Eric SchuetteExplorer

The normal route from the east side is via the Hessie trailhead outside Nederland Colorado. From the west it is most often accessed via the short trail from Rollins pass, which is open in the summer. As noted above, it is also a lake and area ripe for creating your own adventure. The description will be based on the normal route but feel free to use your imagination and combine off-trail advent...

The trail begins at the 4th of July trailhead, which is located near the Eldora ski area and can be crowded during the summer and weekends. The road is rough in places but passable by any car when dry. From the parking area begin hiking the Arapaho pass trail, which will gently gain elevation through forests with occasional glimpses across the valley. Just after a mile into the hike there will ...

To begin, park in the large parking lot (it is usually plowed all winter except right after a large storm). The parking lot can be reached via highway 91, approximately 6 miles south of Copper Mountain and will be on the east (left if coming from the north) side of the road. Begin up the obvious trail that follows a 4x4 road but will be covered in ski/snowshoe tracks.Continue up the road for a ...

Over a mile of the Uncompahgre Gorge is farmed for ice every year and they have gotten very good at it!! The ice park begins at the southern edge of town and continues south through the gorge for approximately 1 mile. The ice park is typically open from mid December-late March.If you enjoy getting your crampons and ice tools out every winter then you will love the Ouray Ice Park! Some areas can...

Twining Peak is a ranked 13er located 2 miles north of Independence Pass. The hike involves around 1700 feet of elevation and is mostly off-trail with some class 2 scrambling (class 3 can be had if you look hard enough). Independence Pass is a prominent and popular pass on Highway 82 between Twin lakes and Aspen.You can also access this peak from the Linkins Lake trailhead (just west of the pas...

The crater lake trail begins at Maroon Lake and quickly breaks off from the scenic trail at .3 miles. Be sure to follow the signs to crater lake, which will be heading higher into the valley. The trail passes through a beautiful Aspen grove most of the way with wonderful views of 14ers, the Maroon Bells and Pyramid Peak that dominate the skyline. Just before you reach the lake you will descend...

Begin the hike at the Bear Lake trailhead, this will be the same for any season you chose to hike to the lake. From the Bear Lake trailhead follow the Dream Lake trail for ~1.05 miles to just before Dream Lake itself. The trail is very easy to follow up to this point in all seasons. In winter the trail stays very packed down expect for right after a large storm. If you are not hiking early, exp...

Begin the hike by following the Bear Lake trail and after ~.45 miles take the trail to the right towards Odessa Lake and Flattop Mountain. Continue along the trail as it climbs above Bear Lake to the split with the Flattop Mountain trail at approximately 1 mile. The trail continues toward Odessa Lake and will climb through forests and meadows along the way. Travel moderates to the Sourdough Cam...

Start hiking at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead down the bear lake road in rocky mountain national park. The trailhead is very popular so it can be difficult to find a parking place at times. From Glacier Gorge, follow the obvious trail and signs towards mills lake. In the summer the trail will go past Alberta Falls (0.85 miles from the trailhead) and continue climbing through forest with occasion...

To get there from downtown Boulder, head west on CO 119 and almost 4.5 miles after you have left Boulder, turn right onto Sugarloaf Road. 4 miles after the turn from CO 119, turn right onto Sugarloaf Mountain road (located at the top of the road). If the road starts descending, you've gone too far. Take the dirt Sugarloaf Mountain Road 1 mile to the large parking area for the Switzerland Trail....

From the Ice Lakes trailhead begin hiking through a meadow that quickly enters the forest and begins to climb. The trail will climb ~1,600 feet in the next two miles. As the trail climbs there is a scenic waterfall just over .5 miles, it is worth it to scamper up for a closer look (at ~1.0 miles there you can get a nice vantage point from the top of the same falls). After the waterfall, the tra...

