HikeColorado

Mt. Sherman

2008-09-20T21:19:00.001-07:00

Had but putting this one off for quite some time. I was initially working to get some folks together and camp near a trailhead and then summit the next day. As it was I forgot about Jacob's soccer game on Friday afternoon (they won and Jacob played great!) so decided to just drive up, summit and return on the same day.

Todd and I decided to leave the house at 0500. We stopped briefly at the Donut Mill and then proceeded to the trailhead. Very easy to find. After coming across 9 (from 24), we turned left on 285 and then immediately on CR 18. After about 20 minutes or so we reached the gate and parked along with several other cars. I was surprised to see the number of forest service campgrounds still open on the road. We also saw a number of homes definitely off the beaten path.

We left the car with the temperature showing 28 degrees just before 8. We saw a few folks ahead of us and made quick time up the trail.

The picture is near the summit looking back down the trail.

At the summit.

We reached the top just around 9:45. This is Ampitheater (just to the west).

Some dogs enjoying the snow on the summit.

Todd snapping some photos.

The guy who took our photo was finishing up a vacation of doing 14ers. I believe this was his eight of the week before heading home.

I believe this is Elbert off to the right (and a dog!).

This huge area is just below the summit, probably around 14,000. If it weren't for the lightning risks in the summer time, I would bet this is tempting for folks wants to acclimate themselves to high altitudes.

A number of mining cabins dot the hillsides.

After summiting Sherman we decided to take in Gemini to the north. A little difficult to find a true trail but we quickly got across the saddle. I believe we both started doubting ourselves a bit once we made the final push up towards the summit because the clouds we starting to roll in.

About the time we started snapping pictures of the mining buildings we encountered some very light snow. No accumulation, but made it interesting. What was really amazing was after we started back towards the main road it started raining, hard! We wondered about the number of casual hikers on the trail who probably had little to no rain gear.

Great hike!

Castle Peak

2008-09-20T21:00:00.001-07:00

Mt. Shavano

2008-08-31T11:50:00.000-07:00

My family (minus Brandon) and friends from church decided to enjoy the Labor Day weekend camping in Coaldale, CO at Cutty's Resort. The campground was appx. 30 minutes from Salida so I began wondering about going after a 14er while we were there and decided on Shavano.

I left the campground around 0500 (quite dark!) and drove into Salida. Once there I got a bit turned around with the directions I had. My initial reading made it appear the fork in the road would be right in the middle of the town. Come to find out I needed to continue heading west on Highway 50 for about another 10 minutes or so until I reached 285. From here I turned north for a few miles until the small marker for the Shavano/Tabagauche trailhead. (I actually used my GPS to give me warm fuzzy!). The road condition quickly detiorated but I did arrive at the trailhead about 20 minutes later (only 7 miles). I noticed a few campers before approaching the trailhead and appx. 10 or so cars at the trailhead itself. I parked, heated some water for coffee and collected my stuff and was on the trail at 0700. The trail is extremely well marked and aside from a brief parallel with the Colorado Trail, easy to navigate.

I really didn't care for the footing itself down low due to the large amount of rocks but made fairly good time. Around timberline I debated whether to shed a layer or 2 but just unzipped my jacket a bit and kept on. For food this time around I brought only energy gels (3 on the way up) and a Powerbar for the summit.

Once I approached the final ridge and was fully exposed to the north winds, I was grateful I didn't take my jacket off because it got cold FAST, primarily because of the wind. At this point I fished my gloves and kept them on till well through most of the descent.

There were quite a few people on the trail and I was surprised to find out I appeared to be one of the first to summit for the day (1030). Another guy was right behind me and I spoke with a young couple who were getting ready to head down as I reached the summit. I was hoping to also bag Tab but the clouds convinced me otherwise. I spoke with a couple of guys who had just gotten back. They were obviously younger and in better shape than me and said it had taken them almost 2 hours to make the round trip.

While at the summit I spoke with a father and son combo (and their dog). They had started at 4:40 in the morning and summitted just a few minutes after I did. The boy said this was his 9th summit and he is only 5 years old. Wow! I suppose he will have no trouble bagging all of Colorado's 14ers in his lifetime.

After appx. 20 minutes I started the trek back down. I should have taken a slower pace but the weather and the desire to get back to everyone at camp caused me to push myself a bit. I did fine with respect to my knee but did have a bit of discomfort for the last couple of miles. At this point the weather was beautiful and I of course wondered if I should have tackled Tab. I suppose it's not going anywhere and will give me an excuse to come back another day. I made it back to the car around 1300.

This makes 16!

Pikes Peak Ascent

2006-08-19T17:38:00.000-07:00

Mayflower Gulch

2006-01-15T18:14:00.000-08:00

My family and I went with our church youth group over MLK weekend up to Copper Mountain. While the rest of the family either boarded or skied, I decided to try my luck at snowshoeing. I had bought a pair of shoes a couple of years ago at an end of season clearance at REI but hadn't really gotten to use them. I did bring them when we went to Copper on the first of the year but one of the bindings snapped before I even left the parking lot.

