Biking Lake Pueblo - Day Trip Series Part 6

Lake Pueblo has 200 year Juniper trees.

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

If you’re like me, it’s tough to put the bike up for the winter. I still gotta get out for a ride - even in the colder, shorter days. Biking in the Springs can be hit or miss with the snow, ice, and mud though. So instead, I like to drive an hour south to Lake Pueblo State Park and Reservoir. It’s usually 5-10 degrees warmer and the snow falls in light amounts. And due to the high altitude and stronger sun, the snow rarely remains on the ground for long.

The park has green, blue, and black trails and the views are outstanding. The trails wind through the reservoir’s fingers, inlets, and mesas. There are enough trails to explore for days. And the park is unique in it’s covered in shale rock. It was once sea bottom thousands of years ago.

Photo credit: Reserve America

After riding, I also like to explore downtown Pueblo - about 10 minutes away. The city has some cool old buildings and public art work - including along their Riverwalk. For lunch, I’ve enjoyed the Colorado sourced lamb burger at Bingo Burger. And a couple blocks away, I like to chill and do some reading at Solar Roast Coffee. And for some nighttime activity, downtown also boasts Neon Alley. It has over 40 retro, neon signs that have been restored.

Kip Biese: MTB Coach and Local Legend

How many people do you know who got married in their cycling kit? Probably no one, right? Well now you do. Meet Kip Biese. He’s a former pro rider who has coached thousands of others in the art of riding a bicycle. 

With Clarissa at the top of Mt. Elbert, the highest point one can ride a bike in the U.S. And you know Kip had to ride to the top on his wedding day!

Kip is originally from the Milwaukee area and his dad introduced him to mountain biking at age 10. Growing up, he rode whatever trails he could find around Wisconsin. But for college, he attended Colorado State and was part of the mountain bike race team. 

After graduating, he moved to COS to work in a bike shop. In 2001, he started racing - all different disciplines. After a year, he secured a contract to ride for Giant and then later for Cannondale. 

After racing professionally for a number of years, he has been coaching both with Kids on Bikes and Front Rangers for almost a decade. Many of the kids he coached are now coaches themselves. And they all love to know he has ridden everyday for the last 10 years (The last time he didn’t ride was Sept. 14, 2013!)

Kip!!!

Also, Kip does personal coaching for both youth and adults. He provides training plans and also will ride together with his clients. Kip is still a beast! On top of all his riding and coaching experience, Kip has dual Masters degrees from UT-Austin in both exercise physiology and kinesiology. 

Kip is a regular at Trailblazers and is always reppin’ the Trails End Race Team. In Colorado, he loves to ride Cheyenne Canon here in the Springs and Breckenridge for the high country riding. And in North America, he digs Whistler in Canada for all the high end tech. We enjoy when Kip stops into Routes to get his Revel Ranger occasionally serviced or just to have a beer. He is an endless well of stories and knowledge! 

Jeff Wilson: Local Running and Fitness Coach

Jeff on his way to see Barbie.

Jeff Wilson is a friend of Routes and regular at Trailblazers. He grew up playing hockey in the hockey crazed region of SE Michigan (home of the Detroit Red Wings!). He started running to stay in shape for hockey and eventually realized he was better at running. Once in high school, he made the agonizing decision to commit to just running. With the support of a great high school coach and a dad who runs, he was able to then run competitively at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan. While there, he ran a 14:55 5K PR (4:45 mile pace) - yowsers!. After graduating with a degree in kinesiology, he had his sights on the Olympic Trials in the marathon. To qualify, he needed a sub 2:20 (5:20 mile pace) - yikes! Ultimately, injuries kept him from pursuing his dream, but he realized a love for helping others train in the process. 

For the last decade, he has helped coach the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs men’s cross country team and also teaches in the Health Sciences department there. To boot, he works as a personal trainer and private running coach for clients throughout Colorado Springs and online. He has a holistic approach of working with folks on diet, strength and weight training, mental approach, and fitness.  

Jeff in training

In regards to nutrition, he recommends a varied, colorful plate of food with a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats. One of his favorite meals to cook is baked salmon with a vegetable and quinoa mix (though he loves Detroit style pizza too and recommends Decent Pizza in town!). 

For the last couple years, he has been working with a client whose ultimate goal was to be hired by the FBI. Jeff helped him reach his goals for the 300 meters and the 2 mile. And Jeff coached him through his secondary goals of looking physically fit and feeling good about his body too. 

Personally, Jeff will be running the Ascent Half Marathon to the top of Pikes Peak this year - as well as the California International Marathon. And he just started a podcast with two of his friends about running, training, and health. And you can check out his website here. 

