Telluride Colorado, Hiking and Backpacking the Blue Lakes trail

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Looking for easy trail navigation? Check out Alltrails; an app with trail reviews, navigation, and trail stats. Predownload trails in case of no service.

So you’ve gotten your backpacking gear and your looking for beginner to intermediate trails to do an overnight backpacking trip. One of the best places to start is Colorado, known for it’s immense amount of hiking trails throughout the state. Within Colorado are the San Juans, unlike any other mountain range in the state. Not too far from small towns Telluride and Ouray is the Blue Lakes trail, an amazing scenic hike with 3 alpine lakes at the top. It’s a doable day hike, but definitely worth backpacking camp gear and food in for a couple nights. In this post I’ll be going over how to get to the Blue Lakes Trail, what to pack, trail details, and what to expect. Alright lets do thisss.

How to get there

Drive through the Southwest part of Colorado and turn onto a dirt road (County Road 7) all the way to the trailhead for 4.3 miles. You don’t need AWD, but it helps. There will be a few bumpy areas, but overall the road isn’t too bad. Below I listed times and distances from major areas with Telluride having the closest airport.

Denver- 6 hours/336 miles

Telluride- 1 hour and 15 minutes/44 miles

Summit County- 5 hours/268 miles

Vail- 4 hours 15 minutes/240 miles

Durango- 2.5 hours/95 miles

Flagstaff- 7 hours/378 miles

Best time of year to backpack this trail

Mid June-Late September depending on snowfall and weather!

Can you park overnight for free

Yep, no overnight permits needed to park at the trailhead. Since the trail does get heavy usage in the summer, I recommend getting to the trailhead earlier to grab a parking spot.

Does the Blue Lakes Trail require permits to hike and camp

As for now NO, However! there is a proposed permit system by the Forest Service for future use going on right now in regards to how many people can hike the trail in a given day as well as camp overnight in a given day.

What to Pack

If your new to backpacking there’s a number of items I would recommend having to make the camping more enjoyable. The key with packing your camp gear into a spot is to keep the pack as light as possible. I listed the necessities below. I use Mountain Hardwear for my camp gear, however brands such as Nemo, North Face, Marmot, and REI all make great backpacking gear as well.

• Lightweight sleeping bag/Sleeping pad- There’s two types of sleeping bags, real down and synthetic down. Real down is more lightweight and packable while synthetic will hold its loft if it gets wet. I like real down because of the weight. It also can last up to 30 years if you take care of it. You’ll also want a backpack specific sleeping pad. Some people use foam, but I personally like REI sleeping pads.

• Water filter and water bottle- Use a filter for clean water from a natural water source. REI will sell these along with packable water bottles.

• Hiking boots/Socks- A pair of hiking boots with good traction and support is a must along with breathable socks that dry quick and wick moisture. Smartwool make my favorite hiking socks.

• Backpacking pack- I use a 70L Mountain Hardwear pack to carry everything I need, but a 50-65L pack will work great too. Make sure to buy a backpacking specific pack and purhase a pack that works best for your body size.

• Lightweight tent- Make sure that it is specific to backpacking

• Pocket Rocket Burner and Packable - A pocket burner is what you’ll cook food on and it’s very lightweight and packable. Also needed is fuel, utensils, and a stove to cook everything.

• Headlamp- Very useful, especially in areas that don’t allow campfires.

• Power Bank- Keep electronics charged up

• Rain Jacket- Lightweight and waterproof is the name of the game. Burton AK rain jackets check both of those boxes.

• Down Jacket- Once the sun goes down in the mountains at a high elevation, it can get cold, even in the summer. Burton’s Baker down is perfect for summer hiking missions, with it being lightweight and packable.

• Wilderness Wash- Get this at an outdoor shop or a local REI store. Works for handwashing, showering, and washing dishes.

• PackTowl- A lightweight camping towel

• Hiking Poles- These might seem kinda whack, but they work great for rocky hikes and maneuvering on trails

• Bug Spray- Summer is prime for Mosquitoes, gotta have bug spray

• Bear Spray/Bear Bag- Keep food sealed up and at a distance from camp.

