Running your own business can be rewarding but it certainly has its challenges at times.

I left a 25 year career in corporate america to pursue my dream of having my own business. I believe I prepared myself and did my homework as much as humanly possible.

I researched starting a small business on the internet. I attending a small business start up workshop sponsored and provided by SCORE and was assigned a mentor who helped me determine if I was even cut out for owning a small business.

My partner and I decided to take the leap and created an LLC, again, all online by ourselves.

Now, a year later, I can say the amount I have learned is overwhelming. Tracking inventory, determining what type of inventory sells or what does not, doing the accounting of the business, paying bills, etc, etc.

My partner and I compliment each other very well as he is the creative "think out of the box" type and I am the analytic numbers guy.

Daren and I both are willing to learn. We both don't do things just because we should. We do them because it makes sense most of the time.

We debated holding classes at our store last year. There was so much we didn't know. We felt like we had to be experts to do it. There is no such thing as an expert when it comes to BBQ. There are a thousand ways to get the same result. We received so much support from our family and friends.

We held our first class late last year and both had a blast doing it. Not to mention the benefit to the store as well! We still continue to hold the classes and have refined them over time. We have received very positive feedback on the laid back atmosphere of the class and humor Daren and I through into the class. (Having samples at the end of class doesn't hurt either!)

Interested in learning about barbecuing? Know someone who enjoys barbequing but needs some help? Give us a call and sign up for one of our classes. They are a lot of fun and I guarantee you will learn something.

Come on down to the store at 6850 N. Academy Blvd (northeast corner of York and Academy) or call us at 719-465-1041 for more information.

Look for our Living Social half off class deal beginning May 25th!!!

Dan

Many people ask me as the owner of a BBQ supply store how do I have to patience and whatnot to make good barbecue. 

BY RYAN MAYE HANDY, THE GAZETTE

A wind whipped across the ridgeline at the top of Monarch Mountain, obscuring the sun and crusting the freshly fallen snow.

It might have been a bad day to be skiing the main mountain and riding the lifts. But for the skiers dropping off the ridge’s edge, away from the wind and into fresh powder, it was a good day to be cat skiing.

Cat skiing, whether at Monarch, Loveland, Copper Mountain or Steamboat, to name a few, can satisfy cravings for fresh tracks.

“The biggest draw for folks coming to ski with us is the untracked powder,” said Eric Deering, a guide and director of Steamboat’s Powdercats operation. “Ski areas are getting hit so hard these days, if you’re not first in line for the gondola, then chances are you are going to be behind the ball, especially if you’re not familiar with that area.”

Cat skiing is ideal for those looking for untracked lines, but not necessarily “the steepest, gnarliest lines,” Deering added.

“You don’t have to be an expert skier to go cat skiing,” he said.

Even in a time of desperate drought, the thousands of acres of cat-skiing terrain at Steamboat still had plenty of fresh powder last year, Deering pointed out.

At Monarch in February, a fresh five-inch snowfall was bound to be tracked up within hours on the lift service terrain; the hike-to slopes in Mirkwood Basin might have had more freshies, but at the cost of a slow hike.

Monarch Snowcat Tours’ swift, school bus-yellow snowcat zooms up the ridgeline, allowing for 13 to 15 runs in a day and almost-guaranteed virgin snow for a group of 12 riders.

“Yeah, we get a lot of people and this will be their best day skiing all year,” said snowcat guide Kelly Millward.

“I hear our terrain is some of the best snowcat terrain. We’ve got the steeps,” he added.

Millward and fellow guide Gail Bindner — both former ski patrollers and in their second decade at Monarch — started guiding when the program began in the late 1980s. Back then, the snowcat had an open, lurching box for skiers — cold and exposed, it wasn’t much better than a ski lift, save for the fast trips up and down the mountain, Bindner said.

The industry had a reputation for being “a bit cowboy,” Deering noted, but with the increasing push into back-country terrain, cat-skiing operations are upgrading.

Deering, a co-founder of the Catski U.S. Association, hopes that placing all the outfits under one umbrella, with universal standards, might encourage more skiers and boarders to go the cat-skiing route.

Monarch has shed its rickety cats, replacing them with heated cabs with plush seating, stereo systems and electrical sockets. The operation’s two cats roar through the forest along a network of snow roads.
Yet in a tough snow season there’s still no guarantee cat skiing will deliver your best ride. Earlier this month, Monarch’s snow cover was still pretty thin in the trees, Bindner cautioned. It only took a few turns through the forest before the ski group got stuck in low undergrowth or logs.

The mountain has not gladed the tree runs, Bindner added, making top-to-bottom lines hard to find. Although it had snowed several inches, many slopes had crusty, day-old turns underneath, which made for tricky navigating through otherwise smooth powder.

(After recent dumps at Monarch — and Colorado’s other ski areas s— however, this shouldn’t be an issue.)

Monarch’s terrain might be steep, but it’s also short — four or five big powder turns can get you to the bottom of some runs.

At some ski areas, such as Loveland and Copper, cat skiing comes at no extra cost — buy a regular lift ticket, and you’re there.

During mixed conditions, a paid cat trip might seem a little pricey, but when you return to the thoroughly skied-out lift terrain at the end of day, it could be with a great sense of triumph: You’re among a handful of people who skied untracked powder, all day.

Some Cat-skiing options:

Monarch Mountain
Jan. 14-March 25
Individual: $275
Full Cat (12 people): $3,000
Dec. 30–Jan. 13
March 26–April 14
Individual: $210
Full Cat (12 people): $2,300
skimonarch.com/index.php/generalinfo/snowcat-tours

Winter Park Powder Addiction
Jan. 5-March 27
Individual: $400
Full Cat: $4,000
March 28-April 30
Individual: $350
Full Cat: $3,400
www.powderaddiction.com

Vail Powder Guides
Individual: $400
Full Cat: $4,400
www.vailsnowcat.com

Steamboat Powdercats
Jan. 1–April 12
Individual: $450
Full Cat: $4,500   
www.steamboatpowdercats.com

We here at Colorado BBQ Outfitters never let weather get in the way of our cooking!

Cold weather does not mean you cannot BBQ or smoke your foods.

In fact, cold weather is the BEST time to do cold smokes. What are cold smokes?

Smoking food that has already been cooked or does not need to be cooked involves cold smoking. My personal favorite food to cold smoke is cheese!

As with just about all smoking or BBQing, it is very simple to do. You can use virtually any grill/smoker to do it as well.

