Marcus Wilkins, Signing-Off

I'm writing these lines from atop a breezy ridge in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, reflecting on my time with Snowshoe Magazine. As I peer up the Front Range at the snowcapped enormity of Mount Evans and the distant behemoth of Longs Peak, I'm keenly aware of my altered perspective. Up in the lofty pockets of white and purple, there are undoubtedly hundreds of snowshoers echoing the scratch of my pen with the crunch of fresh powder. Next month, in my new Floridian hometown, those imagined footfalls will be replaced with the lapping of sea foam and the screams of high-school sports fans in the Sunshine State. I can only hope the effect will be as inspirational.

A Feast of New Content

Most people throughout the country have to get creative this time of year, and I'm not talking variations on the traditional Turkey Day side dishes. I'm talking about burning off those heaping helpings of stuffing that go straight to the butt and gut. Indoor activities can be tedious and mundane when if you confine yourself, and while a lot of folks use the hibernation season as an excuse to avoid outdoor activities, we snowshoers are truly in our element.

The Early-Season Goings-On

What's up snowshoers? It's already October and here in Denver, that means that first little "tease" of a snowstorm on the Front Range. Monday morning found the Mile-High City drenched in a layer of frozen rain and then heaped with sleet and snow. Not tranquil or inviting at all. Just dangerous to drive through and uncomfortable to live in.

All the Leaves Are Brown…

Do you hear that? That buzz is the collective hum of we snowshoers imposing our will on the seasons. A friend of mine climbed Long's Peak this Tuesday on his 30th birthday and as he reached the chilly summit, wouldn't you know it, snow flurries.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 2, Issue No. 4 – The Inevitable Spring Thaw

It's April, and while there is still snow to be found in the high country of Colorado (and after the occasional spring blizzard in the Mile High City, embroiling the bus system and turning the city streets into a slushy quagmire), I feel my first season of snowshoeing winding down.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 2, Issue No. 3 – Bigfoot Sighting in Estes Park

A few weeks ago Snowshoemag was up in Estes Park for WinterTrails Day. I thought I'd make an appearance to appease my public, fuel my burgeoning celebrity status and try out my new Atlas 1230s.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 2, Issue No. 2 – Viva Las Snowshoes

This past month, my increasingly "nomadic intern" ways have taken me to a variety of scenic and frosty alpine locales. Beaver Creek, Keystone, Echo Lake, and Copper Mountain all spring to mind as appropriate venues for an excitable snowshoer to discover and explore.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 2, Issue No. 1 – Knowing My Compass From a Hole in the Ground

Last week at Winter Trails Day at Echo Lake, I tried on a pair of Tubbs and headed across the frozen surface. Although not quite what I would call an expert, I was the experienced one in my party of two as my companion was Jimmy, a profound thinking and esoteric hippie from Pennsylvania.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 1, Issue No. 3 – The Pitter Patter of Snowshoed Feet

So there I was, about to witness my first race, the premier event of the Beaver Creek Snowshoe Adventure Series at the Beaver Creek Ski Resort near Avon, Colo.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 1, Issue No. 1

Hello all, and welcome to the newest feature of Snowshoemag.com, "Marcus the Intern," a column that is sure to enlighten, delight, enrich, astound, and occasionally invite ridicule.

Marcus the Intern: Vol. 1, Issue No. 1

Hello all, and welcome to the newest feature of Snowshoemag.com, "Marcus the Intern," a column that is sure to enlighten, delight, enrich, astound, and occasionally invite ridicule.