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Editor's note: For eight years, Telluride local/mountaineer Ben Clark and a few friends/professional colleagues have made Spring treks to the majestic Himalayas. Follow his adventures on Telluride Inside... and Out, including links to his regular podcasts. If you have missed any of Ben's posts, just type "Ben Clark" into Lijit Search to find them all.

When I broke my ankle on May 1 last spring, I was at 17,600’ on 23,390' Baruntse, also known as my own personal Moby Dick for reasons you can research at www.skithehimalayas.com. Unlike Ahab, I was rescued by a vessel rather than doomed to one. Lifted into the skies, wrapped in bandages, worked over through weeks of PT and now here I am again today, returning to wrestle with ambition and not the ankle. Hopefully stronger, admittedly risk averse and yet still with an appetite for the unknown. The whale is gone though, off my range for a spell. 

17 October, 2010 /

Dateline: Athens, 10/16/2010

IMGP1701 You know you are not in Kansas – Telluride either – when the view outside your window is, yes, a mountain, but not a very big one, and on top of that mountain –  or "Sacred Rock," the name locals gave it – is a cluster of ancient buildings, marble masterpieces dating back to the late fifth century B.C., the Golden Age of Athens.

The temples on the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, are among the most important monuments in the Western world. Yesterday, day #2 in Greece, we made the required pilgrimage. I say "required," not "desired," because the place is on everyone else's bucket list too, and so even now, the tail end of tourist season, there is barely room to turn around. But I am getting ahead of myself.

17 October, 2010 /

IMGP1708 Regular readers of Telluride Inside... and Out will recognize a familiar voice at the helm: Deb Dion has the con while Susan and I are on the road. Thanks for taking control, Deb.

We had a good week in Hackensack, NJ, with Susan's parents, with a few side trips into New York for art, theatre (if you're in New York, don't miss "Little Foxes" at New York Theatre Workshop) and catching up with friends. We had good pass rider karma on Delta Airlines, with seats in Business Class for the 10 hour flight to Athens. That set us up to hit the ground running when we arrived.

Construction and traffic delays related to labor strikes (protesting austerity measures mandated by EU bailouts in Greece) slowed our ride into the city. Our driver, Stevios, had plenty of stories to fill the time. Our first home-away-from-home, the Eridanus Luxury Art Hotel, has proven helpful beyond measure, as well as beautiful. The view of the Acropolis from our patio is also a major benefit.

15 October, 2010 /
[click "Play", Dr. Ptak speaks with Susan about breast cancer and reconstructive surgery] October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In Telluride, the Ah Haa School for the Arts is celebrating in support, designating the 10th month of the year  to "The Art of Being a Woman." Among the events on the agenda is BRA-vo, a bra invitational: bras gathered from local donations are to be decorated throughout the month, then displayed by stunning models, all men, all jocks, on the runway at the school Thursday, October 21, 7 – 9 p.m. We are LOL just thinking about it. But breast cancer is no laughing matter. Unknown-1 Breast cancer: two words that strike fear in the hearts of women around the world – and with good reason. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Research from the National Cancer Institute reveals that in the U.S. in 2010 alone, over 200,000 women were diagnosed with the disease.
12 October, 2010 /

IMGP1496 I believe I have mentioned before: for me there is no good time to leave Telluride. But things are so busy in Telluride during the Winter and Summer, that if one is to get out of town to visit family, the shoulder season is when it's going to happen.

We were in Telluride long enough to be aware of this even-more-beautiful Autumn, but mostly we have been on the road. We were in Pittsburgh in early September with daughter #2, Kjertsin Klein and husband Greg and grandkids Dylan and Anna. That was a great time. We hadn't been together for a year, so there was a lot of catching up to do, and lots of noticing that the kids had shot up in the meantime.

