The overpowering smell of sage brush filled his nostrils, causing his exhale to cough and sputter in white, vapory wisps.  A thin layer of clouds obscured the sky, constantly misting the lavender filled meadows surrounding him.  On his right hand side the meadow ended abruptly in a steep cliff that leaps down to the roar of the Sespe River below as it leaps across the rocky bed.  Breathing deeply of the sage filled air, he looked above the meadows and over a gently sloping razor backed ridge.  There a plume of clouds spiraled skyward from within the folds of the canyon, rising past leaf filled sycamores to join the blanketed sky above.  There, he knew, his destination waited, a solitary spring bubbling form the slate rock face of the canyon wall.  There the smell of sage would be replaced by the tell tale smell of sulfur as the steaming water pooled and eddied, just waiting to receive his tired bones into its warm embrace.  

A day in the pines, cruising the trails with my dogs, and a drive back down to Fort Collins for a cold micro brew or a cruise through Walden on my way home to Craig is my idea of the perfect fresh air fix. Because I love both sides of the divide here, a ski on the top of the Rockies is my idea of paradise!

The Pacific NW trail runs straight through the area. But to make the hike a little more interesting I hike (climb) straight up the front side under the ski lifts to the top of the mountain. At the top you have the most panoramic views that I feel are the closest to home for me.

Its a spectacular place to feel and breathe the fresh, cool alpine air. Just writing this story at my desk at work makes me feel like i’m there right now. I would recommend the climb to anybody willing to tackle a very steep incline.

On a river trip a sleeping pad slip n’ slide costume party can kill the heat and entertain at the same time. There’s a reason its one of the wonders of the world!

In the winter when the leaves are down, the land is laid bare and you can see out of the dead-end canyons for miles.  This picture was taken of me on my then-project “All things Considered.”  I didn’t get it that day, but I came back later and sent!  There are miles and miles of cliffs to climb, more than you could ever get sick of, so that’s why I get my fresh air fix in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky!