“All of your photos look the same – snow and rocks.” Er…I happen to like snow & rocks (& lodgepole pines) 🙂
That said, decided to mix things up this weekend and hiked SOUTH of Denver. Ro’s first ‘no snow’ hike.
Chose Castlewood Canyon in Franktown because of its waterfall – what a way to welcome Spring! Ro led this week’s hike challenge – literally down the river to the Falls. Sure it’s Spring but whew – April river water is still mighty COLD. Of course after your feet go numb, it’s all super fun. Not sure if Ro likes snow or water more – either way, good day to be a dog.
After viewing the Falls, we bouldered up the canyon wall. Hiked the rim, then down to the park’s collapsed Dam.
Waterfalls, rock climbing and some site-seeing (1933 collapsed dam) – EXCELLENT ‘no snow’ day!
https://www.cherrycreekbasin.org/pdf/castlewood%20dam.pdf
https://www.parks.state.co.us/parks/castlewoodcanyon/Pages/CastlewoodCanyonHome.aspx
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- Franktown, SE Colorado – no snow here
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- after your feet go numb, it’s super fun
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- a downed tree slowed water velocity
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- top of the Falls
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- You wanna do WHAT?
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- I wanna boulder up the canyon wall. (Honestly only lifted Ro 2 times; he’s a good climber.)
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- waterfalls, rock climbing – EXCELLENT day!
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- natural water basin
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- view from the top
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- Canyon Rim walk
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- we’re not in Boulder County
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- Dam collapsed in 1933
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- “The Night the Dam Gave Way”
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- Good day to be a dog
Afternoon rain forecast with light evening snow – goal was to locate a unique hike but be back before the weekend’s precip started.
Plan A – Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Golden. Plan B – today’s hike in Golden when I could not easily locate our Plan A trailhead, could see the sky clouding up, and had already passed Mt Galbraith’s trailhead twice in my Golden Gate search.
Mount Galbraith was our dog-friendliest hike to date. Nearby Denverites – also exercising their dogs – flooded the trails while between intermittent spring (rain/snow) showers.
Saw SPRING all along today’s hike – even the lowly cactus was sporting bright, vivid-coloured blossoms. Continued tradition with a bean burrito (backpack) lunch and snapped a few pics from the ‘mountain’ high spot.
4.7 miles roundtrip, trail ran return loop back. Not exactly ‘high altitude’ but we got in and out before the day’s rain 🙂
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- 5 miles roundtrip; up and back before afternoon rain and evening snow
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- patch of forest fire past
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- even the cactus is celebrating spring
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- summit smooch
