold
We all know how metal thermoses keep warm drinks and soups scaldingly hot for hours, but did you also know they do a pretty darn good job keeping cold drinks cold as well? Added value, my friends.

4. I Call Him Mini-Map
A very dorky side of myself is slightly enamored with the diverse world of office supplies. One of the more exciting pieces of equipment is the venerable laminating machine. I’ve grown rather fond of printing smaller topo maps (around 7” x 5”) that easily fit in my pocket. For technical sections, such as the class 4/5 traverse between the Maroon Bells, these little maps are ideal. I like to print zoomed-in areas or add in photos from detailed trip reports, such as those found on 14ers.com. Print trailhead directions and hike descriptions on the other side!

Let the Colorado sun recharge your batteries instead of burning your eyes out.

5. Lithium AA Batteries + Solar Chargers
I’m a believer when it comes to the clear superiority of high-end, lithium AA and AAA batteries in many of the gadgets I bring outdoors. Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries are perfect for hand-held cameras, headlamps and GPS units. They are cold resistant and do well in high drain devices – the only downside is unlike conventional batteries that fade out before they die, lithiums tend to abruptly drain when they are ready to go.

Of course many of your gadgets, such as smartphones, mp3 players, etc. have built in, rechargeable lithium batteries that you can’t easily swap out. Fear not, for the revolution of portable solar chargers is at hand! Many of these devices, such as the Brunton Restore, can be bought for under $100 and can easily charge less demanding devices and batteries (many via USB cables). For laptops or high-end cameras, there are more powerful solar chargers. There’s even dedicated backpacks with recharging solar panels on the outside if you really want to keep the juice flowing.

6. This is Your Brain on Morning
“I’ll do it in the morning” has become code for “I’ll definitely forget that in the morning.” Over the years, I have decided to make my mornings as brainless as possible, especially on those painful alpine starts where you’re hitting the trail pre-dawn. Not only do I have my pack ready to go, I’ve grown fond of sleeping in my hiking layers and leaving any morning tasks set up the night before. If I can whittle down my efforts in the morning to three easy jobs such as boil water, put on shoes, zip the tent… I’m in good shape. If I try to make sandwiches, pack my bag and other high functioning activities, I tend to end up packing up my slimy peanut-butter knife and leaving the sandwiches safely in my tent. It usually takes an hour or two to boot up the old brain after those 3 AM starts, so the less responsibility it has, the better.

7. Cross Dressing for Success
There’s nothing wrong with poaching a good gear idea from another sport. Arm warmers from the cycling world have become part of my regular hiking kit. They are light, easy to put on and off and perfect for high peaks where gusts of wind can chill you (and white arm warmers are good for deflecting sun). Lighter, less tight bike or running jerseys with side and back pockets are nice for hiking days when you’ll be carrying a smaller pack like a Camelbak and want to have easy access to sunblock, snacks or… arm warmers!

Mastering the little things can add up over the course of a day and even veteran hikers should keep an eye out for new ways to improve their systems. If you’re going to go through the trouble of chugging up a mountain, every little bit helps.

Sure, it was a little desperate, but after a winter like ours, who doesn’t want to end the ski season under blue skies, with a good buddy, a relaxing day, and some primo corn? We chose Byers Peak, outside Winter Park, for a potentially season-ending session. At just shy of 13K, with a loooong approach in winter, we tried to get up there while the road is drivable/rideable, but with enough snow to still ski–for the most part, mission accomplished.

Avy guru, Brian Lazar, on the NE ridge of Byers, about to indulge in a happy meal of corn, corn, and then some more corn...

We drove in one of the approach roads from the Fraser Valley, stashed the car at a gate, then pedaled the final 2.5 miles and 1000 feet of road to forested slopes at about 10,500 feet. From there it was easy skinning on frozen snow to treeline and then a scenic cruise up to our high point at 12,750 feet or so. That point on the shoulder offered the most continuous line back to the trees, so we ripped skins and enjoyed the ride.

A bit of combat traversing from 11,500 to the bikes and we were home free…or so we thought. Descending the road in ski boots, with skis a-framed across our packs, we made good time until my bud, Brian Lazar, hit the deck outta nowhere. I was 50 feet behind and watched the whole debacle: down on his right side HARD, not quite an endo (thankfully), but definitely an awkward skid along his right arm, across his chest, to a stop. I rolled up and surveyed the carnage.

“My handlebars broke,” he said calm as could be.

I was banking on a busted collarbone at a minimum, but he seemed pretty relaxed.

“You sure you’re cool?” I asked.

He looked up and down his arms (serious scrapes), stretched his arms out (no prob), and pointed out a few gruesome flappers on his hands–but other than that, nada. His handlebar, indeed, had sheared off clean at the edge of his stem. WTF?!

Had this been a Campagnolo product, it would have failed upon arrival at the car, without any danger to the pilot. Mmmph.

Moments after hitting the deck, Lazar inspects the damage: a 20-year-old mtn bike converted to a townie...yep, something was bound to fail.

We lucked out. Lazar pancaked on a soft section of road with few big rocks, right at the edge of a snow patch, so he slid pretty easily and didn’t shred against rubble or gravel. Phew.

Whether or not that’s the end of my season remains to be seen. I have a possible guiding gig with some high schoolers just after Memorial Day, but they’re gunning for some “ski mountaineering” and I’m not sure there will be much to deliver. We’ll see. Until then, maybe it’s time to hit the mountain bike and get on the rock…. Right on!

I survived. Maybe I built my ski-mountaineering course up in my mind and introduced unnecessary stress into my life, but I’d rather go into my AMGA courses and aspirant exams overprepared than with a cavalier attitude.

Sara Lundy, of Stanley, Idaho, stoked to be up high and about to get the goods on "RFS" on Thompson Pass.

My exam days went well and I’m pretty sure I passed, though I won’t know for two weeks. The AMGA no longer tells candidates their exam result until later–some of which, I’m sure, is to mitigate unsavory reactions by less than composed examinees. Yes, there are tales of epic meltdowns upon candidates learning of a “no-pass” grade. I can’t blame people for being bummed, but tears, threats, and tantrums don’t seem appropriate, especially for a mountain guide.

I’m turning my attention forwards towards a rock-guide course in the fall, in Red Rocks, Nevada (outside Vegas). I love the terrain in Red Rocks and I’ll be psyched to get out there. Sure, taking courses and exams is all geared towards trying to get my “pin”–called so because the International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations (IFMGA) issues certified guides a small pin to be worn while working–but the real up side to all this is getting on bigger terrain and climbing routes with a posse of other guides, and an IFMGA-certified instructor/examiner to watch your back as you push your limits. I learned a ton from my instructors on the ski course in Valdez, but a bunch, too, from the other candidates.

To wit: Seth Waterfall is a Rainier guide who’s summited that peak over 100 times, Everest twice, and has guided Vinson in Antarctica. He was a great guy to watch on the glacier, for terrain management as well as his bivy craft–he didn’t suffer a bit during our overnight. Dylan Freed is a heli-guide from Valdez, but spends much of the winter in Salt Lake, under the tutelage of Andrew McLean and Mark Twight (his uncle). He had a super-smooth style down-guiding and gave me some good tips for steep skiing. Sara Lundy guides in the Sawtooth, in Idaho, and skis with a posse of forecasters, so she was good with stability decisions and had a great, overall “guide vibe.” Skiing with folks like this rubs off and if you pay attention you’re bound to pick up some slick moves.

