Sneffles, Hope Lake, Telluride, Ouray, Ridgeway, some naked hot springs and 6 years strong

In life you have to know when to call it. The universe usually sends you signs that the direction you are heading is not exactly where you are supposed to be and when you try to swim upstream the end result is disastrous. Originally the mister and I had planned to visit Japan for our 6^th wedding anniversary but two weeks out we decided it wasn’t in the cards. I had already subbed out all my classes and planned on having my mom come to watch Charlotte so we were left deciding where else could we vacation.

“Why don’t we just go hike a 14er somewhere?” my husband suggested.

If you know my husband you know he’s not the biggest fan of 14ers. Or maybe you don’t know that because you’ve seen all my photos and he’s been there for half of the peaks I’ve bagged. Very few people have ever hiked with Chad though and seen what usually happens when he hikes with me. There’s gregarious finger gestures at the nagging freezing wind, there’s bitching about the cold, the camping conditions, the length of the hike and the distance to the car. He loves the summit but hates the down climb and he practically sprints to the car before I am even off the summit. His goal isn’t to hike all the 14ers so he humors me by joining along when I can’t find other hiking partners and he refuses to do any of the slogs that aren’t challenging. I don’t blame him, if I wasn’t trying to do them all I wouldn’t waste my time either.

 

(Chad Climbing challenger last year where he complained the whole way off the mountain)

 

Needless to say for him to suggest we climb a mountain is no small miracle. I suggested we shoot for Sneffles so we could stay in Telluride/Ouray area since it’s our favorite spot in the state. Sneffles is about a 7-8 hour drive from Denver so it’s not exactly close in proximity. We decided to leave Thursday, hike Friday then enjoy our anniversary on Saturday and head back Sunday. I only made one rule- no bitching the whole weekend. My mom arrived Wednesday and both her and Chad came to the yoga class I subbed then we got the last of our packing done before heading out in the afternoon Thursday.

One thing you take for granted when you have a child is your freedom. The freedom to wake up whenever you want, the freedom to eat whenever you please, the freedom to just get up and leave and hike and in general not have a third wheel you must take care of. We arrived in Montrose Thursday evening and hit up the Horsefly Brewery then retired for our early wake up call. This was a glamping trip since we were celebrating so we stayed in hotels the whole weekend rather than camping. There’s a freedom in NOT camping in that you don’t’ have to bring a call full of gear and plan out your meals around a cooler and propane stove.

There’s a dedication involved to hiking 14ers. Besides the willingness to want to hike you find yourself getting up at least three hours before the sun on your weekends. You must be willing to drive long distances, to watch the weather, to brave the elements and study the routes. There’s a lot of prep work involved especially in a peak like Sneffles where we were hiking the non-standard Southwest Ridge route. I read what little trip reports were out there in hopes of snow conditions and route findings. You can learn a lot from others mistakes and successful summits and that’s what I aimed on doing. We arrived at the trailhead around 6am and quickly blew past the few other hikers ahead of us. We pretty much had the mountain to ourselves the whole time. Sneffles is only about 6 miles roundtrip making it for a relatively quick hike if you know what you are doing and have a nice day.

We reached the ridge and met up with a father and son who were also climbing that route but from the Blue Lakes side. While chatting we saw a couple coming down off the ridge and I thought they had already summited. The couple then reached us and said they weren’t sure where to go because they hadn’t hiked many harder routes. They didn’t have helmets either so it seemed they might have been in over their heads. We offered to let them follow us but they sat and waited as we headed up the ridge and it wasn’t until later I caught a glimpse of them from our spot by the Kissing Camel rock formation. I never saw them on the summit or on the way down so I don’t know if they turned around or not. The ridge can be a little confusing so I was happy that Jim, the father, led the way. He hadn’t hiked that route on Sneffles before but he had completed all the 14ers and was just re-climbing them via different routes for his son.

I found the rock to be relatively stable with just a few areas where we really had to use our whole bodies to climb up. The final push to the summit was on solid volcanic rock and there was only one spot that made me pause because of the sheer exposure on either side. It was when we reached this point too we started to hear thunder in the distance and our blue bird day started turning to darker skies. We were too committed to turn around so we pushed to the summit and topped out around 9am. Peak 39 in the books! 19 more to go...

