Cub Lake Loop | Rocky Mountain National Park Estes Park, CO | 07/25/20 | 5.65 miles | 655' gain Something about 2020 and plans just didn't go together. Tori and I planned on hiking Bear Lake to Fern Lake in Rocky, but by 6am the Bear Lake parking lot was already full. We'd brought two …
Geneva Lake | Pike National Forest Grant, CO | 06/20/20 | 1.56 miles | 72' gain We had some friends visiting for the weekend and we decided to take them to one of our favorite 4-wheeling spots in the mountains. My brother-in-law Klay brought his Tacoma as my Crosstrek just wouldn't do the trick this …
Mount Elbert (14,443') Attempt | CO Rank: 1/53 Sawatch Range | San Isabel National Forest | Twin Lakes, CO 06/13/20 | 7.48 miles | 2,177' gain | Class 1 For my husband Kyle's birthday weekend, we (mostly me) decided to climb a 14er. Not just any 14er, but the tallest one in Colorado, Mount Elbert! …
I met up with my friend Tori for a quick hike before work. We had a limited amount of time so we chose to do a couple of super short hikes instead of one longer one. (I don't think it would have been good if Tori was late to work!) Neither are the most scenic …
Hidden Mesa Trail | Hidden Mesa Open Space Franktown, CO | 06/06/20 | 6.48 miles | 505' gain On a rainy June morning, my friend Tori and I set out for a quick hike. The Castle Rock area had the best weather forecast and we hoped we could get in a dry hike. Douglas County …
On the first day of Rocky Mountain National Park's (RMNP) new reservation system, I decided to leave work early and check it out for myself. Hundreds of tickets were still available so I had no trouble purchasing one. (Only $2 for me since I have an annual pass.) The National Park had opened a few …
Continue reading RMNP: June Mini-Hikes | Colorado | 06/04/20
Hall Ranch: Antelope to Button Rock | Hall Ranch Open Space Lyons, CO | 05/28/20 | 11.56 miles | 1,536' gain Hall Ranch Open Space is one of the many fabulous parks managed by Boulder County. I'd visited a handful of times, but always did the exact same loop. In my quest for a big-mile …
Continue reading Hall Ranch: Antelope to Button Rock | Colorado | 05/28/20
Black Mesa (4,973') | Oklahoma's State High Point Kenton, OK | 05/24/20 | 8.79 miles | 726' gain We woke up around sunrise and started out for the summit of Black Mesa, Oklahoma's high point and the second state high point of our Memorial Day trip. While Black Mesa isn't a terribly difficult hike, it's …
Continue reading Black Mesa (4,973′) | Oklahoma’s State High Point | 05/24/20
Mount Sunflower (4,039') | Kansas' State High Point Weskan, KS | 05/23/20 | 0.55 miles | 16' gain On Memorial Day weekend, Kyle and I took a short trip to visit a couple of nearby state high points. Our first stop was Mount Sunflower, the high point of Kansas. This is just across the Colorado …
Continue reading Mount Sunflower (4,039′) | Kansas’ State High Point | 05/23/20
Moose Meadow Trail to Brown Homestead | Hermit Park Open Space Estes Park, CO | 05/21/20| 4.84 miles | 629' gain Hermit Park Open Space is criss-crossed by various forested trails, most popular of which is the Kruger Rock Trail. But I'm not one to visit a park just for the most well known trail, …
Continue reading Moose Meadow Trail to Brown Homestead | Colorado | 05/21/20