Leadville: Day Trip Series Part 5

Joel and I in front of Turquoise Lake. Photo credit: Daniel Kim

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

Shortly after moving to Colorado in 2021, I heard about these hoodies made by a Colorado company called Melanzana. (It took me a few times to say it correctly). Occasionally, I’d see people wear them around town and the hoodies were easy to spot - brightly colored and often two toned. But I also heard the only place to buy them was at their store in Leadville - not even on their website.

When my buddies - Daniel and Joel - and I climbed Mt. Elbert last Fall (read story here), we stopped by downtown Leadville for lunch after. We walked past Melananza and looked inside. A sign said customers had to make an appointment to shop - months in advance! Daniel was intrigued and made an appointment for a Saturday in May.

Folks sewing hoodies at the Melanzana store

So this May (2023), the three of us made the two hour drive. We first stopped at Turqouise Lake in Leadville. The trails were too snowy and unfortunately we didn’t rent any showshoes from Routes. So we walked on the road along the lake. It was well plowed, closed off to motorists, and still had some nice views.

For lunch, we stopped into High Mountain Pies. The menu said the local favorite was “The Crocodile” - BBQ sauce, mozzarella, shrimp, bacon, jalapeno, and cream cheese. Sounded nasty but we ordered it. The bbq sauce was sweet, the bacon salty, the jalapeno spicy, and the cream cheese, well creamy. Somehow, a phenomenal combo!

After lunch, we walked the historic downtown, with many of the brick buildings over a hundred years old. We dipped into Melanzana for our 3 pm appointment. We perused the hoodies in the front of the store and watched people sewing the hoodies in the back of the store. Since we were only allowed to buy two items per appointment, I tried on like a dozen different ones to make sure I found the right one. And find it I did. I‘m wearing it right now and it feels just right!

COS Racing with Cindi Brothers

Cindi and her husband, Michael

Cindi Brothers is a Monument resident and part of COS Racing - a local group of mountain, gravel, road, and track riders who race, train, and volunteer together.

Cindi had been a long time runner but with her husband’s encouragement transitioned to biking in recent years. She joined COS racing four years ago and now helps lead monthly gravel rides. Her husband, Michael, leads monthly MTB rides.

Already in 2023, Cindi repped COS Racing at the Mad Gravel race here in the Springs. For her age group, she placed 4th in the 21 mile circuit race for category B. The next day, she rode the 30-miler coming in first for her age group!

COS Racing is split into three teams. The Race A team consists of elite riders - some of which are legends and have won various state, national, and international championships in different disciplines. The Race B team, which Cindi is a part of, is the developmental tier of riders looking to advance their skills, fitness, and racing abilities. Lastly, the Club team is for new racers looking to get into competitive riding.

COS Racing has over a hundred members. Annual fees are $40 and another $40 for the COS kit. (Look good, feel good, ride good!) Along with other local businesses - Routes Outfitter is stoked to be a supporter of COS Racing.

Ric Falls in Love with Altras

Ric kicking it at the shop.

Ric Sieben has been the associate general manager at Routes since 2021. Shortly after starting at Routes, he tried on one of the trail running and hiking shoes we sell, the Altra Lone Peaks. He liked how light and comfortable they were - especially with the wider toe box. It felt more natural to have his toes spread out - so he bought a pair.

A couple weeks later, he noticed the zero balanced cushioning (the heal and toe are at the same level) helped with his nagging plantar fasciitis. When he woke up, he no longer felt pain in his heel.

Ric in his Lone Peak Hikers

Two years later, Ric owns at least a half dozen pairs of Altras of varying models. Everyday at work, as he brilliantly and patiently works on bikes, he’s sporting a different pair.

This Fall (2022), Ric went leaf peeping with his wife to Massachusetts and upstate New York and rocked his Lone Peak Hikers for 30 plus miles on the trail!

Altra is Route’s best selling and most popular shoe. Learn about some of the world’s top runners who wear Altras here. And find out more how Altra as a company first got started here.

From Severe Asthma to Running a Half Marathon

Jason, left, with his friend, right, and cousin in the back.

Jason, a friend of Routes, never played sports growing up. He had a severe case of asthma that landed him in the hospital. By the time he graduated from college, though, he had aged out of his asthma. So, he decided to try running. He was able to run a ⅛ mile around his parents’ house - and do it a few more times in the following days. The next week, he did a ½ mile. Over the following weeks and months, he kept adding distance. Finally, a couple years later in 2020, he tried his first race - the Super Half Marathon in Colorado Springs. 

Jason running at the Garden of the Gods.

Over a 1,000 runners compete in the Super Half Marathon (13.1 miles) the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. Jason’s first year running the Super Half he tried to keep up with the other runners who passed him and he ended up burning out at Mile 11. He had to walk most of the way to finish. His 2nd year, in 2022, he paced himself much better. And in 2023, he ran a personal best time.