After a few photos we started down and it was then the grapple started to fall and the wind picked up. I heard thunder then there was a huge flash of lightning at the peak directly in front of us which certainly caught my attention. When you are down climbing a mountain like Sneffles you have to go slow and mindful or else you risk hurting yourself more trying to get down than the damage the lightning would cause. Then is certainly not the time to sprain an ankle or break a bone. The scree filled gulley was, in my opinion, not horrible to down climb especially since it was wet but I would have hated to go up it. If you have some experience with exposure, route finding and scrambling I’d suggest doing up the southwest ridge then down the standard any day over up the standard. I personally hate gulleys and scree and I find both are a dangerous combination especially when you have inexperienced hikers ahead of you.

After bidding good-bye to our new friends Jim and Zach, we headed off towards the lake where we hung out until returning to our car about 12:30. The storm had passed once we were back on the main trail so we went into Ouray to the Ouray brewery to have lunch and beers. I highly recommend the wings there they were amazing especially after our hike!

With our hike out of the way we had the rest of the weekend to relax and recover. We stayed in Ridgeway so we could be in-between Ouray and Telluride and we experienced all each town had to offer. We ate at the True Grit café one night in Ridgeway, visited the clothing optional Orvis hot springs in Ouray, had drinks at Grumpy Pants in Ouray and drive the infamous Imogene Pass that connects Telluride and Ouray. Imogene has a 4/5 rating for hard roads to drive and is also the second highest unpaved road in the United States. It wouldn’t be a vacation without more hiking so the mister and I did 5 miles roundtrip to Hope Lake outside Telluride.

I was excited to see Hope Lake because it was on my horizon last year for my Telluride Yoga + Hiking Retreat. I declined to have my ladies hike there because of the drive from Telluride town (it isn’t far but I wanted something closer in the end) but it’s an amazing hike. If you ever find yourself down in that area it’s a relatively easy hike and you also pass Trout Lake on the way in where one can SUP and boat.

Before we knew it the weekend had ended and it was time to head home to Denver. Fortunately for me I’ll be heading back there next month for my second Telluride Yoga + Hiking Retreat. Lucky for Chad I also have a few other 14ers left in that part of the state so I have no doubt we will be returning for more hiking.

I’ve never been to Japan but there is something to be said for exploring your own back yard. One of the beauties of hiking 14ers to me, is that it takes me places I never would have thought to explore. Chad was the one who took me up my first climbs Gray’s and Torrey’s and got me hooked so I owe him my addiction to the climb. Marriage really is a lot like hiking and climbing – you need a good partner, someone you can trust, someone who will make the journey better and someone who would do anything to protect and care for you. Like hiking, marriage isn’t always easy, it’s full of obstacles you didn’t plan on and sometimes other people get in the way (or show you the way which is ideal). In the end, the best part of both is enjoying how it changes and challenges you. I’m fortunate to have found a love in both.

 

(thanks Jim for the photo! So much I love in one picture!)

 

Tetons, 14ers and the incline - Holy Legs!

A trip to Jackson Hole in May got me all hyped up for hiking Colorado’s 14ers this summer. Jackson Hole is truly one of my favorite spots on this earth and we had a great week of hiking, hot tubing, relaxing, exploring and lots of in-house dancing. Last summer I spent so much time teaching, doing promotions for Pressery at the farmer’s markets, and taking on extra responsibilities that I felt like I didn’t get to enjoy the summer. Plus we were living in a rental house and wanting to move so we needed to save money thus my time spent hiking and enjoying family time were put on the back burner. I decided I didn’t want this summer to be like that and I wanted to enjoy the things I can only enjoy in the summer. Life is too short to be spent working and not living.

I frequently am asked what hikes I recommend for the places I’ve explored so here are my top picks for Jackson Hole. These three hikes are appropriate for anyone traveling with a toddler as we did all of them with Charlotte in tow. Unlike Colorado, these hikes don’t have as much elevation gain so as long as you are in moderate physical shape they are all accessible.

Death Canyon – at the very least you can hike to the Phelps Lake overlook and down to the lake. If you are serious about hiking you can go even further into the Canyon. Everyone we saw was hiking with Bear mace which we did not carry but if I were overnighting in the woods I would.

Jenny lake to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point – this is a very popular hike in the park and has rewarding views of both the lake and waterfalls at the end.

Snow King Mountain – snow king is a smaller ski resort property in Jackson Hole and in the summer you can hike up the mountain bike trails to the top of the mountain for a great view of the valley. The lift wasn’t running in may when we were there but I’m assuming if it is you could take the lift down to the bottom instead of hiking round trip. The hike isn’t as pretty scenery wise as you’re on the side of a ski hill but the views are stunning. Since it isn’t in the park you don’t have to pay to access the hike either.

You can also take the tram to the top of the main resort and hike the mountain there but the tram was pretty pricey so we decided to save our money.

 As a side note definitely take a trip to see the Mormon Barns because they are not in the park but have amazing views of the Tetons (free!)

I kicked off 14er season with my friend Margaret who, coincidentally was the same person I kicked off the season with last year. Unlike last year, we didn’t have any road closures resulting in a 26 mile hike and a plethora of mosquitos to deal with. Due to limited time we decided to tackle Mount Columbia which was my 37^th 14er and Sawatch Range finisher. I had wanted to hike Columbia in tandem with Harvard last year, however, weather moved in and we were unable to complete the traverse. We took snow shoes because I had read that there was still some snow on the ridge to deal with at the top. The gulley up Columbia isn’t too horrible but on the way down we exited too soon because the snow threw us off and ended up in the center of the gulley. Everything you’ll read about Columbia on 14ers.com will tell you to stay away from the center of the gulley on the way up because it’s loose and dangerous. Well Margaret and I can both attest to this. Despite losing each other, rock slide, brief moments of panic and a thought we might actually have to be rescued we were able to make it down alive. I suggest if hiking them both to go up Columbia then traverse to Harvard then go back down because Harvard’s standard route is much better than Columbia’s on the way down and it’s better defined.

After hiking the incline in Manitou Springs that Sunday with my QiFlow Booty Boot camp crew I had plans to then hike San Luis with my friend Michelle the following weekend.

 

San Luis is one of the most isolated 14ers in the state. It is a part of the San Juan mountain range but it’s 50 miles off the main road and it’s only a class 1 and no other 14ers are near it so you have to WANT to hike this peak to go through all the trouble. I would say if you happen to be down in Lake City hiking that you might as well hit San Luis up as well. 14ers.com says the trail is 14 miles roundtrip but the main trailhead sign says 5.5 one way so I’m not sure which one is correct (all I know is it’s a long day). Michelle and I car camped past the trailhead down by the bathrooms where there is no defined camp spots just chose your own adventure. There’s quite a bit of dispersed camping along the road in if you look we just didn’t see anything as we arrived pretty late in the evening. I saw several people back packing in but I don’t think it’s necessary as the route isn’t technical. We started at 5am and were down to the car by 1pm (that’s with stopping for lunch along the hike). The San Juans are some of my favorite mountains and the range truly has unique views all around.

 

Next adventure is Sneffles for our wedding anniversary. Chad and I were planning on going to Japan but that fell through so he suggested we drive somewhere and hike. My husband never suggests hiking a 14er so I had to jump at the chance. We’d normally fly as Sneffles is down by Telluride, however we need a car to get to the trailhead and it would cost more to rent an SUV than I feel it would be worth. So we are driving Thursday and staying in Gunnison, getting up early Friday and hiking the ridge route and staying in Ridgeway Friday and Saturday night. Side trips to Telluride and Ouray are planning in-between. I didn’t really feel like camping three nights for our wedding anniversary hence plans to stay in a hotel. My mom is coming in town to watch Charlotte rendering us kid free for the weekend. Some married couples go to stay at the Ritz and get massages for their anniversary, we hike mountains!

My hat got blown off the top of my head on San Luis Peak so if anyone finds it then enjoy! I hope it finds a good new home. I have more on my website at yogimagee.com under retail

Yogi Magee is going International!