Large and in charge: Drew Daly, of Stanely, Idaho, down-guiding "Crudbusters"--a couple thousand vert of untracked goods.

I haven’t checked to see who’s teaching the October Red Rocks course, but I’ve been pretty lucky thus far with my instructors/examiners, so we’ll see.

In the meantime I’ve got a few guide days lined up with Alpine World Ascents (ski-mountaineering if any snow holds until Memorial Day, as well as some rock) and I’ll be trying to ski Rainier in July (hopefully with Seth!).

Oh, Rebel and I just bought a EuroVan, too–quite the upgrade from my clapped-out ’84 Westy. It’s a 2003, full camper, 65K miles. May the automotive gods and the Magliozzi brothers watch over our new home-away-from-home.

Joey "The Matador" Thompson skinning towards "Acapulco," a big northeast-facing shot above the Worthington Glacier, on Thompson Pass. Sadly, as we approached we discovered a small dry-slab avalanche had pulled out on the lower flanks of our intended route. It was enough to deter our ascent/descent. Next time!

If you’ve experienced a National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS) course you likely have fond memories and a heightened appreciation for the expedition behavior required to make the most out of any trip. But it doesn’t stop there. NOLS also brings it’s philosophy to corporations and organizations for a private NOLS experience. Meet NOLS Professional Training (NOLS Pro).

Started in 1999, NOLS Pro offers one- to three-day custom leadership courses and three- to 30-day wilderness expeditions. Clients range from universities to fire departments to software companies. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania has been using NOLS Pro programming for the past seven years. Google uses NOLS Pro to run a three-hour orienteering/GPS exercise as part of its quarterly executive training program. “It’s basically a big strategy game that helps our leaders step outside of their comfort zones, experiment with behavior adjustments and learn how to work together more effectively,” says Rich Fernandez, Google’s Director of Executive Development.

Perhaps the best example of applying NOLS values to the business world is at NASA. Astronaut John Grunsfeld did a NOLS course as a teen and recognized the value that NOLS Pro could offer his crew as they geared up to work on the Hubble Telescope while it was in orbit more than 300 miles above the Earth.

“NOLS Pro can bring any organization the opportunity for the leader or manager who usually dominates the conversation to step back and see how various team members act as leaders, and, equally important, for the team to see how the leader acts as a follower,” Grunsfield says. “It provides a better understanding of the leader/follower interaction and builds trust—and that’s what makes for a strong and efficient team in any situation.” nols.edu/nolspro

—Cameron Martindell

Twenty-four hours ago I was wedged in a snow shelter, dressed in all my clothing, zippered tightly into my sleeping bag. For the final three days of our ski course, we had one independent day of touring and then a two-day overnight…including the “bivy drill” in which candidates must dig a three-person shelter, complete with covered roof in under 30 minutes. I completed mine, but I gotta admit it wasn’t nearly the best one on the trip. Several others had way more sleepable configurations…yet another skill to work on.

We had good snow for the touring, but most of the time was taken up with more elaborate tour plans, rather than “just” getting turns. I’ll fire out a couple pics…for now I’m tired, about to crash, and looking forward to my debrief tomorrow with the course instructors, a five-hour drive to Anchorage, and then a midnight flight (direct!) to Denver. I’ll be wrestling with the punks before noon on Monday!

Don’t let the gaps in this ultra-light pad fool you. There’s plenty of padding right where you need it and gaps in the spots where you don’t. In fact, the claim is those gaps help your sleeping bag loft better below you making for a warmer night. But don’t try to throw this down on the snow and expect a worry free night. This is a 3-season pad and the manual even advises having a second pad with the Inertia XL when winter camping. But if you’re going to be carrying two pads anyway, one of them might as well only weigh a mere 18.8 oz, right? I’ve not had a chance to use this pad in the winter yet.

I stayed very comfortable during a 6-night stint on this pad while traipsing through various canyons of southeast Utah. It never got below freezing, but the nights did get cold and the ground was cold. I mostly sleep on my back, but do on occasion roll on my side and never had any problems with “bottoming out” through the mere 1.5″ of the firmly inflated pad. Inflating takes 5-6 good breaths and an annoying 50 squeezes of the hand pump to get the firmness I liked. The manual suggests some may find the pad comfortable enough with a mere 15 hand pumps. Not me.

The pad fit me well as it best fits those in the 6’ range. I did find a number of complaints posted by those well short of 6′. The included hand pump easily rolls up with the pad and the whole thing is smaller than a 1L water bottle.

Deflating is pretty easy as the pad layout and configuration is designed to push all the air out in just one roll-up. Unfortunately there are two little glitches I ran into in rolling up the Inertia XL. First, in order to get all the air to push out in one roll-up, you need to fold the pad twice length wise. For a few of my nights, I was in a tent that was just about the same length as the pad so I couldn’t be at the end of the pad to roll it up. I had to roll sitting beside the pad. While that’s not impossible, it’s not easy or convenient. When I wasn’t using a tent, I was on a small tarp on sand and had to be cautious not to move the valve at the top of the pad off the tarp and into the sand. It probably would shorten the lifespan of the pad if sand got inside of it.

Secondly, I often trapped a bubble of air at the top of the pad beyond the valve causing me to need to somehow work that air back to the valve before it would be small enough to slip into it’s storage sack. Minor issues that may not bother you and in truth issues that won’t keep me from using the Inertia XL more myself.

Klymit Intertia XL Sleeping Pad – $130
18.8 oz w/ hand pump
78×26″

Here is my journal entry from the last stage of the Yak Attack (and then I can post about other things!)

The word to sum up today: WIND! It still cold in the room when we woke up despite being at what I considered a lower elevation…and then I remembered we were still at 9000′. After breakfast which left me still hungry, we found out our start was delayed to 930AM so I ordered some porridge to eat in addition to the eggs and toast I just had. It was very bizarre at the start! People were afraid of the wind and were going MUCH slower. I was almost afraid to ride at the front, but then I went for it. Peter, myself, and a Nepali guy rode off the front, but took a wrong turn up a hill before we turned around. DAMN! We had to chase back to the pack. I moved to the front and rode in 2nd for quite awhile. While navigating through the pack I’d notice that a gust of wind would come up and people would almost stop. Suddenly, those heinously windy 80mph days training in Colorado this winter paid off. I kept wondering where everyone was and was nervous that I’d get lost. I was so thankful to have brakes that worked!

Eventually, I was caught by a group and found myself pulling around a large train of guys!! I was frustrated that none of them were helping me do the work. The group got smaller. Ajay and I were working together which was pretty cool. Pretty soon, it was just Cefin and I left(and Ajay disappeared up the road). I faded and Cefin tried to wait to work with me. I was tapped out!! After Paul Bolla caught us and passed, Cefin took off after him. A few more guys slowly began to pick me off. For a “DH stage” there was sure a lot of uphill…my garmin said about 5000′!!!