• Alltrails app- I use this for app trail reviews, info, and navigation. Download the trail ahead of time for the best navigation!

What to Expect

The trail is great if you’re not looking to do anything too exteme, but still want awesome views of the surrounding terrain. This hike is also a doable day hike. Expect some elevation gain as you make your way to the lower lake as well as the middle and upper lakes. One of my favorite things about backpacking this trail, was making dinner up near the top lake for Golden Hour. There wasn’t anyone around and the golden sun shining on the San Juans was pretty epic. Check out the trail details below that I found on Alltrails.

Elevation Gain- 2,509 feet

Trail Type- Out and Back

Dogs Allowed- Yep and must be on leash in some areas

Mileage- 8.7 Miles

Time- Average of 5 hours and 8 minutes

Beginner Backpacking Tips

If you’re new there’s a few things to keep in mind to make the adventure more enjoyable. I’m still learning, but here’s a few things I’ve learned from friends and by doing.

• Less is more- Try to pack only what you need for the trip. No more then one other pair of clothes to change into. People backpacking will typically just hike and wear one set of clothes for the entire adventure.

• Keep the waist part of your pack tight as you want most of the weight of the pack to be carried on your hips not shoulders.

• Be prepared for weather- See packing list above for details.

• Plan ahead- Make sure to plan your route ahead of time and look at a map before you set out on the trail, majority of high alpine environments won’t have cell service.

• Be prepared in case of an emergency which includes having a first aid kit. It also is helpful to have a Garmin inReach in case you need to message or contact anyone.

• Pack food and meals that are easy to cook and cleanup. REI will have a number of backpacking meals that only require boiled water. Snacks such as beef jerky, trail mix, and trail bars are also great food items to bring.

• Camp and use the bathroom at least 200 feet from water and dig a hole if you are going to the bathroom. They sell backpacking shovels at any outdoor store.

• Pack out what you packed in

Trail Details

Once you’ve parked and grabbed your pack, you’ll notice signage for the start of the trail right by the bathroom. You’ll be entering the Mt Sneffels wilderness part of the Uncompahgre national forest. The first part of the hike will be through a wooded area with a good amount of elevation gain (about 2,300) before it starts to level out near the lower lake. As you get closer to camp there will be a waterfall on your left.

My friends and I set up camp at the lower lake, as there were a number of spots going around it. Keep in mind that you must be at least 200 feet away from the lake and that there are No campfires allowed.

There is also a great view of the lower lake if you take the trail that goes to the upper lakes. Use your All Trails downloaded map for help with navigation from the campsite.

Once you have camp set up, I recommend grabbing your dinner, utensils, your stove and heading up to the middle and upper lakes to catch the sunset while eating a good camp meal (weather depending). As you hike up to the top lakes, notice Mt. Sneffels to the left. This is a well known 14er in Colorado with an elevation of 14,159 feet. The Blue Lakes trail is one of the ways to hike to the peak of this 14er and I noticed couple of people heading up to do it with helmets on the following morning

The views when hiking to the upper lakes are some of the best I’ve seen thus far in Colorado, so pack a camera if you got it or use your cell phone for some amazing photos and enjoy the surrounding landscape of the San Juan mountains

Can you fish in the lakes

Yep, just make sure your Colorado Fishing license is up to date. This can be purchased/renewed online or typically at a local fly fishing shop

Should we check out any of the surrounding towns and the Million Dollar Highway

As mentioned above there will be three small towns close to the trailhead; Ouray, Telluride, and Ridgeway. All three have great restaurants, outdoor shops, hot springs, and lodging if you wanted to clean up for a night or two and chill before heading home. It’s also fun to hang out in either town for the afternoon and grab a bite somewhere after doing a backpacking trip.

