Most hikes, certainly the ones that are named and documented, start at a trailhead. Usually there is a sign or other indicator that a trail starts there. Getting to trailhead can require driving on dirt roads, rocky tracks, uphills and downhills, and across water features. This is another reason why researching a hike beforehand is […]
Dogs and Porcupine Quills
There are a lot of misconceptions about porcupine encounters and if your dog gets quilled, it creates a difficult and dangerous situation. If you can get to a vet, don’t hesitate, go immediately. If you can’t because you are in the backcountry, see below. Porcupines are the third largest-sized rodents in the world. They live […]
Hiking: Pushing Yourself Gradually and Sensibly
The degree of challenge of a hike is highly individual and a lot of factors come into play, not the least of which are age, fitness, medical condition, and the amount of passion you have for getting outdoors. If there are any concerns about medical condition, confer with your doctor about your hiking plans. Even […]
The Amazing Rocky Mountain Goat
As my climbing skills improved, I began attempting some of the more difficult mountains in Colorado. I assumed that on those mountains there would be no dog coming along due to steepness up to near vertical. Early one morning on an attempt at the very challenging Pyramid Peak, we were in the dark just before […]