Mount Wilcox (13,408') | CO Rank: 315/637 Front Range | Arapaho National Forest | Georgetown, CO 06/07/20 | 7.47 miles | 2,564' gain | Class 1 & 2 While 2020 has "blessed" us with many a dumpster fire, an early start to summer was something to be truly happy about, especially after the very short …
Continue reading Mount Wilcox (13,408′) | Colorado | 06/07/20
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
Colorado Mines Peak (12,493') | Arapaho National Forest Empire, CO | 05/30/20 | 4.38 miles | 1,181' gain I've attempted Colorado Mines Peak more times than I'd care to admit. Somehow I always end up going when there's feet of snow and for some reason, I never bring my snowshoes. (Not my proudest of moments.) …
Continue reading Colorado Mines Peak (12,493′) | Colorado | 05/30/20
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
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
Mount Sheridan (13,748') | CO Rank: 126/637 Mosquito Range | Pike National Forest | Fairplay, CO 05/17/20 | 7.10 miles | 2,515' gain | Class 2 Boy am I behind on blogging! Life has been so busy lately and I haven't had a chance to keep up with sharing my stories. We started fostering with …
Continue reading Mount Sheridan (13,748′) | Colorado | 05/17/20
Flagstaff Mountain (6,983') via Chapman Drive | Boulder OSMP Boulder, CO | 05/16/20 | 7.69 miles | 1,441' gain Back in Boulder with Tori again! (There are SO many trails in Boulder!) A few days before this hike, Tori had texted me and asked if I'd made it to the true summit of Flagstaff Mountain …
Continue reading Flagstaff Mountain (6,983′) via Chapman Drive | Colorado | 05/16/20
Shanahan/Big Bluestem Loop | Boulder OSMP Boulder, CO | 05/12/20| 4.97 miles | 876' gain I met up with my friend Tori for a quick hike before work. Boulder is always convenient and there are infinite trails to choose from. This loop was perfect for a morning workout! We met at the Shanahan Ridge Trailhead, …
Continue reading Shanahan/Big Bluestem Loop | Colorado | 05/12/20
Foothills Nature Trail | Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park Loveland, CO | 07/10/20| 2.34 miles | 458' gain Kyle and I set out for a quick and easy morning hike near home. I'd done this hike before but I didn't blog about it. It seemed worthy of a repeat (and a blog post). The Round Mountain Nature …
Continue reading Foothills Nature Trail | Colorado | 05/10/20