What you need:

·         A grill – any kind will do. You will not be turning it on at all

·         A way to generate smoke. I recommend the A-Maze-N  smoker box that we carry the store. You can add pellets to it and light it and it will generate smoke for up to 10 hours.

·         Food to smoke

The beauty of cold smoking during the winter is nature has cooled off everything for you. In order to cold smoke in warmer temps you have to add ice in your grill to keep the ambient temperature down. During the winter, Mother Nature does it for you.

It’s as simple as getting blocks of cheese (I find that Sam’s or Costco work best) and cutting them up in smaller pieces.

Arrange them on the grill. I also recommend nonstick grilling mesh for this.

Light the smoker box (regardless of which brand or type you use), set it on the grates near the food, close the lid, and let it go.

How long you smoke it depends on how much smoky flavor you want to impart to the food. I usually go about an hour or so.

Understand that the cold smoke process I am referring to involves cheese or precooked meats, etc. Although you can use cold smoking for meats, it is not something I typically do as it takes a great deal of preparation and must be done much, much longer.

Get out there and enjoy the colder weather BBQ/smoking!

If there is one place on the planet right now that anglers should make a trip to it is Cheesman Canyon!  Flow as of this morning Dec. 11th is sitting at 170 c.f.s. which for this time of year is amazing. Combine excellent flows with a lot less fishing pressure, and we are talking 20 fish days for the experienced folks. Watch for ice on the trails after this last snow storm, but other than that even the hike should be fantastic because of the cooler weather.

Flow for the Dream Stream is not to shabby either and is sitting at 112 c.f.s.  Elevenmile Canyon is sitting where it usually does in December with a flow rate of 56 c.f.s. Flies to come armed with for the entire South Platte River Drainage are midges and more midges. The Bubbleback Midge or the Mojo Midge in black and olive, Mercury Black Beauties, and Rojo Midges in red. If you're fishing a two fly set up use any of the following patterns as your lead fly: BWO Barr's Emergers, Olive or Dun RS-2's, Cheesman Emergers, Apricot Eggs, Buckskin Caddis Larvae in the smaller sizes, and San Juan Worms. If you see fish consistently coming up goto a size 26 Parachute Adams.

Make sure you're fishing with 6x fluorocarbon leaders and tippet, and if you're fishing Elevenmile Canyon come down a couple sizes with your split shot. In Elevenmile and the Dream Stream fish will be hanging in the deeper runs; a good depth to set your indicator is anywhere from 4-6 feet above your first fly on a two fly rig.

The Pueblo tailwater is a zoo.  Unless you enjoy combat fishing at it's finest stay away...  If you must go there the flow rate is a whopping 36 cubic feet per second, so fish will be stacked like cordwood in the deeper pools, and the odds of somebody beating you to those spots are great. The same flies and techniques as the South Platte work here.  Tight lines and happy holidays everyone!

Anyone who has been paying attention knows that we have been experiencing serious drought here in Colorado. If this drought continues we face a drastic blow to our economy.  Colorado relies heavily on the money that comes from it’s outdoor industries; skiing, climbing, hiking, and fishing are all affected by dry weather.

Ask the fish what they think about our gorgeous 70 degree days in November and they will tell you, “I don’t have room to swim because the rivers are so low!”. Colorado’s snow pack reports are bleak, and many of our reservoirs are only 50 percent full. I recently got a fishing report from a fly shop in Almont, and they said that you’re literally walking a mile in spots that should be covered in water to gain fishing access at Blue Mesa Reservoir because it’s so low.  

Blue Mesa is a sobering example of why we desperately need a snowy winter! Not just to make the skiers happy, but also to maintain a healthy fish population. I propose we all gather at Memorial Park and do a snow dance for the well being of our great state. It might mean a few less sunny and 70 days, but I think we all kinda miss the snow anyway.  That is a sacrifice we are willing to make.    

What would you do if you had the opportunity to cycle 19 miles up a paved 14er. Would you do it? What if you're a semi-active, new-to-cycling mom in her 30's...would you still do it?!

Well, I had that opportunity and took it. I straight took that bull by the horns.

Pikes Peak and the City of Colorado Springs are running a pilot program in the month of September which allows cyclists to pedal up and down the mountain. In only it's first 11 days, the program has attracted close to 300 cyclists from around the nation. Now like I said, I'm semi-active. (If you're into racing up the mountain, check this out!) I get these bursts of "I'm motivated today" and then bursts of "screw that, where's the beer". So for me to attempt something like this and think there was a small chance in hell I could actually succeed...took a whole lot of motivation...with a bunch of support from my husband, friends and family. It was also my friend Karin's 38th birthday and she thought it would be the perfect present: to ride all 38 miles by bike!

The day was September 11th, 2012. Nothing like today to remember the fallen of 9/11 then by honoring them on top of America's Mountain. After we paid at the toll gate ($12/person or up to 5 car passengers= $40) we parked 2 miles in since we were naive as to where to park, but many folks ride up from Cascade, even Manitou Springs (crazies!). So, we did the best we could and parked at the Crowe Gulch hiking and picnic area. I have no doubt that the first two miles we skipped would have been a killer warmup! After some minor bike tuning (thanks to the random dudes on bikes that had a better pump) we were on our way! Bright yellow aspen greeted us on our first turns into the ride. Miles 3-5 were an amazing warm up with a mix of flat, low grade inclines and some downhill. Then, at mile 6, we cruised downhill into Crystal Reservoir for some photos.

Warning! Colors are more vivid in real life! It is highly recommended to see them in person!

MtnMama strikes a pose at Crystal Reservoir

Read the rest of the trip report here....

Check out this Praying Mantis Kristen found during our afternoon hike through Garden Of The Gods.  It was massive and probably the biggest bug I've ever seen in real life, and that includes peoples pet tarantulas.  It was at least 3 inches long!  I honestly had no clue that Colorado grew them that big so we felt super blessed that we got to check it out and take some photos. 

When we got home Kristen got on the computer and did a little research, and we think that this is a female European Mantid.  We think it's a female based on the info we found that said females are usually larger with more girth.  We also learned that large Praying Mantis are capable of catching and eating Humminbirds!  They also have been known from time to time to decapitate and eat the smaller male Mantis during mating...

