The Buckhorn Exchange

June 13, 2012June 17, 2012 / JKB Adventures / Leave a comment

We took a step back in time in this week to visit Denver’s oldest restaurant/steakhouse, The Buckhorn Exchange. Serving Beef, Buffalo, Elk, Duck, Lamb and more; this establishment is a carnivore’s paradise. This historic restaurant has been open for over a century, opening its doors in 1893. They have Colorado’s very first liquor license which was issued in 1935. This National Historic Landmark has not changed much over the years, and that is a good thing.

Greeted by the eyes of over 500 prize game animals and seated at the red gingham covered table, it feels like you have entered into the wild west. Dinner menus are presented as a nostalgic newspaper – The Osage Gazette. There are plenty of entrees to choose from but if you are really hungry, you might want to try The Big Steak. Steak sizes range from 1.5 to 4 pounds and can be shared with up to 5 people. That’s a lot of beef. Take a peek at the Supper Menu.

J ordered the special for the evening – a combo plate of Buffalo and Elk. And I chose the Beef Tenderloin and Quail, along with a bowl of Buffalo vegetable stew. As expected, the meat is tender, seasoned perfectly and expertly cooked. With over 100 years experience, I wouldn’t have expected anything less.

When visiting Denver, The Buckhorn Exchange is a must see and taste. Easy to find, they are located just a few minutes from downtown Denver at 1000 Osage St, Denver, CO 80204. Visit their website: buckhornexchange.com.

Backpacking Rocky Mountain National Park

June 11, 2012June 12, 2012 / JKB Adventures / 5 Comments

A friend from the Colorado Mountain Club and I planned a backpacking trip in Rocky Mountain National Park last weekend. We took Friday off and stopped by the backcountry permit office inside the park and picked up our permit. Permits are required for camping at backcountry sites, which are campsites with no facilities where you pack everything in and pack everything out. We headed down to the Glacier Gorge area and headed up the trail. My GPS didn’t want to cooperate, but we estimated that we covered about 14 miles over the weekend. Not a marathon backpacking trip, but we saw some great scenery and it was good practice carrying our 60 pound packs to gear up for an even further trip next time. The first night we camped under Longs Peak at the Boulder Brook site around 10,500 ft. We could not have asked for better weather the entire weekend. Temperatures were in the upper 30’s-40’s at night and 80’s during the day with crystal clear blue skies. We did have a little wind in the evenings (ha, about 40 mph). The second night we camped at the Old Forest Inn site near the Big Thompson River. Here is some eye candy for you to enjoy:

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The 7 P’s

June 2, 2012June 9, 2012 / JKB Adventures / 1 Comment

Wilderness Trekking School has come to an end with the completion of Survival Field Day. Survival Day was an opportunity to learn and practice basic survival skills. During the entire course, we have learned that day hikes usually go as planned, however, stressful situations can happen when we least expect it and one should always be prepared for the unexpected.

When hiking for more than a couple of miles, you should always pack the 10 essentials to be prepared for any emergency situation. These items will be invaluable if someone becomes injured, you become lost, or you have to spend the night in the wilderness.

Navigation (map and compass). FYI – The alcohol in the compass can also be used as a fire accelerant.
Sun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen)
Insulation (extra clothing)
Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
First-aid supplies. You need more than just a couple of band-aids.
Fire (waterproof matches/lighter/candles). Vaseline saturated cotton balls and greasy potato chips can also be used as fire starters.
Repair kit and tools
Nutrition (extra food)
Hydration (extra water)
Emergency shelter. Many lightweight tents only weigh between 1-2 pounds.