- Network event48 attendees from 2 groups hostingRESCHEDULED understanding technical clothing | a.foot outdoor educationLink visible for attendees
Why does a Marmot Precip jacket costs $100 and an Arc'teryx Alpha SV jacket costs 900? They're both just rain jackets. Right?
Technical clothing is designed to keep you dry and comfortable and to protect you from the elements when exploring the outdoors. But understanding the concepts and the technology can be daunting. Your instructor, Bernard Tibbetts, will take the mystery out of shopping for outdoor technical clothing so that you can be confident in your purchases and save money to boot.
By applying what you learn in this class to future clothing and gear purchases, you will recoup your investment in this class many times over.
This class will teach you the following:
- Poor weather or just poor clothing choices?
- The layering principle.
- Evaluating clothing properties such as insulation, wicking, sun protection, breathability, water protection and wind protection.
- Understanding the various water proofing methods.
- How to prioritize your purchases and build your layers over time.
- When is cotton appropriate for the outdoors?
Your instructor, Bernard Tibbets, had been an outdoor leader and instructor for over a decade and is committed to empowering others to get outdoors lead their own adventures.
Suggested donation for attending class is $12.00. Click here to make a donation...
- Network event13 attendees from 2 groups hostingTelluride MountainFilm Festival - Memorial Day Weekend 2024Telluride Conference Center, Mountain Village, CO
Join us at MountainFilm in Telluride during the Memorial Day weekend 2024. It is a world-class event with engaging people in an incredible location. Buy a pass, or apply for a volunteer position and get a free pass ($400 value).
"Mountainfilm is the single most inspiring event that I attend each year. It is a chance to rub elbows with modern-day heroes, with people who are actually making a difference. A chance to see films that would be lost. A chance to find out what’s really happening in the world and to meet people who are living their dreams." — Ace Kvale, adventure photographer
"Established in 1979, Mountainfilm is dedicated to educating, inspiring and motivating audiences about environments, cultures, issues and adventures. Working at the nexus of film-making and action, its flagship program is the legendary Telluride Mountainfilm festival, a one-of-a-kind combination of films, conversations and inspiration."
Click here to learn more about MountainFilm...
I will send out updates when passes are available and when they will be accepting volunteer applications.
I am hoping we can go as a small group and enjoy this experience together. Sure, go off and do your own thing, but we can plan some times to get together throughout the festival. Dining, hiking, sharing some good films.
Please post any questions you have in the comments below. Lodging can be expensive. So, sharing lodging expenses with others should be considered. Camping is available, but mostly first come first serve.
a.foot is not affiliated with MountainFilm in any way. It is just a cool venue to attend and I love introducing others to the experience.
- Network event25 attendees from 2 groups hostinga.foot online education | Beginner's Guide to the Colorado FourteenersLink visible for attendees
“Perhaps there’s no better act of simplification than climbing a mountain. For an afternoon, a day, or a week, it’s a way of reducing a complicated life into a simple goal. All you have to do is take one step at a time, place one foot in front of the other, and refuse to turn back until you’ve given everything you have.” ― Ken Ilgunas
Comments from previous attendees:
"Very thorough and very engaging presentation. Excellent use of web and presentation technology. And, very educational!"
Join presenter Bernard Tibbetts as he introduces you to the 58 peaks in Colorado over 14,000 feet. Known as the Colorado Fourteeners, they provide amazing alpine experiences for thousands of people each year at all experience levels: hikers, backpackers, rock climbers and seasoned mountaineers alike.
Bernard will:
• Inspire and motivate you with the awesome images and map technology.
• Introduce you to the Colorado mountain ranges and groups where the Fourteeners are located.
• Discuss "first Fourteeneer" options.
• Explain how to research route and trailhead locations.
• Explain route ratings and use them to assess route difficulty.
• Present checklists for obtaining proper gear and clothing.
• Discuss ideas for getting fit for the Fourteeners.Suggested donation for attending class is $12.00. Click here to make a donation...
Bernard Tibbetts has summited all of the Colorado Fourteeners and has been an outdoor instructor for over 10 years.
