Field Guides
Routes worth opening before the trailhead.
Curated reads for Front Range, Indian Peaks, and Sand Dunes: timing, layering, and gear-fit notes anchored in real Colorado conditions.
Front Range
3 guides
Front Range · 4 min read
How to size a daypack for Front Range day hikes.
Frame length, hip-belt fit, and the 18-25L sweet spot for Boulder routes.
Read the guide
Front Range · 4 min read
Layering for Colorado's 30° trailhead-to-summit swings.
Base / mid / shell math for early starts and afternoon storms.
Read the guide
Front Range · 4 min read
How to read a topo map at dusk.
Contour intervals, declination, and what to do when the headlamp's the only light left.
Read the guide
Indian Peaks
3 guides
Indian Peaks · 4 min read
Altitude hydration math: what to carry over 10k.
Daily liters, electrolyte timing, and the soft-flask + reservoir combo that actually works.
Read the guide
Indian Peaks · 4 min read
First overnight: shelter setup checklist.
Ten things to set up in this order, and the two you can skip if the forecast's clean.
Read the guide
Indian Peaks · 4 min read
What to carry above 11,000 ft.
The safety + repair shortlist that earns its weight on every alpine day.
Read the guide
Sand Dunes & South
3 guides
Sand Dunes & South · 3 min read
Great Sand Dunes: shoulder-season day-hike playbook.
Wind, footwear, and the late-September window when the dunes are at their best.
Read the guide
Sand Dunes & South · 2 min read
Sneffels in the monsoon: timing your summit window.
Why 5am works in July, what to read off the morning sky, and when to turn around.
Read the guide
Sand Dunes & South · 2 min read
San Juans fall color: where the aspens hold longest.
The 7-day window most visitors miss, and the three drives that put you inside it.
Read the guide