The one we spotted on our hike seemed very passive but definitely moved with a chilling purpose when it decided it had enough of us flashing it with the camera, and thankfully Kristen decided to bring our camera so we can share the experience.  I tell a lot of potentially unbelievable nature stories so it's nice to finally have a camera available to capture evidence.  Granted this isn't really flyfishing related, but you never know a big Mantis might be confused for a mutant grasshopper in one of our local lakes or streams and get munched.  I bet it's happened!  Either way I think most of us as anglers find bugs interesting and this is one big bug!

I recently saw a commercial during the Olympics where they called Pikes Peak America's Mountain.  It's ironic that all of us Springs residents wake up every morning in the shadow of one of the most beautiful mountains in the country, and think nothing of it because we all subconsciously associate our mountain with what a mountain should look like.  All of the recent events have put our state in the National spotlight, and i am just as guilty as the next person when it comes to taking the surrounding beauty for granted. 

In fact even though I make what some people might call a "living" by taking part in nature as a flyfishing guide it took a fire in 11Mile Canyon and half of our mountain burning up for me to realize that what we have living in Colorado Springs is a complete and total blessing.  All this media coverage of the fire and shooting have shown the rest of the people in this country two things.  First is that Colorado residents are a resilient bunch, and second is that our state is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  If you need further daily proof of that then look up and follow "The Pikes Peak Guy" on Facebook. 

He has dedicated his life to taking photos of "America's Mountain" from all angles 365 days a year.  In fact it is so refreshing to get on Facebook and see his photos every day that I was inspired to get off my fat butt and take some photos myself.  Obviously I'm not going to quit my day job but I think the photos came out alright.  It was sunrise around 8 a.m. and there was a cloud covering part of the mountain and Kissing Camels in shade.   I picked my favorite four of the group that showed the cloud moving away to reveal the rock formations.  Here they are...

BY NEAL REID
OUTTHERECOLORADO.COM

Glistening in sweat in the early morning sun and catching their breath, Laura Thweatt and Sean Quigley shared a fist bump after winning the men’s and women’s divisions of the Classic 10K and Circle of Hope Run at Monument Valley Park near downtown Colorado Springs Saturday.

Thweatt and Quigley, who both run for the Boulder Track Club, bested a field of more than 760 runners that wove their way through a 6.2-mile course on the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail that began at Tiffany Square. Thweatt’s time of 33 minutes, 27 seconds was a personal best and smashed the race record of 34:17 set by Colleen DeReuck in 2010, with second-place Ellie Keyser (33:47) and third-place Brianne Nelson (34:01) also finishing faster than the previous record.

“It’s beautiful, and it’s a great course, pretty quick,” said Thweatt, who ran for the University of Colorado. “I told myself that, if I felt good, I was just going to roll from the beginning, and that’s what I did. I was just hoping to hold them off, because I knew Brianne an Ellie were behind me, and I was just trying to do my best.”

Thweatt was thrilled to join her Boulder Track Club partner Quigley as race winner.

“Sean is a great guy, and I’m lucky enough to train with him, or should I say, behind him,” said Thweatt, who coaches at Monarch High School in Boulder. “We had a really strong men’s and women’s team out here today, so it was a lot of fun. It was kind of us against BRC (Boulder Running Club), which is also a very strong team, so it was exciting.”

Quigley won in 30 minutes, one second, 12 seconds ahead of former Western State runner Sean Brown, with Matthew Tebo finishing third in 30:19. Charles Kamindo’s race record of 29:30 from 2005 stayed in tact, but Quigley was pleased with his run.

“It was a fast course, and there were a few hills in there I wasn’t expecting,” Quigley said. “I felt good. I might have gotten a little slower at the end, but I felt I did enough work in the middle of the race to give myself a good enough cushion. I wasn’t out here to run fast, but just to get a race in to get ready for upcoming races.”

An early breakaway runner forced Quigley to make his move sooner than he would have liked and tested the status of his recently healed right Achilles.

“This was my first race in four months,” Quigley said. “I took it earlier than I wanted to, because a guy broke away from the pack at about a mile. I reeled him in a little bit before two miles, and then at that point, I figured I might as well just take it from there and hope I had enough to finish in front.”

The race paid out $1,400 in total prize money, with Thweatt and Quigley each taking home $250. Proceeds from the race benefited the Circle of Hope Fund, which helps area cancer patients pay day-to-day living expenses.

I had another interesting experience with wild animals on yesterdays guide trip.  I was working with Lew Romett on the finer points of casting and site fishing on the Dream Stream when we heard a loud noise that sounded similar to birds in our back yard when they are being eaten by a cat.  We were fishing by the barns when the terrible yelping started, and even though you could tell it was coming from a distance the cries of this animal were so loud it sounded like it was right next to us.

As we were trying to locate where the noise was coming from we saw an antelope being chased down the side of Spinney Mountain by the biggest Coyote I have ever seen.  The screaming noise we were hearing was the sound of a full size antelope crying for help before it became a wild dogs next meal.  The Coyote tackled it right at the edge of a steep drop off.  Lew described the scene best, "That just looked like a scene out of the Wild Kingdom t.v. show!"

Lew and I were fishing on the Mountain side of the river when it happened and my camera was on the opposite bank.  Combine that with the fact that everything transpired so quickly and there was no way we were getting photos of the event.  I did climb up the bank and walk towards the animals to get a closer look and the moment the Coyote saw me he popped up and took off.

Unable to see either the Coyote or the Antelope at this point I got back into the water thinking that maybe I saved the Antelope's life by scaring off the predator, but the moment I got back in the water the Antelope took off running and the Coyote came out of nowhere and tackled it again.  This time behind a hill where we couldn't see.  Let me reiterate that this dog was big enough that we questioned whether or not it was a wolf.

We all know there aren't suppose to be wolves in Colorado but I have had enough experiences in the wild to know that anything is possible and there is a lot of wilderness in our beautiful state.  We couldn't see any other dogs in the pursuit which lead me to believe that this was a huge lone Coyote making a big kill from a great position on the side of a mountain.  Either way it was an amazing sight and something that I haven't seen in real life to add to my list.

