Assessment: Big game hunting in Colorado’s GMU 29 and GMU 371

The application deadline for Colorado’s big game hunting lottery is on Tuesday. For certain game management units, seasons, species, and sexes, the draw is your only chance. Otherwise, less coveted over-the-counter tags can be purchased starting July 26. For 2016 I’ve decided that I’m going to to hunt a new area for elk and deer, instead of GMU 29 or GMU 371, as I have…

Freezer bag cooking: No, thank you

A reader, John P, recently asked if my breakfast and dinner recipes are suitable for “freezer bag cooking”: In preparing for my first ever thru-hike…I’m trying to figure out my menu…and came across your recipes. Is it possible to cook them using the freezer-bag method instead of cooking them in a pot? Can I pre-mix…

Fun in 2016: What I have planned

It’s almost April, yet just recently has my 2016 play calendar taken shape. Normally my schedule is dialed by now, but I have more flexibility this year since I’m not guiding trips or actively speaking. The extra time was useful — it gave me an opportunity to reflect on 2015, and to ponder my long-term commitment to 2017 projects that necessitate action…

Snack Recipe: Raw cookie dough

As a thank you for helping her land a new job last year, an acquaintance dropped off a small but game-changing gift: a mason jar of raw cookie dough. It disappeared remarkably fast — it worked as a pre-morning run snack, a dessert after lunch or dinner, and all points before, after, and in between.…

WANTED: Video producer for 12-video project

Update, March 26 || We have narrowed our search to several vendors. If a similar need arises again, I will post something here and elsewhere. This summer Sierra Designs will release a backpack and tent that we’ve co-developed over the past year. As part of the product launch, and as part of SD’s continuing efforts to engage its customers, we would like…

Not reverse psychology: Don’t thru-hike the Wind River High Route

“Rudd, Nathan, and I are planning to thru-hike the Wind River High Route this summer,” announced Krishna, as we dug into monstrous burritos at Cafe Mexicali. Krishna was one of my first clients, and he had swung through Boulder while driving back to the Tri-State Area after a month-long ski and work trip in Silverton.…

Long-term Review: Suunto Dual Comfort Belt

About six months after I began using my Suunto Ambit GPS watch, I bought the paired Dual Comfort Belt so that I could train based on effort, as measured by heart rate. After 18 months of nearly daily use, and now on my second strap and third battery, I feel confident in offering a long-term…

Long-term review: Sierra Designs Long-Sleeve Pack Polo

It’s back! After it was disappointingly dropped for the 2015 season, the Sierra Designs Long-Sleeve Pack Polo is in stock again, creating the perfect opportunity for a review. This is my go-to shirt for 3-season backpacking in sun-blessed locations like the Rockies, Sierra Nevada, and Southwest. Its optimal conditions: Daytime high temperatures above about 55 degrees F Abundant sunshine No or low bug pressure A…

She’s the one: The complete Wind River High Route

My guide to the complete Wind River High Route is finally live. This project was first inspired in 2009 while guiding a two-week trip through the range, and this winter it has been my biggest obsession, the focus of 100+ hours of time and the cause for several sleepless nights when it’s been more difficult…