The hike begins at the East Portal Trailhead outside Rollinsville. Start hiking along the South Boulder trail to the right (north) of the very obvious Moffat Rail tunnel. The trail begins with moderate grades past the Forest Lakes cutoff just 1.25 miles from the trailhead. Continue hiking straight towards Rogers Pass. Do the same at the Cataract Lakes cutoff 1.85 miles past the trailhead. Afte...

Start at the Monarch Lake trailhead (where there is a $5 parking fee unless you have one of the national lands passes) and follow the cascade creek trail around the north side of the lake. After about 1.5 miles the trail splits with the Arapaho pass trail, follow the cascade trail to the left as it rises through the forest. The trail continues to rise steadily in places and moderate in others u...

To catch the sunrise, begin at the Bear Lake trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. From the trailhead, veer right around bear lake and continue along the Odessa Lake/Flattop Mountain trail. This will begin to ascend on your right.After approximately 1 mile, the Flattop Mountain Trail will split off the main trail on the left. Caution, in the winter the sign can be almost buried in snow, so...

Tombstone ridge can be accessed via the ute trail from two directions. The lower trail starts at upper beaver meadows and is ~4.3 miles with 3250 feet of elevation gain. It can also be accessed at the Ute trail crossing along trail ridge road, which leaves you a 1.1 mile hike with just under 300 feet of elevation gain.Tombstone ridge is a scenic and interesting ridge that runs for almost a mile...

Uttakliev is another one of the beautiful and scenic beaches in the Lofoten area of Norway. Uttakliev is known amongst photographers as a beautiful beach, especially the rockier section (where the famous 'eye' can be found). However, anyone can have a great time walking along the sand or rockier areas with small tide pools and interesting rocks. The beach is surrounded by mountains in every dir...

Park at the pull out just west of independence pass. From there, begin on the Linkin's Lake Trail. The trail is generally easy to follow (although it can be muddy as it is a wet area) and climbs 900 feet in the 1.8 miles to independence lake. From Independence lake it is about 0.5 miles and 400 feet of incline to the pass. The trail stays to the west of the lake although there is a use trail th...

Lilly Lake is known as a very popular, easy hike in Rocky Mountain National Park. Lilly Lake itself is very pretty and also has some good fishing and walking opportunities.Rock rises up nearby the northwest area of the lake, and offers some of the most fun rock climbing in the area. There are numerous bolted routes available, which means there is something for every level of climber. Several of...

Unstad beach is one of the beautiful beaches in the Lofoten area of Norway. Unstad has beautiful golden sand and is surrounded by majestic mountains. Its location and geography allow for the formation of large waves in addition to the beautiful beach itself. Because of the large waves this is a really popular area for arctic surfing (yes that's a real thing). For those who are not quite up to t...

Skagsanden is one the small and beautiful beaches that seem to be everywhere in the Lofoten area of Norway. Skagsanden is only a few yards from the parking lot, which makes access very easy. Skasgaden is perhaps best known for the intricate patterns in the sand where a small stream flows into the ocean. One could spend hours walking and seeing new patterns/angles the entire time. The rest of th...

From the parking lot walk across the road to the small sign indicating which way the trail begins through the bushes. The beginning of the trail heads through the birch forest and can be boggy in places. In the winter the trail can be hard to follow at times but on average stay to the right and you should be able to follow the path. After 10-15 minutes you will likely start clearing the trees a...

This 20-foot pool is surrounded by beautiful peaks, and is only a short distance from the parking area. Keep in mind this spot is popular on the weekends.

Kootenai Falls is accessed via short dirt trail from the parking lot on Highway Two between Troy and Libby. In the summer the parking lot is often full and even has some vendors selling objects and food. The trail is easy to follow and winds through the forest before descending towards the river, with numerous viewpoints and benches along the way. You will also cross a pedestrian walkway over...

Pawnee Campground has 47 sites for suited for tents, RVs, or trailers with eight that are walk in and tent only. These can fill up quick so get there early if you don't have a reservation, which can be tough to come by but will be well worth it.Brainard Lake has been one of the most popular hiking destinations in the front range for but more recently has become more popular as a camping destina...