Like so many hikes close to Boulder, the hike over Arapahoe Pass is slightly jarring for the first couple hours. It takes 45 minutes to go from the Tesla-bespeckled, yoga pants-wielding city to a view that looks completely untouched by people. To the right of this extraordinary view is the Arapahoe Glacier, which previously covered much of the area but is melting so fast it was claimed by the city of Boulder as an official municipal water source. Though it will be hard to restore the glacier, its looming absence serves as a reminder to do our absolute best to preserve the rest of the area, as we have already changed so much of the landscape.

By Max Saliman, '23