Hiking Columbine Lake, a stunningly beautiful alpine lake in San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-09-22 | Columbine Lake is a high alpine lake located in the heart of the beautiful San Juan Mountains near Silverton, Colorado. The deep blue and turquoise color of the lake coupled with stunning backdrop of jagged peaks make this one of the most beautiful lakes in Colorado. The hike, even though strenuous at times, is also quite enjoyable especially above tree line. Highly recommend this one over Ice Lake mainly due to crowd size. Total stats: 7.5 miles with 2600’ elevation gain. One does need at least AWD vehicle with some clearance to get to the trailheadMusic: Solace by Scott Buckley, released under CC-BY 4.0#sanjuanmountains
Wheeler Basin 13ers, Clinton Peak/McNamee Peak/Traver Peak, Wheeler Lake, Mosquito Range, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-10-13 | Clinton Peak, elevation 13,864’, is a Centennial 13er (top 100 peaks in CO) located in the Mosquito Range of central Colorado. After completing all the Centennials in neighboring Tenmile Range, I had my eyes set on this peak and decided to do a small loop that included two other unranked 13ers, McNamee and Traver Peak, as well. The approach road to Wheeler Lake is quite rough and not easy to walk on. After the lake the trail disappeared and the hike turned into mostly talus hopping for the next 2 miles/2000ft till the summit. I met another solo hiker on Clinton, the only person I saw most of the day, who just finished all 14ers this year and is now working through the Centennials himself. After Clinton I made an easy traverse over to McNamee along a class2 ridge, and got a closeup view of the huge open pit of Climax Mine, one of the largest active molybdenum mines in the world. I stopped briefly on McNamee then quickly went up to Traver Peak, which did involve a bit of class2+ scramble near the summit. After enjoying the summit views on Traver for 20 mins, I made my way down to the lake following the long east ridge of Traver, and then followed the road back to my car. All in all another fun day out in the mountains and I was glad to bag another Centennial (#12 for me). Total stats: 11 miles with 3200’ gainMusic: Spacewalk, by Punch Deck (youtube.com/watch?v=vcYDQTQ4gYQ)The Night Shift, by Punch Deck (youtube.com/watch?v=m1Whv2rAKsk)0:00 Approach to Wheeler Lake08:19 Clinton Peak Summit10:40 Traverse to McNamee12:08 McNamee Summit13:40 Traverse to Traver15:30 Traver Summit17:32 Descent
Mount Si and Haystack Scramble, a classic hike in Snoqualmie Valley, North Bend, Washington Ruggedland 2025-10-06 | Mt Si is popular local hiking destination in the Snoqualmie Valley about 1hr drive east of Seattle, WA. It was featured prominently in the 90s hit TV show “Twin Peaks”. Even though the summit elevation is only 4167’, the standard trail to the summit involves 3400’ elevation gain in about 4.25 miles, including a 200’ class 3 scramble up the summit block known as the “Haystack”. I was on a work related trip to Seattle recently and was able to get this hike in for half a day. The first 4 miles was hiking on a well groomed trail in an old growth forest with limited views. After reaching the rocky summit area, the view opened up and the final scramble up the Haystack was super fun. I had the summit to myself for 15 min which is rare for this peak before I started heading back down0:00 Walking in the woods03:07 Haystack scramble 06:17 Summit Pano and descent
Climbing Engineer Mountain, a prominent 12er in the heart of San Juan Mountains, Silverton, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-09-29 | Engineer Mountain, elev 12,968’, is located next to Coal Bank Pass along US 550, aka the Million Dollar Highway, just south of Silverton, Colorado. Despite its relative low elevation, this peak boasts an impressive prominence around 1500’, with 360° unobstructed views on top. The standard NE Ridge route has a class 3 crux with decent exposures amid loose rocks, but the crux is only about 30’ long. The climbing was fun, and the summit views are out of this world. Total stats: 6 miles with 2400’ elevation gain. Special thanks to Michael P of ABQ for some of the video footageMusic:Spacewalk, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/UOzYnxqJcSU?si=hAeJe0FS_aJrXN_S)The Night Shift, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/m1Whv2rAKsk?si=1-3sGEdTGuuCnUao)youtu.be/4yd1vUyIG3Q?si=VrYy4gmdwaBX0Pc00:00 Initial approach03:52 Northeast ridge08:31 Summit views11:45 Descent
Mt Neva North Ridge, a classic ridge scramble in Indian Peaks Wilderness, Nederland, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-09-15 | Mt Neva North Ridge is considered a “Classic” climbing route in Gerry Roach’s IPW book. I summited this peak a few years ago via the class 2+ northwest ridge route starting from Junko Lake TH west of the Continental Divide. As I have become more comfortable with class3/4 scramble in recent years, I wanted to give this ridge a try since it’s so close to the front range. I got a 6am start as weather forecast called for rain around noon that day. The ridge scramble was as fun as advertised, and the crux felt relatively easy compared to other C4 challenges I’ve done as there are plenty of solid holds. I elected to return via the North Ridge as well so I could experience it in both directions, and was back at TH before noon. I thoroughly enjoyed this quick outing and would definitely do it again. Total stats out/back from 4th of July TH: 9 miles with 2800’ elevation gainMusic: End of the line, by Punch Deck0:00 Hiking to Arapaho Pass03:20 North ridge and 3 knobs07:42 Crux wall10:21 Summit views 11:47 Heading back down