Jason lives near Ute Valley and runs there regularly with his hydration pack. He also loves running Garden of the Gods and is a regular at the Jack Quinn’s run on Tuesday nights. In recent years, he learned he has a condition called tachycardia - which makes his heart stutter. Running a couple times a week actually helps his heart beat normally.

Someday, Jason would like to run the Pikes Peak Marathon! 

Exploring Twin Lakes Below and Climbing Elbert Above

Mt. Elbert from the shores of Twin Lakes.

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

In the Fall of 2022, two buddies - Daniel and Joel (who I wrote about hiking the Great Sand Dunes with here) - and myself ventured to Twin Lakes for the weekend. Daniel wanted to see the Fall colors, Joel to hike Mt. Elbert nearby, and me to explore anywhere new in CO.  

Joel and Daniel

We left the The Springs on a Friday morning, and after the 2.5 hour drive west, saw our first glimpse of Twin Lakes nestled directly below Elbert - Colorado’s highest peak at 14,440 ft. We had to pull over for a picture!

When we arrived in the town of Twin Lakes - population like 36 in the summer - we stopped at the General Store. The gentleman behind the counter notified us our ‘first come, first serve’ campsite was closed for the season. But, he informed us of his favorite ‘dispersed’ campsite. He explained that dispersed camping requires no reservation or money, but has no bathrooms or running water either. It sounded like my kind of camping! He showed us on the map where to go and made us swear not to tell anyone else where it was. 

After exploring the abandoned resort, Joel found a fishing spot and caught two Greenback Trout.

After setting up our camp, we drove 20 minutes to The Interlaken Trailhead. Our guy at the General Store also told us about a centuries old, abandoned resort two miles from the trailhead. Our hike hugged the lakeshore and Daniel soaked in all the golden leafed aspens. We explored some of the resort’s open buildings and walked along the beach.

The next morning, we woke up at 4 am and drove 45 minutes to the North Mt. Elbert Trailhead. With a dozen cars already in the parking lot, we embarked on the 10.4 mile round trip with our headlamps. After walking through the forest for a half hour, we were surprised to spot the first traces of snow. The steady rain at our campsite the night before was snow at the higher elevation of Elbert. After crossing the treeline, the snow deepened to 4-6 inches. 

The ascent

Eventually, we came to the bottom of a false summit, where the trail narrowed and fell off steeply to one side. A couple hikers decided it looked too risky and turned back. Joel, Daniel, and myself stood there for ten minutes debating whether it was worth it. We had no yaktrax for our boots, no hiking poles - didn’t even have gloves. This was Daniel’s first 14er and said he really wanted to summit. Joel has done many 14ers, said he didn’t have anything to prove, and voted to turn around. They both looked at me. I glanced up at the dark clouds and swirling snow looming above. I looked back down at the trail thinking it could get icy by the time we returned.

Mt. Massive across the way.

A few hikers caught up to us, excused themselves as they scooted past, and slowly made their way up this sketchy section. One of the dudes was rocking basketball high tops. I thought, alright, if this dude is going to do it… 

So we pressed on. 

After the false summit, we had another mile to go. The winds whipped, the snow swirled, and visibility was low. After we reached the summit, we stayed for about 90 seconds. 

The descent

We descended quickly and I felt anxious about our sketchy section down below. I started to have flashbacks to the time my foot slipped and I fell off a cliff in Mexico. I wasn’t found by search and rescue until the next day (told at the NPR StorySlam here). But, with careful foot placements and hand grips, we made it through. We cruised back down to the treeline - where it started snowing, then hailing, and then raining. Once back to our car, we were soaked from top to bottom. 

We drove 20 minutes to Leadville and had lunch. Neither Daniel nor I brought a change of clothes for the weekend. So after lunch, we decided to foregore our second night at our ‘secret’ campsite. We drove back, packed up all our stuff, and headed back to the Springs. Daniel was exhausted but happy for bagging his first 14er, Joel glad to have crossed another one of his list, and me still wondering if we made the right decision.

Medicine Wheel: Trail Advocates

Cory, near Garden of the Gods

Cory Sutela, director of Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, stopped by Routes the other day. Medicine Wheel is a non-profit organization of “mountain bikers who build, protect, and share inspiring trail experiences” in the Pikes Peak Region.  

Cory shared that Medicine Wheel was originally started by Brian Gravestock in 1991. Brian found mental and physical healing from being on the region’s trails. Inspired by the native american tradition of the Medicine Wheel, he created MedWheel as a way to encourage people to connect with nature and to improve cooperation among trail users. Brian wanted to provide a way to let trail users heal themselves as well as the trails. This work has led to the vision of creating a world class network of mountain biking trails in the Pikes Peak region. Read more about this history here.

