Outside

The makeup of those users is now coming to light, thanks to a new study released by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC). “We wanted to be ready for this potential increase in new backcountry users, but we also wanted to know if that’s the group we should be focused on,” said Greene. The Colorado Avalanche Information Center posts daily, regional avalanche and backcountry weather forecasts on its website through May 31.

"While some equate solitude with loneliness, there is a big difference between being lonely and being alone. The latter is essential for mental health and effective leadership."

The best way to stay safe and comfortable for a day out in the cold is to gear up properly.

“Given what we saw last spring, we are expecting more people in the backcountry than we’ve seen in previous years,” said Brian Lazar, an avalanche forecaster with the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. 

Turkey Trots go virtual

Preparing for winter sports goes beyond the basics of ski passes, vacation days and gear rentals. After months of lockdowns, social distancing, quarantines, park closures and poor air quality caused by wildfires, muscles might not be quite ready for skiing and snowboarding. 

Maintained by the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife but a separate entity from the national forest and parks system, the National Wildlife Refuge System includes a number of worthy stops in Colorado.

Longmont resident Katarina Takahashi features her photography on her website, Takahashi Outdoors, along with a growing guide to hikes and trails across the state.

The buzz of a propeller, the low hush of the wind, the squeaking of prairie dogs, is the soundtrack of a day at the model airfield.

Outdoor art is hidden along Longmont's many hiking and biking trails, just waiting to be found.