Devil’s Causeway, Flat Tops Wilderness, Yampa, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-09-08 | Devil's Causeway is a unique, narrow land bridge in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area of Colorado. It’s about 3-4ft wide at the narrowest section and rocky, with extreme exposure on both sides, so one needs to watch each step when crossing it, which is part of the thrill. There are numerous campgrounds and dispersed campsites along the road to the trailhead, which seemed less than half full when we visited over that weekend. There were also multiple wildfires burning in western Colorado which made the sky hazy and air quite smoky. However we’re still struck by the natural beauty and expansiveness of this wilderness area and plan to be back in the future to explore more. Total stats out/back to the Causeway: 6 miles with 1600’ elevation gainRoyalty Free Music: Bensound.com/royalty-free-musicLicense code: AZYI1VOGKFUHBCYCArtist: : Benjamin TissotMore more more, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/xEL5r7R4lIs?si=G2CDn_erJiqKtL2k)
Green River Lakes and Clear Creek Canyon, Bridger Wilderness, Wind River Range, Wyoming Ruggedland 2025-09-01 | This video was taken about 2-3 weeks before the Dollar Lake Fire broke out in this area 🙁The final stop of our weeklong van tour of Wyoming is Green River Lakes area of Wind River Range in western Wyoming. It’s my first time in the Winds and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The 19 mile dirt road to get to the lakes has a lot of small rocks and washboard sections but it’s passable to any vehicle with 6-7” clearance as long as one takes it slow. There are a lot of great disperse camping spots along the road but we elected to stay at the campground by the lake, so we could enjoy sunrise/sunset at the lake as well as walk to the trails. We attempted to do a combination of Clear Creek Trail and Green River Lakes loop trail, but the upper meadow section of the loop was under knee deep water at the time so we decided to go back on the same side of lower lake. It was a great introduction to the Winds and I’ll definitely be back for more in the future, maybe attempt Gannett Peak as well. Total stats: 12 miles with 1000’ gain0:00 Road to the lakes and campsite 02:27 Morning flight03:29 Hike around lower lake06:47 Clear creek canyon09:02 Natural bridge11:02 Badger sighting 12:00 Heading up to upper Lake14:06 Upper lake#windriver
Climbing Middle Teton via Southwest Couloir, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Ruggedland 2025-08-25 | After spending a day at Snowy Range, we drove north in our van to Grand Teton National Park. After doing some easy to moderate hikes in the first two days, I had my sight set on climbing the Middle Teton on the last full day. Middle Teton is the 3rd highest peak in the Teton Range behind Grand Teton and Mount Owen, the only one of the three with a non-technical albeit strenuous route to the summit. I started the hike from Lupine Meadows TH around 3:30am and didn’t see another person on the trail for the first few hours, which was a little spooky considering we’re in grizzly country. I did carry a bear spray just in case. I reached Garnet Canyon at daybreak, where the trail became less obvious and the hike turned into talus hopping and scree traversing with some route finding challenges. After about 5hrs I finally reached the saddle between South and Middle Teton, and decided to immediately start heading up to the summit. I put my spikes on for the last snow crossing before reaching the couloir, which was totally dry and full of loose rocks. The couloir became increasingly narrower and steeper toward the top, but the climbing never exceeded class 3. I finally reached the summit around 10:15, almost 7hrs after I left TH. I had the summit to myself for 20 mins and the views of the Grand and surrounding mountains/valleys from the top were outstanding. The descent was uneventful and I got back to TH around 3pm. Total stats: 14 miles with 6,000 elevation gain. Hope to be back in the future to hike some of the longer loopsMusic: Ethereal, by Punch DeckFilament, by Scott BuckleyStanding in the Sun, by Punch Deck00:00 Intro01:48 Getting up to the Saddle05:16 Summit Push09:23 Summit Views
Gap Lakes and Browns Peak, the Snowy Range, Medicine Bowl National Forest, Wyoming Ruggedland 2025-08-18 | The first stop for our recent weeklong Wyoming road trip was the Snowy Range. On this occasion we hiked to the Gap Lakes from Lewis Lake TH. S Gap Lake was pretty stunning and well worth the trip by itself. After passing N Gap Lake and a couple of Shelf Lakes, I decided to head up the north slope of Browns Peak, which is the second highest peak in the Snowy Range behind Medicine Bowl Peak. After about 800’ easy climbing I reached the broad summit plateau of Browns Peak and had trouble locating the true summit, so I made an effort to tag all high points I could find. I subsequently descended via the much steeper west slope down to the Gap and followed the Gap Lakes Trail back. Overall it was an enjoyable hike with nothing technical but plenty of views to take in. Total stats: 6.3 miles with 1300’ elevation gain
Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake, Glacier Gorge, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-08-11 | Shelf Lake and Solitude Lake are a pair of alpine lakes off the beaten path in Rocky Mountain National Park. No matter how busy the rest of the park is in the summer months, one can always find solitude on this hike as soon as one leaves the Black Lake trail about 3/4 mile past the wilderness campsite split. The solitude is earned though as one has to semi-bushwhack up 1000’ in about 1/2 mile, but the views of the lakes and the magnificent Glacier Gorge are well worth the effort. It is one of our favorite lake hikes in this park. Total stats with fire trail shortcut: 8.5 miles with 2400’ elevation gain Music:Discovery, by AKHomestead, by Punch DeckSnowfall, by Punch Deck#rockymountainnationalpark
