Have you ever hiked, snowshoed or skied through snowy terrain in the backcountry, only to reach your final destination and think, “I wish my kid was here to see this?”
Mike Caldwell, the father of legendary rock climber (and one of Elevation Outdoor’s “Resident Badasses” of the year) Tommy Caldwell, didn’t let the age of his kids stop him from taking them along on backcountry adventures when they were growing up. Their family backcountry experiences left a huge impression on Tommy; it’s no surprise that Tommy and his wife, Becca, are raising their son with the same values.
“Built within us is the need to explore, and getting outside is the best venue to test our limits and see what’s possible,” said Becca Caldwell. “We believe one of the greatest gifts we can give children is the opportunity to learn in and love the outdoors. When we found out we were having a child we couldn’t wait to share adventures with him. We think the short term challenges of getting outside with your kids (because it can definitely be a challenge) are far outweighed by the beautiful, energizing moments, and a contentment that is rarely found indoors.”
In order to share their family values of being in the outdoors, the Caldwells have partnered with YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado and the Estes Park Mountain Shop to teach other families how to experience the outdoors as a family at the “Family Winter Mountaineering and Backcountry Weekend,” from February 26-28.
This special weekend includes the following activities, which are free to participants staying in cabins or lodge rooms at the YMCA:
- Backcountry Ski Meet-Ups
- Guided Snowshoe Hikes into Rocky Mountain National Park
- Winter Survival 101 Training. Skills taught include preparation, orienteering, snow cave making, fires, snow variations, and more!
- Winter Ecology Hike
- Winter Family Adventuring (for the really young kiddos)
- Exhibit Hall. Learn from famous equipment brand companies such as Black Diamond, LOWA and Strider.
- Workshops on mountaineering, winter dog search and rescue, avalanche awareness course, alpine training, beacon search, and much more.
- Movie viewing
- Keynote Speaker: Tommy & Becca Caldwell
- Free beer courtesy of the Estes Park Mountain Shop and Rock Cut Brewery
Cabins and lodge rooms start as low as $99 dollars. You can book your stay online or call one of their reservationists at 888-613-9622. The Winter Family Mountaineering and Backcountry Weekend is growing and the schedule is tentative. To learn more about the weekend visit here.
More about the YMCA of the Rockies: YMCA of the Rockies is a 860 acre property with hundreds of cabins and hotel-style lodges bordered on three sides by Rocky Mountain National Park. There is no gym at this YMCA; part of its mission is to create a place in nature that can provide a unifying experience for families.
A typical day at the YMCA could include ice-skating on Dorsey Pond, going on a guided snowshoe hike into the park, learning about the ecology of native plants and animals, zip-lining across Wind River Valley, rock climbing, horseback riding into the park, white water rafting and so much more. You probably get the picture – this YMCA is all about the outdoors and it’s the perfect place to share a family experience mountaineering this winter.