Cory became the director of Medicine Wheel in 2019 after serving on the board of directors for many years. He originally moved to Colorado Springs from Canada in 2004 to work as a SRAM engineer. He first learned about Medicine Wheel when he volunteered at Red Rocks Canyon Open Space at a Medicine Wheel Trail of Love Dig Day - MedWheel’s volunteer building and maintenance program for the trails we all love. 

Ribbon cutting at Lake Morraine Trail

Medicine Wheel has had their hands in many of the trail projects around town in the last 30 years like Chutes and Ladders, Lion trail, Codell and many others. They spent 20 years bringing the Lake Morainne Trail to completion. They had to coordinate with State Senators, Colorado Springs Utilities, the State and National Railways, multiple landowners, and the Army Corps of Engineers. One of the most rewarding parts of this job for Cory was cutting the ribbon on the Lake Moraine Trail (and the recently opened Cresta Bike Park). 

Trail of Love Dig Day on Rattle Rocks at Ute Valley.

Cory mentioned during his visit to Routes that Medicine Wheel is in need of volunteers - not only for Trail Love Dig Days (which are posted regularly on their website) but also to attend public meetings, find sponsors, curate their social media, and in communications to help share Medicine Wheel’s story with the greater public. 

Additionally, Medicine Wheel partners with community organizations like Rocky Mountain Field Institute, Pikes Peak Outdoor Rec Alliance, Trails and Open Space Coalition, Concrete Couch, Upadowna, Friends groups in parks and open spaces across the region, schools, and businesses. MedWheel always seeks additional business, individual and organizational partners.

You can also follow them on Facebook  Instagram  Youtube  . 

Winter Hut Trip with the Fam

Ben’s dad, with the Sawatch Mountains in the background.

Routes staff, Ben Goodmen, went on a winter hut trip with his family over the Christmas 2022 holiday. Along with three other families, the Goodmen’s drove from Monument to Leadville - where they spent the night. The next morning, they drove past Ski Cooper and arrived at the Mineral Belt Trailhead with their Alpine Touring (AT) skis. AT skis, also known as backcountry skis, are similar to downhill skis. In order to go uphill, though, ‘skins’ can be placed on the bottoms and they have a pin binding - allowing the foot to move up and down. (Routes has AT skis for rent this winter!) 

Ben and his family and friends skied for about 5 miles, taking 4-5 hours, until arriving at the Fowler-Hilliard Hut, part of the 10th Mountain Hut Division. For the last 7 years, Ben and his family have reserved and stayed in a 10th Mountain Division hut through a lottery based system. In 2020, they got off to a late start and couldn’t find the hut in the dark. They had to bed down in the snow, under a tree for the night, in freezing temperatures. 

The Fowler-Hilliard Hut, built in 1988, sits at 11,500 feet.

On this trip in 2022, they stayed three nights. During the day, they skied around the hut in fresh powder, taking in the amazing views, but making sure each person had a shovel, beacon, and probe in case of an avalanche. Each family took turns cooking meals, the hut had a common area to play games together, and adults and kids alike congregated around the wood-burning fire. The last morning, they departed and the descent back to the trailhead only took about an hour. 

Exploring Ft. Collins - Day Trip Series: Part 3

Skyler and Luna

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

My niece, Ellie, and her husband, Skyler, moved from Colorado Springs to Ft. Collins in December of 2021. They met as students at Colorado State and moved to the Springs after college for work. But after five years, they decided to move back to Ft. Collins. They enjoy being in a college town and the cultural amenities it has to offer.

So in the summer of 2021, I made a day trip up to Ft. Collins to visit them. I met Skyler and their dog, Luna, for a hike at Arthur’s Rock Trailhead in Lory State Park. The trail was a moderate two mile hike to the top, gaining about a 1,000 ft. in elevation. The top overlooked Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins, and the surrounding Front Range. With the Wyoming border about 30 miles away, I felt like I could almost see it.

After, we met Ellie for lunch at Little on Mountain and I had maybe the best burger of my life. It was infused with bone marrow and so juicy and flavorful. After lunch, we walked the surrounding historic neighborhood of Old Town and it’s Victorian homes from the 1800s. Then, we made our way downtown, dipping into different shops like Nuance Chocolate, before settling into Wolverine Farm Publick House for a drink, perusing the books, and admiring their gardens.

I’ve visited dozens of college towns through the years, and I must say, Ft. Collins is one of the best.

From Couch Potato to Winning the Pikes Peak Marathon

Tina, at the top of Mt. Harvard.

Tina Mascarenas, friend of Routes, stopped by the shop the other day. We sat down with her, over a bottle of kombucha, to hear about her recently winning the 2022 Pikes Peak Marathon. 

Tina grew up in Colorado Springs. Her mother got her and her siblings into rock climbing and Tina also into gymnastics. And when she was little, her grandpa bribed her and her siblings to hike the trails around town. 

