Colorado Wildflower Quiz - dismal wilderness
Colorado's wildflowers put on one of the most stunning floral shows in the country. Take this quiz to see how many you can name.| dismal wilderness
Colorado's wildflowers put on one of the most stunning floral shows in the country. Take this quiz to see how many you can name.| dismal wilderness
For a gorgeous entry-level 14er ascent, look no further than Mount Evans via Summit Lake, a short but punchy ascent of Denver's mountain.| dismal wilderness
We spent a foggy morning in late May hiking from the world-famous Maroon Lake to Crater Lake, near Aspen Colorado.| dismal wilderness
Hike High Dune to experience massive Sahara-style sand dunes amidst the Rocky Mountains in Great Sand Dunes National Park.| dismal wilderness
Spectacular views during a dawn ascent of Crestone Needle via the Ellingwood Arete, one of the 50 Classic Climbs of North America.| dismal wilderness
An epic June journey to the summit of Snowmass, a rugged and remote Colorado 14er in the heart of Aspen's Elk Mountains.| dismal wilderness
An interactive schematic of the Colorado Rockies, labeling major ranges, rivers and valleys. Click to learn about hikes and attractions.| dismal wilderness
A journey to Connecticut's highest point leads over Mount Frissell, in the lush Taconic Mountains near the NY/CT/MA tri-point.| dismal wilderness
Black Mesa, Oklahoma's highest natural point, sits in the far northeast corner of the state's remote panhandle. A fine hike awaits.| dismal wilderness
The trail around Cuicocha Lake provides gorgeous views of Cotacachi Cayapas National Park in the northern Andean Highlands of Ecuador.| dismal wilderness
A June ascent of Pikes Peak from the Crags Campground, traveling over spring snowpack to the summit for donuts and sweeping views.| dismal wilderness
Jan 23, 2025 Arrival in QuitoIn January 2025 I joined a guided trip to summit some of the Ecuador’s tallest volcanoes. Typically, getting to a 19,000′ summit involves a lot of time huddled in tents, rehydrating freeze dried dinners, and staring at endless snow and ice. But climbing in Ecuador would not involve any of … Continue reading "Ruku Pichincha" The post Ruku Pichincha appeared first on dismal wilderness.| dismal wilderness
A January ascent of the famed Manitou Incline—2,768 stairs running arrow straight up the foothills beneath Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs.| dismal wilderness
November 11, 2024 ArrivalI touched down at SFO on a rainy November Monday for a work onsite. This was the first time I’d ever personally experienced robust rain in California (I was beginning to think it was a myth!). Water dripped from the terminal ceilings as I made my way to the cabs. The Bay … Continue reading "San Bruno Mountain" The post San Bruno Mountain appeared first on dismal wilderness.| dismal wilderness
An intrepid day hike to Mystic Island Lake, a gorgeous alpine lake tucked into Colorado's rugged Northern Sawatch adjacent to Sylvan Lake SP.| dismal wilderness
October 13, 2024 Arrival at Vail VillageI spend a lot of time in Eagle County, Colorado. So it was only a matter of time before I tried the much-hyped Booth Falls trail. The timing was more or less an accident. I’d overheard that this weekend in October was the last for the “hiker express” bus … Continue reading "Booth Lake and Booth Falls" The post Booth Lake and Booth Falls appeared first on dismal wilderness.| dismal wilderness
Explore the haunting ruins of Dunstaburgh Castle on a dramatic coastal walk where Northumberland’s rolling hills meet the North Sea.| dismal wilderness
A gorgeous walk along Hadrian's Wall near Walltown Crags, an old quarry in Northumberland, near the center of the famed Roman border.| dismal wilderness
A stroll through the woods of Western Pennsylvania takes me to the state's high point: Mount Davis. A fire tower provides sweeping views.| dismal wilderness
A short, pleasant hike up Back Bone Mountain in West Virginia to Hoye Crest—Maryland's highest natural point.| dismal wilderness
Posted on March 16, 2025March 17, 2025| dismal wilderness
A short but lovely hike to Thorpe Cloud via the Dovedale Stepping Stones in England's bucolic Peak District.| dismal wilderness
A short, gentle hike up to Stanage Edge, a cliff band in the Peak District and filming location for the 2005 Pride and Prejudice movie.| dismal wilderness
A short hike along the Appalachian Trail brought me to High Point, New Jersey, the creatively named state high point.| dismal wilderness
