2018 Resolution: More Epic Adventures
It's that time of year where we make a list of things we want to do, stop doing, or achieve over the next 12 months. High on our list (and hopefully yours, too) is going on more epic adventures and eating more epic meals on the trail. Here's a little inspiration to help with your 2018 adventure planning. If your current cook system is holding you back, there's no better time to treat yourself (or the adventurist in your life) to a new Jetboil. Shop Stoves.
Adventures
DOCTOR PARK LOOP
Doctor Park is many locals’ favorite mountain bike ride, and it is classic Crested Butte, with a huge climb, epic, sweeping views, and a world-class descent. After climbing for what seems like forever, the trail turns into some of the best singletrack anywhere. The 5.5-mile descent is sure to remind anyone why they ride bikes. Looking to score extra hardcore points? Do an out-n-back on Doctor Park #424. Riding it all the way to its end adds 35 miles/3,500 feet of elevation of hard, steep, fantastic singletrack.
This is also a great ride for bikers who want to track and log their adventures with the CBGTrails app, which includes the TrailQuest challenge. The CBGTrails app is an excellent (free!) resource (for Android and iOS) that gives terrain maps for over 750 miles of trails in the Crested Butte - Gunnison area. TrailQuest is a fun addition built into the app that tracks the unique miles you’ve ridden in the area and displays the results on a leaderboard. The really cool part? Track enough unique miles and you can win real-world prizes, ranging from stickers to bike jerseys.
Doctor Park has a huge climb, sweeping views, and a world-class descent. TRAILSOURCE.COM
TRILLIUM LAKE
Trillium Lake is a popular cross-country skiing destination that affords skiers views of Mount Hood. stokes rx
Why We Love It: Keep Trillium Lake in mind as the temperatures drop and the snow falls in the Mount Hood area this winter. The five-mile loop surrounding the lake offers up-close views of Oregon's highest peak without much elevation gain, making it a fun cross-country skiing or snowshoeing destination. And if you time it right, you may see the lake frozen over; with Mount Hood in the background and snow-capped evergreen trees lining the lake, it's a truly magical winter landscape.
BACKCOUNTRY SKIING IN THE LA SAL MOUNTAINS
The La Sal Mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to Moab’s red towers and cliffs. And in the winter, they come alive as a destination in themselves, offering scenic backcountry skiing that can accommodate every skill level. A good place to start is Corkscrew Glades on Tuk No Mountain. As you climb up through aspen forests, be sure to look back occasionally to take in spectacular views of the red desert dropping away behind you.
WEST COAST TRAIL: VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
Don't be fooled into thinking this hike is anything like pleasant walk on the beach. This 48-mile trail along the Pacific coast boasts some of the most rugged terrain in the world. Tread the seaside portions of the trail at your peril; a high tide may leave you stranded, or a rogue wave may sweep you out to sea. The woodland portions will have you clambering down narrow wooden ladders and crossing deep chasms by means of rickety bridges and boardwalks. If you stop at a campsite for the night, watch where you put your food. The trail is crawling with wolves, cougars and grizzly bears. The weather is frequently bad as well, often dumping inches of rain in just a few hours. No hiker has completed this trek without injuries. If you're going to do more than a day's hiking here, you'll need a full set of gear: food, water, backpack, first aid kit, boots, rain gear, bear mace, maps and a very sturdy tent. You'll also need to get a hiking permit well in advance of your trip; overnight stays on the trail require one.
Food
DINNER
BREAKFAST
BEVERAGES
Now get out there and plan your 2018 adventures!