- Network event18 attendees from 2 groups hostinga.foot adventure | raton-clayton volcanic field + capulin + sugarite state parkCapulin Volcano National Monument, Capulin, NM
Let's go visit a really cool volcano at Capulin Volcano National Monument, east of Raton, NM near the Colorado border. Capulin (pronounced kah·poo·leen), means black cherry in Spanish and denotes the dark red color of the long-ago cooled lava it spit out at least 56,000 years ago. Capulin Volcano is a near perfect example of a cinder cone type volcano with a hiking trail along the crater rim and down into the crater vent.
This adventure is for 2024 contributors only. Anyone who signs up will be placed on the "Waiting" list. I will be checking your current status before moving you to the "Going" list. If you are not already a 2024 contributor, and you would like to go on this or any other a.foot outing, click here...
We will meet at the Capulin Volcano National Monument visitor center where I will give the group an orientation about the volcanic field and the volcano. From there we will drive to the top of the volcano and explore. The views are extraordinary - you can see four states. And we will witness the lady bug bacchanal, a summer phenomena where millions of lady bugs turn the trees and rocks orange.
After exploring Capulin, we will drive along the top of Johnson Mesa, via the small town of Folsom and make stops along the way. Johnson Mesa is one of several mesas in the area that were caused by lava flows which solidified into basalt. Over time the softer sedimentary rock surrounding the basalt eroded leaving several distinct large elevated tablelands with precipitous sides. From the west side of the mesa, we will drop down into Sugarite State Park, have lunch and hike a trail around Lake Maloya before returning to Santa fe.
This is an exploratory adventure. The hiking will take place on Capulin and around Lake Maloya. The hiking distance is minimal. The rewards are the views of this unusual and ancient volcanic area, learning about volcanoes and discovering Sugarite State Park.
I will talk about car pooling as we approach the date. It is a three hour drive from Santa Fe and almost four hours from Denver, but I am organizing this as a day trip. The drive is part of the adventure. If you want to camp overnight, there is a KOA in the village of Capulin and there is camping in Sugarite State Park.
Entry is $20.00 per vehicle or you can use your America the Beautiful Pass. It pays to car pool!
- Network event10 attendees from 2 groups hostinggarden pikes of the manitou peak incline gods [an a.foot adventure]Pikes Peak, Colorado, CO
This is a.foot's first-time Colorado Springs adventure. We will explore the three most iconic outdoor features found near Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods, Manitou Incline and Pikes Peak.
This hike is for 2024 contributors only. Anyone who signs up will be placed on the "Waiting" list. I will be checking your current status before moving you to the "Going" list. If you are not already a 2024 contributor, and you would like to go on this or any other a.foot outing, click here to pay for your membership...
Garden of the Gods is a National Natural Landmark, having been recognized by the Department of the Interior as "a nationally-significant natural area." It offers towering sandstone formations, a wonderful view of Pikes Peak, paved and unpaved hiking paths, the historic Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site, a living history museum, placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1971, and many other amenities.
The Manitou Incline is a popular hiking trail rising above Manitou Springs, Colorado, near Colorado Springs. The Incline is famous for its sweeping views and steep grade, with an average grade of 45% (24°) and as steep as 68% (34°) in places, making it a fitness challenge for locals of the Colorado Springs area. The incline gains 2,011 feet (613 m) of elevation in 0.88 miles (1.42 km) horizontal. Currently the Incline has approximately 2,744 steps from the bottom to the summit.
Pikes Peak is the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in North America. The ultra-prominent 14,115-foot (4,302.31 m) fourteener is located in Pike National Forest, 12 miles (19 km) west of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado. The town of Manitou Springs lies at its base.
I will be exploring camping options and will share info and organize as needed. Those who do not want to camp are encouraged to arrange for their own lodging in or near Manitou Springs.
More details soon.
- Network event16 attendees from 2 groups hostinga.foot hiking adventure | return to sawatch rangeNathrop, Nathrop, CO
Join us for a Colorado adventure near Buena Vista and Nathrop, Colorado. Located in central Colorado, the upper Arkansas River Valley cuts through the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Here, you will find fifteen peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation and eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains. This area is a crossroads for outdoor adventurers seeking hiking, climbing, fishing, rafting, off-roading and more. For those wanting to climb the Colorado fourteeners, there is no better place to bag multiple peaks in one long weekend.
This hike is for 2024 contributors only. Anyone who signs up will be placed on the "Waiting" list. I will be checking your current status before moving you to the "Going" list. If you are not already a 2024 contributor, and you would like to go on this or any other a.foot outing, click here to become a 2024 contributor...
