Skinning up to Cardiff Pass

Like climbing a long dirt road, or a steady singletrack on a bike, skinning up a mountain can be extremely rewarding. The rhythmic consistency, the sustained effort and the ongoing burn in the legs and lungs all combine to create a physical sense of euphoria and exercise induced clarity.

A Rocky Mountain high.

Of course, the reward for the effort is not only the flood of endorphins, or the view from a high ridge line, but also the butterfly stomach of the descent. That thrill of speed and control and trees whipping nearby as you fall off the mountain in a fit of irrational glee.

And no matter the difficulty of the climb, or the exhaustion of the body, at the bottom there is always a desire to climb back up and do it all over again.


Jonathan enjoying the fruits of his labor.