Health and Fitness

Owl gulch hike view

By D. Dion

Telluride residents love the new Owl Gulch cutoff between the Jud Wiebe Trail and Tomboy Road, but they’re not the only locals who have been frequenting the new trail this summer. Bears have also been making their mark on the hiking route.

The young aspen trees all along the highest switchbacks of the trail are riddled with claw marks. Apparently the bruins woke up hungry after their winter nap and have been digging into the trees’ flesh, which is just beneath their bark. The inside of the tree bark has nutritional value not just for bears, but also for people, which is a good bit of information to have should you find yourself starving out in the woods. Of course, the average hiker doesn’t have nails or an appendage anything like a bear does, so you might also want to remember your Swiss army knife if you plan on getting lost and not bringing enough food.

 

By D. Dion

(editor's note: Telluride Kayak School and Jagged Edge are very much involved in the Ridgway River Festival this Saturday, June 26. There are opportunities to try out kayaks, or just enjoy being on the river. In addition, Telluride Kayak School is holding a 2-day beginner clinic this weekend. Check out the website for information.)

If you think the only things landlocked Colorado can thank Hawaiian culture for are loud floral dress shirts and the ukulele, think again: Stand Up Paddling has made the migration from the islands to our rivers, and there are already a lot of whitewater junkies on board the new trend.

[click "Play" to hear Susan's conversation with Scott and Chandra]

Chandraheadshotforweb Scott-2-IMG_0211e-print Two separate but related events and three extraordinary individuals link two magical places, Tara Mandala and Telluride.

The event is a workshop on the subject of "Shadow Yoga and Buddhist Meditation: the Pranic Pathway to Stillness." The individuals leading the two intensives are the husband and wife team of Scott Blossom and Chandra Easton, joined by one of their teachers, Lama Tsultrim Allione.

The workshop at Tara Mandala, a 700-acre retreat center near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, founded by Lama Tsultrim Allione and her husband David Petit, occurs first and unfolds over six days, June 30 – July 7. The retreat targets those interested in learning a set of practices for circulating and preparing the vital energies (prana) for meditation.

Golf_pro The Telluride Ski & Golf Club welcomes Samantha Fritz as Head Golf Professional. Fritz is a PGA Class A Professional and comes to Telluride with extensive experience in the golf industry.

 Fritz graduated in 2007 from Ferris State University with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing and a concentration in Professional Golf Management. For the past three seasons, she has worked at some of the most elite resort facilities in the country, including The Club at Cordillera in Edwards, Colorado, and The Hawthorns Golf and Country Club in Fishers, Indiana. Fritz established and cultivated the women’s golf programs at both facilities. Through extensive lessons, clinics and relationships, she grew both into the excellent programs they are today.
[click "Play" for a "shorts" conversation with Kristin Holbrook]

DSC00279 The long and short of it is this: after a brief pause to refresh during the off-season, Kristin Holbrook of Two Skirts is back with Fashion Friday for the summer. Her subject: shorts.

Who wears short shorts? Short answer: everybody.

Shorts were everywhere on the runways of Paris and New York, but not your mother's gym shorts. Shorts have become ladylike, with styles for every age and stage of life. There were preppy shorts on the Luella runway, loose boxers from Chloe, and structured boxers from Marc by Marc Jacob. Prada and Paul Smith showed white (and structured). Gwyneth was spotted on the streets in walking shorts, a look that shows leg, but is decidedly polished.

Golf0114 Those addicted to the ground-based spheroid-impact phenomenon known as "golf" should get ready to rev up the motors on their carts. The greens are manicured and the tee boxes prepped. Telluride's 18-hole, par-70 golf course opened for business on May 28.

“The course is in great shape,” said Director of Golf, Sean Tannehill. “The crew has done a fantastic job, and we are looking forward to a full summer lineup of tournaments and events.”

The Pro Shop offers offers custom club fitting and the latest in equipment and apparel as well as lessons from PGA-certified professionals, Dan Smith and Carol Price.

[click "Play" to hear Annie Pace's conversation with Susan]

Annie4 The Telluride Yoga Center leads from strength, launching its summer season with an Ashtanga Yoga Intensive for all levels of practitioners led by certified instructor Annie Pace. The workshop takes place Friday, June 4 – Sunday, June 6.


With over 30 years of experience, Annie Pace is one of the most adept practitioners of traditional Ashantga Yoga, having received her Advanced B teaching certification from Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in 1995, a rare honor. And she continues to study extensively in India.