Ouray will be a little more low key then Telluride with the Million Dollar Highway right outside of town. For a quick bite I recommend Maggies Kitchen. Inexpensive Burgers and fries that are pretty amazing. Drive south out of town and you’ll be on the infamous Million Dollar Highway. This highway goes from Ouray to the town of Silverton for 25 Miles, with the peak being at the top of Red Mountain Pass. I took it to the top of the pass (13 miles) from Ouray and then drove back. There’s pull-offs along certain parts of the highway for scenic views, just make sure to be careful driving this road as there are no guard rails with steep drop offs.

Looking for more Colorado adventure? Check out Leadville Colorado, a small town with lots of outdoor recreation. If you have any questions or information to add, please leave a comment below! It’s always cool to connect with people on here. Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

Buying a skateboard, Everything you need to know and how to Grip your first Board

Disclosure: When you buy something through the Affiliate product links I have created below, I earn a small commission. I only promote products and companies I support as well as believe in.

With summer in full swing and skateboarding being in The Olympics this year, I figured a lot more people; upcoming youth, adults who once participated, snowboarders, surfers, etc. would be interested in trying skateboarding or getting back into it.

What’s great is skating has a fairly low cost of entry and you can do it practically anywhere, with the majority of skateparks being free. Complete skateboards average around $130-$150 and can last quite a long time depending on use and skill level. In this post I’ll be going over where to buy a skateboard, how to set up a board, and the different parts that make up a complete skateboard. Alright lets do thisss.

what-to-know-when-gripping-a-skateboard

Brief History

Skateboarding originally started in the early 50’s as a way for surfers to get a similar feel when the waves were flat. In the early 70’s a crew of surfers/skateboarders named Dog-Town and the Z boys from Venice Beach California changed skating entirely with a more creative approach. Fast forward to almost five decades later and skateboarding continues to grow in popularity with more people from all different walks of life participating. It has become an activity as well as outlet for many young people across the world!

Where to Start

The best place to start when looking to purchase a board is your Local Skate Shop. Skate shops will have staff that can provide helpful knowledge as well as point you in the right direction based on ability level and experience. If there isn’t a skateshop nearby I would suggest shopping online. However, the experience will never be the same as going into a local shop. Most skateshops have an e-commerce shop and you can either call the shop directly, shoot them an email, or even use an online Chat Service to find the information you need. Each product should have a brief description as well. I like Tactics Boardshop , based out of Oregon. They have three Brick and Mortar stores along with an online shop.

Other skateshops that sell product online that I really like include Embassy Boardshop (Columbus Ohio), Rose Street (Encinitas California), 303 Boards (Denver Colorado), and Val Surf (Los Angeles California).

Deciding what to buy

Boards

There’s a lot of different board companies out there and you really can’t go wrong with any of them. A wider board is typically better for skating transition (bowls, mini ramps, half pipes) while a narrower board will be better for what’s considered street skating (rails, ledges, flat ground). Some great skate brands include Baker, April, Chocolate, Girl, Primitive, Quasi, Toy Machine, DGK and Alien Workshop. Most shops will also have shop decks that cost about $10-$20 cheaper then a branded skate deck if you’re looking to save a little bit of money. Some shops will throw in grip tape when buying a skate deck or you might have to buy your own for an extra $5. Jessup, Mob, Grizzly, and Miles are all great grip tape companies.

Wheels

The diameter of the skate wheel as well as the durometer will be the two contributing factors that are needed to decide which wheels will work for your skating style and experience. Diameter is measured in Millimeters. Typically the larger the wheel the better it is for transition and cruising around the streets or skatepark. Larger wheels are faster and can go over bumps and cracks much easier. Smaller wheels are better for technical street style skating because they are lighter, smaller, and will pop those Kick Flips and Ollies better.

A great wheel size range to start out with, right in the middle is 52-53mm in my opinion. Once you go above 60mm you’re looking at a longboard/cruiser wheel. Top wheel brands include Spitfire, Bones, OJ, and Ricta.

The durometer is how hard or soft the wheel is. The lower the number, the softer the wheel, the higher the number, the harder the wheel. Most skatepark/street skating wheels will have a durometer of 98-103a. These wheels are lighter, slide easier, and have better response for popping the board and doing flip tricks or grinds. Cruiser wheels will have a lower durometer making them faster, softer, and better for cruising around on a sidewalk, bike path, or a boardwalk.