So many travels have been happening in the world of Yogi Magee Expeditions. We went to Jackson Hole, Wyoming for my 34th birthday this May 18th but I'll have to come back to that trip in another post. I'd like to tell you all about my latest International Retreat that just launched and is already half way sold out! My friend Margaret and I put together a Glamping Retreat in Walden, Colorado that will combine yurts, hiking, yoga and glamorous camping but I'm sad (and excited) to say it already sold out! We work so well together we wanted to put together a retreat out of the country that combined both of our passions: adventure, travel, surfing, yoga and delicious food!

We chose Nicaragua for our Treetop Yoga Adventure and you're invited! The retreat will be February 20-26th in Playa Madres and our accommodations will be at the number one rated surf resort in Nicaragua. $350 secures your spot and the price starts at $1390 which includes:

two yoga classes a day
a surf lesson and board rental
private transfers to and from the airport
a massage
two meals a day

Margaret has been my friend and travel companion through QiFlow where I began my yoga teaching journey and it was a no brainer that we pair up together. We both like to hike, climb, travel, teach yoga, she personal trains and I tend to be the talking head. We've already sold five spots so if you are even the tiniest bit interested put down a deposit to secure your spot today as it's fully refundable before this August 20th.

Speaking of August I still have two spots left on my yoga and hiking retreat in Telluride. That will take place the 12-16th and the price is an affordable $475. I include twice daily yoga, meditation, a welcome reception and tank top and your stay will be right in town at the Viking Lodge which has a beautiful wrap around deck and pool and hot tub. The lodge is situated right on the river which makes for a beautiful walk or bike ride or take the free gondola to the top of the mountain for a quick run down the hill. I only have two spots left and I'd hate to turn anyone away like I did with glamping so if you are interested in more details click here. $200 secures your spot!

Is anyone Winning at this being a parent thing?

Almost 4 weeks have passed since my two year old Charlotte broke her leg. By the time most people read this she will probably already have her cast off. The accident hasn’t been something I’ve wanted to talk about but I’m reminded of it daily. The hot pink cast goes all the way up to her thigh and gets remarks of sympathy and awe everywhere we go. It’s like the scarlet letter she wears telling everyone I’m a bad mom.

I know what you’re going to say. You’re going to say I’m not a bad mom. As if I could feel any other way. I am though. She fell and I was less than a few feet away and to me it’s an incident that could have been avoided had I only been more present. Had I only been paying attention, had I only been more thoughtful, had I only not been in a rush maybe she wouldn’t have broken her tibia and fibula. Perhaps she’d be less whiney these days and inclined to sleep and nap in our bed and cry out because it’s uncomfortable to sleep in and walk in. Perhaps.

Diagnosis- two broken bones

Let me tell you something best friends, there’s not one day that goes by where I feel like I’m “winning” at this mom thing. As my friend and fellow confidant Tania pointed out, mom guilt is always there it’s just magnified more in some situations over others. What I will say is that Charlotte having a cast has now opened a world up for me for others to share their stories on their children breaking their bones. I’ve had more women than I can count come up and know the exact break she had because their child suffered the same accident. Sometimes the child was 6 months old, other times it’s their wrist they broke or their arm. Yet, the end result is always the same, as they look at me with a mix of pity and understanding that yes, kids get hurt and there’s not hardly a damn thing you can do about the fact.

This is obviously the reason in the whole state of Colorado why we could get the only orthopedic appointment available two days after her x-rays confirmed the break.

As one mom I met put it, “I wish they came with instruction manuals on when to take them in to the Doctor.” I too, spend my days constantly second guessing myself and my decisions. My parents rarely took us to see the doctor (my dad believed Ice packs and coca-cola were a cure all) so I spend my time teetering between being the parent who takes their kid in for every bump and bruise and the one who waits three weeks to get a cough checked out. Am I a horrible mother for taking my daughter to school thinking she’ll “get over” her hurt leg when it’s actually broken and I subconsciously knew that? Am I wrong for being annoyed I had to sacrifice my day to pick her up when school calls saying she’s not doing well? What does it say about me that I freak out for my car when projectile vomit occurs in the car seat while driving? I’m human, I don’t know what I’m doing half the time raising a child and there’s no rule book for how to react to these incidents. I walk the line between being selfish and caring too much or caring not enough (of course you can have fruit snacks for dinner just EAT!).

