LOWA Blog

By Alexandra Maria Garcia, LOWA Ambassador

By Lisa Ballard

Honestly, I don’t have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). During the summer, I just like to do a lot of things outdoors. Friends call my place, “Camp Lisa,” because a typical day includes a sunrise paddle, a hike or trail run before lunch, then a multi-mile bike ride to a local ice cream stand. We might cap the evening with a swim across the lake or a wildflower dog walk. (My dogs don’t like to lie around much either).

For the full blog post and Sunny’s “Make Good Choices” video about the Iditarod Trail Invitational, visit sunnystroeer.com. 

DAY 1. RACE START TO BUTTERFLY LAKE: 25.4 MILES, 1300FT OF ASCENT.

8 HOURS 59 MINUTES, 2840 CALORIES BURNED. ~280 MILES TO GO.

Colorado’s 58 peaks over 14,000 feet in elevation appeal to anyone who loves to stand atop big mountains. Getting to the top of one of these geological giants ranges from a walk-up to a technical ascent, but don’t let the term “walk-up” fool you. The easy ones may require many miles on a trail (without much oxygen), ascending several thousand vertical feet and navigating challenging talus.

The Western Hajar Mountains had already treated us to more vertical than going up and down from Everest Base Camp, rougher trails than clambering up the Baltoro to K2 , and longer and harder days than the Bhutan Snow Man Trek, the “hardest trek in the world.”