By KEVIN CARMODY
THE GAZETTE
    Finally, an event that went off on schedule and without a hitch.
    After two weeks of postponements and cancellations wrapped around the turmoil and tragedy of the Waldo Canyon fire, Sunday’s 13th annual Summer Roundup Trail 12K at Bear Creek Park welcomed back 679 runners to a sense of normalcy.
    “We took out a lot of frustration today,” said Barbara Good, 56, a Rockrimmon neighborhood evacuee. “You try to get away from the smoke to train, but once you’re evacuated, you have no desire to do anything. You just hunker down and pray. That’s about it. It was just perfect out here today, except it was hard to find a good parking spot. This event has really grown.”
    That growth has attracted the area’s top runners, and that competition helped Coronado graduate Ryan Hafer shatter the event record. His time of 41 minutes, 46 seconds was an amazing 3:08 better than the previous mark set last year by Peter Maksimow.
    Actually, the first four runners to reach the finish line had times good enough to win the previous 12 Summer Roundups.
    Until Sunday.
    “Peter is a good runner, and that looked like a pretty good time from last year,” said Hafer, 26, the Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Series champ who also won the Pikes Peak Ascent in 2005. “We were all pushing each other, and that’s what made it faster. But I didn’t think I would be that much under the course record.”
    Kenyan native Geofrey Terer crossed the finish line 49 seconds after Hafer, followed 2 seconds later by Sage Canaday, who recently moved to Boulder from Oregon.
    “We were sharing the lead on the way up, but Ryan was way stronger today,” said Canaday, 26, a Cornell graduate and overall winner of last month’s Mount Washington Road Race in Gorham, N.H. “I was hoping to be more competitive and give him a run for his money, but I was happy to put in a hard effort. I’m training for the (Pikes Peak) Ascent, and I haven’t raced this high for a month.”
    Kelly Ramirez of Fort Collins won the women’s division in 53:08, followed by Albuquerque runner Rachael Cuellar (54:40) and Rochelle Persson of Colorado Springs (55:02).
    Hafer, a graduate of Harvard – making two Ivy Leaguers in the top three – missed last year’s entire summer season while recovering from a broken sesamoid bone under his big toe. The engineer for a defense company plans on entering graduate school in mechanical engineering at Colorado-Colorado Springs.
    But before that, he hopes for further conquests in the running arena.
    “I’m definitely training for the Ascent, and it’s only six weeks away. I definitely need to get up to altitude, but I think I’m in a good spot. I’m getting on Pikes Peak as much as I can.”
    That was Good’s vantage point, back on June 23, when something caught her eye.
    “We were hiking that day on the Peak, and saw the smoke from a different view,” said Good, a Widefield graduate. “We didn’t’ realize it was heading towards us. It’s good to be able to go back up there again. That was tough to see.”

If you’re like me these dog days of summer have you longing for cold fronts from the north, ducks working decoys, and the smell of bacon wrapped jalapeño duck nuggets on the grill!  The good news is that before you know it the early September teal season will be here.  In the mean time to beat the summer duck hunting blues there are things to be done to get ready for the upcoming season.

                One of the first things to check is your waders.  After a season of brush busting it’s important to make sure your waders are water tight.  Nothing ruins a perfect day of duck hunting in below 0 temperatures like a leaky pair of waders.  Patch kits make fixing holes fairly easy as long as you follow the direction.  If there are more than a couple leaks or a couple large leaks you  may be due for a new pair.  When you try them on in the store make sure you are wearing something close to what you will be hunting in to get a good idea of how they fit.  Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure you get a pair that you can fit some extra layers on underneath for those late season hunts.

                You also will want to check out your decoys.  I look for any that need some touching up with a coat of paint, any broken decoy cords, and any decoys that need weights.  One trick that I found to extend the life of a decoy is to give each one a couple coats of matte finish clear coat.  This will help protect the paint and keep the paint from chipping.  I also will spray some clear coat gloss finish on the heads of any of my surface feeders.  This will give the decoys head a wet appearance similar to a live active feeding duck.   One more thing to check on each decoy is for cracks particularly around the keels.  I have had several decoys crack along the keels.  If you do find a few with cracks don’t throw them out, they can be easily fixed with a hot glue gun.  Not every decoy will be salvageable but of you can get another season out of your decoys with a small fix why not?

                Summer is also a good time to either fix up your current blind or make one that can easily be transported to and from you local duck spot.  If you are lucky enough to have a permanent blind now is the time to see if you need to add some wire fence for brushing in it in later or if there are any boards that need replaced.  It also is a good time to add any additions to your blind such as a place for your retriever to sit and retrieve the birds. 

                Making a blind is another option that can add your own touch to your hunting.  I’ve found the most effective way to make a blind is as follows:

Materials:

3/4" PVC pipe 5   5’ long pieces

1  5’x12’ leaf cut camo fabric or burlap

Olive Drab or brown Spray Paint

Zip Ties

Tan or Brown Hula Skirts

Step 1: Cut some 3/4” PVC pipe to 5 foot lengths and spray paint olive drab or brown.

Step 2: Zip tie the camo fabric to the PVC poles every three feet leaving 12 inches at the bottom.

Step 3: Cut the hula skirts into sections and zip tie the hula skirts upside down to the top of the fabric and around the top of the poles.  This will help to break up the blinds outline.

You can get spray paint to match the local vegetation where you hunt and touch up the fabric when needed.  The blind is set up by placing the bottom of the poles into the sand or mud where you are hunting.  If the ground is hard or frozen you can use some small sections of rebar to help support it.  This sized blind will hold 2 hunters comfortably but can accommodate 3 sometimes even 4 hunters.  It can also be modified to meet your needs.  I like using the di-cut leaf pattern because you can insert brush into the holes to help conceal the blind in the field.

                One of the most important things to do in the off season is to keep your retriever trained and in shape.  You don’t want to be the guy in the blind opening day that is paying more attention to a misbehaving dog instead of the ducks!  By training your best hunting buddy in the offseason you will keep his skills sharp and be able to introduce new skills to him.  One word of caution though, keep a close eye on your dog as training during the summer can expose your dog to heat exhaustion.  It is best to train them early or late in the day when the temperatures are cooler.  I also like to find an area where the dog can swim both to cool off and get in shape for the upcoming season.  If you hunt rivers it is a good time to work with your dog in current so that come opening day they are ready for it.

                During the summer you also want to practice your calling skills.  A good CD or DVD can help even an experience caller to fine tune their calls.  If you are a beginner just starting out a double reed call is hard to beat, there are many on the market that will get you started on the right foot.   Another benefit to practicing during the summer is you will build up your calling stamina so you can keep the ducks working without being short of breath.