Hiking Mt Ouray via West Ridge, a Centennial 13er, Sawatch Range, Poncha Springs, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-08-04 | Mt Ouray, elevation 13,979’, is a Centennial 13er located at the southern end of Sawatch Range near the town of Poncha Springs, Colorado. It has been on my list for a while after passing by it several times. After summiting Uncompahgre Peak in the San Juan’s, we drove up to the Marshall Pass in the afternoon and made camp near the forest service cabin. The next morning I climbed Mt Ouray solo with a 6am start. The climb was fun and one can keep the difficulty at class2 or mix in some class3 scramble, which is what I did. Despite it being a holiday weekend, I only encountered one other group near the summit. Highly recommend this peak due to its relatively easy access, straight-forward route finding, and fantastic views at the top. Total stats: 6.6 miles with 3200’ elevation gainMusic:Time Rider, by ESCP
North Maroon Peak, my CO 14er Finisher, Maroon Bells -Snowmass Wilderness, Aspen, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-07-28 | We summited North Maroon Peak, elev 14,022’, on 7/19/2025. It is one of the most difficult CO 14ers to climb, and it is also my 14er Finisher. It was raining heavily when we left our hotel in Snowmass Village around 3:30am that morning. Luckily the sky cleared and the rain stopped when we arrived at the trailhead a bit after 4am. However, about 1.5hrs into the hike, we saw an electric storm passing over Pyramid Peak. We waited with another couple just before the rock glacier to see if the storm would bypass us. Sure enough blue sky started to appear to our west after a 20 min wait, and we were relieved to move forward with the hike. It turned out that weather was perfect for the rest of the day. The climb itself was challenging, with loose and steep gullies and some unavoidable class4 sections along the way. It took us about 5hrs to summit, and almost equal amount of time coming back down. Total stats: 9.2 miles with 4700’ elevation. Since this is my 14er finisher, I’ve included a brief commentary about my 14er journey and a montage of all the summits at the end of this video. Special thanks to Larry for gifting us the wonderful CO 14er shirt that we wore at the summit Music:Ethereal, by Punch DeckUpbeat, by Jon Luc Hefferman 0:00 Climbing N Maroon Peak08:34 Summit view and descent11:36 Thoughts on my 14er journey13:35 Montage of all 14er summits#14ers
Hiking 14er Uncompahgre Peak, the highest peak in the San Juans, from Nellie Creek TH, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-07-21 | Uncompahgre Peak, elevation 14,318’, is the highest peak in the San Juan Mountains, also one of the easiest to climb. If one can drive to the upper Nellie Creek Trailhead, the total stats becomes a moderate 8 miles with 3000’ elevation gain. When we did this hike on 7/5/2025, the wild flowers were near peak condition and the meadows were super green as well, making the approach quite idyllic and beautiful. We started around 5:30am and finished by 11:30am, and had the summit to ourselves for a good 30 min. On the way back we saw many hikers heading up. This is my 57th distinct 14er summit and my wife’s 33rd, and it ranks as one of the most enjoyable 14er hikes we have doneMusic: Peace of Mind, by AK & Liam Thomas#14ers
Mt Lindsey via Northwest Ridge, a CO 14er Climb, Sangre de Cristo Range, Blanca, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-07-14 | Mt Lindsey was re-opened earlier this year after the landowner closed the mountain for a few years due to liability concerns. Hikers now must submit an online waiver in order to legally access the summit area above 13000'. Other than this bit of red tape, this is an amazing hike with beautiful scenery and enough technical challenges to make it fun and engaging. Total stats from upper trailhead: 8 miles with 3600’ elevation gain. This is my 56th distinct 14er summit and my friend Bing’s 14er finisherMusic by: bensound.comLicense code: DPGEL2YRBNMIWVROEthereal, by Punch DeckLost Sanctuaries, by HAGHORROR
14er Culebra Peak and Centennial 13er Red Mountain, Sangre de Cristo Range, San Luis, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-07-07 | Culebra Peak, elevation 14,053’, is the southern most 14er in the Sangres. Although Culebra is Spanish for snake, the name origin of this mountain remains a mystery. It is however the only privately-owned 14er in Colorado that one has to pay $150 to hike it. It is limited to 20 hikers per day, Fri/Sat/Sun only, so reservation needs to be made well in advance for the summer months. Hikers with reservations can only enter the private ranch at 6am on the day of the hike. One can sleep in the car or set up tent in the free campground just inside the gate if arriving the night beforeSome people add neighboring Centennial 13er Red Mountain as well after summiting Culebra, which is what I did on this occasion. Although the total stats is only 7miles with 3700’ elevation gain for both mountains, the hike was more strenuous than expected due to lack of any established trail or switchbacks. Everyone was super friendly. Overall I did enjoy this unique hiking experience and would recommend to anyone doing any peak bagging. This is 14er #55 and Centennial 13er #10 for meMusic: Longing, by Punch Deck#14ers
North Clear Creek Falls, along Silver Thread Scenic Byway, SW Colorado, 7/4/2025 Ruggedland 2025-07-04 | ...