We will explore the following:
Lost Lake: 2.5 miles out and back
CDT + Cottonwood Pass: We will park at the pass and hike several miles along the Continental Divide Trail
Mount Yale: A fourteener
Princeton Hot Springs: Bring a towel and bathing suit
Dinner in Buena VistaI will secure a couple camp sites west of Nathrop. Spots are limited to 8 people. I will allow others to come if you arrange for your own camping or hotel.
- Network event13 attendees from 2 groups hostinga.foot adventure | castle + conundrum + pyramid amphitheaterAspen, Aspen, CO
The Maroon Bells and Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado's fourth largest Wilderness exemplifies Rocky Mountain splendor. Over 175 miles of trail lead over nine passes above 12,000 feet, vast regions lie above the tree line and long glacial valleys point the way to glistening alpine lakes. With six peaks rising above 14,000 feet, this area draws mountaineers and hikers by the thousands annually. The awesome, jagged symmetry of the twin 14,000 ft. the Maroon Bells, reflected in Maroon Lake, is the most photographed peaks in all of North America.
NOTE: I HAVE NOT SECURED CAMPSITES YET. I WILL BE AT THE MERCY OF THE USFS RESERVATION SYSTEM. VERY DIFFICULT TO GET RESERVATIONS. SO, THE DATES OF THIS EVENT MAY ROLL FORWARD UNTIL CAMP SITES ARE SECURED.
Of course you are welcome to set up your own lodging or camping. Just meet us at the trailheads.
Day 1
The adventure begins as we drive along the Arkansas River, then turning west toward Twin Lakes. State HWY 82 will take us to the 12,095 feet summit of Independence Pass offering our first view of the Elk Range before dropping into Aspen. Continuing though Aspen, we will drive to our camp sites. After setting up camp, we will drive into Aspen to explore and have dinner.Day 2
I will lead the group up the lower part of the standard route on Pyramid Peak to a point called the Amphitheater. Pyramid Peak is a fierce, rugged and dangerous mountain. In fact, the peaks in the Elk Range - Maroon Bells Wilderness are some of the most dangerous fourteeners to climb. BUT GUESS WHAT! I discovered the lower part of the route is extremely easy and not dangerous. I would rate it a Class 2. And it has awesome views of the Maroon Bells looking west. You will experience the thrill and exhilaration of climbing a fourteener without climbing a fourteener.Day 3 (optional)
We will drive up Castle Creek Road to the Castle Peak Trailhead and hike Castle and Conundrum Peaks, the easiest fourteeners in the Elk Range. More details soon.Day 4
Pack up and return.The hikes will be rated intermediate - strenuous. But not technical. The optional Castle + Conundrum is more difficult. I will add the details soon. Please be a moderately fit and regular hiker. There will be elevation gain and high elevations.
This hike is for 2024 contributors only. Anyone who signs up will be placed on the "Waiting" list. I will be checking your current status before moving you to the "Going" list. If you are not already a 2024 contributor, and you would like to go on this or any other a.foot outing, click here to become a 2024 contributor...
- Network event6 attendees from 2 groups hostinga.foot alpine lake adventure | south zapata lake at ellingwood pointZapata Falls Trailhead, Mosca, CO
If you came with us to the Great Sand Dunes in the spring, you got to see Zapata Falls. I am excited to announce we are going back! This time, we are going to hike beyond the falls to South Zapata Lake, the source of the Falls.
This hike is for 2024 contributors only. Anyone who signs up will be placed on the "Waiting" list. I will be checking your current status before moving you to the "Going" list. If you are not already a 2024 contributor, and you would like to go on this or any other a.foot outing, click here to become a 2024 contributing member...
We will meet at the Zapata Falls trailhead and hike up to the lake. We will explore the lake area and hike farther beyond the lake if time permits. That means we will be scrambling up a rocky couloir (class III scramble). The trail that we will take is part of the climbing route for summitting Ellingwood Pt., which tops out at 14,048 feet. Although we will not be summitting the peak, this hike will introduce you to the fourteener experience as well as the to the northern Sangre de Cristo mountains (which are my favorite).
Miles: 11.00 out and back
Elevation: 3,208 FT
Average time to complete: Approx. 6-8 hours
Level: Advanced. Strenuous. Easy Class IIIThis is an exploratory hike for fit hikers only. I will add more details and bring up car pooling as we get closer to the date.