Katie Coakley

I was stretched out in the sunshine, a sarong draped atop my legs and a thick layer of sunscreen over every exposed piece of skin. The quiet chatter on the other raft blended with a gentle slosh of water hitting the bow. It would have been easy to pull my hat down and snooze as a few others did, but I was too entranced by the changing landscape around me. I was floating down the Colorado River through Canyonlands National Park in Utah and I had already hiked to pictographs, marveled at natura...

Every year, Labor Day weekend signals an end to summer, and therefore, a dramatic drop in camping excursions. There are plenty of excuses—school, work, cooler temperatures—but in reality, the long weekend doesn’t need to end the season of slumbering under the stars. Instead, why not make it a goal to slip in just a few more camping trips before the snow flies? But—and here’s the “but”—where should you go?
Colorado is home to a surplus of camping options: private and public, swanky and rustic,...

It’s no secret: Colorado loves its craft beer. Whether it’s cracking open a can at the top of a Colorado 14er or bellying up to a beetle-kill pine bar in a brewery, there’s no shortage of amazing beer to sip and sample while in the Centennial State.

Erin Parisi’s trek up Mount Kilimanjaro last March wasn’t easy. Recovering from food poisoning and contending with almost continuous rainfall and the aches and fatigue that accompany six days of climbing, she tried to maintain a positive attitude as she sat in her tent at Barafu camp, approximately 15,358ft above sea level and 36 hours from the summit.
This story was first published in Outside Magazine. Outside is the leading publication for those who love the outdoors. With in-depth narrativ...

The next time you’re at Steamboat Ski Resort, if you hear strains of reggae drifting through the air and catch the aroma of braised beef wafting across the snow, you’ll know you’ve found the Taco Beast.
This tricked-out snow cat, which debuted at Steamboat on opening day back in November, is the first of its kind in Colorado. An on-mountain version of a food truck, the Beast serves tacos, Mexican street corn, sodas, and 24-ounce beers right on the slopes. It roams the resort by day, hunkering...

Erin Parisi is on a mission to become the first transgendered person to climb all Seven Summits.

It was just another day in the backcountry for Breckenridge resident Courtlandt Pennell and his wife Anne as they skinned their way up the Sallie Barber trail to the northern side of Baldy Mountain in Breckenridge. He’d been skiing in the area for the past six years, but this trip afforded a view of an addition to the terrain: the brand-new Sisters Cabin, the newest lodging option in the Summit Huts Association (SHA).
It’s easy to spot Baldy Mountain from town; it’s a popular location for bac...

It’s a seemingly simple question, one that’s uttered daily from the barista at the coffee shop to a potential boss at a job interview: “What’s your name?” But a name is more than just a way to address someone. And when the name you were given at birth no longer fits, changing it can be a complicated (and costly) process.
For those who are embarking upon the name-change journey, the nonprofit Colorado Name Change Project (CNCP) is a valuable resource. Created in November 2016 by lawyer Emma Sh...

There’s no such thing as too much of a good thing, as Denver’s burgeoning crafts spirits scene illustrates.

Though Denver has experienced record growth over the past 10 years, the truth is that Denver has always been a drinking town, since the first miners arrived in search of gold. As a result, you’ll find a wonderful mix of historic locales with plenty of character, along with sleek new social spots. From elevated rooftop bars and speakeasies to classic watering holes, Denver has a bar to suit. While après is part of Denver’s DNA, there are options for night owls, too.

Located a few miles outside of Fort Collins, the big red barn that houses Farm Fusion might as well be a world away from the hustle of that college town. In late fall, the land stretches before you in shades of umber and sienna, broken only by a shimmer of sunlight on a lake. It’s an apt setting for Dawn Broeder’s new venture: a cooking school with a hyperlocal approach to farm-to-table cuisine.
Before Farm Fusion, Broeder taught culinary arts classes at Fort Collins High School. After buildi...

Denver began as a mining town in 1858 with a whisper that gold had been found in the Rocky Mountains. Prospectors and fortune-hunters set up tents and shacks on the banks of the Platte river, and in their wake came entrepreneurs—gamblers, prostitutes, and saloonkeepers—ready to help “mine” the miners of whatever they might find. Though not much gold was found, there was plenty of whiskey to help wash away their troubles.
160 years later, Denver is one of the fastest growing cities in the Unit...

When you think of outdoor adventure destinations, Cuba might not be at the top of your list. But it should be! Cuba is now open for adventurous Americans (provided you check the right boxes) and there's no better time to visit this island nation. The bustling capital, Havana, is just a short flight from Miami, and while it’s better known for frosty daiquiris classic cars, there’s more adventure on this island nation than you might expect.
See the City on Two Wheels
Havana is a colorful, bustl...

My relationship with bicycles has always been rocky—literally and figuratively. Like most, I learned to ride as a kid, and spent many days cruising around on two wheels. But when I grew up and moved to a metropolitan area, I didn’t have much need to get around by bicycle, and thus the pastime lost a little luster.
After relocating to Colorado, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to rekindle my love of cycling. It was complicated. My experiences ranged from too tame (bike paths) to too scar...