King Lake and Rollins Pass Day Hike, from Hessie Trailhead, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-06-30 | King Lake is located in the southern end of Indian Peaks Wilderness near Nederland, Colorado. On a hot and windy Saturday in late June, I decided to check out this lake which I had not visited before. There was still plenty of slushy snow starting about 2 miles from the lake, making the hike a bit more treacherous than usual. I did manage to make it to the lake, which was still partially frozen. After having the lake to myself for about 20 min, I headed up to the Continental Divide to check out Rollins Pass, which is 0.5 mile/300’ above the lake, as the wind died down a bit. Total stats: 13.5 miles with 2800’ elevation gainMusic: Revelation, by James Joshua OttoStanding in the Sun, by Punch Deck
Lookout Mountain and Horsetooth Peak, Class 3/4 Scramble, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-06-23 | Lookout Mountain and the neighboring Horsetooth Peak are located near the Wild Basin section of Rocky Mountain National Park. They both offer plenty of scrambling opportunities. In particular Lookout Mountain summit block requires a few stout 4th class moves to ascend due to lack of good handholds. The reward is 360° unobstructed views of Mt Meeker and other peaks in the surrounding area. After summiting Lookout, we then bushwhacked to the base of Horsetooth Peak. My wife decided to sit this one out as I went up the summit of Horsetooth. One can choose a number of different routes with varying difficulties (class 2+ to class 5). Overall we enjoyed this quiet corner of the Park. Highly recommend if you enjoy some rock scramble. Total stats: 6 miles with 2100’ elevation gainMusic: Tempest, by Punch Deck#rockymountainnationalpark
14er Snowmass Mountain Climb & Glissade, Snowmass Lake, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-06-16 | Snowmass Mountain, elevation 14,105’, is a prominent 14er in the Elk Range of Colorado, part of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness area. It has one of the longest standard approach route, and its broad east slope retains snow well into August. My friend and I left the Maroon Creek TH around noon on Saturday, June 7th. The hike in to Snowmass Lake was quite enjoyable with stunning views throughout and the trail was nicely graded. We saw lots of wild flowers and a few deers/marmots. We had no issue crossing the infamous Log Jam 6 miles in and kept our trail runners dry. There were some lingering snow patches in the final mile to the lake but we didn’t need spikes. After arriving at the lake around 4pm we set up camp and enjoyed the stunning beauty of Snowmass Lake and the towering peaks behind it, figuring out the route to summit. The next morning we got off around 2:30am. The most miserable part of the whole trip was getting around the lake (both to and back) in deep snow that did not refreeze overnight, resulting in us post-holing every other step for 1/2 mile which took us over 1hr. The steep talus slope was no fun either with loose rocks everywhere. Once we made it above the shelf, it became relatively easy going on hardened snow surface until below the summit ridge. We took the direct route to reach the ridge, where crampons/ice axes were essential for 45° snow slope. The remaining route on the ridge required a few exposed class 3 moves. We finally reached summit around 8:30am, 6hrs after we left camp, feeling quite exhausted but gratified. It was nearly windless at the summit, and we had it to ourselves for 45 mins before we started heading down. On the way back we did quite a bit of glissading which was super fun. The long hike back to TH was quite exhausting but uneventful. This is my 54th distinct CO 14er summit, one that I’ll remember for quite a while. Total stats: 22miles with 6000’ elevation gainMusic:Ethereal, by Punch Deck0:00 Hike to Snowmass Lake06:12 Climbing to the Ridge08:08 Ridge Scramble10:31 Summit Views14:47 Glissading down#14ers#backpacking
Snowmass Lake, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, June 7 2025 Ruggedland 2025-06-11 | Full video: youtu.be/qx30Z6LXV9E?si=B0LVXiXafUFpFRq1
Tombstone Ridge via Ute Trail, Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park Ruggedland 2025-06-09 | On 5/31/2025 the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park opened for the season. We took the opportunity of a nice weather window to drive up to the Alpine Visitor Center, and took in the scenery along the way. We then did a short hike up to the Tombstone Ridge via the Ute Trail. The whole hike stays above 11,400ft, and one is greeted with the gorgeous views of the Divide and Glacier Gorge throughout this hike. We also did a little scrambling on top of the ridge. A fun and relaxing day in the Park. Total stats: 4.2miles with 450ft elevation gain
