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The Flat Tops: Trappers Lake to Big Marvine PeakThe Flat Tops: Trappers Lake to Big Marvine Peak

The Flat Tops: Trappers Lake to Big Marvine Peak

Flat Tops Wilderness | Friday – Saturday, June 19-20, 2026

This year for the Juneteenth holiday Jackson and I headed up into the Flat Tops Wilderness for a quick overnight backpacking trip so I could finally hike to the summit of Big Marvine Peak, which is something I’ve wanted to do since the first time I laid eyes on that peak jutting out from the top of the plateau from a distance. I had actually planned to hike to Big Marvine Peak with Diane when we backpacked to the Marvine Lakes about three years ago, but things didn’t quite go as planned on that trip and we ended up just staying in the Marvine Creek drainage, so I was looking forward to trying again, but this time coming from the opposite direction. We left home early on Friday morning and made our way to Meeker, then followed the Flat Tops Trail along the White River to the Wall Lake Trailhead located just above Trappers Lake, where we began our hike.

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La Plata Mountains and the Jersey Jim Fire LookoutLa Plata Mountains and the Jersey Jim Fire Lookout

La Plata Mountains and the Jersey Jim Fire Lookout

Overlooking the Four Corners | Friday – Sunday, June 12-14, 2026

A few weeks ago I was able to reserve a night at the Jersey Jim Fire Lookout Tower when the reservation system was moved over to Recreation.gov without very much notice. Diane was not able to come with me on my previous visit to the Fire Tower and I have wanted to take her back ever since, so we planned an extended weekend in the La Plata Mountains around this stay. It’s kind of hard to believe that it has been almost six years since my last visit to the La Platas, so I was definitely overdue for a return! We left home early on Friday morning and took the San Juan Skyway over Lizard Head Pass to Rico and then followed the Dolores River to Hillside Drive which we turned up and followed to the end. From the end of the road we hiked up the Hillside Connector Trail and Grindstone Trail until we reached the Highline Trail, which is part of The Colorado Trail, and then followed it across the top of Indian Trail Ridge.

CONTINUE READINGLa Plata Mountains and the Jersey Jim Fire Lookout
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River of Lost Souls: Rafting the Upper Animas RiverRiver of Lost Souls: Rafting the Upper Animas River

River of Lost Souls: Rafting the Upper Animas River

The Needleton Section: Needleton Stop to the Tacoma Power Station
Average CFS – Silverton: 290 / Durango: 870
Saturday & Sunday, June 6-7, 2026

Last November during their annual Black Friday sale, Jackson and I had booked a day trip for this Saturday on the Upper Piedra River near Pagosa Springs with Mild to Wild Rafting, but after the dismal winter we’ve had here in the San Juan Mountains there just wasn’t enough water for the trip this year, so last weekend we were contacted by the company to see about switching to the Upper Animas River which thankfully did have enough water, albeit for a brief season anyways. Since the Upper Animas is one of the trips we were planning to do eventually and they gave us such a great deal to switch, we couldn’t say no! As an added bonus, since the only way to reach the put-in at Needleton, other than hiking in, is by train, I would finally be able to ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, which is something I’ve wanted to do for over two decades but never really made a priority. So, despite all the last minute changes to our plans, we were both looking forward to our first rafting trip down the River of Lost Souls!

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The Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime CreekThe Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek

The Colorado Trail: Little Molas Lake to Lime Creek

Saturday, June 6, 2026

This morning I was on my way to Durango to meet up with my friend Jackson so we could raft the Upper Animas River together on Sunday. But since today was also National Trails Day, I made sure that I gave myself enough extra time to go on a high-country hike in the San Juan Mountains along the way. After following the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, I stopped at Little Molas Lake just above Molas Pass so I could hike a short section of The Colorado Trail to two small tarns located on a ridge between Lime Creek and North Lime Creek. Although it was clear and a little bit hazy out when I started hiking shortly after 9:00am, clouds started to build quickly later in the morning and by the time I was hiking back to the trailhead the wind had picked up and I was rained on a few times. These are a few photos from the hike.

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Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026

Ten Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026

Ouray Trails | Sunday, May 31, 2026

I recently realized that it has been almost ten years since I last hiked the Ouray Perimeter Trail, and at that time the entire loop was not even fully completed yet. Although I have hiked all the newly created segments since then, I had not hiked the entire loop in one shot again and was interested in finally doing that. Plus, since Ouray is celebrating its 150th birthday this year I though that this would be a great way for me to partake in the sesquicentennial celebration in my own way! So after spending the night just outside of Montrose I was up well before sunrise and made my way into Ouray so I could get an early start hiking the Perimeter Trail around town.

CONTINUE READINGTen Years Later: Ouray Perimeter Trail 2026
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