I’ve always been impressed by the boundless energy of youth. Not every family is forged from the stuff of mountain goats. Here are some tips to help make hiking with kids a little more enjoyable.

It was July. From my office window, I could see the impossibly blue Texas sky and imagine how hot it was outside the comforts of air conditioning. The high was 99 for the day – a typical summer. On days like this, I pine for the cooler alpine climes.   

That’s when I got an email from Spencer Madden (http://mountainobsession.com). It read, “Hey Sherpa Bill! Spence from Mountain Obsession here. I am starting an adventure after quitting my corporate job. I will be down in Sept crushing 14ers.”   Spence did what many of us only wish we have the courage to do. He quit his corporate job and set off on an adventure of a lifetime.  

Twenty-one years ago, when CFI just came into being, there were only two planned trails – Pikes Peak and the Keyhole Route on Longs Peak. Now the organization plans to raise approximately $30 million to keep all 14er trails maintained/restored.   

So when I had the chance to sit down with Lloyd Athearn, CFI’s Executive Director and man in charge for the past 6 years, I took it. Here’s what I learned. 

With Labor Day now behind us, many Colorado 14er hikers will be hanging up their hiking boots for the year. The summer hiking season has satisfied their urge to connect with nature while challenging their tired legs to again carry them up to the summit of one of Colorado’s 58 14,000 foot peaks. This is also a good time to express our gratitude to a tireless group of volunteers on our various Search and Rescue (SAR) teams across the state.

Whether you’re a new hiker or a veteran, a good hike takes time to plan out thoroughly. Thanks to the advent of smartphones, planning hikes is now much easier, as apps are more than capable of assisting users in every step of their trip. If you’re a smartphone user, here are three apps that you might want to carry around on your next big adventure.

We were enjoying a quiet morning in a small Swiss town of Grindelwald and talking to our new friend Luca as he praised the beauties of the First - Platte Schynige trail. I remember my easily excited friend Peter almost shouting, "Dude, let's go right now, today." And we did, later that day we were on one of the most demanding trails in the Alps.

Our designs are pretty sweet. We strive to keep them casual, fun and one-of-a kind. The handful of designers we use are super-talented - David Hummel (San Diego, CA), Eric Emerson (Durango, CO) and Amanda Hamilton (Grapevine, TX). For a little insight into design inspiration and the people behind the scenes, here's a short Q&A with one of our team members, Amanda. 

Winter snow it melts 

Legs restless to climb higher

Wistful thoughts atop summit