Bison Peak Overnight, from Ute Creek Trailhead, Lost Creek Wilderness, May 2025, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-06-02 | Bison Peak, elevation 12,432ft, is the highest point in Lost Creek Wilderness in central Colorado. Its summit area has a broad plateau that features lots of unique rock formations, surrounded by magnificent views of several mountain ranges including Front, Mosquito, Sawatch, and the Sangres. On this occasion I did an overnight backpacking trip to the summit starting from Ute Creek Trailhead. On Friday 5/23, I hiked in 4.5 miles to set up a camp in the trees just below the summit plateau at 11,400’. The next morning I reached the summit before 7am. Despite it being a holiday weekend, I didn’t encounter anyone until I was about to leave the plateau. Overall I enjoyed my first trip to this wilderness area and will definitely be back for more in the future. Total stats: 12.5 miles with 3900’ elevation gainMusic:Longing, by Punch DeckWalking in the Sky, by Nico Staf0:00 Hiking to Campsite03:50 Hiking to the Summit 09:40 Bison Peak Summit Views
Devil’s Head Lookout Hike, Rampart Range, Pike National Forest, Sedalia/Castle Rock, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-05-26 | We hiked to Devil’s Head fire lookout on a Saturday afternoon. This is a relatively easy and fun hike, with awesome views at the end. Highly recommend if you are in the Sedalia/Castle Rock area. Total stats: 3 miles with 800’ elevation gain
Hike Mt Silverheels, a Front Range Centennial 13er, from Hoosier Pass, Alma/Breckenridge, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-05-19 | Mt Silverheels, elevation 13,829’, is a Centennial 13er (highest 100 peaks) in the Front Range of Colorado located between the town of Breckenridge and Alma. It is named after a famous entertainer who worked in nearby saloons in the 1800s. I first tried to climb this peak in March of last year, and had to turn around midway up the mountain due to high wind and deep snow drift. This time around I had a more favorable weather window, and was able to summit after an early morning start. I enjoyed the views of the surrounding mountains along the way and met only one other solo hiker the whole day. Total stats from Hoosier Pass: 9.2 miles with 3200’ elevation gain0:00 Intro0:37 Backcountry Skiing at Hoosier Pass03:40 Climbing Mt Silverheels11:07 Summit ViewsThe legend of Mt Silverheels: jeffreal.com/blog/the-legend-of-mount-silverheels
Spring skiing at Arapahoe Basin (A-Basin), Colorado, April 2025 Ruggedland 2025-05-12 | Raw footage of a few runs from our trip to A-Basin on Easter Sunday, April 20th 2025
Long Scraggy Peak Bike and Hike, Jefferson County, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-05-05 | A couple of years ago when I was hiking in Reynolds Park near Conifer, CO (video below), I saw a bunch of awesome looking peaks towards the south in front of Pikes Peak, and became interested in exploring some of those mountains. Long Scraggy Peak is one that stands out due to accessibility and interesting scramble opportunities. At 8796’ it is not the tallest in the area but it’s very prominent. One has to travel 4+ miles of dirt road (FS530, blocked for vehicle access) to get to the base of the peak, for which I took my mountain bike on this occasion, which proved to be the right approach even though I did end up popping a tire towards the end of the road. The climb itself was short but steep. The rock scramble near the summit was fun and the views on top were fantastic. Best of all I didn’t see anyone the whole day other than a biker on the road early in the morning. Total stats from car to car: 11 miles with 2000’ elevation gainMusic:Time Rider, by ESCPThe Night Shift, by Punch DeckStanding in the Sun, by Punch Deck
James Peak Spring Skiing, James Peak Wilderness, Colorado, April 2025 Ruggedland 2025-04-28 | James Peak is a prominent 13er in the Front Range of Colorado and can be accessed year round. I climbed this peak in winter before in snowshoes. On this occasion I skinned up to the summit via the standard St Mary’s Glacier route and then skied down the same way. The snow coverage was almost continuous from the summit down to St Mary’s Lake, with the exception of a flat section in the middle about a quarter mile long where I had to carry my skis over tundra. All in all it was a fun day skiing with some awesome views along the way. Total stats from $10 parking lot: 8 miles with 2900ft elevation gainMusic: Horizons, by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au#skitouring
