Ute Trail - RMNP

Authors Note: The Ute Trail is named for prehistoric Arapaho and Ute tribes who traveled this alpine route for thousands of years from Beaver Meadows to their summer hunting grounds on the great plains and winter hunting in the tundra.

For the second week in a row, 13 members of the High Country Hiker Group experienced steady gusty alpine winds throughout the day.  These experienced active seniors came prepared for extreme alpine conditions, donning knit caps, hooded fleece and windbreakers tightly cinched around their faces.

Approach to Tombstone Ridge.

Views from Trail Ridge Road - the highest continuous paved road in the U. S. -  are awesome any time of year.  Today, for the entire 9.9 miles from Deer Ridge Junction to the TH, all eyes were focused on the vast landscapes of RMNP. 

Would Ed find a parking spot along the short pull-off at the TH on Trail Ridge Road?  Not today!  So he moved on to the next pull-off.  The 1/4 mi. walk back to the TH would provide us a first hand account of the continuous wind we would face today.

Preview - Ute Trail (RMNP)

High Country Hiker Group
Tuesday, July 30, 2012
Bus leaves ACAA at 7:30 a.m. sharp

This 4 mile O&B trek begins on the famous Trail Ridge Road, at an elevation of over 11,400'.  Expect trail to be rocky as we move across the parks alpine tundra.  Don't leave your camera at home this week.  The views of numerous peaks to the south will be outstanding.

Be sure to pack sufficient water (32 oz. min.) for the day.  Other staple items in your pack should be rain gear, a cap, sun block (SPF30 or better), and lunch.

Elevation gain will be minimal (100' +/-), as will canopy. 

There is no hike scheduled next week (Aug. 6th.).  Next hike will be to Mt. Sniktau, Tuesday, Aug. 13th.

Hike to Stanley Mountain Summit

Authors Note:  The following text was supplied by hike leader and driver, Ed Blum.  Details such as elevation, mileage, and wilderness background information was provided by the author.  Images provided by Kathy Hall, and Dorothy Stranberg.  

Eleven members of the High Country Hiker (HCH) group made the trip to the Berthoud Pass TH (11,315') where this hike began.  The TH was virtually wind free, but things were to change.

Cherry Creek Little League Intermediate Champions

Little League Baseball (LLB) has been part of the American sports landscape since 1939, when it began with three teams in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  The town in north central PA, hosts the annual little League World Series in August.

LLB has nine regions around the globe.  The U.S. is comprised of East, Southeast, Central, Southwest, and West.  Other regions include teams from Canada, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Europe and Asia.  It is the worlds largest organized youth sports program with over 200,000 teams in more than 80 countries. 

Preview - Hike to Stanley Mountain

Incredible view from the rocky summit of Stanley Mountain, looking south.

High Country Hiker Group
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The bus leaves ACAA at 7:30 a.m. sharp

Compared to some monster hikes this group has done, in terms of distance, elevation gain, or jaw-dropping scenery, this hike is only 6 miles RT.  Total elevation gain will be about 1,200' over three miles.  What makes it special is all of it will be above tree line.

So be prepared for many 360 degree views.  You should also be prepared for a day of full exposure to the elements...rain, freezing rain, high winds, and thunderstorms.  Except for a few trees early in the day, there will no NO canopy.  So pack sun block of SPF 30+, and wear a cap.

What also makes this outing one to remember is the fact that it begins at Berthoud Pass (11,315'), one of the highest starting points on the schedule.  Second, from beginning to end, we will be walking on the Continental Divide - and trail by the same name (CDT).

The climb through alpine tundra will inspire you with drop dead views each step of the way.  All the way to Stanley Mountain, Vasquez Peak Wilderness will be on the right.  On the left is the sprawling Arapaho National Forest.  So stop often, capture all possible images to memory, because it is all about the journey.

Hike to Forest Lakes

Twelve members of the High Country Hiker (HCH) group were greeted by cooler temperatures this week as they arrived at East Portal TH (9,211'), adjacent to the Moffat Tunnel, and close to the crossroads village of Rollinsville.  While hikers cinched into their day packs, the continuous whirl of a huge tunnel fan could be heard.  The obnoxious noise lingered long after leaving the TH.

This is both a railroad and water tunnel.  The water tunnel runs parallel with the RR and delivers a portion of Denver's water supply.  The tunnel is 24' high X 18' wide and is 6.2 miles long, running under the Continental Divide.  The tunnel's apex is at 9,239'.

Western entrance to Moffat Tunnel.

 
Trail is in the James Peak Wilderness (JPW), a 17,015 acre span east of the Continental Divide.  Named after it's second highest mountain, James Peak (13,234').  Highest in this wilderness area is Parry Peak (13,391').  James Peak was named after Edwin James, a pioneer and botanist.  Originally, Pikes Peak was called James Peak before the Zebulon Pike Jr. exploration in 1806.  After Pikes Peak was renamed, the name James Peak moved north.

Little League Baseball

My two grandsons love baseball.  Both have completed their regular season games.  Both have been selected to the Allstar team representing Cherry Creek Little League, based here in Aurora, Colorado.