Breathtaking views during a May snowshoe ascent to the summit of Quandary Peak, an entry-level Colorado 14er near Breckenridge, CO.| dismal wilderness
A formidable day hike to the remote and beautiful Turquoise Lakes behind Beaver Creek Resort in the Holy Cross Wilderness.| dismal wilderness
An intro-level scramble up Father Dyer Peak's East Ridge, continuing to Crystal Peak, one of Colorado's Centennial Summits.| dismal wilderness
A straightforward but strenuous ascent to Colorado's highest peak; summiting Mount Elbert via the East Ridge Trail in mid-May.| dismal wilderness
Traversing the Presidential Range in summer, with capricious weather. An overnight stay in Madison Hut makes the journey truly memorable.| dismal wilderness
A gorgeous sunrise, wildflowers, and lingering snow mark a July hike to Grays and Torreys, twin fourteeners atop the Continental Divide.| dismal wilderness
Gorgeous widlflowers and stunning views from New York Mountain, a quiet hike in the Northern Sawatch range of Colorado.| dismal wilderness
Steep gullies, jagged spires, dramatic San Juan views, and the infamous "V-Notch" await peak baggers on Mount Sneffels.| dismal wilderness
rank name elevation range summited 1 Mt. Elbert 14,433′ Sawatch 5/15/21 2 Mt. Massive 14,421′ Sawatch 9/18/22 3 Mt. Harvard 14,420′ Sawatch 9/24/23 4 Blanca Peak 14,345′ Sangre de Cristo 9/2/23 5 La Plata Peak 14,336′ Sawatch 6/20/21 6 Uncompahgre Peak 14,309′ San Juan 9/17/23 7 Crestone Peak 14,294′ Sangre de Cristo 8 Mt. Lincoln … Continue reading ""| dismal wilderness
A trip up Castle & Conundrum on a gorgeous June day, glissading down steep snowpack off the ridge of these Elk Mountain sleeper hits.| dismal wilderness
Country roads and the rambling Huckleberry Trail deliver me to Spruce Knob, the highest point in West Virginia and the Allegheny Mountains.| dismal wilderness
rank name elevation state summited 1 Denali 20,310′ Alaska 2 Mount Whitney 14,498′ California 8/5/2020 3 Mount Elbert 14,433′ Colorado 5/15/2021 4 Mount Rainier 14,411′ Washington 8/14/2018 5 Gannett Peak 13,804′ Wyoming 6 Mauna Kea 13,796′ Hawaii 11/27/2021 7 Kings Peak 13,528′ Utah 8 Wheeler Peak 13,161′ New Mexico 6/19/24 9 Boundary Peak 13,140′ Nevada … Continue reading ""| dismal wilderness
Hiking Brasstown Bald via Wolfpen Ridge, a robust hike to Georgia's natural high point in the southern Appalachians.| dismal wilderness
Snarled traffic and Fall Foliage en route to Kuwohi, Tennessee's state high point and America's most-visited major summit.| dismal wilderness
A robust, ridgeline hike through Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Charlies Bunion, an oddly named rock outcropping with stunning views.| dismal wilderness
A short hike to Craggy Pinnacle, a spectacular overlook along the famed Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.| dismal wilderness
A 3600' ascent to Mount Mitchell, the tallest US peak East of the Mississippi. The forest mountain summit sports a visitor center and deck.| dismal wilderness
A brief stroll down a dirt road to Black Mountain, Kentucky's state high point, near its mountainous border with Virginia.| dismal wilderness
A journey to Mount Rogers, the Virginia high point, takes you through mountain meadows and mossy woods, amongst thru hikers and wild ponies.| dismal wilderness
A fun scramble to Wetterhorn Peak, a prominent, rugged summit in Colorado's beautiful San Juan mountains. Fall colors and blue skies.| dismal wilderness
A springtime drive through central Ohio to the state's highest point: Campbell Hill. The subtle high point features a military legacy.| dismal wilderness
A gorgeous, sunny, mid-September ascent of Uncompahgre Peak, the tallest summit in Colorado's rugged San Juan Mountains.| dismal wilderness
September 16, 2023 Winter is comingOn my quest to summit every Colorado 14er, the San Juan Mountains have always presented a formidable challenge. The Elks may be slightly deadlier. And the Sawatch slightly more numerous. But the San Juans make up for these shortcomings in sheer remoteness. Getting to Southwest Colorado is just a lot … Continue reading "Handies Peak via American Basin"| dismal wilderness
An epic overnight to 14er Blanca Peak. A long backpack into the Sangres to Lake Como sets you up for a fun day on Blanca and Ellingwood.| dismal wilderness
Wildflowers and wild horses en route to Boundary Peak, the highest point in the vast, empty state of Nevada.| dismal wilderness
An epic weekend on Kit Carson Peak and Chellenger Point, two fourteeners in the stunning Sangre de Cristo mountains.| dismal wilderness