Coffintop Mountain and Ralph Price Reservoir Hike, Button Rock Preserve, Lyons, Colorado, April 2025 Ruggedland 2025-04-21 | A hike through Button Rock Preserve near Lyons, Colorado. I went up first to Coffintop Mountain, elev 8,049’, by branching off the Sleep Lion Trail after 1.4 miles. The summit approach was steep and to my surprise, I didn’t see another person the whole way up/down on this Saturday. The views at the summit were quite good and well worth the effort to get there. I then descended to Ralph Price Reservoir and had a pleasant stroll around the dam area. Overall it was a very enjoyable hike on a warm and breezy day. Total stats: 10 miles with 2500’ elevation gain
Skiing 14er Quandary Peak, Tenmile Range, Colorado, April 2025 Ruggedland 2025-04-14 | Quandary Peak, elevation 14,272’, is a popular choice for winter 14er summit due to easy trailhead access and low avalanche danger. I have done Quandary Peak before via both east and west ridge route in summer/fall. Climbing on skis in winter brought a different type of challenge, but the summit views were jaw dropping with snow capped peaks in every direction, and the ski descent was quite fun too. Total stats: 7 miles with 3400’ elevation gain Music: Amberlight, by Scott Buckley, released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.auCode Switch, by Punch Deck (punchdeck.bandcamp.com/track/code-switch)#14ers #skitouring
Centennial 13ers in the Tenmile Range, Colorado, April 2025. From top of Tucker Mountain Ruggedland 2025-04-08 | As seen from top of Tucker Mountain, Copper Mountain Ski Resort. Check out full length video for each peak in this channel
Bear Peak and South Boulder Peak Western Approach, from Green Mountain West TH, Boulder, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-04-07 | In this video I took the western approach to summit both Bear Peak and S Boulder Peak, starting from Green Mountain West TH. This approach is more gradual and way less crowded compared to more popular routes from either Fern Canyon or Shadow Canyon. The views from the west ridge of Bear Peak is also fantastic. Total stats: 10 miles with 2600’ elevation gain
Backcountry Skiing at Butler Gulch, Empire, Colorado, March 2025 Ruggedland 2025-03-31 | Butler Gulch is a popular backcountry skiing area off US 40 near the town of Empire, Colorado. On this occasion my son and I went up to the saddle above the East Bowl at about 11,900’, skied down the backside for about 300’. After we skinned back up, my son took a break at the saddle while I continued up to a high point around 12,050’ to get some views and extra turns. We then skied the frontside all the way back down to the trailhead. It’s the best snow condition I’ve seen all winter long and it was a great day in the mountains Music: Rae, by Kevin GrahamCode Switch, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/0dxaivUp5V0?si=AnbSHttbP-o7IUkE)I’ll Never Die, by Daniel Gunnarsson#backcountryskiing
Fairview Peak Summit Hike from Lefthand Canyon Drive, South-East Ridge Route, Boulder, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-03-24 | Fairview Peak, elev 8,561’, is easily recognizable along the front range area north of Boulder, CO. However it is rarely climbed due to lack of established trail. I reached the summit by starting from a pullout spot along Lefthand Canyon Drive, and bushwhacked my way up to the southeast ridge of this peak for the last 2 miles to summit. The offtrail adventure was super fun and the entire approach can be kept at class2. The best part is that I didn’t see another soul after the first mile. On the way back I decided to check out the other approach from CR 87J, which cuts through many private properties and one has to pay close attention in order to avoid trespassing. If anyone wants to try this peak, I’d suggest taking the SE ridge route as an out-n-back which stays clear of any private property issues. From Lefthand Canyon Drive to the summit is about 3.7 miles with 2800’ elevation gain0:00 Initial Approach02:57 SE Ridge07:27 Summit11:20 Loop Back
Backcountry Skiing at Caribou Glade, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Nederland, Colorado, March 2025 Ruggedland 2025-03-17 | Caribou backcountry area is located near Nederland just outside of Indian Peaks Wilderness. It offers abundant opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and ski touring. On 3/8/25 I skinned up to the top of Caribou Glade just below Bald Mountain at 11,200’, walked outside of wilderness boundary to get some drone shots, then skied all the way back down to the trailhead. It was a fun half day adventure on a beautiful bluebird day#backcountryskiing
Rodeo Beach/Coastal/Wolf Ridge/Minwok Trail, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA Ruggedland 2025-03-10 | On a recent business trip to the Bay Area, I was able to catch my son’s first Marathon run in Napa Valley, and also get this hike in which I skipped on a prior occasion due to heavy fog. We did this loop clock-wise starting from the beautiful Rodeo Beach. Parking was not an issue even on a Saturday. The variety of view and historical sites made this moderate, 5.2 mile hike quite enjoyableMusic:After All, by GeographerNostalgia, by Punch Deck
