'Not all who wander are lost'! This is a group for anyone in their 20's-30's (in Boulder, Denver, or anywhere in between) that loves getting out into the mountains and exploring this beautiful state we live in, while making new friends in the process. So many of the avid hiking groups are geared towards the 50+ crowd or are all-ages, and I wanted to start a group specifically for us slightly-younger nature lovers. Our primary activity will be hiking, with some camping, backpacking, rafting trips, bike rides, after-work dog outings and hikes, and snowshoeing and xc skiing come winter thrown into the mix. As higher elevation snow melts this summer and access to the alpine terrain increases, many of our hikes will become much longer and more demanding (with greater scenic rewards). Foothills hikes are convenient and gorgeous, but for me the big mountain scenery is where it's at. You can expect a nice mix of both. I have SO many ideas for adventures; it's what I live to do- so please stay tuned! I will do everything in my power to make this group as welcoming/unintimidating as possible, and expect everyone else to do the same. I am so excited about this group, and I can't wait to go adventuring with everyone =)
Additional Info:
- Remember that even though we are a group, you are ultimately responsible for yourself on our hikes/events. I have no formal guide training; I just love organizing outings, meeting new people and sharing new experiences. Please ask if you have any questions about difficulty level of a particular hike, what to bring, etc, and most importantly, do not attend hikes you aren't ready for. OF NOTE: I am a medical professional, first aid and CPR-certified, but I do not intend to utilize those skills unless absolutely necessary! I already work full-time =)
-Dogs will be welcome on many of our adventures (unless our chosen destination isn't dog-friendly, like RMNP). I will specify this for each scheduled event. I am of the belief that well-behaved pups can only enhance our experience (and serve as really cute ice-breakers, too).
-Please be prepared to give your driver a few bucks for our carpool-to-location hikes. Aside from being good form, this will encourage others to share the responsibility of driving. No one wants to be the DD every time;)
- Hopefully you like beer or wine, because many of these hikes will include a stop at a brewery or local bar afterwards for a drink and socializing. To me few things are better than a cold IPA after a hike!
-A $1 fee per event is requested. My only objective is to recover the monthly fee meetup charges me to be an organizer. It's fun, but also a lot of work doing this! I am much more likely to keep posting awesome stuff if my monthly fee is negated. Please contact me if you have any questions about this policy.
-Group size will max out at 15 people for most hikes, *if not less*. There are plenty of hiking groups that allow 25 people to attend, but ours isn't one of them ;) I believe it's important to maintain a manageable group size, as well as one that won't be so ginormous as to detract from the "appreciating nature" experience. Some of our hikes will be in true wilderness, and safety is imperative. We need to look out for each other, and after 15 or so it can be hard to do that. In some cases, I need to secure a permit for the group. The permit is void if extras show up. Finally, many wilderness regulations do not allow more than 12 people and livestock (so leave your llamas at home ;) With that in mind, if you aren't on the RSVP list, you may NOT show up to the event. Please note that the Wait List is NOT part of the RSVP list. The Wait List is in place so that if someone who has RSVP'd "yes" has to change it to a "no", another person at the top of the wait list can take their place. Thanks so much for respecting this policy ;)
-PLEASE keep your RSVP current. If you no-show or cancel right before an event 3 times, I will remove you from the group. I just think it's really easy to change your RSVP from yes to no, and it's not fair to the others that truly wanted a spot but didn't get one because you had it tied up.
- Lastly, this group isn't just about the fitness aspect of hiking (though it's a really nice benefit). I like to keep a pretty moderate-swift pace while hiking (i.e. we will not be stopping every 5 minutes ;) , but I also want people to be able to take pictures, pause for a quick stretch and water break, and just generally appreciate our surroundings! This is supposed to be for enjoyment, after all. Please be able to keep a decent pace going, but also be flexible enough to stop for a few minutes to appreciate some stunning wildflowers, wildlife or scenery ;)
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6.5 miles RT Start-End Elevation: 10,332' - 11,987' (12,018' max elevation) Elevation Change: +1,655' net elevation gain (+1,815' total roundtrip elevation gain) The... Learn more
