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Last year we had the pleasure of volunteering for San Juan Mountains Association at the spectacular Ice Lakes Trailhead. This area saw an unprecedented number of visitors in the last few years and the SJMA trailhead ambassadors did their part to encourage responsible use and leave no trace ethics. We were happy to be a part of the effort to increase awareness and conservation.
In October of 2020 a fire damaged large sections of the trails (although not the lakes themselves) leaving it quite hazardous to hikers this year. The USDA Forest Service has deemed it unsafe and decided to close the trail for the summer months. For now, Ice Lakes basin gets a chance to breath, restore and regrow without human impact.
USDA Forest Service- San Juan National Forest
NEWS RELEASE: The Ice Fire area closure on the San Juan National Forest Columbine Ranger District has been extended until September 15. Post-fire hazards resulted in the need to extend the closure order time frame. Hazards include falling trees and boulders, and also the potential for debris flows during monsoon rains.
The closure order extends the original closure area to include South Mineral Campground and the lower Ice Lakes Trail. The closure applies to all public entry, including hikers, mountain bikers, and all motor vehicles.
See the news release for more details: Ice Fire Closure Extended; Ice Lakes Trail Remains Closed
When it comes to outdoor sports, a quality jacket can make all the difference between comfort and misery. Whether you’re hiking, skiing, climbing, running, climbing, or simply out and about nature, a jacket serves as your first line of defense against the elements.
That said, there are a LOT of jackets out there, in different styles, materials, weights, and weather proofness. How do you know which is best for you? We put together this guide to help you sort out what jacket you need and when you should whip it out.
Keep in mind that these jackets can be ridiculously expensive, and buying a ski jacket, rain jacket, puffy, light puffy, and a wind jacket new can easily mean you run up a tab of $2,000 or more. What’s the solution? Qualityused gear in Durango from Durango Outdoor Exchange.
It’s snowy and cold, but you want to get out. Downhill skiing is too expensive and backcountry skiing is too difficult. What’s a happy medium? Snowshoeing.
Think of snowshoeing as hiking in the snow, but you can traipse across deep snow and go where there are no trails. You only need basic equipment to get started and it you have ever skied then you probably have most of it already. Here’s a primer on where to go and what to bring. Oh, and when it comes to gear, save money buy buying used gear in Durango from Durango Outdoor Exchange.
Maybe you’ve seen other telemarkers carving beautiful turns on the mountain, maybe you are looking for a new challenge, or maybe you want to really work those quads–either way, getting into telemarking is fun and challenging.
Telemark skiing is a blend of Nordic and alpine skiing that combines the grace of cross-country with the thrill of downhill turns. Central to this style is the telemark binding, which allows the heel to lift, enabling a skier to lunge gracefully through turns.
Ready to pick up some telemark gear? Here’s some great news: Unlike downhill bindings, telemark bindings don’t get put on indemnified lists, meaning there is no set age at which they cannot be mounted. This meansbuying used telemark gear can be a great deal.