3 day holiday weekend – rest & relaxation. Huh? I don’t think so.
Ran a 10 mile race Saturday 7am, back home showered at 9am, drove north to Longmont & dropped off Ro at Windstar Kennels by 10 – then hit I-25 South for a long weekend in Taos, New Mexico. The plan? Food, art and…hiking of course. In particular, New Mexico’s highest point – Wheeler Peak – a 13er approx 30 minutes from the Colorado border.
Woke early on Sunday & drove north to Taos Ski Valley for ‘hike day’. Added 30 minutes to my journey thanks to iPhone directions which pushed us on Indian Service Route 700 – a 3 mile dirt road stretch thru an Indian reservation. Scenic sage & yellow mustard dotted the native NM landscape. Nice diversion; sometimes best to take the road less traveled 🙂
Driving UP through Carson National Forest, was surprised by the lush New Mexico surroundings. I had pictured cactus & desert in NM – not so, this place overwhelmed with bursts of colour and earthy scents of spruce & pine.
Parked, geared up, then hiked 3 miles to Bull-of-the-Woods meadow before veering onto Wheeler Peak trail. Another mile past treeline was welcomed by stunning colour – yellows, greens, dull orange & vibrant patches of red wild flowers. Wildlife tally – marmots & bighorn sheep. What an amazing panorama!
Up the initial false summit, caught my first glimpse of Wheeler Peak. 3 or 4 more ‘false’ summits later, had climbed not one but 2 13ers (Mt Walter and Wheeler Peak). (unfortunately) Stopped no more than 20 minutes for pics & a food break before trekking down, darting from immense clouds carrying rain, thunder and streak lightning.
HAPPY MOMENT – Not far past Mt Walter on my hike return, the sun peeked out creating a double rainbow – literally we were hiking ‘over’ the rainbow 🙂 Finished the last mile bushwhacking in & between mountain roads before stumbling upon Taos Ski Resort (mighty fine luck – sometimes good things happen to good people).
Sunscreen, salt residue & a little dirt didn’t stop us for filling our stomachs soon after. Washed in a bathroom basin and ended the day with dinner at Sabroso – HIGHLY recommended!
SHORT DETOUR – Traveled home via San Luis – Colorado’s oldest town, established in 1851. Walked the Stations of the Cross to a small Catholic chapel built high above the local village.
Perfect end to an outstanding weekend! Big FAN of Labor Day!
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- Welcome to New Mexico!
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- scary road sign
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- Wheeler Peak, NM’s highest
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- more lush than Colorado – great hike start
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- followed horse trail to Bull-of-the-Woods meadow
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- whatta view – that’s Colorado in the distance!
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- lotta colour – beautiful hike
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- Hello, Marmot!
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- Bighorn sheep
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- HOORAY, I can see Wheeler Peak!
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- surprise 13er summit (wrong mountain)
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- Mt. Walter summit
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- Wheeler Peak straight ahead!
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- Wheeler Peak 13,159ft – highest in New Mexico
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- quick celebration (lotta clouds, thunder, then lightning – yikes!)
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- quick WOW shot – Wheeler Peak summit
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- lovin’ my Alaska rain jacket
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- literally hiked OVER the rainbow – AMAZING day!
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- Welcome to Taos, New Mexico!
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- rattlesnake-rabbit sausage in spicy cherry sauce
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- San Luis – oldest town in Colorado (established 1851)
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- Shrine of the Stations of the Cross
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- scenic depiction of the Saviour
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- sharing stories with a local – FAAANNNTASTIC weekend!
When my Colorado hiking buddy Annmarie asked about interest in a road trip to Yosemite (6 months ago), I said heck yeah. Why not? There’s tons of hikes & I’ve never been.
Road trip? Whew – it’s a long way to California but then again, why not? The trip was scheduled over my birthday, perfect way to celebrate – in the great outdoors!
Started our western trek from Denver – John taking the first shift behind the wheel to Grand Junction, near the Utah border. Gotta say I missed the next 3-4 hours as I caught zzz’s in anticipation of my shift 2-5am near Cedar City, Utah. That’s when we left civilization. No cell reception, no food, no gas. Car kill count: 2 birds & 4 rabbits. Entering Nevada, we drove hour after hour through desert on the Extraterrestrial Highway hugging Area 51. The truth really is out there 🙂
Daybreak…more cactus, lack of fuel – nestled among large scenic canyons. Located a small station just over the California border & shelled out almost $5/gallon. Next focus – food. Diner breakfast at Nicely’s, check done.
30 minutes more, Yosemite. Stopped for a few pics & reentered the lottery for Half Dome – an amazing cable climb high on my Yosemite wish list. Failed to secure a hiking permit for a Thursday climb; but no worries, there’s always Friday.
Lottery Results – CABLES ON HALF DOME – Daily Lottery 2013
We are sorry to inform you that you were not successful in securing a permit to hike to the summit of Half Dome from the Cables on Half Dome Lottery.
Another hour half to our campsite in Hetch Hetchy. Couldn’t check in for 2 hours – kinda weird since we were camping but no biggie, just road weary. Plan A – shower & sleep by a pool near the lodge (where some folks rent cabins).
10 minutes of shut eye, then was abruptly awakened by a fire marshal who commanded everyone to evacuate immediately. A HUGE forest fire – the Rim Fire – had grown quickly & was only mere miles away. CHAOS. No cell reception. No one could provide information. Just folks yelling to leave, leave NOW & instructions to go to a Red Cross Relief Center in Yosemite Valley (an hour plus away). Roads were closed west to San Francisco, east & south Yosemite our only choices.
Fire drama had permeated our group – bad mojo. Found a place to sleep, then sadly headed back to Colorado the following day.
The drive back via Fresno, Bakersfield, Death Valley & Las Vegas was far longer than our trek across the Nevada desert…but 20 hours later we returned to Colorado – John & I switching off every hour on the hour, staying alert in the early a.m.
In a world dominated by social media, we see only happy snapshots of our friends & family’s lives. It’s not realistic however that life rolls without any bumps along the way.
I felt a bit beaten at 5am Friday – but super relieved to be home. I pull strength from my Colorado surroundings — from the Flatirons (my mountains), from our 300 days of annual sunshine, from the snow. Colorado is my home.
Sometimes bad things happen to good people. We cannot build faith/character without being tested. AND it’s how we carry ourselves in these less than perfect circumstances which shows growth.
Yosemite will happen another time.
Disappointed, of course – but I feel a Colorado hike in my near future & it’s there I feel close to God.
25 Habits Of People Who Are Happy, Healthy & Successful
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- Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway (‘the Truth is out there’)
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- rainbow over Mono Lake
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- Tioga Pass Entrance Station (Yosemite)
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- Lembert Dome
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- who wouldn’t want to rope up? (climb envy)
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- Half Dome
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- bucket list climb – but sadly, not this time
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- Pothole Dome (8760ft)
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- very different hike terrain from Colorado
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- LIFE finds a way (growing thru cracks in the granite)
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- Tenaya Lake
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- Yosemite Valley
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- Yosemite ‘Rim Fire’
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- 30,000ft smoke plume over Hetch Hetchy (western edge of Yosemite)
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- 20 hour road trip – next time, taking a plane