The last 10 miles or so were downhill and very rough. There were a lot of Sadus along the way. The finish was in Tatopani in town. I had a Gorkha beer with everyone. We were all taking photos and congratulating each other for finishing. That was it, I was the first woman to finish the 10 day Yak Attack!!

It rained and we hung out in the restaurant enjoying a little more beer to celebrate. When the rain abated, we went to the hot springs that were right down the steps from our hotel. It felt so great to be in warm water! After dinner, there was a little party and there were little girls in traditional clothing doing some cultural dancing.

Snow Monkey was making us all get up and dance. Paul and Doug were really funny and good! Bikash kept trying to teach us how to dance and would say, “It’s like swimming! Swim!!” “No,no… slowly, slowly!”

The next morning, we had our group ride. Despite being at 3000′, we still had a cold morning. It was nice to do a group ride and actually not be racing on day 11!

After a couple hours of riding, we all got on a bus (with the bikes on top) and had a 3 hr bus ride to Pokhara. We stopped at a gas stations and had noodle soup. We baked in the sun and enjoyed the warmth.

Pokhara was a great time! Our hotel was near a lake and pretty fancy. It was called Mt. Kahlish. Jeff and I got massages down the road. Mine was pretty terrible, but amusing. The lady was basically squeezing my legs and arms, but not really rubbing them. It was also really weird because the lady suddenly rubbed oil all over my chest. I didn’t realize a breast massage was part of the deal. I had forgotten that Carena told me they did that to you when you get a massage. It was even funnier telling some of the guys about it!

At the awards, Snow Monkey awarded me with “most cheerful” award with a yak.

Everyone enjoyed a very tasty dinner and the modern amenities. After dinner, a small group of us went to a bar called the Busy Bee. The next day, we flew back on a very bumpy flight to Kathmandu (and it was full of monks) I was shocked at the lack of security. The boarding passes didn’t even have our names on it!

When we arrived back at the Kathmandu Guest House, it was surreal to come full circle. When we first arrived in Kathmandu at the start of the trip, it seemed 3rd world and different…and some of the poverty was shocking. After being on the Annapurna Circuit in the mountain towns, coming back to Kathmandu felt luxurious!

I have one more post on our last day in Nepal.

I freewheeled at the back until my leg, the final portion (and easiest!) of our day.

There are dozens of reasons to hire a professional mountain guide, not the least of which is having insurance to get out of a jam when the weather gods, karma, and Donald Trump conspire to wreck your day. We prepped two tour plans today, an “ideal” tour up Loveland Basin and the Dot Glacier to a peak called Tones Temple. We planned to schralp the mega-hein off Tones, then descend the Worthington Glacier to the road. Sadly the weather shut us down pretty hard, but we gave it to the ridge in the hopes the sky might open up.

No dice! But herein lies another reason to hire a mountain guide: she or he has practiced whiteout navigation on a featureless, crevasse-riddled glacier. By no means am I the jedi master concerning glaciers, but it was cool to tour with a competent gang, everybody working on the same skills. AMGA courses are cool because you’ve also got an instructor in your back pocket, so if you really blow it, s/he can bail you out.

We’re on our exam now, so tomorrow we ski into the Hoodoo Glacier, bivy, then come out Saturday…and oh yes, plenty of terrain to (hopefully!) ski back there! Stay tuned.

Lastly…fun day…and here’s a pic showing you exactly what I saw, which is to say…not much.

2:26 AM. That’s the time I woke up on my own this morning. My alarm was set for 2:30. We had garlic soup last night for dinner, but the garlic was mostly raw and I’ve suffered all night from an upset stomach. I don’t know why I ate it. I could still taste it and feel it in my stomach when I got up. It was nauseating. Although we slept at almost 15,000′, the morning was not nearly as cold and miserable as I expected.

Breakfast was served late (we were supposed to eat at 3:30AM, but at 3:50 AM, we were trying to wolf it down for the 4 AM start). All the flush buckets were (still) frozen, but I managed to find a pit toilet and hoped to cure my stomach woes. By the time I got to my bike, Phil called out 1 minute to start. I had my harness I had created, but I didn’t have enough time to get it on right and scrambled to get my bike on my back. I regretted not taking an extra 2 minutes to get it situated correctly. I was glad I had it, but it didn’t operate as I had designed and used in training. I started in the back and scrambled to get in a spot where I wouldn’t have to be worried about trying to pass people on a narrow trail in the dark. My headlamp worked well, but it was still tricky hiking in the dark. The first part was tough and very steep. We were in the mix with trekkers and porters. I hiked most of the way with Cefin. There were some really sketchy sections with off camber snow and a cliff on one side; one mistake and down you go. I couldn’t help but look down and I regretted it. I started freaking out because I hate heights and was hyperventilating. I told myself to focus my little tunnel of light straight forward on the trail. There were a few sections like this. I also had to walk sideways over a bridge before a teahouse and the bridge frame was tricky to navigate. The wind picked up considerably before the sun was even up. It was bitter, dark, and cold. I was thankful for all the awful, cold training days at 9,000′ I did to prepare for the race because my gear choice (what seemed like overkill), was barely enough to stay warm. I chose Hestra Pro Alpine leather gloves and some hand warmers. That was a very good choice as several people had frostbite after the pass.

I was paranoid the whole time that I would suddenly get altitude sickness. I kept thinking that maybe I was feeling symptoms(“am I nauseated? Am I dizzy?”) and forced my brain to turn off because I was not helping my cause. I had to unsnap my waist strap on my harness because it was pushing on my descending colon and I felt like I had to poo! Let me tell you, there is NO place to go to the bathroom along the trail. It’s snowcovered with a narrow pathway to walk carved into the side of the mountain. There was one teahouse along the way at high camp, and that’s all you get. All the weight of my backpack and bike was now on my shoulders, my neck was screaming at me. I’d bring poles next time, especially to help with the sketchy walking sections. The altitude (other than heavy breathing and not moving too fast) didn’t bother me as much as I thought. I surprisingly did not have a headache like the one I had after stage 8. The hike was only 3 miles, but it felt like 20. At one point I was hiking with Santosh and I asked him if we were almost there. He said, “No. Long way.” What choice did I have but to keep walking? I felt frustrated and impatient to get to the top. I kept looking for the sun to peak up over the horizon, but all I saw was darkness. The wind and cold were getting to me although for most of the time, I was warm. There were about FOURTEEN false summits. I stopped to add my down jacket because I was cold, making that my 7th layer on my torso. I was walking with the porters when I spotted the top. The sun had just come up and I had been walking for 3 hours. The fast guys did the 3 mile ascent in 2.5 hours, so I wasn’t as slow as I thought. I was so glad to finally make it. I was overwhelmed that I got there after months of anxiety about Thorong La Pass. I stopped to have tea and a twix in the teahouse with Chandra and Cefin. I hadn’t eaten in about 3 hours. I was so overwhelmed that I cried a little bit – because I was so happy, because I was exhausted, because it had been hard and I was relieved, because I was bonking, and because we were there. We made it to the high point of the race…. we made it up the highest and longest pass on the Annapurna Circuit and we carried our bikes up there!!