                Finally the last thing to check and maybe most important is your shotgun.  You want to take it out and wipe it down periodically with some light oil and inspect it for any signs of rust.  You also want to check the bead or sights on the top rail to make sure they are tight and replace any sights that need replacing.  Shooting some trap and skeet will keep your shooting skills up to par and may even impress your hunting buddies come opening day.  If you want an even greater challenge try a round of sporting clays.  This is basically miniature golf with shotguns.  If you haven’t done it, you have to try it, it is great fun and will sharpen your shooting skills immensely. 

There are probably many other things to go through and check before opening day but this is just a small list to get you started.  In the mean time you can read duck hunting articles online and checkout online hunting forums.  So get ready for a banner duck and goose year because the teal will be buzzing the cattails before you know it!

Top 3 Campsites Near Colorado Springs

by Ed McHenry • July 4, 2012

The 4th of July is a great time to spend with friends and family. There's no better way I can think of to do that, but to go camping! Here are my picks of the top 3 established campsites near Colorado Springs, chosen based on their beauty and accessibility.

Spruce Grove Campsite

This campsite has it all! Located in the PIke national forest near Colorado Springs and along Tarryall Creek, the area borders the Lost Creek Wilderness. Great rock climbing and a beautiful hike to Lizard Rock Trail are also accessible. For fishing enthusiasts, the Tarryall Creek is nearby as well as Tarryall Reservoir.

Directions: From Lake George, go .75 miles on Highway 24, turn right on CR 77 and go 12 miles to the campground.

Details: The campground fee is $9 and has a 14 day maximum stay.

Jefferson Creek Campsite

Located in the Pike National Forest, this easily accessible campsite is not too far from Colorado Springs and other amenities, but it's far enough in the wild to make it a great experience. It's surrounded by pristine sub-alpine scenery and also has great access to the Colorado Trail. 

Directions: From Fairplay, go on Highway 285 north to Jefferson, turn left on CR 35, go 1.75 miles, turn right on SFR 37, and then drive three miles to the campground.

Details: The campground fee is $7 and there is no maximum stay.

Blue Mountain Campsite

Another campsite in the Pike National Forest near Colorado Springs, Blue Mountain is a large campsite only a short drive west of Florissant, and is the first of a series of campgrounds along the South Platte. If you're new to the Colorado Springs area, you're sure to check out Pike's Peak and the Florissant Fossil Beds, very near to this campground. Crowds are not too common here, either. 

Directions: From Colorado Springs, drive west on highway 24 to Florissant, then drive four miles west of Florrisant four miles on County Road 1.

Details: No fees, no maximum stay.

Remember to obey all forest laws and be aware of any national forest fire bans when camping. Did you know that American Sportsman Outfitters rents camping gear? Happy camping from all of us!

Tags: Camping near Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs camping, Camping in the Pike National Forest

Hey fellow readers I wanted to share with you why I have chosen not to harp on the Waldo Canyon fire.  I am a Colorado native and this has been my home my entire life.  Let me assure you that my choosing to talk about happier things is not an attempt to take away from what may go down as Colorado's greatest natural disaster.  It is not an attempt to be insensitive or offend those who have lost their home, or who are waiting to find out if their home is still standing.  I can't imagine having my house burned to the ground.  Anger, sadness, and confusion are just a few items on a huge list of emotions Colorado residents effected by fires throughout this state are going through.

Fire isn't the only thing that has hit us where it hurts.  A short snow season hit us with a left hurting the ski/snowboard part of our economy.  Relatively no spring runoff hit us with a right when it comes to white water rafting; another huge part of our economy crippled this year.  And of course the huge uppercut has been this massive fire.  And unless the gods bring us our classic Colorado summer afternoon rain showers we are probably in for more large and destructive fires.  It is still only June!

People throughout this country turn on the t.v. and they see MASSIVE FIRE all over the news, so it's a safe bet to say they might choose a tropical climate to vacation in this year.  I refuse to give up on the things that make me and so many of you happy.  I refuse to give up on Colorado.  If you lost your home you have my deepest heart felt condolences.  I am so proud of how people in this city and people effected by fires throughout the rest of Colorado have responded to this devastation.

Families have opened their homes to evacuees.  People have supported the cause by donating to shelters, and to our brave firefighters.  These are all things I'm sure we will continue to do until our state has grown some greener pastures.

We must also continue to live our lives, and support our local economy.  We need people fishing now more than ever to support our economy and to provide funds to the state to help with natural disasters.  Colorado is an outdoor's kinda place.  We live to: run, ski, hike, climb, kayak, cycle, fish, and the list goes on.  If you get a chance to take your mind off of the negativity around you by doing the things you love you will feel better.  You will inspire.  So from this point forward I will continue to pray for those who are suffering, and only write about the things that make us all happy.  Here is to greener pastures...

Photo I took three days before the fire.

I have had the fortune to guide some awesome people the last few days, and we got into some amazing fish!  Did my first trip at Boxwood Gulch with 5280 Anglers out of Denver, and I seriously think Boxwood might be one of the best kept secrets in Colorado.  The property is immaculate and the fishing is insane!  Huge fish everywhere and some great guides working that water so if you're ever up in Denver look up 5280.  Click here to check out their website and rates.  Here are the photos from that trip...

Also I just wanted to make sure that all you Colorado Springs troutbums know that we at Anglers Covey are still 110 percent open for business!  Guide trips are going down to the Arkansas below Pueblo every day, and even though you might have to work for the big fish they are in there. Check it out!

If you're getting tired of sitting at home and watching the depressing news and want to get out and enjoy yourself there are still ample opportunities to do so.  Grab a friend and split the cost of a guide trip, and get out on the water with me and lets harass some fish.  No previous experience is necessary and I provide all the gear!  If interested shoot me an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Tight Lines!

Ben Davis  • American Sportsman Outfitters

Anyone can land a 12 inch trout. You can make many mistakes, and still bring that fish safe and sound to the net. It’s a much different story, however, when the bruiser at the end of your tippet is pushing 20+ inches and sometimes double digit pounds. Without the right technique, you’ll end up with another fish story instead of the pictures of a lifetime.

The Plan

If you hook a very large fish without a pre-thought plan, you’re already behind the eight ball. Before you ever even make a cast, you should know exactly what you’re going to do if you do in fact hook a fish. Before the fight ever begins, you should already know whether or not that trout will plan to dash under that rock in front of him, or shoot downstream to that white water. If you have a plan, you’ll be the one in charge of the battle instead of the other way around.

Move!

