Category — Mountains and Cities

hot springs

This past weekend a group a friends and I went to Monarch and enjoyed a 50 degree plus bluebird day of riding. We stayed at the Super 8 in Salida. The rates and the rooms weren’t too bad, but the noise level was horrible! We dined at the Boathouse Cantina on Friday night. It’s an awesome bar and restaurant on the banks of the Arkansas River. Don’t drink too much Salida doesn’t offer a Taxi service, and the cops are on the prowl. We followed up an awesome day of riding with a wonderful and relaxing trip to the Mount Princeton Hot Springs. Possibly the best $17 I have ever spent. The water ranged from approximately 70-120 F, and there were about 15 pools to choose from. The first hole we found was just about in the dead middle, and it was some what a pain getting there in the dark. There were families on each side of us and a lot of chatter, but it didn’t even come close to distracting us. Towards the end of our night we made our way back to the very first pool and it was amazing. No one was around us, and Rochelle shined so bright she shamed the moon. We soaked for just about an hour and got out before they closed at 10 p.m. If you are staying in Buena Vista, Salida, or anywhere in the surrounding area this is a must do. You can’t really top a date like this for $8.50 per person. So fellas grab your wife, girlfriend, significant other and enjoy the water. Menikmati!!!

After three days and two long very cold nights of getting their Subaru high-centered in the snow, Keith and Jennifer Lee are safely home.

On Tuesday December 1st the Medford, OR. couple set out for the high country in hopes to find the perfect Christmas Tree (a Silver-Tip Fir that only grows at high elevations). After successfully finding their tree the couple loaded it on the roof and set for home. As they were driving the road conditions were fine until they went around a bend in the road. They slammed into two feet of snow trapping their car. It wasn’t until the third day of their life threatening ordeal that Keith used rocks and wood in front and behind the vehicles tires getting it to grip. His efforts were successful and the couple was able to drive themselves out. During their drive they heard on the radio that a search was in place for them. They called 911 and reported their status.

The couple also got lost last year in the Siskiyou Mountains near the California border, also looking for the perfect Christmas Tree (I think it’s time to buy Poinsettia). They however did learn a little from the previous years misfortune. The couple was armed with a case of water, three blankets, a cell phone with GPS, and two maps of the area, but NO FOOD! Note: PLEASE SEE PREVIOUS POST about the 10 Essentials. They did tell a friend they were heading out, but no one really knew where they had went to. Leaving a contingency plan with not one, but two RELIABLE people is a good method to practice.  Let’s face it things can and will go wrong. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go out in search of your perfect Christmas Tree, but be prepared.

Living in Colorado where our weather does what it wants, when it wants, I keep an emergency/survival kit under the backseat of my truck, just in case. It’s never been used and I hope it never has to be, but it gives me assurance that’s it’s there. More importantly if something does go wrong it buys me more time. There are many places online you that show you how to make your own survival kit. There are also a wide variety of these carried at your local gear stores, ready for sale. Buy one or make one, it could save you and your families lives. Their news interview ended with Jennifer saying ”What were we thinking? Thirty dollars for a Christmas tree. Just pay the $30 and be done with it. Thirty dollars wasn’t worth our life.” In case you are wondering, the tree did make it back with them.

Having a craving to stretch my legs a bit and set out on a winter adventure, I recently left home and traveled to southwestern Colorado under the disguise of “greatly underspoken skiing/snowboarding consultant for UpaDowna”. We originally planned for 3 days at Wolf Creek, but when my traveling partner suggested we try to get in some time at Silverton Mountain how could I refuse? [Read more →]

Like a lot of people, my morning routine involves pouring a cup of coffee and getting on my computer to check my email while running the morning news on the TV in the background. But that changes a little bit on those blustery winter mornings when I have no work obligations (uh, which is 5 days a week lately). On those days I’m focused on getting into the mountains for some turns, so email and national news get put on the back burner. I still get that cup of coffee and I still sit down at the computer for a few minutes though. It takes less than 5 minutes to get yourself “in the know” if you keep a few things bookmarked for a quick check on mornings like these…. [Read more →]

Sawatch Backcountry Leadville, Colorado’s own ultimate gear shop! I am here in Leadville getting ready for the Leadville 20 mile snowshoe race and Mtn Mama and I happened upon Sawatch Backcountry by accident…or maybe it was fate!

We were ambling toward Provin’ Grounds coffee shop for a few cups of coffee when we passed Sawatch and were blown away by the beauty of the numerous fat Tele-skis beaming at us from the window, so naturally we couldn’t resist and headed in.

Walking into this place felt like home, warm, inviting and absolutely packed wall to wall and floor to ceiling with bright colors and epic quality gear.

The guy working the front of the shop, Geoff, was super friendly and excited to share his knowledge of the outdoor adventure scene surrounding Leadville. Mtn Mama snapped a few pics while Geoff showed me the topo maps I would need for the race.

During the short time I was in this shop every face was smiling and eager to help. All the way back to the guy cutting skins for skis. At no time did I get the impression I was being blown off or that Geoff was holding back on his local trail knowledge. There was absolutely no feeling of elitism or secrecy about these guy’s local playground. They were eager and well kick-ass!! Which is refreshing given the fact that last time we were in Leadville for the Teva Mountain Games we were told by another gear shop that there were no mountain biking trails nor much of anything else in and around Leadville, which we knew was false but didn’t have the time to scout it out for our selves.

So if you are out and about looking for a great gear shop that is locally owned and has the knowledge to back up their passion as well as yours check out Sawatch Backcountry located at 460 Harrison Ave. Leadville, CO 80461 719-486-2271, you will not be disappointed.

Oh and they also gave great advice on the local bar scene!!! So how could this place not be in the UpaDowna Hall of Fame?!?!

If you live anywhere near a destination ski resort then you probably deal with the same scenario that we do a few times per year; an old friend from far away is bringing his/her family for a ski vacation in your neck of the woods and they insist that you come spend some time with them while they are near.

It’s not that you don’t want to see your friend, it’s just that you hate to revert to acting like a tourist in what is essentially your home terrain. You meet them at their condo at 8:30, but they aren’t ready to get out the door till 10. After buying full-priced lift tickets and another round of Starbucks you aren’t on the first lift till 11. On the first run someone’s rental gear falls apart or hurts too badly so it’s back to the rental shop. Then lunch. Then finally everyone gets their first good run in around 2, but all of the frustration has them exhausted by 2:30….

You just wasted an entire day on the mountain waiting for people.

But all selfishness aside, your presence may have made the situation even worse for them. You know the scenario for getting on the mountain quickly. You have all of your own gear and a pass. You were happy with a Clif bar for lunch while everyone else needed an $11 burger and fries. Even if you kept a smile on your face all day long and you kept the jokes and conversation rolling, even if you reassured them that you’re really just there to enjoy their company (be it true or not), deep down these people see you as someone who is just sitting around waiting on them, and that is going to compound their vacation frustrations.

I try really hard to accommodate my out-of-town friends when they come around. I want them to go home thinking that the day they spent with me on the mountain was they best day of their vacation. In order to do so I have a set of rules or guidelines that I go by that minimizes frustration and increases excitement for everyone involved: [Read more →]