But while in her 20s, Tina “got fat, partied, smoked, and did nothing”. Her brother, though, challenged her to start running. She loved the structure running provided and started running all those trails her grandpa took her on. A year later, she placed top 10 for her age group in the Pikes Peak Ascent. Two years later in 2017, she won the Pikes Peak Marathon. 

Jogging up The Incline.

We asked her what was different about winning the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2022. She mentioned tweaking her diet and consuming more gels and Gatorade during her training runs to significantly increase her calories. As a result, she felt great during the race and loved the cooler temperature (the race was moved back a month in 2022). She ran a personal best 3:03 ascent and an impressive 1:33 descent.  

At Routes, though, we were curious to learn how it’s possible to pick up running as an adult, and in the span of a few years, become world class. Tina explained that when she decides to do something, she is all in. And a lot of the skills she acquired as a gymnast in her youth translates to running trails - especially downhill. For instance, as a gymnast, she learned muscle control, finding a line and fully committing to it, and the awareness of always knowing where she was in the air. All these attributes come in handy as she bombs downhill and launches off rocks. 

Competing at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships in Thailand.

Plus, Tina enjoys the social side of running - especially among the running community here in Colorado Springs. After winning the 2022 Pikes Peak Marathon, she qualified for a spot on Team U.S. to compete in the 40K race at the 2022 World Mountain and Trail Running Championships this past November in Thailand. She placed 25th and competed alongside a couple of her training partners from The Springs.

And to boot, Tina admits her genetics have helped her transition into being an elite runner. Her younger sister, Megan, is a 3x world bouldering champion. Her mother, at age 63, still climbs six days a week - including big walls in California. 

And her grandfather’s persistence paid off. He instilled in her a joy for being in the mountains - now running trails as one of the best in the world.

Family MTB Trip to Fruita and Grand Junction

Kier riding the Horsethief Bench trail.

In May of 2021, Kier Eastvold (RO staff) drove with his parents and sister five hours from The Springs to Fruita and Grand Junction to shred some of the finest trails in Colorado. 

The 1st day, Kier and his dad biked Horsethief Bench. The trail included a double black diamond (most bikers have to walk this section!), and finished with a beautiful view overlooking the Colorado River. While the boys rode, Kier’s mom and sister spent a few hours at a local wake boarding park. That night, they all had dinner at the famous Hot Tomato pizzeria. 

The 2nd day, Kier rode 39 miles through the flowy and fast 18 Road trail system. Part way through the ride, though, his father’s frame broke (just casually riding down a single track!). He walked it five miles to the car and swapped it for his wife’s bike. At the time, Kier’s mom and sister were exploring downtown Fruita.  

The 3rd day, they packed up and left their Airbnb located just outside downtown Fruita. Kier’s dad rented a bike from a bike shop in Grand Junction and he and Kier rode the slick rock slabs on The Ribbon Trail. After, the fam made the drive back to The Springs.

Kier rides for Highlanders, the local composite high school team in The Springs. In 2022, he rode the iconic Moab in Utah with his coach and two friends. On the way back, they stopped in Fruita and Grand Junction and Kier led them on many of the same trails.

Biking Oil Well Flats - Day Trip Series: Part 2

My mountain biking mentor, Bob, moved back to Florida summer of 2022. (Read story here). Before he left though, he had me hanging on for dear life down Captain Jacks and roughed me up on the Black and Blue Loop at Ute Valley. But some trails we didn’t get to and he assignment them for homework. One was Oil Well Flats near Canon City.

Since Routes is closed on Mondays for our cold-season hours, I made a day trip. It was a little over an hour to the trailhead and on a weekday in October, no other cars in the parking lot. The night before, I downloaded the MTB Project app. There was a detailed map at the trailhead, but heard from another Routes staff of a lot of turns and forks.

The trails were rated mostly blues and blacks. The blues were technical - both going up and coming down. I had to hike-a-bike on at least a few occasions. But it gave me an opportunity to stop and take in the views of the Pike-San Isabel National Forest in the distance. The route took me a little under 2 hours. I skipped most of the blacks, otherwise I might still be out there.

After, I drove into Canon City and had lunch at the Bean Pedaler, a coffee shop and bike shop in one. The huge brownie baked that morning was delicious. I sat and people watched other customers coming in - locals stopping in for a quick cup and tourists just finishing a rafting trip.

I walked around Canon City’s historic downtown and was pleasantly surprised by the old architecture, all the restaurants, and cool little shops. Come to find out it’s the 3rd oldest city in Colorado. And with The Royal Gorge and Arkansas River nearby, I’m sure they receive plenty of visitors.

Next time Bob is back in town, we’ll have to head down there for a ride and a brownie. I’ll show him I understood the assignment.

Double Dating in the Wilderness

By Jake Timmons and Juli Williams, friends of Routes, and part of the local Trailblazers hiking group.