After that experience I took them back to REI and traded up to a set of MSR's. The salesman said they were good starter shoes, reasonably priced and the same type the store rented out. I actually used them the day prior on this most recent trip when I took a snowshoeing tour at Copper. The tour started at the base of the mountain and consisted of 3 guides and about 18 of us. They took us up on the Kokomo lift and we walked down some nice, well groomed trails.

After this somewhat sheltered experience I felt ready for something on my own. The friday before leaving work I had gotten an e-mail from Boyd Clark about a trip he was planning later in the month to Mayflower Gulch. After hearing where it is located in proximity and hearing his rave reviews I decided to check it out.

I had a little bit of diffculty finding the trailhead but once I found it all was well. I left the trailhead about 10 a.m. and started up the well marked trail. There were several cars already there and by the time finished up about an 1 1/2 later the parking lot was pretty full.

The first landmark, about 2/3 way up the trail.

At the top (appx. 11900 feet) looking towards the North. Not sure what peak this is.

Looking towards the south east.

An abandoned mining cabin. This is obviously still used by groups or individuals because inside I found a rudimentary fire pit along with a rake and a broom!

Looking towards the west. I talked with a snowboarder who was carrying his board and heading towards this area. I also saw some skiers coming down the trail.

Mt. Massive

2005-08-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Crossing South Willow Creek, appx. 0630 in the morning on the day of the hike.

I was beginning to wonder if I would attempt another 14er this year and finally made myself go for it. Since I had done Elbert a couple of years earlier I thought it a good idea to close the loop, so to speak, with its neighbor, Mt. Massive. I also had the luxury of talking with a co-worker (Curt Child) about the trailhead, areas to camp, etc. since he and his family and just finished a weekend trip in the same area. In fact, he and his oldest daughter hiked Elbert the same weekend.

So after clearing things with Becky and work I set off. I first broke out my checklist (a must!) before packing to ensure I had everything I needed. After loading up I set off around 3:30 on Tuesday, 9 Aug. I decided to forgo Hwy 24 and take I-70 since Curt said this way was quicker. Shortly after leaving the Denver area the clouds opened up and it began to rain, not to really quit until just before existing I-70 for Leadville. I did make a brief stop at Idaho Springs at McD's for a quick bite. A very nice McD's, as far as McD's go.

After arriving at Leadville, I stopped at the Safeway and picked up a few last minute things. From there I headed south of town towards the trailhead. Everything was just like Curt and Gerry Roach (author of the 14er book I use) said it was and I made it to the trailhead about 7 p.m. I saw several federal campgrounds but didn't to pay $10 for a campsite and a vault toilet so I headed on down the road (which gets progressively worse but is still passable) for about a 1/2 mile. I found a good spot with plenty of room and close to running water (helps me sleep). One thing I purposely did different with this hike was ensure I was tired, at least more than usual. I made my self stay up late the night before leaving and I got up a bit earlier. May not sound like much but it did ensure I slept well while camping.

After setting up camp and ensuring everything was were it was supposed to be, I zipped myself in my tent and settled in. In addition to my hiking lamp, I also brought our small camping lantern (which I need to get one of so I don't forget to put it back). For reading I brought my Bible and a Tom Clancy novel (Red Storm Rising). I was already feeling quite sleepy but there was still some daylight so I resisted the urge to laydown. Finally, around 9 I did turn off the light and go to sleep.

After getting a good nights sleep, I woke up at 0430, quickly broke camp and headed to the trailhead. For breakfast I had poptarts and a cup of coffee. I was the first car to arrive and heated my water for coffee there as supposed to my camp site. I loaded up and began heading north at appx. 0545. According to Roach I would arrive at the South Willow creek within 2.4 miles, the North Willow creek within 3 miles and the junction at the 3.3 mile mark. My unofficial goal as to make the junction within an hour, which I more or less did.

At the junction. The Massive trailhead is to the left (south) and to the right (north) continues the Colorado Trail. This point is 3.3 miles from the trailhead (appx. 7 a.m.)

From this point I now headed west and quickly ascended above tree line. The trail was very well marked and the footing was nice. I also passed a young couple just before this point and did not see them until I returned to the trailhead.

Not sure why this cairn was here because the trail is almost idiot proof (at least at this altitude).

Once above this point I started the obvious quest for more oxygen. While my physical conditioning is better than it has been in years, I never do any real training at this altitude.

A small alpine lake, appx. 13,000 ft. Notice Turquoise Lake near the top of the screen.

Here I am just below the summit. The sign reads "Closed For Renovation." I'm assuming this is for the Half-Moon trail which I contemplated taking. I believe this portion of the trail is still open but is discouraged.

From this point I had appx. about 1/2 mile to ascend and appx. a couple 100 feet of elevation. Unfortunately the trail is a little murky from this point but is definitely achiveable.

At the summit, the picture was taken by a man I met after reaching the top. He and his friends were from out of town (Maryland?) and were staying in BV and were doing several 14ers during their stay. He had only departed about 30 minutes after I did and caught up with me quite quickly. After we spoke for a few minutes I decided to head down. Also, while we were at the summit, the clouds rolled in (and then out) very quickly. Quite a sight to see, being essentially eyeball-to-eyeball with the clouds.

