It comes as no surprise to me that Backpacker Magazine has named Boulder, Colorado as the #1 place in the US to raise an outdoor kid. Boulder has a lot going for it: 300 sunny days per year, relatively low crime rate, beautiful scenery, fairly low taxes, a major university, proximity to a large metropolitan city (Denver) and an international airport, close proximity to the Rocky Mountains allowing a plethora of outdoor activities such as skiing, hiking, climbing, rafting – I could go on and on!

Hallet Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park

The only thing is, I’m not the only one who knows this, due in part to the many “Best Places” articles that have been written over the years, such as the one in Backpacker Magazine. But population growth here is nothing new. In fact,  Boulder instituted its first growth ordinance in 1976. I first came to visit Boulder in 1991 and decided to move here in 1996. Since then, I’ve watched the area surrounding Boulder grow at an unchecked rate. Bloated suburbs, congested roads, compromised air quality (oh, that’s right, it all blows over to Nebraska), and the social chill that accompanies overpopulation has made Boulder a somewhat different place Read More