Our June (2022) trip around the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness Loop outside of Fairplay - about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs - started as a surreptitious call from our friend Sarah. She asked Juli if we’d would be interested in a “double date overnight” backpacking trip. Juli quickly agreed and she and Sarah started planning before clueing in the husbands. Eventually, the heads up was pretty much - “Hey, we’re going backpacking this weekend”.

Since Juli loves both backpacking and date night…and Jake also loves date night (but loves golf), this seemed like a reasonable compromise for us. 

Juli and Jake filtering water…or at least one filtering water and one watching gleefully.

Juli met Sarah first at a networking event for her job in software and then again four days later at a Saturday run club. Two encounters that quickly meant they should probably just be friends…and the rest is history - including being a part of each other’s weddings. 

The Buffalo Peaks Loop is just under twelve miles and makes for a nice intro or weekend backpack loop. Since we were dispersed camping, no permit was required. The four of us met at the trailhead and set off around 10 am. Sarah brought quick reference cards of Colorado Flowers so several conversations focused on the diversity of the wilderness that is Colorado.

We ended up hiking 6.5 miles the first day. Taking our time, it took just over three hours to reach our campsite. We saw several other folks camping but the trail wasn’t crowded. 

Day 2: Camp all packed up and ready to head home.

We set up camp in a stand of trees overlooking a meadow with a creek for filtering water. After a fancy dinner of Tasty Bites Madras Lentils and Veggie Tikka Masala, courtesy of Juli and her jet boil stove, we enjoyed a cup of hot chocolate (and maybe a splash of whiskey).

After dinner, we spotted deer in the meadow and heard coyotes nearby. We were told elk or moose could be sighted - if you were lucky. We were not lucky.

No campfire that evening due to a fire ban but the cool night was made comfortable in a cozy two-person tent.

The next morning, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast at camp of oatmeal and instant coffee from Trader Joe’s - accompanied by a gorgeous sunrise over the meadow and creek.

On the 5.3 mile hike back to the trailhead, Juli and Sarah both mentioned how much they loved the trip. Jake admitted he actually loved it too - being with his wife and good friends in the outdoors was a great and meaningful time…

…even if it wasn’t golf.

Trekking for Elk in the 'Blood of Christ' Mountains

Luke climbing in Eleven Mile Canyon

Luke Perez, RO staff, is an avid mountain biker and rock climber. In 2014, he started climbing regularly at The Springs Climbing Center (SCC). Luke met many people there he now rides and climbs with weekly. He eventually met a couple fellows at SCC named Mitchell and Bryce, who both shared an affinity for elk hunting.

Mitchell and Bryce spent nine days back in September of 2022 elk hunting in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains. On their 3rd day, Bryce shot and killed an elk. By their 9th and last day together, Mitchell still hadn’t got himself the beast he so wanted to bag. They woke up that final morning together and packed all their gear with the intent to hunt their way back to the trucks. On their way back, they heard a bull and his cows. Bryce bugled and raked a tree to pose as a threatening bull. The bull and cows moved away and Mitchell and Bryce tracked them for an hour and a half. Eventually, they saw the bull fifty yards away. Mitchell drew his bow and pierced the magnificent elk. When they found the blood trail, tears filled Mitchell’s eyes. After waiting for an hour, they tracked the bull’s blood trail and eventually found him lying in some brush moaning deeply. With a heavy heart, Mitchell shot another arrow in his vitals and the bull’s labored breathing stopped. 

Mitchell and his elk.

By this point, Mitchell and Bryce were out of food, had little water, and were low on energy. So Mitchell decided to message his buddies from The Springs Climbing Center - including Luke - to ask for some help. 

After receiving Mitchell’s text, Luke sat in his living room with a decision to make. It would be a three hour drive to the trailhead. Then, the two hour hike to get to Mitchell and Bryce would be steep and rocky with heavy packs and 1,300 ft. in elevation gain.

Luke wanted to relax before heading to work the next day, but Mitchell and Bryce were his buddies and a part of his community of his friends. Plus, Mitchell is a competent and athletic dude and Luke knew he wouldn’t ask for help unless he needed it. Luke texted back and said he was on his way. 

A month later, Mitchell invited Luke and friends over for elk steak and gave each one 30 pounds of meat.

Mitchell sent his longitude and latitude marker and Luke and two other friends carpooled to the location. They arrived at 7:45 pm and hiked in the dark to where Mitchell and Bryce were waiting. The two of them had processed the whole elk and were keeping the meat cool having wrapped it all in game bags and placed it in a creek nearby. Luke and friends arrived with sandwiches and cookies and the five of them packed 300 lbs of meat into their packs. Although Mitchell’s pack was heavy and his body hurt, it felt like a victory lap. They hiked the six miles back to the trucks with his heart full of gratitude and love - for both the elk and his friends.

