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Hot take: Hiking with headphones defeats the purpose of being in nature.
Agree or disagree?
Winter hike this weekend? The Ten Essentials matter more when days are short and cold: a headlamp, extra layers, extra food and water, and a way to navigate if snow buries the trail. My full list: thenextsummit.org/the-ten-es…
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The Next Summit retweeted
Where are you getting outside this weekend? Extra points for sharing a photo!
#OptOutside #ColoradoOutdoors #14ers
The sun sets around 4:45 p.m. in Denver this week, so even a short winter 14er can end in the dark. Check the CAIC forecast, pack a headlamp with fresh batteries, and start with a forgiving peak like Mount Elbert. My winter 14er guide: thenextsummit.org/how-to-cli…
ALT Snow-covered peaks with wind-blown snow above dark evergreens at the head of a mountain valley under blue sky.
Winter hike near Denver this weekend: Evergreen Mountain in Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, about 5.2 miles round trip with just over 1,000 feet of climbing, and leashed dogs are welcome. Carry microspikes for the shady spots. More winter hidden gems: thenextsummit.org/9-winter-h…
ALT Low sun shines through tall pines over a packed-snow trail, with long shadows across the snow.
The marmots have gone quiet for the winter. According to the National Park Service, their heart rate drops from 180 to 200 beats a minute to about 30 while they hibernate, and they stay underground until April or May.
This one was on Mount Lindsey in July 2025.
ALT A marmot crouches on a lichen-covered boulder above a deep valley, with a gray cliff face rising behind.
One year ago tonight, the northern lights lit up the foothills near Bailey during the Nov. 11, 2025 G4 storm. We could barely see the colors with our eyes, but the camera caught them. Next time NOAA forecasts a storm, take a photo even if you can't see much.
ALT Deep red aurora fills a starry night sky above a band of green glow over a dark forested ridge.
Tonight at 7 p.m. MT I'm hosting a free one-hour webinar on what the 2026 election means for Colorado's public lands. It's nonpartisan and focused on access and stewardship, with time for your questions at the end. webinar.thenextsummit.org/me…
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Stay well back from corniced ridges this winter. The snow you're standing on can extend well past the rock underneath, and CAIC warns cornices can break farther back from the edge than most people expect.
Mount Blue Sky, June 2023.
ALT A thick snow cornice with icicles curls over a dark rock band, with fog filling the background.
Which Colorado public lands issue do you most want to hear about after the election: access, wildlife, funding, or something else? Reply here and I'll try to cover it in tomorrow night's free webinar, 7 p.m. MT. webinar.thenextsummit.org/me…
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Free webinar tomorrow (Tue., Nov. 10) at 7 p.m. MT: what last week's election means for Colorado's public lands, from the two statewide wildlife and conservation measures to who decides trail access. Nonpartisan, with time for questions. Register free: webinar.thenextsummit.org/me…
ALT Turquoise alpine lakes far below jagged gray and tan San Juan peaks, seen from a high rocky ridge.
Election Day was last week, and the people now in office will make calls on trail access, wildlife and land management in Colorado for years. Tuesday at 7 p.m. MT, I'm hosting a free, nonpartisan hour on what changed and how to make your voice heard. webinar.thenextsummit.org/me…
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Prop 137 passed: about $175 million a year of Colorado's sporting goods sales tax will go to open space, trails and wildfire work, starting in the 2027-28 budget year. Amendment 83 failed.
What the election means for public lands:
thenextsummit.org/colorado-e…
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Third rifle season runs through Nov. 15 in Colorado. If you're hiking with your dog this week, put them in blaze orange, keep them leashed and close, and check whether hunting is allowed where you're going.
That's Summit on Handies Peak last June.
ALT A shaggy black and gray dog sits on a rocky summit with snow-streaked San Juan peaks behind under a deep blue sky.
The Forest Service is asking people to stay off San Juan National Forest roads for now. Flood repairs could take years, and at least 2.5 miles of the Colorado Trail near Durango were badly damaged.
ALT Gravel forest road crossing a concrete creek ford below a beetle-killed forest in the San Juan Mountains. File photo from 2024, not from the flood.
Full story and how to check conditions before you go: thenextsummit.org/san-juan-n…
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41 orphaned bear cubs at one Colorado rehab center this year. A typical year is about 20. A spring freeze and drought wiped out their food, so lock up yours at camp and trailheads.
thenextsummit.org/orphaned-b…
Colorado may buy 10,000 acres of Cielo Vista Ranch for public recreation. The state’s report never says whether Culebra Peak, the 14er hikers pay $150 to climb, is part of it.
What the report says, and why Culebra is private:
thenextsummit.org/colorado-m…
The Forest Service says it can't afford to run the Maroon Bells and wants Pitkin County to take over in 2027, with the car fee going from $10 to $30. It's using a shortcut that skips full environmental review. Comments close Thursday, Oct. 9.
What's changing, why, and how to comment: thenextsummit.org/maroon-bel…