The trek down was relatively easy. I did come across quite a few people and the common question was "How much farther?" and "Will the weather hold". As for the weather, I told them all not to be concerned with the clouds since they were moving in and out rather quickly. Lightning, on the other hand ...

One small boy I spoke with was quite funny. His question was how much longer, not farther. I told him it depended on how fast. He didn't seem to understand but his father did use this diversion as an illustration that the more he stopped the longer it would take.

Approaching the junction.

Approximately 1 mile from the trailhead.

Mt. Bierstadt/Mt. Evans

2005-07-01T07:28:00.000-07:00

What with all the nice weather we've been having lately, I definitely had the "itch" to get out and do some 14ers. I decided to go for some of the more popular ones and settled on Bierstadt with plans to do Evans the same day. The shot to the left is Bierstadt the day before I would actually hike it.

I left Colorado Springs after work on 6/30 and drove to Georgetown. After a brief stop at the visitors center and Subway, I was headed up Guanella Pass Road. Since they were doing some construction it was a bit slow but I made it to the trailhead in about 20 minutes or so. I stopped and walked around a bit and actually walked the first mile or so of the trail. I was curious to see the willows and the stream crossing. As for the willows (somewhat exaggerated by Roach) they were completely benign due to the nice foot bridges that had been erected. And the stream was easily crossed by some logs.

After completing my reconnaissance I headed back to my Jeep to find a place to camp for the night. After checking out a Forest Service campground ($12 a night for a place to pitch your tent and a vault toilet!) I found a nice spot about a mile from the trailhead and made camp there. My site was just a few feet from the road so I left my food and most of gear stored there. The weather forecast predicted lows in the 40's but I later remembered this was for Georgetown and not necessarily where I was staying. I was actually about 3,000 feet higher than G-Town so it did get a little chilly but I stayed fairly comfortable.

I woke up at 0400. Having laid everything out the night before, I was able to break camp, get dressed and head to the trailhead fairly quickly. For breakfast I had oatmeal and coffee. I decided to boil my water at the trailhead and have breakfast there. I measured out my water the night before and saved it in my Nalgene. I also decided to put some PB on a bagel for later in the day. As for my attire, I decided to forgo my hiking boots in favor of my trail shoes. I wore my NF pants, a winter-weight under armour long sleeve mock turtle neck with a light-weight long sleeve shirt on top. I also wore my REI rain jacket. As for snacks, I had several energy bars, some sausage, beef jerky and of course my bagel. Everything was inside my new Camelbak which holds 2 liters of water (I also packed a small gatorade). I had my breakfast at the trailhead and waited for first light before heading out, just around 0530. Since my car was the only one at the trailhead I had the trail all to myself.

The trail starts out very easy and stays this way for the first mile or till you start gaining elevation. I was able to keep a fairly quick pace and reached the summit just after 7:30. After signing the summit log (just placed there the day before) I had something to eat and drink and headed towards the Sawtooth at 0800.

Looking back towards the Guanella Pass trailhead.

This was my first big mistake with regards to planning. I had heard alot about the "tooth" but was not at all prepared. All in all I spent about 3 hours crossing this when I would have been better off with going to the bottom towards Alpine Lake and then summitting back up to the trail. Once I did get through the snow and meager trail I did hook up with my intended trail which was extremely well marked with cairns.

Now being able to see where I was going thanks to the cairns, I made fairly good time to the summit of Evans. I wasn't sure what to expect since this summit can also be attained via a vehicle on the paved road but found out that its summit is nothing like Pikes. There was ample parking but to actually reach the summit you do have to actually walk a bit.

Looking down after just completing the "Tooth"

Having made it, by this time well later than I thought, after 11, I had some sausage, chocolate and gatorade. While I was catching my breath I had a chat with some visitors who had drove up. They seemed quite surprised that I had walked up, even more so when they learned I had started with Bierstadt. After we finished talking the woman asked how old I was. When I told her 41 she was quite chagrined because she was the same age.

After filling up I wondered over the parking lot area to use the restroom. I talked briefly with the ranger and asked about the weather which he said would be fine (it was). I then started back what I thought would be an un-adventurous return. The first couple of miles or so definitely were but I soon regretted my lack of planning. Thinking I would find the trail down the gulley (I had no intention of EVER doing the sawtooth again!) to the west of the trailhead, I soon found myself scrambling down some very steep, scree filled descents. Once I made it down I was able to found a faint trail but was still very steep (very thankful for my poles). It wasn't until I was below timberline that I began to relax and enjoy myself, sort of. I put on my IPod and was having reasonable success with the willows (I now appreciate what Roach was describing prior to the foot bridges being erected on the actual trail) until I eventually got to a point that I stopped trying to stay dry. I definitely missed not bringing my boots!

Looking back towards the "tooth" near the end of the day.

All in all, a good hike, but if doing it again I would try and get smarter and better understand the "tooth," or better yet, break it up into 2 different hikes, 2 different days (maybe one?).