Living the Dream: Going to MTB Camp in Durango

Fort Lewis College MTB Camp

In the summers of 2021 and 2022, Ethan Werschky (RO Staff) attended the Fort Lewis College Mountain Biking Camp in the MTB heaven know as Durango. It was attended by forty other high school riders, both guys and gals. The Fort Lewis coaches and college riders have hosted the camp for over 20 years. 

The camp goes from a Saturday to a Friday. Ethan’s parents drove him the six hours to Fort Lewis from Monument. His parents gallivanted joyously throughout Durango and Ouray for the week while Ethan was at camp.

Ethan went with a buddy from home and they stayed in a dorm room together. Kids came all the way from Alabama, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Each morning, the campers were split up into 4-5 groups, depending on skill level, and led on a 2-3 hour ride. They rode a variety of trails around Durango - flowy, technical, grippy, or loose. Ethan was stoked to improve his technical skills like navigating through rock gardens, step ups, and drops. 

Ethan racing with his high scool team. He finished top 100 at XC States for his age group in 2022.

Their afternoons consisted of bike games, like foot down and bike tag, and free time. One hot afternoon, their instructors took them to the river to float on tubes. Their evenings were filled with speakers like Olympian Christopher Blevins and pro riders and married couple Cole Peyton and Savilla Blunk (who live in a van, but not down by the river). The guest speakers also rode with the kids in the morning.

Campers ate all their meals at the dining hall and Ethan thought the food was great (unlimited ice cream!) He has stayed in touch with a lot of the kids throughout the year and even saw some of them at races. He plans on going back again this summer.

Racing Aravaipa's MTB Summer Series in COS

Trailblazers is a group of mountain bikers, runners, and hikers that congregate at Trails End Tap Room every Wednesday night to hit the trails at Red Rocks Canyon Open Space. Also, Trails End has a mountain bike race team that races throughout Colorado. 

Curt Mulick is both a Trailblazers’ regular and a Trails End Race Team member. Originally from NY State, Curt started riding at age 25. His friend lent him an extra bike, a Trek 8200 hard tail with a big cushioned seat, and he started riding that bad boy all the time. He moved to Colorado in 2016 to study mechanical engineering at UCCS and since then has been riding all over the state (albeit with a new bike).

His first race was in 2018 - the WMBA Purple Pursuit on The Air Force Academy’s Falcon Trail. Four years later In 2022, he dove in and absolutely loved riding in the Moonrise Summer MTB Series - a local Friday night race series hosted by Aravaipa. 

He participated in the first one, Lunar Liftoff, at Cheyenne Mountain State Park in June. The race was split up into the ‘Never Evers” for first time riders, Juniors ages 9-17, Intermediates, and Experts. The race had 70-80 riders and Curt finished the 7 mile, fairly technical route in 42 minutes and change. He enjoyed Aravaipa’s beer garden and quesadillas afterward and appreciated having the full weekend to recover.

In July, Curt participated in the 2nd race of the series, The Gravity Grinder at Ute Valley. It was a beautiful 3 lap, 2.7 mile course. And he finished the season off with The Quarter Crusher - the final race in the series at the techy Palmer Park.

Ladies getting ready for The Lunar Liftoff

Curt also volunteers with Aravaipa pre and post race, which gives him $10/hour in credits for future races.

You can find Aravaipa on Instagram, often tabling at Trailblazers on Wednesday nights, or at other group rides around town. Aravaipa also hosts trail running races and a Monday night run at Fossil Craft Beer Co.

Forest Therapy: Restoring Connections with Ourselves, Others, and Nature

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

“In every walk in nature one receives far more than he seeks.” John Muir

My brother taught English in Japan in the late 1980s, when the country was booming economically. He walked to school every morning in awe of the beautifully landscaped streets and parks and centuries old architecture. But he also saw plenty of businessmen rushing to work early in the morning and napping on the subway late at night on their commute home. The general population was working longer and longer hours - usually indoors in sterile office environments.

Consequently, a movement called Shinrin-yoku started to encourage folks to immerse themselves in the forest as a way to improve their mental and physical health and find a renewed connection to themselves, others, and the natural world. As this movement spread around the globe in recent decades, it also became known as ‘forest therapy’ or ‘forest bathing’.  

L to R: My sister, Janna, and Serena, and Autumn

A few months ago, I walked into Mountain Equipment Recyclers with a $5 coupon burning a hole in my pocket. I walked past the front counter and saw a brochure for Restoring Connections Forest Therapy. Serena Vogel, a retired school teacher and certified forest therapy guide, was advertising a 2-3 hour forest walk with the intention of connecting others with nature in a healing way. 

