New Mexico license plates say the “Land of Enchantment” and for us as snow weary hikers dropping down from the Colorado high country it has certainly rung true.We worked our way south across the mesa tops, lava fields and arroyos the past couple of weeks enchanted by the fiery sunsets, Anasazi pot shards poking through the sandy soil, and the by the warmth of the locals. (more…)
By Jesse Faith. The Continental Divide in Colorado runs over some of the tallest and roughest country in America and reaches it’s highest point as it crosses the 14,267 foot Grays and Torreys Peaks. Although we have been hiking up and down the Divide for months now, I had for some reason worked this peak day up in my mind to the point that I was fully convinced with the snowy conditions that I simply wouldn’t have the fortitude to make it. Silly to feel that way? Of course, seeing as how I have climbed eleven other fourteeners and have had years of backcountry preparation and experience, but nevertheless that’s how I felt. Fear doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes it just is there. (more…)
By Cody. Weimenuche Wilderness, San Juan Mountains, Colorado, 11,000 feet, 10 inches of snow, early morning, 20 degrees.
I was standing in the middle of a flood-swollen creek on a little rock island about to jump for the far bank. Dad had already made it across. Mom and Jess were looking for a more promising way. It wasn’t a very big jump really. Only about 4 feet or so, and I thought even with my pack I could make it no problem. I grabbed on to the little tree next to me, steadied my trekking pole, checked my footing, and jumped. My left foot stuck in the snow on the far bank, but my right foot slipped back into the creek and next thing I knew is was sitting waist deep in the rushing ice water observing my wool hat floating off down stream with my sunglasses. My dad ran over and could see that I was about to cry with frustration. We quickly dried my camera and I changed into dry clothes. Dern - those were cute sunglasses too. That stream crossing, which dad deemed “Tofu’s demise” was the 5th of the morning. By nightfall we had walked 20 of the toughest miles of the trip and crossed 65 more.
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It was bound to be a hard section from the start - at least as far as trail conditions go. The trail, or more accurately, the “trench,” was wickedly impossible to walk in. It was steep on both sides, narrow, and filled a foot deep with mud, water, snow. The day before we covered a modest 14 miles and were pretty worn out. We were up high and it had gotten dark by the time we stopped and began to look for a campsite with somewhat less snow than all the other snow covered places around us. (more…)
So, we’ve been in Xining for over a week now and have been busy every day. Doing what? We’re working with college-age Tibetan students that are in an English training program at the local university. They’ve come from all over China and it’s been really interesting to learn what Tibetan really means, these students are from Tibetan areas in Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai - all outside the province we normally think of as Tibet. (more…)
After receiving an invite to join the Lewis family on their Continental Divide walk for a piece, I knew there wasn’t much to keep me from it. Cons: 0, Pros: hiking 5 days in full-on Colorado aspen gold over some of the lower 48’s most beautiful country, day-in and out with a set of quality people who had been nothing but sweet and loving to me since our first meeting 3 years ago.
When could I join was the question. A week on the Glacier Park stretch near the end of August was out of the question because of permit logistics. It was decided that the end of September through the first day of October would work for all of us, meaning that I would leave with them after their 3-day vacation at home in Buena Vista, CO. I’d never seen 2 days of continual sunshine in Colorado, much less 4 days. But that’s what it turned out to be. I soon found myself climbing over a 12,000 foot pass on the second day in the chapping sunlight, reminding myself that it was almost October, not late May…the weather was a dream. (more…)
It takes a train 33 hours to get from Shanghai, on the east coast of China, to Qinghai, a high arid province in the west. The route goes through Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Xi’an. It goes through flat open farm fields where awkward clumps of 30 story apartment buildings appear out of nowhere, and pulls through the narrow river valleys of Gansu before finally climbing the high desert plains of Qinghai.
So, the lesson this week is all about light - or more correctly it’s about the spiritual meaning of light, “O send out thy light and they truth; let them lead me;..”. I’ve just been through a day of all light and no darkness. I boarded a plane yesterday morning, and as I headed west for China the sun didn’t set for 24 hours. Sure we were supposed to close our shades at one point and try to simulate ‘night’, but I wouldn’t abide by the darkness and opened my window so I could see Alaska and the deep blue Pacific slipping by. (more…)
Technically September 17th is still summer, but after the last few days of cold and snow it makes one wonder a bit – or maybe just remember how reliably fickle the Colorado high country can be.The route has been up in the tundra of late. Today we crossed a string of 12,000-13,000+ peaks in 6 inches of fresh snow with 1-2 foot drifts. We were hoping for some sun but the dark storm cells kept rolling through and the temperature only crept up to 18 degrees. With a steady 20-30 mph wind skittering across the alpine ridges, we walked with heads tucked down in our jacket ruffs. Stumbling through the rocks and willows under the snow, the miles passed by grudgingly. (more…)
by Julie Furbush
The lyrics at the beginning of the song “Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads keep coming up as I’m watching these days go by: How did I get here?
I wake up and pass kids in beige and purple blouses, matching for a school day, some imitating me and sprinting by my side for a few yards. It’s 6:30 and the road I’m sharing with these kids is not actually a road but soft sand making it’s way around the bend of a cliff overlooking waves rolling in morning. How did I get here? I eat lunch with fifteen good friends, the best pineapple not a novelty anymore compared to the pod of humpback whales playing behind our classroom. The binoculars pass around. I like these people so much. How did I get here?
SNOW, SNOW, SNOW. The high elevation of the trail and early winter is making the going tough. But after a 3 day respite at home at the A/U Ranches, we are rested and ready to have a go at the final 1000 miles. Onward, upward, southward.