This makes 13 for me (Pikes Peak, Elbert, Grays, Torreys, Harvard, Democrat, Cameron, Lincoln, Bross, Belford, Huron, Bierstadt and Evans).

Pikes Peak

2004-08-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

Been planning to do this for over a year, but we finally got it done. My youngest son Jacob (12) and I made it. Just 2 days earlier I was able to get us booked at Barr Camp as well as confirmed seats on the COG coming down the next day.

We arrived at the trailhead just before 10 a.m. and actually found a parking spot. After loading up we started making our way up the trail. I tried to keep Jacob's load as light as possible but he still ended up with my old Coleman day pack with my newly purchased (via E-Bay) Lafuma sleeping bag. He also had a small Nalgene, a sports drink and a few articles of clothing. I had essentially the same but more water and a heavier sleeping bag in addition to a water filter and first aid kit. We each also had a paperback to read.

We made good time in spite of the heat and the steepness of the inital mile or so. After reaching the trail for the incline we decided to venture over (.5 miles) and check it out. From there we rejoined the trail and arrived at Barr Camp just before 2.

Jacob at the top of the incline

Looking down from the top of the incline

I was slightly concerned about Jacob being able to keep up but he proved otherwise. For much of the trail he was ahead of me urging me on! In fact, as we approached Barr Camp he jogged (sprinted?) the last 1/2 mile or so. Thankfully for both of us the weather cooperated and we stayed dry and lightning-free the whole trip.

After arriving at Barr Camp we put our gear in the bunkhouse section of the back and occupied our time before dinner with horseshoes, reading and napping (Jacob more than me!).

A "friend" we met at Barr Camp

Jacob resting before dinner (and more horseshoes!)

Dinner was good, at least for me. It was spaghetti but with more of a stroganoff (sp?) sauce than red sauce. The homemade bread was excellent. After dinner we played some more shoes, read, played cards and finally turned in around 9:30. The section we ended up sleeping in was one of the loft sections. There was room for a total of 4 people to sleep (1 full, 2 twin mattresses) but we had the area to ourselves. Sleeping was okay, but not great. The room was actually quite warm and was too quiet for my taste. We drifted in and out of sleep but definitely got rest.

After our nights rest I got up around 6 and read till 6:30 for breakfast. Jacob and I joined the rest of the group of about 15 or so for pancakes. I enjoyed the blueberry w/nuts but Jacob was not thrilled. After breakfast we went outside for some more horseshoes and then headed out around 8.

Preparing for the summit

We made good time with only a few brief stops prior to timberline. We walked over to the A-Frame and unloaded our packs for a few minutes. While I filtered some water Jacob enjoyed feeding a chipmunk and a bird.

This is why we wear hats when we hike!

After taking some pictures we headed back up the mountain. We started leap-frogging a family of 4-5 people and noticed at least one of them was cutting the switch-backs, in fact one girl joked about it. Jacob and I discussed the bad points of doing this, in fact, at one point I was tempted to inform her dad but decided not to.

Later on while stopping to catch our breath we were passed by an older gentleman. I apologized in advance but I had to know his age. 70 years old! I congratulated him for his accomplishment and he laughed and said he wasn't there yet. We later saw him at the top and had a chance to speak with him some more.

The weather cooperated and we made time the rest of the way up. We reached the summit around 12:30.

At the summit!

After taking a few pictures we went inside for lunch. We both got pizza and then later got some french fries along with a donut. We walked around the summit parking lot, something I have never done before, and also ventured out to take some more pictures. The clouds were rolling in as was the weather it was bringing. Probably an hour or so after we arrived the summit was completed fogged in. I felt sorry for the folks still arriving. It was pretty pitiful to see them step off the COG and just kind of wander around looking for a picture to take.

Speaking of the COG, I was a little confused on what to do with regards to our passage down. I had bought tickets over the phone and the only confirmation I had was a 3-digit number. I asked the first conducter I saw and he actually said they might be able to get us on an earlier COG but we wouldn't be able to sit together. We decided to wait and be able to sit together. When our car arrived we got on with no problem and of course were able to sit together. We sat with a nice couple from Minnesota who were vacationing.

Sleeping on the COG

Shortly after boarding it started to hail, in fact there was some pretty significant accumluation. The weather didn't really cooperate but we made it down with no problems. It was raining when the COG pulled into the station and ironically enough this was the wettest I got the whole trip (walking to the trailhead to get my Jeep).

Quite a memorable trip with son and I hope to repeat a similar trip with my oldest.

Huron Peak

2004-07-11T04:12:00.000-07:00

After getting a good nights sleep (at least I did, not sure about Barry) we woke up around 5:30 and had breakfast. The day prior I had settled for a bagel and PB but this morning I decided to have my first dehydrated scrambled eggs and ham. After boiling enough water for a cup of coffee (Maxwell house filter) and my meal I had my breakfast.

