Forgotten how good a 14er hike feels. Pre-dawn trailhead drive, first sun pop over the high peak.
Love of everything outdoors, BIG, immense, larger than ourselves.
Hour half on I-70, Exit 221 Bakerville – 8 miles from Eisenhower Tunnel. Five mile dirt-road journey. Struggled to maneuver the pothole minefield UP, secure off-road parking. Not a lotta spots left at 630am, gotta love Colorado hikers. Day starts early here 🙂
I last hiked Grays in September 2012. Trail was lined with yellow aspens and first snow of the season.
Hiking a month earlier in mid-August, today’s views did not disappoint. So much colour – like a Ravensburger puzzle, one of those 1000 piece projects you poke over during the summer. Not just one shade of green – slate green, moss, lime, yellow-green, forest.
Looked forward to the horizon. Stopped, peered back at my progress below – completing the straight puzzle edges first, framing a border, later patch-working the green inside. Two long stretches of boulder incline, but no huge scramble at the end.
Summit SUCCESS! Strong winds whipped so backed behind a man-made rock shelter. Chatted up fellow hikers planning their next ascents – before the snow flies (just a few weeks left). Parade of folks on top at 9am.
Fave quote: “I like your dog. He’s so warm.” LOL>
Return hike always seems longer than the ascent – a hiker mystery. Purposely drove West thru the Eisenhower tunnel, crossed the Continental Divide & lunched in Silverthorne before heading home (a 3 hour I-70 day mare – ARGH!)
Next 14er? Something near Leadville I think.
Haven’t been to the Nat’l Mining Hall of Fame & Museum. [ya’ll are thinkin’] How can I get a ticket, right? 🙂
Snow UPDATE, Wed August 19th: Colorado weather: Snow dusts high country, Denver sets record low
Grays Peak summit
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