Chandra and I took some photos, but it was very very cold. I was shivering so hard I could barely control my body! I wanted to get the hell off the mountain.

A lot of the downhill from the mountain was sketchy walking on off camber snow and ice. I went to use squeeze my brakes and my guts dropped inside me. NOTHING. My front brake did not work AT ALL. There was oil coming out of the reservoir. My rear brake had about 10% braking power and pulled all the way to the bar and I could wheel the bike along, try to engage the brake with nothing happening. It was EXTREMELY difficult to push a bike down a very steep downhill without being able to stop the wheels so I had to carry the bike. It was really slow going and frustrating. There were dangerous slides down the side of the mountain. I was definitely nervous for my safety and was very cautious, but I did fantasize about throwing my bike down the side of the mountain. The worst was when I got to the point where it was rideable and I was walking. I was a complete wreck. Negative, bawling, angry, disappointed. I had worked so hard for so many days and to have it come down to something so far out of my control killed me. Something that would have taken less than an hour to ride took me hours to walk.

This shows how real it is, how difficult, how exhausting and frustrating…and how it’s harder to deal with things after 9 days of racing in a foreign country. (look how many jackets I’m wearing, haha) …to work so hard and think that I might not finish because of something out of my control. I could only imagine how Jeff felt inside.

I got a big blister on my heel and my feet hurt so bad. I tried to ride singletrack very slowly with the teeny bit of rear brake I had. “Maybe if I go really slow, I’ll be ok.” I couldn’t stop and went over the side of a switchback and crashed hard on the rocks. I laid there for awhile before I could move. That was the end of that. Once I got to Muktinath, the trail turned into a gravel road was more steady with not so many switchbacks. My rear brake was slowly coming back a little bit more and thankfully, I could ride at 5mph for the flatter sections of the road. If it got steep, I had to walk. I had a horrible, throbbing headache and had only 20oz of water in the 7.5 hours that I was out there. In previous years, the race ended at the end of the trail in Muktinath. This year, it ended 10km down the road in Kagbeni.

Due to the brake problem, I lost about 2 hours in the GC. This was upsetting because I wanted to finish top 10 in the men. After everything, the place I was in seemed irrelevant. I thought it was over for me. I had made it to the high point of the race where the rest of the race was almost all downhill (or so we were told) and I had no brakes. A 9000′ descent that day. I made it up in good time, but I was passed by everyone coming down. I was positive that I’d lose my lead and wasn’t confident I’d be finishing the race because the next day was 42 miles… and even if I wanted to walk my bike to the finish (and I would have had that been an option), I simply cannot walk 42 miles. When I got to the finish, I found out that I had finished 1hour and 40 min behind Carena. I couldn’t believe that I still had about a 20 minute lead in the Women’s GC and was thankful that I had that despite how awful my day had been. I was completely exhausted. Everyone was laying in the grass at the hotel when I arrived. I slumped down into the grass – a defeated mess. The saving grace was our room had an actual toilet which I hadn’t seen in days. I also had a tepid shower for the first time in many days. I was emotionally exhausted. I tried to nurse myself back to life with a lemon sugar pancake, milk tea, and spring rolls. I anxiously waited for Jeff to get back. I was very worried about him and his health; he had to ride a yak over the pass, hike down the back side and get in a jeep in Muktinath. I was also hoping one of his brakes held up and I could take one of his. I racked my brain to figure out how I’d finish the next day. His rear brake was completely blown out, but his front worked -the brake I needed.

That was it. I’d be able to start the next day and finish the race.

Research shows that jamming Trail Mix on the way to the trail head multiplies your enjoyment of the outdoors 97.2%.
Or at least we think so.
This month’s Trail Mix is bookended by tracks from Luther Dickinson, guitarist for both North Mississippi Allstars and The Black Crowes. The mix kicks off with Luther’s subtle guitar instrumental, “Death Comes On Wings Of Crepe” and closes with “Lovin’ Him Was Easier Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again,” from The Wandering, Luther’s project that features vocalists Shannon McNally, Amy LaVere, Valerie June, and Sharde Thomas.
Check out brand new tracks from Paul Thorn, Great American Taxi, Anthony Da Costa, The Sadies & Andre Williams, Shawn Mullins, and Hope For Agoldensummer. We’ve got nasty instrumental jams from Conspirator and Alan Evans Trio, acoustic renderings from The Brothers Comatose, Dar Williams, Scott Miller & Rayna Gellert, and Josh Harty, and some boot scootin’ honky tonk from J.P. Harris & The Tough Choices, plus tracks from three of our favorite Asheville bands – The Broadcast, Ten Hollow, and Sanctum Sully . . . plus a whole lot more!
It’s all for you and it’s all for free! Help us spread the word by sharing Trail Mix with your friends and neighbors and make sure you grab a record or two from these artists – they let us share for free, so give ‘em a hand by spending some of your pennies on their music!

Download Trail Mix May 2012 here.

Click here to open the player in a new window.

Download more music from month’s past here! They never go out of style.

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It’s no surprise that the family of Bob Marley is dedicated to good music, just causes and earth friendly movements. House of Marley is producing audio products focused on each of those topics including the Bag of Rhythm – a portable boom box.

The Bag of Rhythm is beautiful and naturally the sound quality is amazing. It works well aesthetically in the home or on the go. Cassette decks and radio tuners have gone the way of the dodo so the only way to pump music through the Bag of Rhythm is by nesting your iPod/iPhone into the integrated dock or to plug in via the auxiliary port.

The dock works great if you don’t have a case on your iPhone or if you have one that is easy to remove. The advantage of using the dock is your iPhone gets charged while listening to music. The bummer is the dock offers no protection to your iPhone. Granted, odds are you’ll mostly be in electronic-safe environments, like a grassy field or the park. But be very cautious when you’re looking to head to any sandy, dusty or possibly wet situations.

The auxiliary port worked great for me both in and out of the house. I plugged it into my Apple Airport Express and pumped my iTunes from my laptop into the Bag of Rhythm. Or when I was out and about, since I still have the LifeProof Case on my phone, I just used the headphone jack and the auxiliary cable included with the Bag of Rhythm. While that’s not horrible on my iPhone battery, I had some solar power backup available. The next step for House of Marly to include will be a Bluetooth Audio connection. Rumor has it they are about to launch a product with this feature.

Bag of Rhythm – $349.99 – thehouseofmarley.com

The east face of peak “Berlin”–the “wall” is technically around to the northwest. We skied the large gully furthest left–pretty fun!

More low-visibility touring, but pretty good snow (for us impoverished Colorado folks) on the fifth day of our ski-mountaineering course. You might ask what “ski mountaineering” is, so let’s geek out for a sec and make sure everybody’s up to speed on the latest affluent-white-person sport.

Ski mountaineering implies climbing peaks, traveling on glaciers, and generally “going bigger” than just “backcountry skiing” or “ski touring.” It’s all shades of grey, but within the context of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), the “ski-mountaineering” course builds upon the entry-level “ski-guide” course by introducing glaciated terrain and bigger objectives, with respect to both altitude and commitment. The AMGA used to offer an exam after the first-level course, but it’s gradually phased out and today one must continue to the final exam–ouch!