Niwot Mountain and Left Hand Reservoir Ski Touring, Brainard Lake Recreational Area, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-03-03 | Niwot Mountain, elev 11,471’, is situated just outside of Indian Peaks Wilderness. Its summit has excellent views of the jagged peaks in the wilderness as well as those in the Rocky Mountain National Park to the north. On 2/22/2025 I went up to the summit via a combination of skiing and hiking. I had to carry my skies to the summit as the terrain above tree line was quite rocky despite recent snow. I managed to get a few turns in the dense trees between the summit and Left Hand ReservoirMusic:Snowy Peaks Pt I and II, by Chris HaugenTraversing, by Godmode#backcountryskiing
Castlewood Canyon State Park, Inner Canyon-RimRock-Creek Bottom-Lake Gulch Hike, Franktown, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-02-24 | A casual stroll in the Castlewood Canyon State Park on a Saturday afternoon in November. This used be the site of Castlewood Dam that bursted in Aug 1933 after two days of torrential rain and the flood water inundated City of Denver 33 miles to the north. Part of the dam still remains today in this unique state park which has a well maintained trail system that can be hiked year round. Total stats: 6.3 miles with 700’ elevation gain Music:Running water, by AudionautixChasing Daylight, by Scott Buckley
Backcountry Skiing at Berthoud Pass, Colorado Mines Peak and West Side Mainline, Feb 2025 Ruggedland 2025-02-17 | Berthoud Pass is a mountain pass along US 40 near the town of Winter Park, Colorado. It is a well known spot for backcountry skiing. On this occasion I skinned up 1200’ to the summit of Colorado Mines Peak, a twelver that hosts a weather research station used by nearby Colorado School of Mines, as well as some radio relay towers. After skiing down the peak, I headed up the west side and skied another 500' down the Mainline which had great snow condition and was not as windyMusic:Ethereal, by Punch DeckRae, by Kevin GrahamSnowfall, by Punch Deck#backcountryskiing
Red Rock Canyon, Calico Tanks//Ice Box Canyon Hike, Las Vegas, Nevada Ruggedland 2025-02-10 | Red Rock Canyon is a popular outdoor recreational area just west of Las Vegas, Nevada and is well known for the endless rock climbing/scrambling opportunities it offers. These two hikes have quite the opposite characters. While Calico Tanks has vibrant red-colored rock formations and is family friendly (thus often crowded), Ice Box Canyon appears to be cold and gray, and is suitable for more experienced hikers due to challenging terrain that requires rock hopping and bushwhacking. Both are excellent hikes to get a taste of what this area has to offerMusic:Discovery, by AKStanding in the Sun, by Punch Deck00:00 Calico Tanks03:27 Ice Box Canyon
Valley of Fire State Park, White Domes//Seven Wonders//Fire Wave Loop, Overton, Nevada Ruggedland 2025-02-03 | The Valley of Fire is a popular state park about 1hr drive northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada in the Mojave Desert. It is well known for its abundant red sandstone formations and otherworldly features. We hiked the White Domes-Seven Wonders-Fire Wave trails, a 3.5 mile loop that offers the most striking views of this park. Despite the crowd, we had a great time exploring this park and would highly recommend a visit if you are in the Las Vegas areaMusic: Blue Dream, by CheelSolace, by Scott Buckley
Skiing Banana Bowl, Flattop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park Ruggedland 2025-01-27 | On 1/25/25, my friend Scott and I took Fern Lake trail to the base of Banana Bowl in RMNP, skinned up to near the Emerald Lake Overlook of Flattop Mountain, and then skied down to Bear Lake. It was snowing hard the night before and that morning, resulting in near perfect powder condition. Be sure to check out avalanche condition and bring beacon/shovel/probe when skiing in the backcountry Music: Discovery, by AKI’ll Never Die, by Daniel Gunnarsson#backcountryskiing
Backcountry Skiing at Hidden Valley, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Ruggedland 2025-01-20 | Hidden Valley used to be an old ski resort inside RMNP with a couple of T-bars and even a chair lift. It served people in Northern Colorado for decades before it was closed down in the early 90s primarily due to economic reasons. However, the area remains a local favorite for backcountry skiing and other winter activities due to consistently good snow and low avalanche danger, not to mention easy access off Trail Ridge Road all winter long Music: Ethereal, by Punch DeckTime Rider, by ESCPSnowfall, by Punch Deck#backcountryskiing
