Hello Hello! How is it already the end of October? Life's been incredibly busy as we try to make the most of the last non-winter days in the Colorado Rockies. From probably mid-June through September, I don't believe Jaimie or I spent a weekend at home. I always love an adventurous lifestyle, but I'm also exhausted, and it's nice to settle into a quieter, darker time of year.

There are a lot of new people here. Welcome! Welcome! This one's a little longer than usual, but I hope you enjoy it.

What's inside:

• Visiting Great Sand Dunes NP
• Save money on travel
• New climbing docs to watch
• 2027 Scenic Calendars are coming soon!
• And more!

My thoughts on Great Sand Dunes National Park

Great Sand Dunes was my final Colorado national park. It was also my 40th NP of the now 64. I somehow timed it perfectly. I drove for four hours through rain, but once I reached the basin, the sky was clear, and the peaks above the dunes were snow-capped. It was perfect! I got to hike the dunes, watch the sun hit them in the early morning light, and stare up at the stars. I also got to work with Roadsurfer again, which helped keep me warm during the chilly evenings. (If you want to rent with them, use ALEC22 for a discount.)

4 Pros

Tallest Dunes in North America: Nowhere else in the country or on the continent has dunes this tall. The highest are around 750 feet. This might not sound that tall, but you have to walk on sand (exhausting), and you're hiking around 8,000 feet. The landscape is surreal and immensely beautiful.

Not too crowded in October: October is a great month to visit. The crowds are sparse, and the weather is cooler, but snow is still months away. While summer might be the best time to explore, I'd actually recommend against that. The sand can get super hot, and these shoulder season months are truly the best.

Great place to visit once the Colorado leaves have dropped: Colorado's fall colors are incredible and a delight to see and chase. But once it's done, many mountain areas are barren (the leaves are on the ground and trees are bare); the dunes look the same as always. This makes it perfect for a post-fall-colors trip or a pre-summer trip when we have mud season, and the trees haven't leafed out yet.

You have an alpine area (but it's sorta far away): I didn't get up there this time, but GSDNP actually has a high alpine area that goes up to 13,000+ feet. It's hard to access from the main area, but if you're okay driving 2.5 hours around, you can reach some beautiful alpine lakes and hiking trails with hardly any crowds. If you plan to see this area, make it a 4-5 day road trip.

2 Cons

Only so much to do in the main area: This was the part that sorta bummed me out. Unless you have a 4x4 and experience with water crossings, you're mostly stuck with the handful of things to do in the main part of GSDNP. After about 2 days, you'll run out of things to do that aren't hiking on sand.

You'll have sand everywhere: It's like going to the beach! Granted, I had 40mph wind gusts whipping sand at me (not fun). Still, you'll want to shake out your clothes and dump the cup of sand out of your shoes.

Should you visit?

Yes! The San Luis Valley is beautiful and almost entirely surrounded by tall mountains. The biggest city is Alamosa, which offers all the services/lodging you'll need. I would say 2-3 days is all you will need, and then you can head north or west for more adventures!

​5-day road trip guide to the dunes and elsewhere || Guide to Great Sand Dunes NP​

3 Travel Tips to Help Make Your Next Trip Less Expensive

Have a big spend coming up? Open up a credit card(s)

If you have a big spend coming up, say home repair, buying a new car (yes, you can put a % of that on a CC), or maybe your kid's tuition, this is a great time to open a new credit card and get a HUGE sign-up bonus you can use for free flights or hotel rooms later.

Now, obviously don't be financially reckless, but if you're already going to make a big spend, you might as well take advantage.

I have some referral codes that you can use!

• ​If you're at a Southwest hub, this is for you. ​
• ​If you fly United a lot, this is for you​
• ​The best travel hack is: if you're a business owner, you can more easily open up biz credit cards to stack points.​
• ​Overall Premium Travel Card - Chase Sapphire​
• ​American Express​
• ​Capital One (this is my favorite right now) - 2x miles on every purchase

Do a road trip versus a flight

Flights are SO EXPENSIVE right now (you know why), and while gas is also pretty expensive, it's still cheaper than flying somewhere and then renting a car. Consider planning a road trip this winter when lodging prices are lower and find some natural adventures that bring you joy!

Sign up for flight alerts to land travel deals

Now, I know this goes directly against what I just wrote above, but hear me out. If you do have plans to fly somewhere, consider signing up for Thrifty Traveler. They're my go-to brand for alerting me to discounted flights worldwide.

If you're flexible on where you want to go, they will email you deals on points and prices to travel to beautiful places for far less than usual. Take a look at this and see what you think! (If you sign up, you'll save $20 the first year!)

Epic Himalayan Climbing Docs/Movies to Watch

Apparently, October 2026 is mountain documentary or movie month. I think all my travels made me a bit oblivious, but we've been graced with A+ content.

Here are three that you need to put on your radar.

The Last First: Winter K2: This was fantastic and much more depressing than I had realized. It's about the push to be the first person/group to summit K2 in winter. It highlights the competitiveness of this 'Last First,' country dynamics, incredible visuals, and why this mountain is so damn hard. Stream it on Apple TV (Documentary)

Tenzing: It highlights the life of Tenzing, who, with Edmund Hillary, became the first people to summit Everest. It's told from the sherpa viewpoint, something rarely done. It's beautifully done, and the nature clips are stunning. Stream it on Apple TV (Movie)

Everest: The Other Side: I haven't seen this yet, but it's another Jimmy Chin doc, so we know it'll be incredible. It's about climbing up and then skiing down Everest's north face. I'm excited to see this! Theatrical/IMAX release on October 30th; streaming unknown (Documentary)

YouTube Video You Might Like

I have a new YT video from Juneau, Alaska! I did an 8-hour Dawes Glacier Tour, and it was beautiful. It's only a five-minute video. Thanks for watching!

​

November 3rd is Election Day

I won't tell you how to vote, but as an outdoor lover and protector of this planet, I expect we share similar views and values. So, drop off your ballot or show up on Election Day to help make our country's future brighter.

One more thing: 2027 Calendars are coming soon

I'm currently working on my 2027 scenic calendar. They should be available for pre-order soon and in your possession before the holidays. Stay tuned!