A weekend of backcountry skiing at the Lost Wonder Hut in Colorado’s Sawatch Range. Views looking west from the Lost Wonder Hut. During a recent weekend of backcountry skiing trip, this famous quote by J.R. Tolkien seemed to ring true: “Not all who wander are lost.” It was the second weekend of February, and a few friends and I, six in total, headed to the aptly named “Lost Wander Hut,” nut near Salida, Colorado. While I have heard good things about the Lost Wonder Hut, this was my first foray. The Sawatch Range often boasts a good snowpack, and after a slow start, things filled in decently, a ..read more

Hear about my top adventures from 2023: the good, the bizarre and the family friendly. From Goodwin Greene Hut to Glacier National Park, 2023 served up some great adventure trips for my family and I. Many of the outings I share about were family friendly…at least five of the nine. Considering I’m in the thick of raising young kids, I’m especially stoked on the family ones. Here’s my top adventures from 2023, in no particular order: ⁠1. Ringing Rocks (the bizarre and family friendly). I often read a devotional with my kids by Louie Giglio, “Indescribable” and “The Wonder of God’s Creation,” wh ..read more

Hear more about the release of my 40-day outdoor devotional and how this project came together. I’m excited to share more about my outdoor devotional, Called to the Wild, which I recently published through Sea Harp Press. The subtitle is: “Biblical reflections on faith, perseverance and surrender from one adventurer to another” and you can now purchase it on Amazon as well as other retailers. You may be wondering, how did this all come together? I’d love to share more about this project and more about the inspiration to write it. How this came together This project has been in the works for s ..read more

These outdoor adventure books will entertain, thrill and inspire you! Looking for good outdoor adventure books to read this summer, or at another point in the year? Here’s a few I would recommend. A few are classics and I believe all of them might be someday. They will entertain, thrill and inspire you! I believe they are worth your time. My list ⁠1. “Dove,” by Robin L. Graham. A teenager sails around the world solo and meets the love of his life. As part of his journey, he spends time at Nanuya Levu, which is a remote and beautiful island in Fiji. The afterward was the best part for me. ⁠ ⁠2 ..read more

Check out the climbing video that Sea Harp Press and I recently captured at a local crag. I recently took one of the Sea Harp editors and his son climbing at one of my favorite crags in Colorado, Garden of the Gods, to make a Called to the Wild climbing video. Eugene and his son, Tripp, who are avid climbers, joined me in the Garden for a stellar day of climbing. Beyond just fun, our purpose was to capture a day in the life of climbers…to invite the viewer along on our adventure, much like the book, Called to the Wild, does. Where we climbed We hit up two of my favorite climbs: Cowboy Boot Cr ..read more

A trip to a remote 10th mountain hut included great powder skiing and brotherhood. Photo by Wayne Blom The Goodwin Greene Hut near Aspen holds the reputation for being one of the most remote and difficult huts to find. I quickly understood why as my friends and I struggled to find it as darkness descended on a cold evening this past February. In total, the route ascends 2,800 vertical feet over 6.5 miles, which can be challenging with a loaded pack and hauling sleds. For this trip—now my third in a 10th Mountain Division Hut (technically part of the Alfred Braun Hut System)—it seemed fitting t ..read more

How to store and keep your backcountry skins ready to ski another season. While the skiing season is far from over—at least in Colorado—it’s also a good time of year to begin thinking about how to store your backcountry skins properly. Thus begins that exciting but awkward time of year when you feel pulled between a variety of outdoor sports: should I climb, mountain bike…or should I still ski? The answer is YES. Damaged backcountry skins Cautionary tale…one summer stored in the garage, and the glue on these skins is pretty much done. So sad. Taking care of your backcountry skins might not se ..read more

Yesterday, I hiked the Manitou Incline as part of Opt Outside, and I’m grateful I did. Most people reading this probably know about the Incline and Opt Outside, but just in case: The Incline is a short and punchy hike in Manitou Springs that ascends 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than a mile up railroad ties. I previously blogged about it in this post a few years ago. Speaking of Opt Outside, REI launched it in 2015 to motivate people to get outside on Black Friday instead of fighting crowds indoors to buy stuff. This day has really taken off, since at least 16 million people have poste ..read more

A last-minute trip to Margy’s Hut dished up plenty of late-season powder and hyjinks. A couple of weekends ago, a few friends and I embarked on a last-minute trip to Margy’s Hut, near Aspen. The outing dished up surprisingly good late-season powder skiing along with plenty of movie-quote hijinks. About a week prior, I received the following text: “Hey guys, I’ve got a crazy proposition for you. A bunch of huts are coming available at the end of this month…is anybody game/available?” Surprisingly, I was…thanks to an open weekend and my gracious wife Meaning behind the title I like to refer to ..read more

I could hear the crunch crunch of my footsteps in the dry, desert gravel as I passed several Saguaro cacti, some up to 20 feet tall, with spiny arms curving upward—like a southwestern salute. With zero wind and clear cerulean sky overhead, the temperatures hovered at a pleasant 65 degrees. Not too shabby for middle of winter. In early January, we escaped the cold and ventured to the Phoenix-area with family. Neither Elizabeth or I had explored Arizona much, except for a quick trip to the Grand Canyon when we were first married. Doing my homework ahead of time, the rock climbing and hiking see ..read more