Raw and Unfiltered Life Adventures
"Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?" "MAD Hippies’ Life is about inspiring people to live their best life. While we certainly love promoting the outdoors through backpacking, hiking, photography and the essence of the natural world, the very nature of our inspiration is relationships and … Continue reading Interview With Shoutout Colorado
The energy of a 24 - 7 lifestyle filled the air and had our senses pushed to their limits. By nature, we prefer a more relaxed environment, this was difficult for us and not what we are used to. Following Cherry Creek from end to end, while not necessarily a trail we would typically hike, … Continue reading Cherry Creek Trail – End to End
The trail began to become quite elusive, covered with debris and indistinguishable from the surrounding landscape. To sum it up, it was quite a mess that took some time to navigate and get a good feel as to where the trail "should" be based on the topography. Route finding was demanding and at some point, … Continue reading Pawnee Buchanan Loop – Indian Peaks Wilderness
The Indian Peaks Wilderness is always a welcome sight to us, walking through its alpine landscape is as a visit with a dear friend. On this outing we chose to begin our adventure at the Hessie Trailhead near the small and historic town of Eldora not far from Nederland. Our destination, Diamond Lake. Though we … Continue reading Diamond Lake – Hessie High Route
We sat in camp watching the "natural" world go by. Morning walks, afternoon walks and evening walks all painted a new picture as the colors changed the landscape little by little with the passing of time. Our gear was all stowed, the pups were in their seats and our eyes focused to the west and … Continue reading Heart Lake and Rogers Peak Lake – James Peak Wilderness
It is very easy to give in and just put everything on the shelf. But, to both of our mother's honor, we will push through, take deep breaths and keep moving. It is what they would want of us.
The morning quiet was deafening. The silence of the alpine void of wind, foliage and wildlife, just two weary travelers making passage across the top of the world. It was late in the day and we were still climbing. Passing from 11,000', 12,000' and on into 13,000' watching the sun slowly sink closer to the … Continue reading Life Above Treeline
Doing our homework when purchasing products should indeed involve a responsible and ethical formula. The question thus becomes, what is a good formula for making purchases? When it comes to hiking and backpacking gear there is no shortage of choices. Clothing, backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, quilts, pads, stoves, headlamps, trekking poles, gadgets and an endless … Continue reading How We Purchase Our Gear
Any hike, be it a thru hike, day hike or multi-day backpacking trip requires specific gear designed for the conditions the adventurer will encounter. From the weather to the trail itself, hiking in the great outdoors tests the capabilities of the explorer mentally and physically. Choosing proper gear for the journey is paramount. Just like … Continue reading The Complete Colorado Trail Gear Guide
We could see the parking lot now, we were almost laughing with excitement as we took our last steps and arrived at the southern terminus. We took off our packs and just deflated, as if on cue, in an emotional end to an incredible journey. Colorado Trail Segment 28 of 28 Start: Kennebec TH End: … Continue reading Colorado Trail Segment 28 of 28
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