#climbcolorado

[cairnme]

Cell Coverage on Colorado's 14ers (and more)

As Cairn grows we’re seeing more areas with mapped cell coverage, including two of Colorado’s national parks and over three dozen 14er summits (14ers are peaks that rise 14,000 feet or more above sea level). Wondering when the best season is to explore Colorado’s natural beauty? 

Colorado has some of the best scenic outdoor spots in the world. Top activities include skiing, ice climbing, snowshoeing, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and trail running. No matter the time of year, there’s always something to do outdoors.  

Communication, information and planning are key to staying safe and for making good decisions. We’ve put together a sampling of the popular spots where you can find a signal so you can plan your Colorado adventure accordingly.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park’s 415 square miles encompass and protect dramatic mountain ecosystems. It’s got alpine lakes, wildlife, and meadows that the whole family will enjoy. It has towering peaks for the more adventurous to conquer. There’s something for everyone, including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds — along with over 300 miles of hiking trails. As far as cell coverage, this park is great for disconnecting with plenty of spots where you won’t find a signal. But there are a few with coverage:

Bierstadt Lake — Verizon has coverage with some spots getting enough of a signal to send photos and check email. The best spots are up on the trail rather than along the lake bank.

Bear Lake & Car Park — Decent Verizon and poor AT&T coverage. AT&T subscribers might be able to get a faint signal (enough for a text). Most people with the Cairn app using AT&T were not able to find coverage in this area.

Moraine Park Discovery Center and Moraine Campground — Some Verizon spot were mapped, mainly on the road and south portion of the campground.

Longs Peak — Poor Verizon and good AT&T coverage on the summit and summit approach. For best results face toward Denver. Sprint was non-existent.

Grand Lake East Inlet Trailhead — People with AT&T were able to map some coverage points just east of the lake on the trail.  

Lost Falls — No one with Cairn has mapped this trail yet but it’s a popular search. We could really use help if you plan on hiking or backpacking this area.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

This park is famous for having the tallest dunes in North America, but Great Sand Dunes offers much more than just that. It has a a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes, and tundra. Popular activities include camping, hiking, sand sledding, splashing in Medano Creek and wildlife watching. One unique safety consideration to be aware of is hot sand In summer, as the sand surface can reach up to 150°F (66° C). Plan to hike the dunes in early morning or evening to avoid heat exhaustion and burned feet. Wear closed-toe shoes (not sandals) if you must hike in the middle of the day. Blowing sand can occur in the windy spring season or during storms. To protect your eyes and lungs, avoid the dunes when windy or wear eye protection. If you get sand in your eyes, flush with running water or saline eye solution. Verizon has the best coverage at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Following is a quick rundown of carriers and where people have found signals.

Montville Nature and Mosca Pass Trails — Good AT&T and Verizon coverage at the trailheads. It’s not clear if there is data along the trails.

High Dune — It’s no surprise with the height and vast openness here that people were able to find good Verizon and AT&T phone coverage.

Highway 150 — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile coverage.  Be safe on the road while making those calls.

Colorado 14ers

Colorado boasts 54 peaks over 14,000 feet high. Climbers and hikers have used Cairn on over three dozen of them. Overall coverage at most of the fourteeners’ summits is good. Just because one person’s phone did not detect a signal does not mean there is no coverage. Another person with a different device, experiencing different weather conditions, or standing in a slightly different spot might be able to pick up coverage. 

Colorado 14ers with T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon coverage at their summits:  

Grays Peak — Verizon

Mt. Bierstadt — Verizon, but no AT&T or T-Mobile.

Torreys Peak — Verizon

Quandary Peak — Both AT&T and Verizon signals on summit and summit ridge

Mt. Democrat — AT&T and T-Mobile

Mt. Lincoln — Verizon

Mt Cameron — Verizon and AT&T on summit and summit ridge.

Mt Bross — AT&T and Verizon at numerous spots on summit knoll

Mt. Elbert — AT&T and Verizon on the summit and on the higher section of the summit trail

Mt Evans — Verizon

Pikes Peak — Spotty T-Mobile and decent Verizon and AT&T

Mt. Massive — Verizon

Mt Columbia — Verizon and T-Mobile at the summit and along the Harvard-Columbia traverse

Prefer to be completely unplugged? You’ll be hard pressed to find any signal from any carrier on Sunshine Peak.  

To see exact points of coverage and see them on topo maps while offline, download Cairn and give it a try. You’ll help make the wilderness safer just by using Cairn. 

[windowm4k1a6]

What's the best flower for a boy to give for Mother's day?

What’s the best flower for a boy to give for Mother’s day?

Son-flowers of course!

submitted by /u/climbcolorado [visit reddit] [comments]

[canyouhandlebar]

Tim here. Started out today with this view of #PikesPeak. Not too bad, right? . . . #PikesPeak #GetOutside #ClimbColorado #BeardCare #HaveBeardWillHike #CanYouHandlebar #CYHB http://ift.tt/2q2fean

[humbleweeds]

High Times in Colorado

High Times in Colorado

Have you ever been so high you thought you could touch the sky? Hey now, I’m talking mountain climbing…If you’ve ever climbed a 14er (a mountain summit that is at 14,000 feet above sea level or higher)you understand the euphoric moment when you reach the top. It’s like sitting on top of the world. Colorado is home to 58 fourteeners that bring droves of hikers and outdoor enthusiast to the trails.…

[thegreatnorthwest]

All about that chalk life #climbcolorado (at Boulder Creek)

[alienjellyglass]

#colorado #wildflower #boulder #eldoradocanyon #hikecolorado #climbcolorado #adventurecolorado

[beneathcandycoatedclouds]

Seriously so excited to show you guys some of the long exposure shots I got last night. But alas, I must go to work and be a grown up. Have another #14er picture from Friday. || #14270ft #hike #climb #climbcolorado #colorado #bridge #adventure #wanderlust #grayspeak #travel #explore #fun #cuties #instacute #art #stuffimade

[lindsstrickler]

Raquel put it best, "Wow, we are totally in this now!" #climbcolorado (at REI)

[kindusa-blog-blog]

#climbcolorado #ourayicefestival #ourayicepark #iceclimb #colorado #tee #comingsoon (at KIND DESIGN HQ)