Later that afternoon, I gave Serena a call and found she recently finished her 125 hours of training through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT). She first discovered forest therapy when she met ANFT’s founder, Amos Clifford, at a conference. Growing up, Serena had a troubled childhood and regularly escaped into nature to cope. Hearing Clifford’s vision of helping participants disconnect from the stress of life to uncover the joy and peace of the forest sounded very appealing to her. 

It sounded appealing to me too. So we set up a time for a walk. 

The next week, my sister and I met Serena at Cheyenne Mountain State Park on a Wednesday morning. Accompanying Serena was Autumn, one of Serena’s former middle school students, who 25 years later is now a massage therapist in Manitou Springs. We walked for a mile into the forest to a spot Serena already had scouted out. 

My tree.

We put our bags down and Serena explained how this would work. She would give us a prompt, or invitation, to embrace the forest in some way. We would each wander a stones throw away with the freedom to sit, stand, lie down, walk around…whatever felt right. After 15-20 minutes we would reconvene, and share about it if we wanted to. 

After a few invitations, our last prompt was to experience a tree nearby. Stare at it, feel it, smell it, listen to it. So I meandered off and lied down under a 40-foot Oak.

I watched its tops gently sway and listened to the faint rustling of the wind moving its highest branches. The pace of movement contrasted sharply to a bird who swooped into the Oak, perched on a branch, and a moment later, fluttered away. 

I stood up and plucked a leaf. I rubbed its smooth surface in my hand and tried hard to smell it. I dropped the leaf and nestled my upright body into the tree. Like a bear, I scratched my back along the ridges of the bark. I took a deep breath, turned back around, and gripped a couple waist high branches. I shook the branches hard, hoping to release some pent up stress. 

Sharing tea, with the leaves often foraged nearby, is a tradition after a Forest Therapy walk.

I peered around the tree to see if Serena, my sister, or Autumn were in sight. They were not. So I wrapped my arms all the way around the trunk of my tree. I held my guy for a few minutes - soaking in his strength, his age, his wisdom. As a single person, I don’t receive much physical touch. My tree was providing, even if for a few moments, a love language I sorely lacked. 

A moment later, Serena gently gonged her Japanese bell and we strolled back. She had prepared tea and put out the homemade pumpkin bread she brought. We sat and debriefed and I felt a little weird sharing about the deep bond my tree and I had going on and that I straight up hugged him for a long time. But Serena nodded affirmingly like it was completely normal.

While my sister and Autumn shared, my mind wandered to a passage in the Old Testament about God’s people being stricken with poverty and despair and He raises them up to be Oaks of Righteousness - restoring places and people long devastated. Now, God had patiently watched as my tree grew from a small sapling to a flourishing staple of the forest - rooting itself deeply, providing shade for those below, and branches for the birds above. It had taken years, but my guy had fully matured and was nourishing all those around him - including me. I took a deep breathe, felt my body relax, and reveled in the bounty of the forest and all of Creation.

With Serena as my guide, my tree as my therapist, and God as my witness, I was ready to go home and take a long, deep nap.

Serena Vogel, MA, Certified Forest Therapy Guide, can be reached at natureheals622@gmail.com

A Spiritual Experience: Ascending Colorado's 14ers

Blanca Peak

People enter into the wilderness for different reasons. Some crave the solitude and slower pace. Others love being out there with friends and talking about life - with beauty as their backdrop. For Pastor Kevin Feldotto, it is a time to be with God - of prayer, meditation, and developing next week's sermon in his head. 

Originally from Nebraska, Kevin moved to Colorado Springs in 1989 to help start a church. A few years later, he started trail running and eventually did the Pikes Peak Marathon. And then, he did it eleven more times. 

Little Bear/Blanca Traverse

Even after all the trail running, it didn’t dawn on him to start climbing Fourteeners (a 14,000 ft. peak) until 2013. Nine years later, he’s done Pikes Peak 75 times.

As a pastor, he has Fridays off…and while his wife worked, he often would make a quick summit of Pikes. It is one of his favorite Fourteeners as he has met lots of interesting folks on Barr Trail and at Barr Camp.  

By summer of 2022, Kevin had completed 48 of the 58 Fourteeners.

At first, he did the easier ones - afraid of those with lots of exposure. But as he honed his skills as a rock climber, he gained more confidence to do the class 3 and 4 Fourteeners. Even as an experienced hiker now, he still does a ton of research on each Fourteener, is careful not to be overconfident, and always takes someone with him on the more difficult climbs. 

This Fall (2022), he is taking a sabbatical and hopes to do the rest of the Fourteeners, including the last one with his daughter and son who are in their 20s. When he hikes with others, it is still a rejuvenating time of introspection and enjoying God’s creation. At age 63, he will become one of roughly 1,400 people who have climbed all of Colorado’s Fourteeners. 

Northstar

Kevin is a campus pastor at Woodmen Valley Chapel Southwest.