Grand Canyon Rim to River Hike, South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon National Park Ruggedland 2025-01-13 | We took S Kaibab trail down to Phantom Ranch and then came back up the same way. The bottom 5 miles of Bright Angel trail, which is a more gradual ascent to South Rim with water supplies, was closed when we did this hike. We took the first shuttle from visitor center at 8am and got to S Kaibab TH around 8:15am. The hike took us a little over 7hrs to complete, and the views along the way, especially near the Colorado River, were spectacular. Total stats: 15 miles with 4900’ elevation gainMusic: Hello 6am, by Mylar MelodiesSun Awakening, by FuturemonoNostalgia, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/31kq-oxNISo?si=ECCT_jhv47I88S44)End of the Line, by Punch Deck (youtu.be/WEIrj-d9dWI?si=PqVgG6w9BkV-5Djp)
Fiery Furnace Self-Guided Tour, Arches National Park, Utah Ruggedland 2025-01-06 | We did self-guided tour of Fiery Furnace in Arches NP on 12/21/2024. The park issues 75 permits per day for self-guided tour which can be obtained a week in advance. This is such a fun area/maze and one is encouraged to explore around. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and it took us about 2hrs to completeMusic: Longing, by Punch DeckDance, don’t delay, by Twin MusicomHomestead, by Punch Deck
Atalaya Mountain, Carlsbad Cavern, and Organ Mountains Hike, New Mexico Ruggedland 2024-12-30 | Highlights of 3 separate half-day hikes we did in various parts of New Mexico. We drove to Santa Fe from Denver on 11/23, and hiked Atalaya Mountain the next morning. This is a popular local hike with 6 miles RT and 1700' elevation gain. The summit offers panoramic views of Santa Fe and surrounding mountains. After enjoying Santa Fe we drove to Carlsbad, NM to check out Carlsbad Caverns NP. We took the natural entrance and walked 750’ down to the bottom of the cavern which was better way than taking the elevator down. The cavern has a nice walking path throughout and the scenery was otherworldly. The GoPro video didn't capture the true beauty of the cavern and one really has to be there to experience it. In all we spent about 3 hrs in the cavern walking close to 2 miles. From Carlsbad we drove to Las Cruces NM on our way to White Sands NP. I was really impressed with the city of Las Cruces. It is flanked by the jagged Organ Mountains which offer a lot of outdoor recreation opportunities. We did a 5-mile sunset hike in the popular Dripping Springs area and throughly enjoyed itMusic: Particle, by BorrtexThe Long Dark, by Scott BuckleyOne Step Enough, by James Joshua Otto
Year in Review - My Top 10 Hikes of 2024 Ruggedland 2024-12-23 | My top 10 hikes of 2024. Total hiking stats for the year: 630 miles with 162K' elevation gain. Happy Trails!Music: Ascension, by Scott BuckleyHalf-Life 2 - Triage by Dawn, Remix by Path of BorealisWishing Well, by Bird Creek00:30 Crestone Peak (youtu.be/SJO9F0Kp5O0)02:15 Challenger - Kit Carson (youtu.be/UtgKIy4JQxg)03:47 Pacific Peak - Atlantic Peak (youtu.be/3f75FvK_Bxc)05:26 Blanca Group (youtu.be/AzKkQV7GNH8, youtu.be/h9GiLCguuuk)06:42 Dragon's Tail Couloir (youtu.be/P9f16zWap7s)08:31 Mt Alice (youtu.be/7-dQnAsyKQw)10:20 El Diente - Mt Wilson Traverse (youtu.be/le3EcfEvuRo)12:28 McHenrys Peak (youtu.be/2NlZLtAdW4k)14:23 Chicago Basin (youtu.be/RElIIcLvSgo)16:11 Capitol Peak (youtu.be/u6rB0k-Gr8k)
Alkali Flat Trail, White Sands National Park, New Mexico Ruggedland 2024-12-16 | We hiked this top rated trail in White Sands NP, New Mexico on 11/29/2024. The crowd disappeared after the first half mile, and the view along this 4.5 miles loop was otherworldly. There were a lot of ups/downs over sand dunes which was both fun and a bit tiring. It’s a great time of the year to do this hike as temperature was a very pleasant 55°F. We rented a couple of sleds from visitor center and tried sledding down a tall dune near the trailhead, a fun way to end the visitMusic: Flowers in south of city are in bloom, by Three Mu LandForce, by Alan Walker
Guadalupe Peak, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas Ruggedland 2024-12-09 | During a family road trip to New Mexico and Texas over Thanksgiving break, we hiked Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in the state of Texas, on Nov 26 2024. We started the hike from the visitor center parking lot, as road to the upper TH was blocked off. It was a relatively steep hike with some minimum exposure towards the top but the views along the way and from the summit were fantastic. The wind was manageable and temp was in the mid 50s that day, making it a fun and enjoyable outing. Total stats: 9 miles with 3000ft elevation gainMusic: Electro Dollars, by Rondo BrothersTime Rider, by ESCPAlaska Sky, by Patrick Patrikios