If anyone is winning at this mom gig please let me know. I can tell you I’m glad I’m flawed. I don’t have to own up to any set of standards and my mistakes give permission for other parents to confide theirs in me. There’s not one day I go to bed thinking, “Damn I’m an awesome mom.” Most nights I’m rolling my eyes at having to read a story for the 200^th time and fighting the “I’m hungry” battle when I know she’s stalling bedtime. I give in to the Netflix “kitty movie” she loves because I couldn’t get anything done if I didn’t and let’s just say the new part-time daycare we found for her is easier on the wallet than the eyes. I’ve forgotten the sunscreen and the snacks and I’m pretty sure half her cups aren’t BPA free.

And yet….
Children grow up anyways. They do. Despite all our fuck ups and poor decisions and lack of hospital visits or too many fruit snacks they do thrive and become adults. Some turn out to be fantastic adults through no credit to the parents and others turn out to be horrible human beings through no fault but bad genetic wiring. Through it all I’ve learned the only thing Charlotte really needs to survive is the only thing that we all need and seek and desire which is pure love. I love my daughter and I gather she feels the same about me (at least until she’s a teenager). I don’t have all the answers and I never will and I’m not receiving any Nobel Peace Prizes for mothering but I’m doing the best I can.

Love, my friends, it’s enough. It’s pretty much the only thing we have to give at the end of the day and as long as we give it freely and without question it’s what truly matters most.

In the meantime, I’ll try to be more present and hopefully no more hot pink casts. Of course people frown upon wrapping your kids in bubble wrap so we’ll see how it goes.

 

Keep Joy, Leave Sadness. My first Un-Belizeable International Yoga Teaching Retreat

Around October of 2014 my friend and fellow yoga instructor Erin asked me if I’d be interested in hosting a yoga retreat with her. She wanted to go someplace international and saw I had success with my Telluride Hiking + Yoga Retreat so she thought we’d work well together. To be honest, I hesitated. Not because I didn’t want to work with Erin or travel to another country to teach yoga. I had my doubts that I was a “good enough” teacher to pull students in to fill a retreat. We each had to put a large deposit down to reserve our spot and I was worried we’d lose our money. Initially we had lots of interest from our various friends but when it came down to putting it out there no one signed up. We were working with a company called Belize Yoga and were a little late to the party as most of their teachers look into promoting 18 months to a year out. Erin and I weren’t meeting bench marks and deadlines and at one point I wasn’t even going to be able to attend because it wouldn’t make sense financially.

But, we believed (or should I say BeLIZED).

We believed, we hoped and Brad and Jessie from Belize yoga bent and pardoned every rule they had so we could make it work. We worried, we texted each other a lot and ultimately we decided we had no control. If the retreat was meant to happen it would happen. I clearly remember Erin telling me, “well will we regret it more if we don’t take the chance than if we do?”

I’m thrilled to say after a week in paradise we have no regrets.

When I look back on my 8 days with Belize Yoga, with Erin and with the 11 yogis who attended with us all I can think is that I used up every moment. We met most of our group in Dallas where we connected to Belize City. I caught a stomach bug the day we departed so I was not in the greatest of moods that day. My daughter had also broken her tibia and fibula and had to get a leg cast put on the day before I left so needless to say I was a hot mess. Stepping off the plane in Belize we met Brad from Belize Yoga who would become our guide, our coordinator, our timekeeper, our listening ear and our friend by the end of the retreat. Black Rock Lodge, where we spent our time in the jungle picked us up that first day and we also got to know our drivers who were also our retreat leaders and expedition guides. They pointed out wildlife to us, guided us through caves in canoes and just in general made our experience that much better.

Retreats always start out as awkward. Those who come together tend to group up and those who come solo tend to either hang back or attempt to put themselves out there in hopes of being accepted. As one of the co-hosts I made it my job to get to know everyone and bring the group together. I’m an extrovert by nature, and as my husband says I don’t ever feel awkward. I just don’t play into the energy that tells other people to back off. I made it my mission to sit by someone different at every meal, to ask questions, to listen, to connect with more than just my yoga. We had several excursions from the Mayan Ruins to cave tours, zip line and hikes so I put my stomach issues aside and put a smile on my face and forged ahead. I knew not everyone would gel together instantly but my hope was that by the end of the retreat we’d all be sad to say good-bye to one another.