09 October, 2010 /

Awesome Opals Editor's note:  The astrological signs of October are Libra (September 23 –October 22) and Scorpio (October 23 – November 21). For what's happening in the stars, see Cynthia Zehm's weekly Alacazem. But celestial bodies are not all that shines: the birthstone of the month is opal. To romance the stone, see Telluride Inside... and Out's newest  monthly column, Birthstones, from Dolce.


It is altogether fitting and proper that our birthstone column launches with a riff on opals because Dolce's owner and Telluride local Beau Staley has a personal history with the stone.

In 1989, Beau spent his summer break from college working for Nagalle Designs, a company founded and run by Dolce artist, sculptor James Vilona and once a dominant force in inlaid jewelry manufacturing. Nagalle built its fine reputation on its designs incorporating the coveted Australian opal. Beau wound up taking over Nagalle from James so that James could work full time on his art.  By the time Beau sold Nagalle hinself, he had built a reputation as a power player in the wholesale marketing of this precious stone.

08 October, 2010 /

[click "Play", Ashley Deppen talks about ballet flats]     Telluride's Two Skirts wants to leave you flat – on your feet. Ashley Deppen is talking about ballet flats for this week's installment of Fashion Friday."Feminine, flirty, fantastic...

08 October, 2010 /

by Erik Dalton

 

View towards Lizard Head The Hope Lake trail starts and ends in the Trout Lake area just southeast of Telluride.  I regard this hike as a classic in the fall because of the sweeping views it provides looking out towards the Lizard Head Wilderness and the Wilson Range of 14ers.  Hope Lake is also off the beaten path and a little harder to get to, so if you are looking for some solitude, it can usually be found in the high country surrounding Hope Lake.

To find Hope Lake trailhead, drive out Hwy. 145 past Ophir and turn left at the Trout Lake Road. You parallel the lake for a while before making another left on Trout Lake Road #626, which is well marked.  It's approximately a 10-minute drive from this turn to the trailhead for Hope Lake, which is easily found and marked with a large sign and accompanying map.  Be sure to bring a lunch or some snacks, as this hike is an out-and-back that leads you into the high country and offers some great spots for stopping to smell the roses – rather, wild flowers.

06 October, 2010 /

by Erik Dalton

 

Wasatch Trail September 2010(70) Bear Creek is well known to most Telluriders. The popular hike to the falls has always been a great escape from town. Big trees, gushing creeks, and expansive views welcome hikers as they enter the canyon from the edge of town. The Wasatch Trail is essentially a continuation of the Bear Creek Trail, taking the hiker high above the falls, eventually cresting the high ridges surrounding the basin at 13,000 ft. Although the Wasatch Trail is not for the faint of heart, it is certainly a trail worth every bit of effort, especially in the fall when you can almost be assured it will be just you and the marmots up in the high country.

The Wasatch Trail is marked by a small wooden sign located in the last big flat area before you reach Bear Creek Falls. As soon as you turn right onto the Wasatch Trail, you immediately start climbing towards the cliff bands above, traversing numerous switchbacks as you work yourself high on the hillside towering over the falls.

05 October, 2010 /

by Erik Dalton

 

High Basin below summit-Sneffels Highline Trail The Telluride valley is surrounded by some great hikes, but none can compete with the few that take you up into the high country of our surrounding San Juan Mountains.  The Sneffels Highline Trail is one of these classics that can be completed as a loop right from town, and leads the hiker up through the pines and aspens into incredible high alpine basins and to some of the best views around.

The Sneffels Highline Trail is a 13 mile hiking loop that starts and ends in the town of Telluride, and can be accessed via the Jud Wiebe Trail at the top of Aspen Street.  The trail first loops through National Forest land on the north side of town as it climbs its way up towards Pack Basin, eventually topping out just below Mount Emma at 12,200 ft. in the Sneffels Wilderness Area.  Although the climb up from town is steep, the trail is in great condition and the effort is well rewarded along the way with incredible views down into Mill Creek Basin and back towards the ski area.  The hiker gets the sense of traveling back through time as old mining cabins and the remnants of mines and equipment can be seen scattered along the landscape. 

04 October, 2010 /