The lazy man nets a lot less fish than the active one. If you’ve hooked up with the big one, follow him and don’t give too much line! If you’re 6 lb. trout runs 50 feet upstream, for instance, it does you no good to continue standing in the same location and simply “watch”. Follow that fish upriver! All that extra line means less control and potential problems, such as your line wrapping around some structure in the river.

Rod Tip

Always keep your rod tip high towards the sky when battling a fish. This allows the tip on your fly rod to fully bend and “cushion” the fight of the fish. If you were to hold your rod tip straight at the fish (horizontal), all of the pressure from that fish would be put solely on the knot to your fly. By keeping the tip high, the bend of the rod will cushion the fight of the fish and reduce the pressure on your knots. Take a look at the picture below. While I was battling this very large pike (about 36in. 13lbs), it was only a high rod tip that allowed to later bring him to the net. Otherwise, my 4x tippet (only about 5lbs test) would surely have snapped on his strong, powerful runs.

Position and Fight

Always position yourself downstream of the fish. Always. Always. Should I say it again? Try to land a double digit trout that’s swimming with the current and you’ll understand why. That being said, you need to do whatever it takes to keep that fish moving upstream. Kick his tail. Throw pebbles at him. Do anything you can to keep him swimming upstream, because then he’s not only fighting you and the current, but you can control the fish. But don’t horse him around. If it’s a really big fish, he’s going to swim where he wants, so your job is to try and “direct” him as best you can.

The Net

Many large fish are shamefully lost right at the net, even after a beautiful job fighting that fish. By advice begins with never rushing this process. Only net (unless in drastic circumstances, such as he is about to swim over a dam or something) a fish that is tired and allows you to lift his head. Once the head, or even the mouth, is at the surface of the water. In a steady, methodical motion, scoop the entire fish out of the water, reaching well underneath him. Never, and I mean ever, make a quick jab at a fish with your net! You’ll frequently bump the fish right off the hook, or sometimes (not that this has ever happened to me) you’ll cause the fish to panic and swim right between your legs. Now that will make for a good story.

If you followed all my advice, you’ll probably have a big fish in your net, and you’re ready for the pictures of a lifetime. Ben Davis is the owner as well as a content contributor for American Sportsman Outfitters.

Check out more great fishing articles in our article library. Did you know that American Sportsman Outfitters rents fishing gear and outdoor gear like NetFlix rents movies? Call us at (719) 660-7161 or visit us online.

Common Man's Guide to Hiking Pikes Peak

By: Tony Greco-   lewisandclark2011.com 

The following post will be a guide to hiking Pikes Peak. It will also be a forum for suggestions, comments, and accolades for hikes completed. The NAEE team will be hiking Pikes Peak on May 27th, 2012 and creating a photo guide to summit Pikes Peak from Crags Campground to the Barr Trailhead in Manitou Springs.

A brief introduction.

Pikes Peak is a national landmark. It is the most visited mountain in North America and is ranked second behind Japan's Mt. Fuji in world rankings. It has an altitude of 14,110 making it the 31st highest peak out of Colorado's 54 fourteeners. It location east of the big peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain made it historically significant in early fame among explorers, pioneers and immigrants who used it as a symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush to Colorado with the slogan, "Pikes Peak or Bust".

Non hikers have access to to summit the peak as over a half million people reach the summit house every year by the Pikes Peak Highway, or the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The 19-mile Pikes Peak highway is not the hiking trail, two main trails provide access to hiking the "Peak"; Barr Trail and trail 641A 1/10th of a mile from the Crags parking area. Our hike will include those two trails. Elevation gains will range from 4,000 to 7,400 feet on this hike extending over 20 miles. About 15,000 people a year attempt to climb Pikes Peak on foot- of those 15,000 only 75% complete it.

Preparation

If this will be your first time to summit the Peak, then it is important to know what you are getting yourself into. This is a high elevation hike (see map/chart above). Elevation training is essential. If you are a visitor to the Pike Peak region and this is a bucket list endeavor, please take it seriously-too many injuries and deaths have resulted from being unprepared. If you are in low, to moderate shape you may consider an exercise plan to create a foundation before embarking on this hike. It is not the most difficult hike when prepared, but it has challenging aspects. For example, a short list of accidents that have taken place on the mountain from 1948 to 2005 can be found here. More recently 9 soldiers were rescued off of Pikes Peak this year due to weather and lack of preparation. Storms on the mountain can create havoc on hikers, so please use the tool "summit conditions" in our Map/Tool section to inform your hiking party of what to expect at the top. Lightning kills, so be on the mountain early to be down in enough time to prevent life threatening situations.

Clothing

It is an essential that you bring layers of clothing. This is a skill that enables the hiker to adapt to the environment that changes very quickly in the mountains. By adding and decreasing clothing during the hike you will be able to provide a comfort zone to your day. Layering involves three basic stages: an inner wicking layer, an insulating middle layer, and a weatherproof outer layer.

Here is my cheat sheet:

1. Wicking- I wear specific gear that pulls sweat away from my body. Without being too graphic, chaffing will make your day miserable, many hikers never finish a hike due to the chaffing process.

2. Insulation- After checking the forecast I either wear my fleece vest, or jacket. Fleece will retain body heat and also has a wicking process. If I wear my fleece I carry my jacket in the pack (just in case).

3. Weatherproofing- This is to protect you from the elements. If you have inadequate outer layers or it traps perspiration it will cool you off. Winds on the summit are extreme at times, if you have wet clothes your core temperature will drop drastically and put you in danger. A Gore-Tex® jacket provides the protection from the elements as it has shell that can be added or removed based on overall temperature.

4. Hats, Gloves, and socks should not be cotton! Invest in some polyester, or propylene, materials. Pack an extra pair of socks as your feet are crucial to completion of the hike.

Use your body as a guide, while walking removing layers is common. However, when stopping for a break it is important to remember to add layers to maintain core temperature. If you are feeling too hot, or too cold, this can be a sign of improper layering methods.

What to Pack

This will be a day hike, but you should always prepare for the worst. Again this hike is not extreme, but it is challenging. Also, mountains can be unpredictable and if you are not prepared you may find yourself in a bad situation. For a day hike the following items are commonplace in my pack.