For today's hike I decided to dress slightly different than the day before. For Belford's hike I wore a Underarmour baselayer, a synthetic short-sleeve shirt and my REI rainjacket (most of the day). My pants were a recent addition. I bought a pair of hiking pants from REI (Northface). Lots of pockets and zip-off legs. I wore 2 pair of socks; one was a heavy wool pair and the other was a thin liner pair. I also taped my feet, specifically my toes and heels. Makes a big difference. Need to work on my toes some more because the downhills were a little sore on my toes. My knees did fine. I love my trekking poles! Unfortunately I bent one (slightly), must have gotten it stuck between 2 rocks on the downhill. For an additionally layer I also took my Columbia fleece but didn't wear it much and definitely didn't need it. The pack I use is a Go-Lite, a little too big but works well for me. The water bladder is 2 liters and I also carried a 16 oz Gatorade. To eat I had 2 snickers, some trail mix, a bagel and a small bag of beef jerky. This was my first trip with jerky and I enjoyed it. I also took a Powerbar but didn't eat it. A couple of years ago I was fairly enamored of Powerbars but now I think Snickers are the way to go. The Powerbars are more for emergency (do these things have a shelf life?)

Back to this hike ... I decided to forgo my zip-offs and went with shorts only. I also used a different base layer, my Capilene undershirt I brought for sleeping. Over this I wore a short sleeve Columbia t-shirt (moisture wicking). I took the same outer layers, most of the day with my rain jacket on. I also have a pair of Mountain Hardware (sp?) gloves which I really like.

It was a little chilly around the campsite with my bare lower legs but I managed thanks to Barry building a campfire.

After finishing breakfast Barry wasn't 100% convinced about today's adventure. I decided not to ask too many questions thinking he might talk himself out of it. We loaded up the Jeep and headed down the 4WD road to the trailhead. We arrived around 7 and were on the trail by 7:10. There were several cars there already. One father and son team were loading up and heading out. They said they had completed the hike the day before. My boys and I had planned on doing the same last fall but woke up VERY cold and with wet shoes (theirs, not mine) and decided to call it an early day.

View of the 3 Apostles from the Huron trail

The trail is very nice and we made good time. Barry counted the switchbacks again and stopped for an extended break at 12,300 in the basin. Barry said he wasn't going on because he felt if he pushed further he would regret it later. I asked him if we going to head back down and he said he was staying and enjoying the view. I left him around 9:15 and continued on. From this point the trail has series of steps to help navigate and also minimize damage to the terrain. I made it to the summit around 10:20 or so and stayed just a few minutes to snap some pictures. While most of the trail was very nice (adopted by CFI a few years back), the last couple of hundred feet to the summit was very rough. By rough it was steep and didn't have very good places for footing.

I spoke with a couple of folks at the top. One man had come up Browns Peak and swung around to Huron. He startled me because he was on the east side resting and I didn't seem him (thought I was alone!). Another guy I spoke with said he has hiked Huron quite a bit because he owns some mining claims near the 4WD road. I asked if he owned one of the cabins in Winfield he said no but would like to.

Myself at the summit of Huron

Winfield is technically a ghosttown (at least that's the way I see it) but there are some cabins there, possibly 5-6. While they did look inhabited, they were all closed up with no immediate signs of life. I suppose they are more vacation/weekend homes than anything else. I think it would be pretty cool to have something like that. It would seem to pretty primitive what with no running water or electricity (all had outhouses and no signs of power cables running to them).

After chatting on the summit and began the slow trek down to the switchbacks. From there I made good time and hooked back up with Barry around 12. After having a Snickers and Gatorade we made our way down. I was surprised to still see quite a few people coming up. The weather was very overcast but we never saw any signs of bad weather. We completed the switchbacks and headed back to our campsite. We came upon a family reunion of sorts and found our quiet campground area invaded. We packed up the tents and headed back to Colorado Springs. I arrived home around 6.

This makes number 10 for me.

(Actual first attempt at Huron)

Memorial Day weekend, 2003 - Our family and some friends were going to camp out in BV (Crazy Horse Campground) and I decided to head early and try some 14ers. I arrived in Winfield on a Thursday morning and headed straight down the 4WD road for Huron. Although the road is rough the Jeep was doing great. I had traveled about 1/4 mile when I started hitting snow. I was still able to make good time when I got stuck. It was sort of like having some sort of out of body experience. Just before getting stuck my subconscious said "Hey, there are no tire tracks in this section of the road!" After getting stuck, really stuck, I got out and was in snow up to my knees. I'll admit I had some minor panic thinking of walking back to town (10 miles?) and flagging down a wrecker to get me out. Thankfully my 4WD, with the help of rocks, rocking, etc. was able to get out, going backwards to safety and parking. From here I packed up and headed out on foot. I suppose I dressed okay but I suddenly wondered how much snowshoes would cost. Once I passed the wooded area I was in I was able to make better time in the clearing just before the trail head. I attempted to make my way up the trail but there was all but no evidence of a trail and quickly decided to call it quits. I suppose this would be considered an attempt but it was more like scouting expedition.