Valdez is a great place for a ski course because there’s big terrain right off the Thompson Pass road, with climbs up to 5,000 feet just off the tarmac. And yes, brothers and sisters, if there are climbs that big…there are descents, too. Open a map and suddenly one recognizes there’s a gazillion more peaks to ski further afield, in the Chugach Range, where we are, and over in the Wrangells, where our largest national park (Wrangell-St. Elias) sits. Book a few days of heli skiing up here and you’ll wreck your taste buds for good: Berthoud Pass just won’t seem like enough ever again.

Today we toured to the south ridge of the “Berlin Wall,” climbed the ridge, and then dropped down one of the three main gulleys on the east/northeast face. I pulled the “short-roping” section of the ridge, which turned out to be pretty cruiser–which means, no rope really needed, but it was good to get some feedback from Vince Anderson, our course leader.

A great descent, with a bit of walking on the highway, and our day was wrapped by 1:30. Showered, pack drying, blogging now…tour plans, dinner, a guides meeting, and bed to follow. Pics below. Ciao!

Drew Daly, about to down-guide our chosen line for the day. Tough visibility, but he cut up the slope enough for us--his "clients"--to enjoy the turns. Good job, brudda!

Our fourth day of our AMGA ski-mountaineering course, Valdez, Alaska. We skied a peak called “R.F.S.,” which apparently stands for Really F(*&ing Steep. We tagged the summit at 6041 feet, then skied the Not That F*&^ing Steep east face, between snaking around to soft snow and great turns on the north. We drained that to the car at 1700 feet. After the winter we had in Colorado, I’ll call that a damn good day of skiing!

Great feedback from our instructor, Larry Goldie, both on the up and the down. I pulled the last up leg to the summit (pretty straightforward bootpacking, though I veered a little close to a cornice for Larry’s liking) and fun, wide open turns on the down. More tomorrow!

Three days into our AMGA ski-mountaineering course and it’s going well. The weather isn’t cooperating, but Thompson Pass, above Valdez, had a great year. Though most of their snow was early on, many of the crevasses are still filled in and we should get some corn if the sun comes out.

Day 1 was the exam for sled rescue and transceiver searching. The sled drill involves building a rescue sled, putting the patient securely in it, building an anchor, then lowering the sled one rope length, before building another anchor and transferring the sled’s weight onto it. Once there, you pull the rope from the first anchor, then begin another lower, but this time the examiners throw a knot in the rope and you have to pass the knot through your lowering system, using whatever technique is safe/effective. You’re allotted 70 minutes to complete all the steps.

A "victim" bundled in the sled, with a candidate preparing to lower the rescue sled onto the slope.

My rescue drill went flawlessly, until the very last step. I had successfully passed the knot and as I lowered the patient I noticed the rope had thrown a slip knot around the cordelette I’d used to help pass the knot. My examiner at that moment was Vince Anderson, Piolets d’Or winner, uber-athlete, all-around nice guy and so we had a quick pow-wow about the implications. In a rock scenario, you must retrieve the cord to pass the rescue test, but the ski rules aren’t quite so rigid. I was under time for my drill to that point, so we’ll see what he decides.

A candidate has built his second anchor, using skis buried in the snow. Vince Anderson looks on.

My transceiver exam went well and big thanks to Andy Wenberg and the crew at Backcountry Access for helping me get dialed. The drill puts three buried beacons in a 100 ft. by 100 ft. area and candidates have seven minutes to locate all three. Some people choose to dig up each beacon and turn it off, thereby reducing the number of signals one has to differentiate. It’s far faster, however, to either “mark” each beacon (if your transceiver has that function, which my BCA Tracker 2 does not–thankfully!) or to just make a mental note of that beacon’s location and keep track of it as you walk away, watching your distance readings go up.

I’d practiced a bunch, with fellow candidate Joey “The Matador” Thompson, so I didn’t feel the need to dig up and turn off beacons. Instead, I used a fairly tight grid pattern in my search, hoping to pass by each beacon in close enough proximity to get a strong signal and lock onto it. This approach caters to the strengths of the Tracker 2–you can keep moving quickly and the beacon never (and I mean *never*) gets bogged down with too many signals or too much information. I found all three beacons in just under three minutes and thirty seconds. Any faster and I think I’d start losing accuracy as I get closer to each beacon, so I’m psyched.

The Cherry Couloir snakes from the summit of Python, to the glacier below.

Day two we practiced crevasse rescue, up at the flank of the Worthington Glacier. Cold in the morning, but on the whole a cool day. In the afternoon we used some rope techniques on the glacier, practicing uphill and downhill travel. Downhill travel, while roped, sucks. Avoid at all costs.

We skied the Cherry Couloir, off Python Peak, today. It was bulletproof at the top and it was less than relaxing. I got a bit more nerve in the middle of the couloir, once we had some better edge penetration with the skis…but man, falling at the top would be U-G-L-Y.

Tomorrow we’re headed to ski something called R.F.S. Pics and exaggerated tales of heroism to follow.

It was cold this morning at the start. We had a bowl of porridge and toast for breakfast. We all sat on the thrid floor deck in the sun (and freezing) until the start. I had the most clothes on today so far – leg warmers, knee warmers, arm warmers, short sleeve jersey, buff, and a long sleeve jersey.

The start was tough. Lots of fast, steep hiking. It started to even out and I could ride for awhile, but then I had to walk

I had to carry a lot in my backpack each day. I stuffed it with everything I needed for the race, and a bunch of clothes and an extra pair of shoes for when I finished since the porters would take several hours longer than us. Normally, I’d carry gortex jacket and pants, Adidas Adizero running shoes, down pants, down jacket, a dry wicking tshirt, a hat, and socks… or else waiting for the bags to arrive was a bitterly cold experience. It only took once for me to start carrying all the extra stuff.

It was tough at the altitude. I couldn’t make my legs go so I sang Dire Straits to Cefin(he said he liked them( who was behind me (and later overtook me). I rode most of the day around Gareth.

Today, there were 3 suspension bridges. One valley we went through had some really hairy yaks. It was really cool to be in a valley at 14,000′ surrounded by huge mountains and a deep, blue sky. 11 miles took me 2 hr 49 min! I loved the course and terrain today. I think it was my favorite. I had a raging headache when I finished.

Jeff was out there for a very long time. We got word someone turned around and I had a lump in my throat. I found out it was Craig who was also sick. I walked down the trail to see if I could find Jeff. With each footstep, my head throbbed. I didn’t see him down the trail.

The problem is that if something happens, you can’t just stop and have someone come get you. It’s a several day journey to get back the way you came, and you have to walk back. Jeff wanted to get up and over the pass where there would be a road on the other side vs. 3-4 days of walking to get back to Besi Sahar. We were definitely isolated.

Jeff came in after several hours, moving slowly.

The view around Phedi (which is basically just a hotel) is so insane. One of the mountains is a huge glacier. I was thankful that I could sit in awe and enjoy it.