Once you’ve picked out your wheels you’ll need bearings. The rule of thumb with bearings is the higher the price tag the less maintenance required and better materials used for the bearings. Bones REDS are probably the number one bearing company on the market. When it comes to bearings, you get what you pay for, so pay a lil more and you’ll have bearings that last much longer.

Trucks

The last part of your set up will be the trucks, essentially what turns and maneuvers the board. Trucks are an interesting part of the skateboard set up and I’m still learning new things on them. Top Truck brands include Thunder, Independent, Venture, Krux, and Royal. There are Low, Mid, and High truck height sizes. I noticed a lot of trucks on the market these days are Mid height. A taller truck allows you to turn the board quicker while a shorter truck allows you quicker pop and snap. You’ll also want the truck axle width to match the deck width properly. The truck axle is what the skate wheels are attached to.

A local skate shop can help you with that or if you buy your trucks online, there should be a size chart. Each company has a different way of measuring their trucks, therefore always refer to the size chart! For example I skate an 8.38 inch skateboard and ride Thunder 148’s with an 8.25 inch axel. Try to keep the axel width within 1/4 of an inch of your deck size.

The last part about trucks is weight. Trucks come in standard , light, and even hollow light weight sizes. Lights or Hollow Lights will have hollow king pins and axels that allow you to pop everything higher with less effort. If you skate more transition or your a beginner, the standard truck will work better in my opinion because the added weight gives the board more control. Standard trucks are also less expensive compared to lighter versions.

Gripping the Skateboard

Now that you have some skate product knowledge and may have purchased what you need for a complete, I’ll show you how to grip a skateboard below. If you’re new to skating the shop can grip your board and also most online stores provide an option for the board to come gripped. None the less it’s a fun skill to learn over time.

1. You’ll need a Skate Tool, File, Razor Blade and a #2 Philips screw driver (Burton Bullet Tool)

2. Line the Grip up

You’ll want to make sure that the grip tape is as even as possible around the board before you press it onto the top of the deck. I’ll usually stand above the deck and eye it. It’s ok if it doesn’t line up at first because the grip tape can be easily adjusted as long as you didn’t completely press it down.

Once it is lined up, press evenly starting at one end and working your way towards the other end. Getting rid off any air bubbles. I like to re-use the piece peeled from the grip tape to press better on the top of the grip.

3. File Around the Board

A file can be purchased at your local hardware store, Lowes or Home Depot. Use any part of the file and start to scrape around the edge of the skateboard creating a white line. This is allows you to cut the grip tape around the board smoothly and evenly so make sure to create a nice even white line.

4. Cut around the Deck

I make four different cuts around the board in order to cut the grip tape off in sections. One on each side, near the nose and tail. You’ll then want to cut carefully and smoothly towards yourself holding the razor in one hand and the cut off grip tape in the other.

5. Wheels and Bearings

This requires some muscle, but a good way to put new bearings into new wheels is to either use a skate tool or the axle of your skate truck. If you’re using a skate tool, be careful not to damage the bearings only pressing down on the inner metal circle. You’ll want to line up the bearing to the wheel as evenly as possible.

6. Attach trucks

This is the final part of setting up a complete skateboard. Use your Philips #2 screwdriver, your skate tool, skate harware (bolts/screws) and start to screw the trucks to the board. Don’t over-tighten, until the grip tape breaks in a little bit. If you over-tighten the hardware, you risk pressure cracks with a brand new skate deck. Also don’t tighten your trucks at all, let the bushings break in. The bushing will be the soft gummy part you see on the truck.

With Bones Bushings, they come broken in, which is why I suggest swapping your factory bushings out with a set of Bones. Again, you can purchase these at your local skateshop or online.

Once you’re board is all set up, find the nearest curb, driveway, or skatepark and have fun! Skateboarding is full of amazing life lessons and allows you to connect and meet a lot of different people from different backgrounds. Just remember to have fun with it and enjoy the process of getting better. Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post!