Mt Belford

2004-07-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

Since the family was out of town, I had been planning to put some 14ers under my belt. While I was initially intending to go by myself, an AF friend of mine, Barry Graham, was coming to town and I was able to talk him into going. Although he does like hiking he's at a distinct disadvantage because he lives in Florida. The altitude gains are always significant for me but for him they are phenomenal.

Barry flew into Colorado Springs on Friday morning and by 12 my Jeep was loaded and we were on our way to Buena Vista. After a quick stop in Woodland Park for lunch, we arrived in BV around 3. We got some gas and stopped at the Trail Head. If you are ever in BV and need to re-supply, I recommend this place. Nice, knowledgeable salespeople and very friendly. From there we headed a little further north to Chaffee County Road 390 and the town of Winfield, CO. Not really a town per se, but a collection of some buildings from the 1800's. We camped just across the creek from the town in a nice spot within view of the only vault toilet. After setting up our tents, we realized we didn't have bug spray and would need it. We got back in the Jeep and went back to City Market in town to get some spray. From there we decided to eat dinner in town at Jan's. We had been here before when we attempted Harvard last fall. Finished up dinner and went back to our camp site. We stayed outside talking and reading till about 8:30 or so and headed for bed.

We woke up the next morning at 5 and had some quick breakfast, finished dressing and made the short 4 mile trip to the trailhead (in my Jeep!). There were already a number of cars at the trailhead but we found parking and headed up the Missouri Gulch trail about 6:30. If you're not familiar with the trail, it quickly gains elevation with a number of switchbacks (Barry was keeping count but I can't remember how many).

Barry doing the kind of prep I tend to forget

After about an hour or so we crossed the creek and made our way to the fork. We did pass a number of tents approaching timberline and some beyond. I think that would be a neat way to approach these. That being, hike up and spend the night (day one), summit one or more the next (day two) and then come back down (day three). Back to our hike. We reached the fork and had already decided to go for Belford. Our initial thought was to start with MO and then swing around and bag Belford and then Oxford. We did see some people going for MO but most we spoke with were doing Belford.

Weather-wise it was cloudy the whole day, in fact it had even rained some while we were getting ready. No lightning but that didn't stop me from being concerned (more to come ...).

While we spoke with a number of people, all of whom seemed very polite, we spoke with one man who said he and his group had started at 1:00 A.M! When discussing the weather he said they ran into rain and some snow but the snow quickly melted off.

We were making good time until around 13,000 feet when Barry said I should go on by myself. He was determined to make it but felt he would need more time than I would. We both agreed it was good and I pushed on at a slightly faster pace, hoping to get Oxford as well. (Barry later said my leaving took some of the pressure off of him). I pushed myself a little more and also got more fatigued. I made it to the summit just before 11 and found just a few people there. Given the number of cars and people who had passed us I expected to see quite a bit more. After snapping a few pictures and getting a snack I started speaking with a gentleman I had leap frogged over a few times on the trail. He was getting ready to head towards Oxford (very cloudy by now) and seemed quite confident. My initial thought was to stay and wait for Barry but I decided to push on.

Barry on the summit of Belford

Summit of Mt Belford

View of Oxford from the summit of Belford.

View of Oxford near Belford's summit

My new found friend stayed ahead of me on the very steep climb down towards Oxford's saddle but I gained momentum on the level ground and continued the pace on the way up. I was probably within a few hundred feet of the summit and looked back towards Belford and saw very dark clouds and my "partner" turning back. Now I felt very vulnerable. I paused for a moment and then turned back. Big mistake as the weather never did turn bad, in fact it got slightly better. The trip back seemed to take forever, especially the climb back towards Belford. When I got back to Belford I found Barry there looking very happy and refreshed. He had been there about 45 minutes and seemed surprised that I had not made it. Oh well, there is always next time.

We decided to go down the "backway" on the Elkhead Pass trail. While this way was slightly longer it seemed less steep and more enjoyable. We made good time coming down with minimal stops. We reached the Jeep around 4 and headed back to camp. We both were quite tired and I was still (and still am!) disappointed I didn't get Oxford. I suppose I will probably try the same route and perhaps go after all 3.

Nolands Trail

2004-06-09T16:10:00.000-07:00

Nolands Trail (Newport News, VA)

While on travel in Hampton, VA, I learned of a trail called Nolands. Joe Luchtenberg clued me in to this find and I finally got around to checking it out yesterday. The trail is a 5 mile loop and is absolutely gorgeous. It crosses a number of bridges, immaculately managed but yet natural looking paths and was very enjoyable. I didn't really plan on venturing out because I was wearing my Teva's and not my running shoes. Nevertheless, I headed out and did the loop. I hope to get back there today (my last day here) and jog the entire thing.

Highly recommend!

Trail 715

2004-05-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

Finished work early and parked in the small lot near the gate for 715. My goal was to explore the fork near the creek (Beaver Creek?) and see where it lead to. I had hiked this route in reverse a couple of weeks back and was curious. I began around 1:30 and started in a light rain/snow. The route is a fairly easy hike and I was able to make pretty good time in spite of myself. I felt a little ill-prepared. I opted for my Camelbak (1 liter), some snacks, a fleece vest and my raincoat. My upperbody stayed warm and dry but my hands were cold for most of the trip. My pants got pretty wet (need to invest in rain pants!) and my thighs were cold and wet most of the trip as well.