1. Water/Camel Back- The rule of thumb is for every hour of hiking your should bring .5 liters of water to drink (minimum). This hike is estimated to take up to 8 hours, therefore 4 liters is recommended. I will carry more than the minimum, even though it adds weight in the beginning you have to remember it gets lighter by the end. I do have a filter system in my pack as well.
2. Headlamp- self explanatory if it gets dark this is imperative.
3. Food- I bring high carb foods that will sustain me throughout the hike. Trail mix, jerky, power bars, apples and always a little bit of sugar (candy bars). Hiking at altitude increases the appetite from the high calorie burn so food is essential.
4. Shelter- I have an emergency poncho that converts into an insulating mat. In overnight stays you want to limit exposure to the cold ground. I have found leaves and this poncho are a good mix.
5. If you can pack a small shelter then do so. Tents, bivy sack etc... will suffice.
6. Batteries are important, just an extra pack for a day hike.
7. Paper map of the region with the trail highlighted. Do not rely on your phone, GPS, as the final solution in case you get lost.
8. My compact first aid kit. Not excessive, but enough to help with burns, cuts, blisters, pain, bites, and small injuries.
9. Hiking poles- I do not use these but I know of many that do. They decrease the chance of injury from fall, and distribute weight more proportionally on your body. I like my hands free for photos etc... but many love the use of poles in hiking.
10. Camera for photos. The views on this hike are amazing, documenting your hike through photography is a wonderful way to make memories.
11. Sunscreen, lip balm, and I always bring a small bottle of baby powder for chaffed areas.

The Hike

Breaking this hike down into mile by mile segments can become more confusing as much of the terrain is similar. Therefore, I will break it down into six challenges to complete during the ascent and descent.

Honestly, Pikes Peak during this hike felt like two different mountains. The Crags hike is steep, tough, cold and relatively lightly traveled. The Barr Trail is well groomed, warm, long and highly traveled. They have similar characteristics as they both provide spectacular scenery and captivating vistas.

The Ascent

The Crags Campground is about a 35 five minute drive out of Colorado Springs. If you are going to do this hike park at the Crags Campground and have a ride back ready in Manitou Springs. The times I have visited this parking lot it has always had room, so finding a space should not be difficult. It also has a bathroom facility if you need to do any last minute relief before the hike!

Challenge One- The first challenge out of the parking lot is invigorating. You walk up a decent incline to get your heart pumping and then a flat area that overlooks the campground to the west. After a short walk you come to a fork in the path, stay right. There is a laminated sign posted to a tree pointing to the Devils Playground/Pikes Peak as the path to the right. Cross the small bridge (a second about 800 yards away) and begin a slight incline through a beautiful pine forest. This is a great start to a hike as it is not hard, smell of pine in the air, and little wind as it is blocked from the trees. This continues for approximately 1.5 miles and then you experience a few steep inclines as you gain elevation and cross the same small stream for a third time. Looking north you will begin to see rock formations that are wonderful landmarks. The first looks like two hands in prayer, the second looks like a small keyhole (see pics above). They will be on the left hand side of the trail about two miles in. Another steep incline leads you into a meadow and the trees start to become sparse as you are at timberline. Ahead you can see Pikes Peak in front of it the saddle that will become your second challenge. The vistas from this vantage point are wonderful and it also may be time to add a layer as winds tend to pick up in this area. Challenge one complete.

Challenge Two- OK-this is where things start to change. After leaving tree line you definitely notice a chill in the thin air. Breathing is tougher and the wind kicks up, to top it off you look up at a barren landscape that leads to the saddle- it is a steep, long incline. You cross a very small rock ravine that leads to a tough to find path. This path will take a small skill level to find consistently. I used a landmark to keep on course. You will notice a small rock formation to your right and a frozen (unfrozen in summer) creek. Stay to your left of the rock formation and basically follow the small creek bed up. If you do this you will consistently manage to find the path to the top. Take your time, remember slow and steady wins the race. This section is pretty grueling as you are going from around 11,000 ft to 12,000 feet in 1/2 of a mile without switch backs to tame the incline. Once at the top you are welcomed to a unique landscape. Rocks, tundra, wind and snow dominate the view. You will see a trail that goes off to the left and circles around a saddle ridge, if you look closely to the south east you will see vehicles traveling to the top via the Pikes Peak Highway. At this point you will feel the wind (on most days) and it will be time to layer up. I recommend traveling the ridge to rock formations that will be approximate 500 yards away. Depending on the season you will cross a few snow fields, no yak tracks were needed, but watch your step as it was slippery. I found a spot that is protected from the south, north, and east winds it is a rock inlet about 300 yards before two rock arches you pass through. Take a break, eat something, drink some water and reorganize your equipment. I took off my gloves at this spot and in 10-15 seconds my fingers were numb, the gloves went right back on. It is amazing the temperature change, it felt like winter. After a good break I headed up a medium incline to the aforementioned rock arches. Again depending on the time of year, listen for high pitched warning chirps. This was my first sighting during the day of a yellow-bellied marmot. These creatures live at high altitude, and remind me of a mix between a beaver and a prairie dog. After passing through the rock arches you will veer left towards the highway which you will actually cross. After crossing the highway you will walk on the left hand side of the road following a clear trail. Motorists will gawk at you and probably wonder what you are thinking- pay them no mind-remind yourself you are doing this the old fashioned way! A sign at this point will tell you that you are in the Devil's Playground, named as such for the lightning that jumps from rock to rock. This is a very dangerous spot to be if storms are threatening, if you are at this spot and it looks like weather is taking a turn for the worse get back to tree line as fast as possible. Do not risk riding out the storm! The walk from this point flattens out and leads to one of the best vistas on the hike. As the highway and path virtually meet at an overlook, take the time to look over the edge down onto Colorado Springs, the Catamount reservoirs, and the eastern plains. This is when the hike becomes spiritual for me, all my problems seem so insignificant as I gaze for miles on end. This point motivates me to want to finish the ascent.