It’s impossible not to bond when you are in a foreign country trying new experiences with one another. There wasn’t a lot of down time so we spent a lot of time as a group eating lunches, learning about sacrifices in caves, jumping off rocks, tubing down rivers and watching toucans in the trees. We sailed to a private fisherman’s island, we had a beach bbq on a protected beach, we learned how to spear fish and stand up paddle board, we snorkeled and played amongst fish and turtles and rays and sharks. The yoga mat is where we’d begin and end each day and that was the time for us to stretch, connect and flow together. Yoga is a place where people feel vulnerable anyways so it’s a great truth serum. People shared more with each other than they probably ever have with their own families on this retreat. There was no judgment among our group – you could skip yoga or an excursion or show up to yoga with a cocktail and nobody batted an eye. We were all there for ourselves and yet bonded together as well. I never felt any tension among the group or the feeling that anyone didn’t like someone else. We came from all over the country yet we were all there as one.

The highlight of the retreat came to me in the unexpected moments, the ones that weren’t on the itinerary. The moments of fear before jumping off a cliff into the water, watching the sting rays in the water by the yoga dock before bed and the drum circle dance party. I’ll remember the conversations I had and the one-liners that made me laugh as well as the attempts to spear fish. The last night together I led us all in a chant, something I’ve never done before and it was so powerful and beautiful it made me cry from happiness. I’ve never been one to lead an Om or chant and to see these people open their hearts to us made me want to open my heart to them. I left Belize feeling happy, full and grateful.

I learned a lot about myself on the retreat as well. I learned I AM enough. I learned to be mostly happy by living in the now. I learned how to disconnect from social media and what dragged me down. I came to the retreat with thoughts and demons and bad memories in my head that disappeared. I learned to let go of stress and just be me. In Belize I wasn’t a wife or a mother. I was just Natalie the yoga instructor who made people laugh and cry because I connected with them. I stayed present and looked people in the eye and listened and didn’t hurry or rush. I learned to slow down…a lot. I learned to sit in silence, to watch the sun rise and set over the ocean without any place else to be. I learned to let go of bad habits and to enjoy the company of myself. I never in a million years thought I’d be able to do something like this and I sat in gratitude each day that not only was this my life but that I helped make this happen. I was enough.

I know I’ll be back to Belize with Belize Yoga although it will never be the same retreat. You can’t recreate an experience like what we had. I think about how if we hadn’t decided to run with the idea how I never would have met 8 of those people (three I already knew from classes at QiFlow). It makes me realize that some of the best moments of my life, haven’t even happened yet and I have so much more to live for. If it weren’t for yoga, for taking the teacher training and finding QiFlow I would have never have met Erin or had the courage to travel internationally to do what we did. Life is all about challenging yourself and I’m thankful for those who believed in me and knew I could pull this off even if the prospect was intimidating.

I’m walking away from my experience with Belize Yoga so thankful for all their help and guidance and ease at which we were able to host this retreat. I can only speak for myself but I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t get to do or a detail that was left out. Everything from the food, to the tours, the travel, the staff, the drink and the activities (hermit crab racing anyone?) was so well thought out that it couldn’t have gone more smoothly. I know I can’t take everyone home with me as I’d like to do, but I left feeling like I had made so many new friends who I’ll always treasure and that’s worth its weight in gold to me.

On our last day I had everyone go around and share what they were leaving behind and what they were taking with them in one word. Each person’s story was everyone’s story and I think we all were making it a point to leave behind fear, worry, stress, self-doubt and burdens. While we were each there for different reasons I believe the common denominator which we all took home with us was Joy. I can’t think of a better feeling to take home than Joy or Love. It was hard not to be tearful when we were saying good-bye but as our guide Rasta reminded us, “Keep Joy and Leave Sadness.”

So here’s to what’s ahead and to the people I’ve yet to meet out there. There’s so much life and yoga left to live and spread and I intend on making it my life’s work to connect others. I’ll definitely remind myself to keep the joy and leave the sadness.

Because if you’re mostly happy…you’re living in the now.