I made it to my new territory around 2:30 and ventured out. The route I was on was taking back to the east. I walked for about 10 minutes and then I could see houses. Come to find out I was on private property and ended up at a cul-de-sac in a small neighborhood. On the way back I saw the Private Property sign which had either fallen or was vandalized by some not-so-honest hikers.

After backtracking to my past hike I contemplated crossing the creek and seeing if there were any other routes which might take me south. I could definitely see plenty of areas to the south but most were fenced off (can't imagine actually owning this kind of property!).

Got back to the car before 4 and was home in about 10 minutes. Shortly after getting home it snowed quite hard and left about 2 inches in our yard. Gotta love Colorado in the Springtime!

My plan for the future is to buy some waterproof gloves. I had my Mountain Hardwear windproof gloves but they don't shed water at all.

Lincoln, Bross, Democrat and Cameron

2003-09-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

Planned a trip to go for this trifecta (Cameron is technically not a 14er) near Fairplay, CO. Barry Graham and I had decided to go without much planning the week he was in Colorado Springs. On the day before we were going to leave we also got 2 others to go with us, Frank Delall (TBMCS Program Manager - LM) and John Shafer (TBMCS Program Manager - USAF). We worked it out to spend the night in Fairplay so we could get an early start. Barry and I discussed the possibility of camping at the trailhead but decided not to on account of the weather. Barry and I got done at work first and arrived at Fairplay around mid afternoon. After checking in at the hotel we drove to the trailhead near Alma, about 10 miles away. The road going to the trailhead was rough but uneventful. We did see people camping but it was already turning cold.

The next morning we started before sunrise with the 4 of us having breakfast in Fairplay. We made the trailhead just before the sun came up and started out.

The area we actually parked in was just past the camping area. After crossing a small stream (no bridge) we parked the Jeep in a small area with several other vehicles. This is a very popular weekend destination and we would see LOTS of people throughout the day. After getting loaded up made our way the face, towards the saddle of Cameron and Bross.

Heading up the mountains (from Kite Lake)

After a short trek, about halfway up, we turned to our left and started up towards Democrat. From here we had an excellent view of where we started, Kite Lake.

See why they named the lake Kite?

From this point we experienced strong, very strong winds the remainder of the day. One person we spoke with stated the winds were in excess of 40 MPH. While the wind made the day somewhat uncomfortable and cold, the few times when it died down it would be come quite warm, very quickly.

Just before reaching the summit of Democrat we traversed a short time at just over 14,000 feet. I thought it odd to walking on relatively flat ground yet walking about 14,000 feet. The actual summit isn't much more than a small pinnacle which extends up a couple hundred feet or so.

Myself, Frank Delalla, John Shafer and Barry Graham on the summit of Democrat

After resting and taking photos we started towards Lincoln via Cameron. Part of this required us to backtrack but soon we were on new ground. Mt. Cameron is not considered a "true" 14er because it is not far enough from other 14ers (must be greater than 300 between another 14er). However, we did pass over this "summit" in order to reach Lincoln. Once we were back on the saddle we reached this summit. Once here we took an extended break to eat and take photos.

Resting on Lincoln (not much wind on this side of the mountain)

Myself on the summit of Lincoln (very bright!)

Barry Graham on the summit of Lincoln

Making our back to Cameron (and on to Bross)

After our break we started our way back towards Cameron in order to reach Bross. Just before leaving John said he was feeling nauseous. John was in probably as good as shape if not better than most of us. However, coming from the east coast, he was not at all acclimated to the altitude. I was worried but thankfully nothing more came of his illness. The trek to Bross was uneventful but we did see something unusual. A pickup truck was parked just below the summit. I had heard that people had driven up on the summit of Bross but had to see it to believe it. There is also a story of a plane crash (when?) once upon a time also on the summit. While there is a road to the summit it is not like the road leading up to Pikes Peak.

Once we got to the summit we took another break for a short time and then headed down. The summit of Bross is definitely different, by that it is very large and flat. We did sign-in at the summit near the rock shelter.

Barry signing the summit log on Bross

Heading back down the mountain

The trek down was very tricky. As we had already heard, once you commit to Bross you really are almost forced to go down the face of Bross vice going back down the way in which we initially ascended, from Kite Lake to the Cameron/Bross saddle. The so-called "trail" wasn't much more an a slide or rocky climb on no trail at all. John was the smartest of all. He donned a pair of gaiters which kept the rocks and junk out of his boots.

Conditions in which we hiked down (this was the good stuff!)

Approaching the trailhead (looking back towards the saddle between Cameron and Bross)

After reaching the Jeep we loaded up and started back towards town. Total time from start to finish was about 9 hours. The ride back to town was uneventful except for our hitchhiker. A young man from Italy was hiking back towards his car. He had flown into Denver and was doing some hiking. Apparently he had communicated correctly to the rental car company because he wanted a car for hiking and ended up with a convertible with low-clearance. He was able to make it until about 1 mile before the trailhead. After squeezing him in and out we made it back to town for dinner. From there Barry and I headed back to the Springs.

