Whether going on a mountain trip is a long-held ambition or a recent interest, there is no better time to plan an adventure than at the start of a new year.
“Phu is just around that bend,” our mountain guide shouts out from 50 metres behind us, taking another swig from his flask. We knowingly raise our eyebrows in sync and continue trekking the steep incline, not hopeful the guide’s seventh guess will be lucky. We’re nine hours into day three of our search for one of the most remote places in the world, a village so isolated that the rest of Nepal wasn’t aware of its existence until the Seventies.
Just over eight miles one way from the Monarch Lake Trailhead, near Granby, the walk to Mirror Lake boasts abundant wildlife (moose sightings are common), miles of fishable trout stream, cold-water swimming holes (for the brave or foolhardy), and superb scenery throughout. It’s possible as a long day hike, but best enjoyed with an overnight camp at Mirror, or nearby Crater Lake. Camping Permits ($5) are available from the USDA Forest Service. A Non-resident fishing permit ($21 for 5 days) can be purchased online from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Camping near Crater Lake at the base of Lone Eagle Peak, Indian Peaks Wilderness. Photograph: Alamy
active tours
happy clients
destinations
years of work
While any extreme sport athlete may currently focus on summer destinations for any extreme sport performance, Ueli Steck, also commonly known as the “Swiss Machine”, a famous speed mountain climber, is heading up to the mountains, planning to scale all 82 European Alps of over 4,000 metres, all to be achieved in just 80 days.
Photo by xtremespots