hiking

hike #51: Flagstaff Mountain (Boulder)

Published December 24, 2012

Ho hum, had to work on Saturday – so no hike, right? You kidding? AND we’re gonna have our first white Christmas in years…which means SNOW. There’s my motivation: quick Christmas Eve hike before holiday SNOW. Lovin’ life!

Planned to hike Green Mountain in Boulder for #51 (yep, year’s almost over!) Departed from Gregory Canyon trailhead but unfortunately an hour half later, I arrived back at Gregory Canyon trailhead. How does that even happen? ARGH! Been almost 3 months since I’ve been lost on a hike. So could either try try again (which I’ve done before) or try an impromptu ‘Plan B’ hike (which I’ve also done before :))

Plan B: Flagstaff Mountain. Departed from Gregory Canyon trailhead and an hour half later, summited Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder (just under 7,000 ft elevation). Easy hike up, light snow path, beautiful panorama of pines and boulders.

Flagstaff Mountain is a mountain located just west of downtown Boulder, Colorado, Colorado. It offers stunning daytime and night-time views of Boulder, Denver and the surrounding mountains. There are hiking and bike trails, picnic areas, the Summit Nature Center, and an outdoor amphitheatre.

Saw multiple signs warning of a Dec 20^th mountain lion sighting so stayed super alert as Ro & I were completely alone on today’s hike. Hard to believe more people wouldn’t be out hiking on Christmas Eve – LOL>

Flagstaff is road accessible all the way to the top – super popular with cyclists. Our trail crisscrossed the road 6 times before summit success – garnished with 2 shelters (one stone, one wood) and rows of picnic tables. BEAUTIFUL view (and only 20 minutes from my Louisville home)! Gotta do this again next summer 🙂

Flagstaff will be Ro’s last hike of 2012. What a great hiking companion! Finishing up my New Year’s challenge next weekend in New Hampshire – and ringing in 2013 with East Coast friends. What an amazing ride – LOVE LOVE LOVE my Colorado life!

: local Boulder hike on Christmas Eve

: when do these guys hibernate?

: bouldering heaven

: Ro’s last hike of 2012

: Plan B: Flagstaff Mountain

: stayed super alert after seeing multiple warnings

: Rock Shelter

: need to picnic here next summer

: hike #51 SUMMIT SUCCESS!

: WOW shot! LOVE this place!

hike #50: Chicago Lakes (Mt Evans Wilderness Area)

Published December 15, 2012

Holiday season can be a tough time mentally – really had to push myself out of the house to bang out hike #50. But…once I got motivated, picked an amazing winter trail – Chicago Lakes in the Mt Evans Wilderness Area, just west of Denver.

Glad to have my Hike Challenge – forced me outside. Decided I needed SNOW to help clear my funk. AND Ro couldn’t have been more ready – after spending the previous week sequestered with his friend Molly (while I travelled to humid Orlando).

Chicago Lakes is approx an hour half from my home. Trailhead start at Echo Lake where it was just me & Ro – and an ice fishing couple.

Cold day! Hiked with almost all my extras this day – hat, gloves, multiple layers plus a coat, long johns, bungee leash for Ro & poles. Forgot my crampons – hit more than one icy patch this day, will remember crampons next winter hike.

Protrails.com’s hike description said moderate to strenuous. Psyched. Pines lined our day trek since we stayed below 12,000 ft. BEAUTIFUL! – ya’ll know I’m a HUGE FAN of our uber tall lodgepole pines.

Less than 2 miles in, we reached the Mt Evans Wilderness Area – where everything beautiful and serene increased 1000%. Walked thru a stretch of trees which had been damaged by forest fires past. Mountains and snow – I tell ya…it’s a ‘can’t miss’ cure for the blues! FAAANNNNTASTIC! Yeah, I’m hooked & now digging this day 🙂

Started the trek over our only water crossing upright; even with poles, one quick tug by Ro brought me down. Yep, I’m human. If there were any doubt after walking around in winter paradise, smacking your rump HARD on solid ice is a good reminder. LOL>

Half mile further, Ro & I approached a snow cloud hugging the ground like fog. Stared up at sun muted by blowing snow. Brrr…and yeah! all at the same time. Focused on keeping the trail and reaching Chicago Lakes before noon.

Over our day hike, Ro evolved from Snow Beard the Great to Ice Beard the Chatterer. Had never heard a dog’s teeth chatter before. Kinda cute – that said, grabbed little guy, held him close, warming his body. Ro thanked me by rolling in more snow 🙂

2-3 miles into our hike return, snow ceased and sunshine beamed over Idaho Springs Reservoir (where I snapped this week’s ‘Ro on Ice’ shot). 2 miles further, took a short detour, walked over Echo Lake and checked out the ice fishing. Ro didn’t catch a thing this trip – but was mighty interested. Maybe next time.

Gloom n doom guy is gone, Colorado K* is home, happy and looking forward to hike #51 – yep, only 2 to go!

ROCKSTAR year, ROCKSTAR Colorado life!

: multiple layers, coat, hat, gloves, long johns, poles & portable water – LOVE December snow hikes!

: ice fishing on Echo Lake

: Sno Beard

: first wilderness, next a water crossing, then…Chicago Lakes

: entire hike below treeline (12,000 ft) – BEAUTIFUL!

: forest fire damage from years past

: December river crossing – solid ICE!

: sunshine in a snow storm – only in Colorado

: Chicago Lakes

: lunch break: rock protection from wind & blowing snow

: Ice Beard

: snow ended & sun popped out on hike return (Idaho Springs Reservoir)

: Ro’s 1st try at ice fishing (Echo Lake)

: better luck next time

hike #49: Anne U. White trail (Boulder CO)

Published December 1, 2012

After a late 10:10am start time at the Colder Boulder, felt kinda limited as how I would fit in a hike so late in the day.

Lucky for me, I’ve saved up a few local Boulder hikes in the event of heavy snow/inclement weather late in 2012. [Hike Challenge 2012 must go on – rain, sleet, snow, lightning strikes or forest fires – right?] FB friend & former work colleague Leslie D recommended Anne U. White trail early summer because of its wildflowers and multiple water crossings – 30, I think she said.

Perennial water, flowers, abundant natural edibles and shelter attract an array of wildlife including hummingbirds, deer, fox, coyote, bobcat, bear and mountain lion. This gentle trail welcomes individuals of all abilities, families, dogs, trail runners and winter recreation.

Well…no wildflowers in December but certainly a lot of creek crossings – highlight of this day’s hike. Nice!

Easy day hike but still 3.2 miles roundtrip – nice add-on after running a 5K.

Happy December! 49 hikes down, only 3 to go!

Praying for snow (December’s historically our 3^rd biggest snowfall month, behind March & April) 🙂