Category — Mountains and Cities

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 →]

“It’s a quest. It’s a quest for fun. I’m gonna have fun and you’re gonna have fun. We’re all gonna have so much @#%&ing fun we’ll need plastic surgery to remove our goddamn smiles.” - Clark Griswold, National Lampoon’s Vacation

Lets get one thing straight right now, I love the southwestern U.S.. To me there is no greater part of our great country than the one championed by Cactus Ed. I realize that everyone will say their part of the country is the best, and that is fine, but wrong! I am of course kidding (but not really) HA.

I have yet to find a place in this great country that warms my soul quite the way the desert southwest does. For those of you that have never been to the great red and orange expanses of our country you have no idea what you are missing. Whether you have traveled to this gem or not I implore you to check out guide company Just Roughin’ It for your first or next trip!!

The opening line on their about us page speaks volumes!! Any company that can free themselves from the stresses of the world by quoting Clark Griswald as the first line on their About Us page have got to be good people. [Read more →]

Teeing off at the course in Frisco, CO.

It’s actually one of the fastest growing sports in the US, and contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just for dirty hippies.

Disc golf (known to many as Frisbee golf, although Frisbee is actually a brand name) is one of my favorite ways to burn off an hour or two on a fair weather afternoon. I’ve been playing quite a bit this year due to the advent of a 9 hole course at the community college across the street from my place. This is the third time in my life I have lived within a few blocks of a course. I swear I don’t plan it like that, it’s just that there are courses popping up all over the place.

Check out the PDGA Course Directory to find a course close to your place.

For those that haven’t tried playing yet, disc golf is very much like regular golf, minus the snooty attitudes, greens fees, and large monetary equipment investment. It is rare that anyone will ever question or complain about your skill level as a disc golfer, whereas on the ball golf course I have been cruelly made to feel inferior by complete strangers on multiple occasions. (I no longer like ball golf, do I seem biased?) Rather than a multi-hundred dollar set of clubs, an accompanying bag, a $30 box of balls, tees, a collared shirt, and some spiky loafers, a disc golfer really only needs a disc or two and at least one arm.

Tough shot through some brush. Of course I nailed it.

Golf discs are a little different than your run-of-the-mill, front-yard Frisbee. They tend to be a bit smaller in diameter, heavier, and more streamlined. Many are designed to travel a long distance when thrown, or to follow a certain path such as curving to the right or left, flying low and straight, etc. A beginner (or a seasoned player that likes a minimalist game) would really only need two discs to play a solid game; a driver disc to throw long distances, and a putter disc (usually a heavier, softer disc designed to fly short distances in a straight line and drop off sharply) for approaches and putts.

I’ve been in school full-time this semester so my outdoors time has been a bit limited, but heading over to the park or school for 18 holes is a great getaway for anyone who needs to stretch their legs and squeeze in an hour or two of outdoor time in the middle of a busy schedule. Enjoy.

My summer vacation this year took me through Jackson, WY. Jackson is home to one of the most highly acclaimed small breweries in the US; Snake River Brewing Company and BrewPub. I like to catch these guys at GABF every year, and they like to show up and take home well-deserved ribbons every year. It was nice to show up and “drink from the teet”…. [Read more →]