Jeff was not in good shape after he got in. He was coughing nonstop and looked terrible. I felt deeply saddened to see him like that and to know the disappointment he is feeling. The docs were trying to convince him to take a yak over the pass the next day. He didn’t want to listen to them or give up despite being so sick that he could barely sit up. I had a chat that I did not want to have with him, “Is going over that pass worth risking your life over?” -NO. He is pale and weak. By the end of the night, they had given him an IV and he was so weak he could barely move.

I feel bad leaving him tomorrow, but Gandhi said he’d take care of him. I must keep going.

My alarm is set for 2:30 AM. Our start is at 4 AM. Tomorrow I face my fear. Can I make it up and over 17,769′?

……

This is Red Rocks!

Welcome to EO’s annual festival guide.There’s a little something for everyone in here—whether you want to pick and grin, drop the competition, sip some suds or simply just while around the hours with a hula hoop while you listen to Yonder Mountain String Band. The festy experience is eclectic. So here it is, the ultimate planner for enlightened festival goers. We hope to see you out there.

Music

Opening Day at the Mish
May 12, Bellvue
themishawaka.com
The Mishawaka is just not some place you go to see a band. The famed amphitheatre on the Poudre is a full experience, complete with a restaurant and bar and a new indoor stage as well as camping and the cred to draw some of the best roots acts on the scene.
Hot Acts: The season opener at this venerable venue features eclectic cowpunkers Split Lip Rayfield and Fort Collins’ own pickers Finnders and Youngberg.
Escape the Crowds: Nearby mountain biking on the Mill Creek Trail and at Lory State Park (parks.state.co.us/parks/lory).

MeadowGrass Music Festival
May 25-27, La Foret
meadowgrass.org
Tucked in the hills above Colorado Springs, this little festival packs a big punch. The proof? This year’s headliner will be alt-country icons Son Volt. And don’t miss the open jams around the campfire.
Hot Acts: Nathaniel Rateliff, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Big Daddy Love
Escape the Crowds: Sandstone climbing at Garden of the Gods (gardenofthegods.com).

Chili Pepper & Brew Fest
June 8-9, Snowmass
snowmasschiliandbrew.com
With much more of an indie vibe than those noodly pickin’-and-hula-hoopin’, festivals this Snowmass event features hot music and an even spicier chili cookoff. Cool it down by tasting a wide selection of professional and home brews.
Hot Acts: Galactic, Gogol Bordello
Escape the Crowds: Ride the Rim Tail straight outta Snowmass (singletracks.com/bike-trails/rim-trail-snowmass).

Pagosa Folk ‘N Bluegrass Festival
June 8–10, Pagosa Springs
folkwest.com
Want to get back to the roots at a folks bluegrass fest? This three day event includes music and songwriting workshops in the price of admission.
Hot Acts: Elephant Revival, Mountain Heart, Finnders & Youngberg, David Wilcox
Escape the Crowds: You could soak in town or hike 10 miles roundtrip to undeveloped Rainbow and Piedra River Hot Springs.

Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Festival
June 15-17, Palisade
palisademusic.com
The atmosphere here can’t be beat: check out the music, then check out the town or nearby riding at Grand Junction and Fruita.
Hot Acts: The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Oakhurst, The Steel Drivers, 18 South
Escape the Crowds: Ride the Ribbon (gjmountainbiking.com) in Grand Junction and taste some Colorado Bourbon at the Peach Street Distillers (peachstreetdistillers.com).

Telluride Bluegrass
June 21-24, Telluride
bluegrass.com/telluride
If you don’t have tickets, don’t bother. They sold out in December. That’s right, December. Take a look at the lineup and you will know why in an instant.
Hot Acts: John Prine, Punch Brothers, Brett Dennen, Alison Kraus and Union Station, Thelma & Louise (Chris Thile and Bela Fleck), John Fogerty, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, Laura Marling, Leftover Salmon, Yonder Mountain String Band
Escape the Crowds: Ride the free gondola to Mountain Village and hike or bike the local trails back down (visittelluride.com).

Sonic Bloom
June 21–24, Georgetown
sonicbloomfestival.com
We guarantee this electronic music happening is completely different from anything else in this festival guide.
Hot Acts: Octopus Nebula, Govinda, Lotus Drops, Bonobo, Emancipator
Escape the Crowds: Ride the historic steam engine (georgetownlooprr.com).

Wilco at Red Rocks
August 22-23, Morrison
redrocksonline.com
No, it’s not a “festival,” but it’s Wilco at Red Rocks, with the Punch Brothers on the 22nd and Dr. Dog on the 23rd.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Festival
June 22-July 7, Snowmass
jazzaspensnowmass.org
One name: Michael McDonald. Now that will either get you to this festival or make you feel like The 40 Year Old Virgin.
Hot Acts: The Dukes of September Rhythm Revue (Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs), Joe Cocker, K.D. Lang and the Siss Boom Bang, Chris Botti
Escape the Crowds: Ride the Prince Creek Trail to the base of Mount Sopris (carbondale.com/destination/prince-creek).

The Avett Brothers at Red Rocks
August 22-23, Morrison
redrocksonline.com
Another show at the world’s greatest amphitheatre that we won’t be missing. Devotchka opens on the 23rd.

High Mountain Hay Fever
July 12–15, Westcliffe
highmountainhayfever.org
No poseurs here. This is real pick-like-you-mean-business bluegrass for serious roots-music aficionados.
Hot Acts: Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-Press, Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, John Reischman and the Jaybirds, Honey Dewdrops
Escape the Crowds: You could soak in town or hike 10 miles roundtrip to undeveloped Rainbow and Piedra River Hot Springs.

Collegiate Peaks Music Festival
July 27-28, Buena Vista
bvmusicfestival.com
Meet the festival that represents the youth while still sticking to the roots. That nouveau vibe is encapsulated by headliners Greensky Bluegrass who told Rolling Stone: “We like fun, rowdy, energetic crowds who drink a lot and scream a lot.”
Hot Acts: Greensky Bluegrass, Nina Storey, The Grant Farm, Angie Stevens
Escape the Crowds: Hike one of the valley’s 14ers, perhaps Mount Elbert (14,433 feet), so you can claim you got the highest in the state (14ers.com).

RockyGrass
July 27-29, Lyons
bluegrass.com/rockygrass
We like to refer to it as Telluride for bluegrass snobs. Celebrating its 40th anniversary, RockyGrass may be the single best place for people who play bluegrass to get together, either at formal venues like RockyGrass Academy before the festival or just hanging out at the campground when things get cooking.
Hot Acts: The Punch Brothers, Bela Fleck, The Infamous Stringdusters, TIm O’Brien, Seldom Scene, Sam Bush
Escape the Crowds: Try the epic mountain bike loop of Hall Ranch, Picture Rock, and Heil Ranch (singletracks.com/bike-trails/hall-ranch).

Yarmony Grass
August 2-5, State Bridge
yarmonygrass.com
This core grass festival will keep the faithful coming back to this idyllic spot on the Colorado River. The lineup was still TBD at press time but last year featured crowd-pleasers Greensky Bluegrass and the Emmit-Nershi Band.
Escape the Crowds: The festival features activities that range from kickball to river floats to yoga.

