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.

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.

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.

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.

Hiking The Crags - Day Trip Series: Part 1

The Crags Trailhead

By Nate Van Noord (RO Staff)

Since our cold-season hours have changed at Routes, and we are closed on Mondays, I have been taking day trips from The Springs.

Both friends and folks online recommended a 5 mile hike called The Crags. It is also known for being a trailhead leading up to Pikes Peak. So, I made the 45 minute drive from Old Colorado City to the trailhead in Divide, just past Mueller State Park.

The trail meandered past aspen groves in the last stages of yellow, wound along 4 Mile Creek, and was well marked with signage.

The dictionary defines a ‘crag’ as a steep or rugged cliff or rock face - which fits this trail perfectly. The granite found throughout the area erodes horizontally into monumental slabs or vertically into colossal cusps.

At the top of The Crags.

It was 800 feet in elevation gain to the top, where I soaked in a view of the Catamount Reservoirs and the Rampart Range. All the twisted conifers shaped by the wind also caught my eye. On a Monday morning, there were only few other hikers at the summit.

On my way back home, I stopped at Hungry Bear in Woodland Park for a brunch of buckwheat pancakes. A favorite of locals and tourists alike, the diner has hundreds of teddy bears hanging from the walls.

I’ve been told The Crags is a good spot to snowshoe, so I will have to return this Winter.

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.

Helping Her Peers Get Outside...

A brief spotlight on Routes Experience Associate - Hannah Brothers.

Hannah, left, and two students from The Lewis Palmer High School Outdoor Club

Hannah Brothers joined the Routes staff in Spring of 2022. She had known a few of the folks at Routes through her years of riding and racing in the youth cycling scene in Colorado Springs. She’s simply an awesome person, killer rider, and super kind spirit.

Hannah absolutely loves being outdoors, and has been an influence in the outdoor industry as well! Her general love for the outdoors has grown over the years from her experience as a Girl Scout since kindergarten.

Entering her senior year of high school in Fall of ‘21, she was well on her way to completing the Girl Scouts’ highest award - the Gold Award. This award is for those who seek to tangibly address a community need both locally and beyond.

Since she had a long history of, and passion for, being in the mountains - she decided to start the Lewis Palmer High School Outdoor Club back in the Spring of ‘21. She realized a lot of her classmates didn’t have many of the opportunities to get outside and connect with nature the same way she had - even in Colorado. In many ways it seemed to her that they had no one to help them. This chance to help her peers in something she loved became the foundation for her project.

Hannah secured free cross country ski rentals for The Club.

Over the course of her senior year, Hannah led the Outdoor Club on hikes around Monument’s most popular mountainous areas. Mt. Herman and Palmer Reservoir were a couple of favorites. She also organized days for geocaching and hammocking, brought in guest speakers to share about hiking all of Colorado’s 14ers, avalanche safety, map and compass skills, and cross country skiing. These were all incredible and diverse opportunities.

She designed the club to be accessible with no fees and did her best to ensure the events were doable for beginners. On top of it all, Hannah even wrote a handbook to pass down to the next generation of students leading The Club.

This awesome effort eventually did land her the award…and it was well deserved.

What an accomplishment! And what an awesome privilege to have her on the Routes team.

This Fall, Hannah is a freshman at CU - Boulder, studying Aerospace Engineering and doing Air Force ROTC. While she’s not around the shop these days…we can’t wait to have her back during breaks.

We’re impressed by all Hannah has done in her young life so far. We anticipate she’ll continue to do great things in the lives of others and in her community for many years to come too!

Hannah’s pins and patches.