Challenge Three- As you leave the view the landscape becomes as if your were walking on Mars. The red tint to the rock, lack of vegetation and barren landscape create a virtual alien world. This section becomes a lesson of skill. The path is very difficult to find as you begin another steep incline, this is where the cairns (rock pillars) will guide your way. Continuously scan the horizon as you walk forward and guide yourself from cairn to cairn (example of cairn in picture above). After this steep incline the summit will look close, you actually have about 1.5 miles left. However, it will be the toughest part of the hike. You will walk in a relatively flat stretch prior to your final summit scramble and this part becomes technical to a degree. The cairns mark the way up the rock/boulder slope and loose rocks, ice, and snow make this section at times treacherous. Watch every step you take, test rocks, and if in groups try and hike parallel on the hill in case rocks fall down the mountain. The cairns are hard to find and to determine which one is the next in succession. USE THEM to the best of your ability! Do not try to go straight up, you will find this more technical than you want and at altitude- very strenuous. Take breaks as fatigue will set in which can cause silly mistakes as this is the section were more people become injured and unable to finish the hike. Through perseverance and patience you will see the summit house which at this point the section levels off and as you maneuver between boulders and eventually come across a dirt road leading to the top. Be prepared to see many tourists jumping out of their cars taking pics of the landscape, some might even ask you to take a picture of them. I try and not stay long as this spot seems to minimize your accomplishment, the multitude of people does not make you feel alone in your quest. Take your own pic of the summit sign, try and see if you can find Denver (north 80 miles) and then head to the east side of the summit house where the Cog Railway delivers/picks up passengers. A sign for the Barr Trail is there and you will begin your descent challenges.

The Descent

Fred Barr is the builder of this trail which took place in the years of 1914-1918. The goals was to build a trail so individuals could take burro rides to the summit. Also during that time a funicular, or cliff railway, was built to transport people to the summit and burro barn. The bottom three miles of Barr Trail were built in the 1920's by the US Forest Service to connect the trail with Manitou Springs. The Barr Trail is one of the most popular hikes in the Pikes Peak Region and it is host to the Pikes Peak Ascent, the Pikes Peak Marathon, and the Barr Trail Mountain Race.

Challenge Four- As you began the descent the first thing I noticed is how much more defined the trail is during this segment compared to the Crag's side. You are not straddling boulders, walking tentatively on loose rocks, and trying to find your way with cairns. It is an easy trail to see, it is steep but not thigh burning steep. The only thing I had to watch for was several icy sections on the bends of the 16 golden stair section (as it is famously known) of Barr Trail. The second item of note was the tremendous amount of foot traffic this side of the mountain had. On the Crag's side I came across a total of nine people, in the first hour of my descent on the Barr I estimated fifty hikers were on their way to the top. The third thing I noticed was the temperature. It had to be 20 degrees warmer on this side of the mountain which meant the gloves and jacket were shed to keep my body temperature down. The hike had magnificent displays of boulders, spring run off, and rock formations jutting from the ground. I did come across an aggressive marmot that seemed to be growling at Stitch and I, which gave us a good photo opportunity. Many signs and dedications are found in this section that included; a recognition of Fred Barr (creator of Barr Trail) and a tribute for an 88 year old- G. Inestine Roberts, who died at tree line during her 14th ascent of Pikes Peak. The first phase down was not as painful as I expected, we eventually made it to timberline feeling good.

Challenge Five- As I reached timberline I realized I had two casualties from the hike thus far. My iPhone was dead. I fully charged it and turned it off prior to the hike so I could use it on the back side to inform my wife of when I might need a ride back to the Crags. I came to the conclusion the extreme cold on the backside caused it to run out quickly. I was fortunate enough to get a small power surge to text her and get a response. My second casualty was I cracked the screen on my old digital back up camera I used for videos, hopefully I could still shoot them blind. The first landmark I came across was a forest of very old dwarf trees. These begin right below tree-line and near the A-frame, a shelter for weary hikers to escape the elements. The aspen, fir, spruce mixed aroma that comes with the forest was a wonderful use of the sense of smell, and the scenery they provided was tranquil to the eye. Again in this section, the Barr Trail is designed to follow a series of switchbacks which gives the sense that you are not accomplishing much distance, while saving your legs the pain of a steep decline. It was beginning to become warm and in the forested areas the breeze was non-existent which led to a quick reduction of my water supply. This peaceful, long section eventually guides you to Barr Camp. The camp is a first come/first serve camping area that many use as a staging point for an overnight summit and it is marked by a cabin and split rail fences. Year round tenants provide safety and refuge for hikers that need basic supplies, help, or advice. A helicopter pad is located here and only a few years back one of them crashed sending debris onto the trail itself (everyone was OK). The trek down has seemed long, but the Barr Camp was a halfway point putting me right on schedule to finish the hike in the early afternoon.

Challenge Six- The final leg is probably the most traveled portion of the Barr Trail. It is relatively an easy hike with two small incline sections that actually feel good from the constant down hill stride you have been doing since the summit. This section is also straight with minimal switchbacks. The six remaining miles will go rather quickly; after the brief incline sections you walk on a ridge overlooking the forest valley until you make it to No Name creek. At this point there is another relatively calm walk with rock formations on your left and the creek on your right. This is the time you start getting glimpses of Manitou below and Colorado Springs beyond. Although it still looks far, it is only approximately an hour to the end of your hike. You will pass through a rock arch that is the gateway to more traffic where the Barr Trail links up with the infamous, hard-core, physical challenge "The Incline". A place where many runners are going to pass you on a narrow stretch of switch backs as you descend on Manitou. Listen closely and when you here the river you have 15 minutes to the conclusion of your hike. Hike the final few switch backs with some swagger, you just crossed over a fourteener from one side to the other, a very difficult task. At the bottom is the Barr Trailhead and your ride to back to your vehicle!

Final Thoughts:

Pikes Peak is a bi-polar mountain. One side is kind, sweet, memorable, and calm. The other is brutal, cold, strenuous, and unforgiving. I realize that I walked up one side and down the other which could taint my opinion of each. However, the Crags side is for the more advanced hiker, and the Barr side is for those that want to do a 14er for the first time. In my personal opinion, I love both. The Crags pushes you to a limit, makes you use a higher level of hiking skill, and has mountain vistas that stretch beyond the imagination. The Barr Trail is an endurance challenge, yet through a gradual process. It takes strength and determination to complete, but you are always encouraged by others that frequent the trail to push on. The vistas of the city, and the eastern plains take your breath away. Altogether this is a great hike, challenging and rewarding. Approximately 20 miles over America's mountain provides perspective of the importance of this mountain in the context of American history, but also provides a sense of inner peace as the words of a legendary American song (written on the top of Pikes Peak) ring true- "O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain!"

Video Footage of the Hike

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqSJLN03FtY&feature=youtu.be]

Maps/Weather Tools

Interactive Map Link

Summit Conditions/Webcam

How far can you see?

America the Beautiful Lyrics

• Pike's Peak Stands Out. (travelingknightontheroad.wordpress.com)