Telluride Jazz Festival
August 3-5, Telluride
telluridejazz.org
Yep, yet another can’t-miss festival in the charmed town. This time, it’s serious jazz.
Hot Acts: Roy Hargrove, Victor Wooten Band, Funky Meters, Roberta Gambarini, Soul Rebels
Escape the Crowds: Get out of town and climb multi- and single-pitch routes on the Ophir Wall (bit.ly/Ijuh5t).

Boulder International Fringe Festival
August 15-26, Boulder
boulderfringe.com
A smorgasbord of art, drama and music on a mission to encourage creativity and artistic expression in the community. Trés, trés Boulder.
Hot Acts: Sam James, Longmont Chorale Singers, The Welcome Man, PI: The Physical Comedy Troupe, Screw You Entertainment
Escape the Crowds: Dispensary cruising? Just kidding. Why not just bring a tube and float Boulder Creek.

Rocky Mountain Folks Festival
August 17-19, Lyons
bluegrass.com/folks
The smallest of Planet Bluegrass’ big three festivals is our personal favorite thanks to its laid-back vibe and eclectic music lineup.
Hot Acts: Neko Case, Lyle Lovett, Iron & Wine, Elephant Revival, Amos Lee, Gretchen Peters
Escape the Crowds: Bring a tube and float the St. Vrain straight through the festival.

NedFest
August 24-26, Nederland
nedfest.com
Oh so Ned.
Hot Acts: Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Jerry Garcia Band with Melvin Seals, Great American Taxi, New Monsoon
Escape the Crowds: Stop in Happy Trails (303-258-3435) and ask for beta on the local trails.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival
August 31-September 2, Snowmass
jazzaspensnowmass.org
Kid Rock jazz? A stretch. But who really cares what it’s called? This festival will bring in some of the best music to Colorado this summer.
Hot Acts: Kid Rock, Sugarland, The Steve Miller Band, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue
Escape the Crowds: Ride the local winds with Aspen Paragliding (aspenparagliding.com).

Four Corners Folk Festival
Aug. 31-SEPT. 2, Pagosa Springs
folkwest.com
Quite simply, you will find the true festival experience here in a very chill atmosphere.
Hot Acts: Railroad Earth, Sam Bush, Loudon Wainwright III, Elephant Revival
Escape the Crowds: Hike a section of the Continental Divide Trail in the Weminuche Wilderness (wilderness.net).

Telluride Blues and Brews
September 14-16, Telluride
tellurideblues.com
We are going to get in trouble by saying this, but Brews and Blues is the best damn festival in Telluride (and how many have we listed so far?). And it’s not just the music—the fall weather is perfect and there’s plenty of suds.
Hot Acts: Phil Lesh and Friends, The B-52s, Government Mule, Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Escape the Crowds: Nearby Mount Sneffels is an easy, yet aesthetically pleasing 14er to climb (ourayclimbing.com).

Sport

Black Hills Fat Tire Festival
May 25-27, Rapid City, S.Dakota
bhfattirefestival.com
There is some serious unheralded-yet-epic singletrack in land sacred to the Lakota tribes. The sixth annual incarnation of this baby features everything from downhill to cross-country races with fun rides on singletrack sprinkled in between.
Don’t Miss: The Flight at the Phoenix downhill on a double secret local downhill trail.

CKS PaddleFest
May 25-27, Buena Vista
ckspaddlefest.com
Buena Vista’s core water sport extravaganza features rodeos, SUP contests, education, raft races and lots of partying paddlers.
Don’t Miss: Paddling films on Friday and Saturday night at the State Highway Theatre
Live Music: Angie Stevens (a benefit for the river park in Buena Vista)

Teva Mountain Games
May 31-June 3, Vail
tevamountaingames.com/summer
The all-encompassing outdoor multi-sport celebration takes over Vail again this summer. The games are the perfect place for aspiring outdoor athletes to see what they are made of competing against the best in the business. Or just watch. It’s an ideal event for the whole family—parents can trade off competing while kids hit the climbing wall and paddle tank. Look for Team EO to make some noise again this year.
Don’t Miss: The downriver SUP race is fast becoming a classic event here.

Outside in Aspen
June 8-10, Aspen
outsideinaspen.com
It’s a festival about participation. This event gets you out with elite athletes, including Chris Davenport and Eric Larsen, learning and enjoying everything from SUP to road biking to fly fishing. The party revolves around an Adventure Base Camp with gear, talks on sport and giveaways.
Don’t Miss: Train and compete with Outside editors in the triathlon.

Hanuman Yoga Festival
June 8-10, Boulder
hanumanfestival.com
Boulder is the epicenter of athletic asanas and this festival brings in the big names in yoga to wow the faithful. Teachers include Richard Freeman, Amy Ippoliti, Erin Keely Philips and the Yogaslackers.
Don’t Miss: Live music with acts including Desert Dwellers, Durga Das and DJ Drez

Creek at the Peak
June 23, Dumont
creekatthepeak.com
Tommyknocker Brewery’s downriver race sends kayakers and rafters six-miles down the raging class IV whitewater of Clear Creek. It all benefits GOALS (Get Outside and Learn Something) a non profit dedicated to getting kids off the couch and playing outdoors.
Don’t Miss: Post-race party at the brewery

Lyons Outdoor Games
June 8-10, Lyons
lyonsoutdoorgames.com
“The little town that festivals” gets down with everything from whitewater paddling, to fly fishing, to mountain biking, to—that’s right—chainsaw carving.
Don’t Miss: The K9 Cannonball

New Belgium Brewing FIBArk Whitewater Festival
June 13-17, Salida
fibark.net
At this point, this paddlefest is as much cultural happening as it is whitewater comp. Anything you can float downriver gets in on the action here—everything from raft races to freestyle comps to non-river events including a bike race and running races.
Don’t Miss: The SUP Cross carnage

Crested Butte Bike Week
June 21-24, Crested Butte
ftbw.com
No Colorado town is more proud of its mountain biking resume than the Butte and the eponymous fest bills itself as the oldest such happening on the planet. There are expos, races, rides, debauchery, everything you would expect from the various clans of the fat-tire tribe.
Don’t Miss: The chainless downhill. It’s the world championships. Dress in costume.

Royal Gorge Whitewater Festival
June 22-23, Cañon City
royalgorgewhitewaterfestival.com
Held in the depths of the Royal Gorge this festy includes everything from downriver races to a duckie dash.
Don’t Miss: The Whitewater Adventure Race, an obstacle course with a sense of humor

Gunnison River Festival
June 22-23, Gunnison
gunnisonriverfestival.com
Gunny’s river fest mirrors the town. It’s not pretentious but hardcore enough to feel like authentic Colorado.
Don’t Miss: The hooligan race

Telluride Yoga Festival
July 12-15, Telluride
tellurideyogafestival.com
One more festival in Telluride. This one is a backbend. Featured teachers include Duncan Wong, Annie Pace and the Yogaslackers.
Don’t Miss: Classes with Dr. M.A. Jayashree and Dr. M.A. Narasimhan from Mysore, India

Tour de Fat
September 1, Fort Collins
September 8, Denver
newbelgium.com
New Belgium’s signature festival is really a traveling cultural event, touring the nation and encouraging bike-minded folks to get on their green rides to enjoy the vibe of the bike tribe and raise money for a wide range of worthy non-profits.
Don’t Miss: If you are ready for the big step, you can even vow to trade your car for a bike on stage.