Great trip!

Mt. Harvard

2003-09-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Near the summit, looking back towards trail head.

I Intended to spend the night near the trailhead in my tent. However, I realized about half-way to BV that I had left my sleeping bag at home. Ended up spending $70 for a hotel. Left the hotel before 5 a.m. Made good time on the trail, the first couple of miles in the dark. Ended up slowing up just before dawn due to concern over bears (never saw or heard but keep thinking "what if?). The actual summit was more difficult than I expected due to trail ending and having to scramble. Didn't see anyone until just before reaching the top. The only bit of drama was dropping my water bottle (Nalgene) between some rocks. Tried to reach for it but had visions of Aron Ralston so I decided to forgo. I had originally planned on going for Columbia but thought better because of lack of water and clouds.

Llamas I encountered coming down Harvard

Huron Peak (1st attempt)

2003-09-13T08:05:00.000-07:00

Decided to bring the boys along for some father-sons time. We left home on a Saturday and planned on spending the night at the base of Huron Peak. Arrived mid-afternoon and set up camp and did some hiking. Found some old log cabins as well as some old mining sites.

Doing hiking near the base of Huron

Built a fire and had dinner of dehydrated spaghetti. As the sun went down it got cold, real cold. We quickly got into the tent and got settled in. It wasn't before too long I realized my tent was rated 3 season for a reason. While our sleeping bags were keeping us warm, anything not in our bags got cold and stayed cold.

Brandon and Jacob enjoying the fire

In the morning we discovered that my water bottle had frozen and the boys shoes were very frosty. After some discussion we decided to forgo, mainly because of the boys shoes, and quickly packed up and headed for town (Jan's diner for breakfast.). Some might call the trip a bust but it will always be considered special by me.

View from our campsite

Mt. Harvard (2nd attempt)

2003-08-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

Barry was in town for testing and we decided to try a 14er. This was his first time at hiking in Colorado so I left the decision up to him. I provided him my 14er book. I actually thought he might like to try a local hike like Mt. Herman or Palmer Lake Reservoir but he wanted something with gusto. He decided on Harvard and I was glad since I had tried and failed back in the early summer (1st attempt). I picked him up at his hotel in the Springs around 5 and we drove straight to BV. I had mentioned stopping for breakfast in Woodland Park (Donut Mill!) but his Atkins diet wouldn't allow it (as you can probably tell I am not a fan of the diet!). We arrived in BV just after 6 and stopped at the only open restaurant, Jan's. Breakfast was quite good and from there we headed to the trailhead.

We got off to the wrong foot because I wasn't paying attention and ended up going the wrong way but quickly recovered (lost about 30 minutes?). We made good time and Barry seemed to be doing very well for a flat-lander. The weather was also nice which made things seem well even though we were always on the lookout for lightning. To say the least this time was much more pleasant than my previous attempt since there was no snow.

"Bear" looking down on Bear Lake

At approximately 13,000 feet said he was done. He seemed to be doing well but said he didn't think he should push it anymore (he was slowing down but so was I). He handed me my other walking stick and I continued up. My goal was to reach the summit but the clouds were starting to roll in but still no lightning. I felt like I might make it and in fact had passed 14,000 feet but ended up turning back because of lightning. Several people passed me (coming down) and said they hadn't made it but were scared. In fact at one point I looked back towards Barry (he waited and didn't turn back) and tried to get his attention by waiving my trekking poles. At the time I didn't realize it but I was feeling some static electricity. At the time I thought that perhaps I had banged my elbow (e.g. funny bone) because I felt "funny." We got a good laugh about it and the lightening stayed away.

Me w/Columbia in the background

Notice the new hail on Columbia

Mt. Harvard (1st attempt)

2003-05-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

I spent the night near the Mt. Harvard trailhead. Had a great nights sleep next to a nice stream. Got up around 5:30 and had a nice breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. I was "forced" to go into BV the day before to buy some cups (only needed one but bought a package of styrofoam to save $$) for coffee. Note to self, go over the packing checklist more than once.

My campsite near Harvard

Stream near where I camped

After breakfast I broke camp and headed to the trailhead, just about 1/4 mile from where I spent the night. Upon arriving at the trailhead I noticed only 1 other car and this one was actually there the day prior when I scouted for a place to spend the night.

View from the trail

I made good time but quickly ran into snow, just like the day prior (but didn't get my Jeep stuck this time!). While I was post-holing it wasn't all bad. I crossed the creek twice (2 different bridges) and from here had lots of trouble.

Notice the flow of the stream (lots of snow run-off)

I was still fairly optimistic since I was gaining altitude, however this quickly changed. I finally called it a day when the snow was literally taller than I was. From here I noticed there were no more foot prints but only snow shoes (snow skis?). Very frustrated but I had no choice but to turn back.

Forced to turn back!

Got back to the car in about an hour and headed for the Crazy Horse Campground where the family was spending Memorial Day Weekend.