Dip into summer with the ultimate guide to hiking, paddling and exploring the Rocky Mountain region. From one-day epic scrambles, to the best shoes to hit the trails with this year, to our guide to paddling in Colorado—it’s all in the June issue! Grab a copy on stands or read it here today.
EDITOR’S LETTER: READING IN THE WILD
In this month’s Editor’s Letter, EO’s Editor-In-Chief shares his favorite place to crack open a book.
TOTALLY ECLIPSED
The sun will go dark this summer in Wyoming on August 21. Here are the best places in the state to view the total eclipse, how to avoid the crowds, and why you must go.
EAT THE TOUR
There are beaucoup ways to enjoy the Tour de France this summer. Here’s the tastiest.
LOCAL HERO: ASTRONOMER DOUGLAS DUNCAN
Astronomer, Douglas Duncan, the director of the University of Colorado’s Fiske Planetarium decodes the coming total eclipse.
MINE! ALL MINE!
Locals in Colorado’s St. Vrain Valley don’t want gravel mining trucks clogging and polluting the most popular path to Rocky Mountain National Park.
EAT, SLEEP, PLAY: BOISE, IDAHO
With a river and bike trails running right through town—and a bevy of craft establishments and local funk—Idaho’s capital city of Boise is worth a trip to, well, Idaho.
ULTRA TOUGH
How the three-day Leadville Trail 100 Camp turned one EO contributor into an ultrarunner.
THE END OF FORESTS
Climate change is killing Colorado’s forests, and research shows the tree die-off will intensify in coming decades due to ever larger mega-fires fueled by rising temperatures.
GATEWAY TO AWE
Gateway Resort is literally adventure central. Its Adventure Center offers everything from bike tours to helicopter rides—and one impressive classic car connection.
THE TRAIL: MOUNT OF THE HOLY CROSS
Download the free ViewRanger app and coordinates and head to the summit of an isolated fourteener on this classic backpacking adventure.
NUMEROLOGY: TRAIL COUNTER
We run down the numbers on the paths on public lands.
STRAIGHT TALK: IAN ANDERSON
The Carbondale PR pro talks about what it takes to live the dream, and how he and the U.S. Whitewater Rafting Team almost broke a legendary record.
HEAVENLY I-70 HIKES
Looking for big adventure close to the front range? These four, one-day epic scrambles will get your heart pumping and make a post-hike beer all the more tasty.
THE PURE LINE
What’s a fly-fishing climber to do when he spots inaccessible pools at the bottom of a sheer cliff? Rap down to them, even if he’s not sure how to get back out.
WHITEWATER, WHITE LIGHTNING
Sure, Colorado is stacked with world-class rapids, but if you want to add a legend to your tick list this year, consider a trip to West Virginia. Time it for the fall and you can take advantage of the big-water releases that locals call Gauley Season.
SCHOOL OF ROCKS
Want to go to a school where academics and the outdoors have each other on belay? We asked our readers to vote for the best outdoor adventure colleges in the Rocky Mountain West. Here are the 2017 winners.
ESTES TIME
Why battle the madness of I-70 when it’s time to escape the stifling summer heat along the Front Range? One of the gems of the Rockies, Estes Park is just a short drive away.
WYOMING TRAVEL GUIDE
Find your adventure in Wyoming’s rugged wilderness this summer.
2017 PADDLING GUIDE
Colorado is home to dozens of paddle-worthy bodies of water in our state, so, this summer, get on the whitewater wave train by learning how to raft, kayak, or standup paddle board.
ESSENTIAL GEAR FOR ROCKY MOUNTAIN CAMPING
No matter what section of the Rockies you choose to visit, here are five camping essentials you don’t want to forget.
TRAIL-TESTED GEAR
Summer is here and it’s time to get up in the high country. Meet our favorite trail shoes and essentials for time on the dirt.
MEET THE CROSS-SEXUAL
Because workout freaks deserve style, too.
WELCOME TO BEAT STREET
The Music District in Fort Collins is a creative-space community that may just change the future of the music industry.
A WILD SPACE – SUP ON THE ESCALANTE RIVER
The first SUP descent of the last charted river in the U.S. comes face-to-face with history, family, politics and the realities of soaring canyon walls.
ELWAYVILLE: ROCKY MOUNTAIN WAVES
No matter if it’s sailing, canoeing, surfing or just camping by a lakeside, this landlocked state has an ongoing love affair with the water.