Film

Mountainfilm
May 25-28, Telluride
mountainfilm.org
Yep, another festival in Telluride—but leave the hula hoop at home. This event is a cultural happening, not just of films about mountains, adventure, culture, environment and exploration, but also a four-day discussion and celebration of the subject. Special guests this year will include documentary rock star Ken Burns, James Balog of the Extreme Ice Survey, climbing savant Chris Sharma, photographer and climber Jimmy Chin and Earth First! troublemaker Dave Forman.
Don’t Miss: Renan Ozturk presenting House of Cards, his film about conquering the unclimbed Shark’s Fin of Meru with Chin and Conrad Anker

Breckenridge Festival of Film
June 7-10, Breckenridge
breckfilmfest.com
Going strong for 32 years, Breck’s film happening celebrates independent filmmakers. The current lineup had not been announced by our press date but former presenters have included Alan Arkin, James Earl Jones, Robert Loggia, Marsha Mason, Sydney Pollack, Mary Steenburgen, and Donald Sutherland.
Don’t Miss: The festival’s GLBT film series

Mountain Summit: Mountainfilm
August 23-26, Aspen
wheeleroperahouse.com
Can’t make the Mountainfilm event in Telluride? Catch it in Aspen, when the whole shebang goes on tour to the fabled Wheeler Opera House.

TrindieFest
September 13-15, Trinidad
trindiefest.net
This celebration of independent filmmaking is the anti-Sundance. Submit your film or just attend a talk by indie director Mark Stolaroff.

Photo of the Month: Blinded by the Light by Seth Beckton

We asked our readers for their best shots of festival frivolity. Thanks, readers. Can you guess our caption theme?

How sweet it is: Monique Merrill chilling in front of Amazing Grace before she gets her cardio on.

ADVENTURE RACING
Danelle Ballengee

Milt’s Stop & Eat, Moab

Danelle Ballengee was already well known as a two-time adventure racing World Champion when she made headlines again in 2006 for surviving a 60-foot fall. She spent two sub-freezing nights with a shattered pelvis in a canyon near Moab with her dog Taz, who eventually led rescuers to find her. Ballengee and her husband, chef B.C. Laprade, bought Milt’s in 2007. Part sit-down diner, part take-out burger-and-shake stand, Milt’s has been an institution since it opened in 1954.

play ”There’s a great new trail near town called Pipe Dream,” says Ballengee. It takes just a couple minutes to get to from Milt’s.”

eat “After a ride or run you have to get a Double Bacon Cheeseburger. Our beef is hormone-free, fresh from the grass-fed cows at the local Ruby Ranch.”

MOUNTAIN BIKING
Jen Zeuner

Hot Tomato Pizza, Fruita

Jen Zeuner raced downhill mountain biking from 1992 to 2000 and has been eating pizza her whole life. She opened Hot Tomato with Anne Keller in Fruita in 2005, leveraging her experience working at mom-and-pop pizza shops on the East Coast where she grew up. Hot Tomato’s dough is made daily from scratch (a rarity even in non-chain pizza shops), and the pair sources herbs and vegetables from four local growers who all live within a 10-mile radius. Eight New Belgium Beers are available on draft. hottomatocafe.com

play “You can’t come to Fruita and not ride Joe’s Ridge.”

eat“Everyone loves our Granny’s Pesto. And don’t forget the beer. we’re part of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith program—every quarter they send us two small-batch beers you can’t get anywhere else.”

BACKCOUNTRY SKIING
Mark Fischer 

Six89, Carbondale

Mark Fischer has been backcountry skiing since he moved to Colorado 20 years ago. The Carbondale resident opened Six89 there in 1998, followed by Phat Thai in 2003 and the Pullman in Glenwood Springs and Phat Thai Denver last year. The busy owner-chef still races the Grand Traverse, covering 40-miles of backcountry between Crested Butte and Aspen. In the kitchen at Six89, he works to prefect artisanal comfort food—a gourmet approach to unpretentious foods. six89.com

play “You can do a tour out of the town of Marble and be back in three hours. We’ll usually rally at the restaurant, and carpool for the 30-minute drive there.”

eat “The gnocchi salad. We sauté the gnocchi with some mushrooms and roasted squash until crisp and dress the whole thing with a champagne vinaigrette made with a shit ton of oregano, extra virgin olive oil, a little bit of truffle oil and some parm reggiano.”

SKI MOUNTAINEERING
Monique Merrill

Amazing Grace Natural Eatery, Breckenridge

A world champion adventure racer, Mona Merrill is renowned for consistently placing in the Top 10 at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships over the past few years. She bought Amazing Grace Natural Eatery in a quirky historic building two blocks from her home in Breckenridge in 2002. The Grace offers affordable, organic made-from-scratch burritos, sandwiches, salads and baked goods. amazinggracebreck.com

play ”I skin up Baldy about three times a week. There’s a trailhead right at the top of Baldy Road where you can park your car.”

eat ”We open at 7:00 a.m., so before you head out to ski come by The Grace and get the Breakfast Burrito.”

PADDLING
Mic Heynekamp

Eddyline Restaurant and Brewery, Buena Vista

Mic Heynekamp has been kayaking since college, so it’s no surprise that he located his brewpub on the Arkansas River. Eddyline literally sits less than 100 yards from the Buena Vista Whitewater Park. Eddyline started with pizza and calzones and has since grown to include everything from made-from-scratch pasta to local grass-fed beef from a ranch eight miles downriver. eddylinepub.com

play “There’s a half-mile section of the whitewater park right in front of the restaurant. ”

eat “You still can’t beat our original calzones. The Mt. Princeton is spicy and filling. Wash it down with our brand new brew, Boater Beer, a joint project with CKS for Paddlefest.”

ROAD BIKE RACING
Will Frischkorn

Cured, Boulder

Professional road bike racer, Will Frischkorn spent seven years living part-time in Spain, which inspired him to open Cured in Boulder after retiring from Garmin-Cervélo in 2010. Cured also makes sandwiches and offers evening culinary tastings and classes. curedboulder.com

play “I love getting up on the Peak-to-Peak Highway—Boulder to Lyons, up South St. Vrain and back down through Ward—it’s gorgeous. .”

eat “The Spicy Frenchman. It’s brie, butter, French Ham, and peach-jalapeño jam from the Western Slope on a baguette..”

TRIATHLON
Matty Reed

Boom Yogurt Bar, Boulder

In 2011, Olympian Matty Reed won four triathlons and opened Boom Yogurt Bar. Boom provides all-natural breakfast options and healthy pre- and post- workout snacks to endurance freaks as well as mere mortals. boomyogurtbar.com

play “I like running in the Boulder foothills—places like Sanitas, Red Rocks and Linden Drive.”

eat “If you come in during the morning, try my favorite breakfast—hot oatmeal with Noosa yogurt and fruit purée.” •