By Stella J. Raasch What comes to mind when you think of the great outdoors? Initially, you may think of the classic John Candy movie, "The Great Outdoors." Next, your thoughts will likely gravitate toward notions of open space, fresh air, beautiful surroundings…and trash! Since the advent of COVID, flocks of people have migrated to … Continue reading Responsible Outdoor Recreation: Leave No Trace
Shortly after Stella and I met (over ten years ago), we purchased a run of the mill hard-side cooler, which we have been using ever since. While that cooler had provided adequate cooling for short periods of time, this spring we decided that it was time for a major upgrade. I had come across an … Continue reading RTIC 45 Quart Hard Cooler
Timber Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park By far one of the more memorable hikes inside Rocky Mountain National Park. The journey to Timber Lake was a solo hike late in the fall of 2018. Truly, I never thought I was going to reach Timber Lake, on the trek up I went up and over the … Continue reading POTW: Timber Lake
Lone Pine Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park Deep inside Rocky Mountain National Park you will find a series of lakes along the East Inlet Trail. Your first such encounter is Lone Pine Lake, the first lake you would happen upon as you trek east. My fellow adventurer Dave and I set out last October and … Continue reading POTW ~ Lone Pine Lake
It had all started with an overnight kayaking adventure on Lake Granby (September 2019), where the need had arisen to purchase camping gear. For a sleeping bag, I wanted a lightweight and packable bag, with the ability to perform in the twenty-degree range. After visiting our local REI and slipping into a variety of sleeping … Continue reading Marmot Trestles Elite Eco 20 Sleeping Bag
Over the Labor Day weekend (2019), Stella and I had laid the groundwork for an awesome kayaking/camping trip that included an overnight stay at the Roaring Fork Campground. Because we were kayaking to the campground, we needed a form of shelter that we could easily transport on our kayak. Thus, our search for a tent … Continue reading REI Co-op Half Dome 3 Plus Tent
Cub Lake ~ Rocky Mountain National Park