The younger grandson is 11, and plays on the 10/11-year-old team. The team began double elimination tournament play last weekend.  After winning the first two games, they were feeling good, and proud of what they had accomplished.  Then a loss put them in the losers bracket.  That meant they would play a game every day until they lost their second game eliminating the team from the tournament.  Or they could win out their remaining games and win the tournament.

Preview - Lower Forest Lake

High Country Hiker Group
Hike to Lower Forest Lake
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Bus leaves ACAA at 7:30 a.m. sharp

This hike is in the James Peak Wilderness, southwest of Nederland.  The O & B trek is 6.8 mi. RT, beginning at the east side entrance to the Moffat Tunnel.  TH elevation is 9,211'.  Elevation gain on the day will be about 1,400'...a bit more than last week in RMNP, but not as challenging.

The day begins with a 475' climb on the South Boulder Creek Trail to a  junction with Forest Lakes Trail.  From there it's another 1,000'+/- gradual climb to Lower Forest Lake.  Trail will be dusty, and littered with rocks.

Middle Forest Lake

There will be light to moderate canopy most of the day.  Protect yourself by packing sunblock of 30SPF or better.  Wear a cap. Pack plenty (64 oz.) of water, and hydrate before during and after the hike.

We can expect views, depending on the foilage, of the Continental Divide between Rogers Pass in the south to Rollins Pass in the north.

We may not be the only group on this trail, but it will be nothing like the crowds in RMNP last week.

See you on trail.

 

Backcountry Nirvana

Midway through the hiking season and tons of jaw-dropping landscapes etched in my memory, one might think there are no more magazine cover caliber images to be captured...think again.

Ten lucky members of the High Country Hiker (HCH) group were treated to yet another outstanding day of hiking in RMNP.  It was the fourth trip to the Park this year for the group based at The Aurora Center for Active Adults, in Aurora.  It was unfortunate for three members of the group who cancelled.  This was one great hike.

The group hiked to Balanced Rock, and Finch Lake, and completed the Pool Loop previously...all in the Park.  Each of those outings provided interesting and different landscapes.  This hike would not only challenge hikers physically, it would test their emotional resolve as well.  Trail today threw every possible challenge (record elevation gain. snow and scree fields, single log bridges,  active springs across trail, and a long rocky descent) in the way of hikers.

Preview - Bear Lake TH to Fern Lake TH

High Country Hiker Group
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Bus leaves ACAA at 7:00 a.m. sharp.

This will be a shuttle hike in RMNP. Beginning at the Bear Lake TH, we will be on trail approximately 9 miles.  Temperatures are expected to reach the mid to upper 90's in and around the city.  Light breezes and higher elevations will drop to the 80's.  Be sure to pack sunblock of at least 30SPF, and wear a hat with a wide brim to protect your neck and face.

This is the longest hike of the summer so do not forget to fill your 70 or 100 oz. bladder to the top.  If you use bottled water pack two 32 oz bottles at least for the day.  Drink before during and after the hike.

Trail bed will be rocky and dusty.  If your feet tend to sweat, pack an extra pair of socks for the drive home.  A dry top is also a good idea.

Dress Comfortable. Tops should be made of wicking fabric.  Wear sturdy shoes with good tread.  Check your shoe strings to insure they are not worn.  If so, replace them before you go.

How Many Years Remain?

There may be a connection between the fact that my grandfather logged the number of bushels of wheat, oats,and barley harvested each year in his daily journal, and my own fixation on writing in my journal after each hike and recording miles completed.  Hiking and multi-day backpack trips have been a part of my life for years.  The natural draw to be outdoors goes back to my childhood at Shadeville Farm.  I would be outdoors from early morning until I heard Mom call, "Gary, time for supper" from the front porch.

The miles hiked over the years didn't have any particular importance to me until a few years ago I was asked how many miles I had hiked in my life.  I had no definitive answer.  The question resonated with me for a few months before I decided to compile a detailed account.

Folsom Field, campus of CU at Boulder, after running the 2010 BoulderBolder 10K.

It began in 1965 at the age of 19.  The first recorded hike in a journal was 5 miles in Colonel Denning State Park, in Pennsylvania.  Over the next three decades, hiking was merely a fun thing to do with family and friends.

On summer vacations we hiked with our two daughters.  After the kids were grown, my wife and I took many road trips, many with our bikes on the back, and usually found an interesting trail to enjoy.  When our oldest daughter settled in Denver with her family, we hiked during visits.

Jim Creek Hike

For 14 members of the High Country Hiker group, it was a pleasant surprise to step off the bus at near 10 a.m., and feel the coolness of the Colorado mountains.  Forecasts were calling for high temperatures of 79 to 84 degrees in Denver.  That of course translates up to 20 degrees lower norms in the back country.

A pit stop had been  made on the way to the TH (9,177') so that meant hikers would be on trail within minutes after arriving.  Trail begins with a lengthy boardwalk leading hikers across an area of wetlands.  Trail next becomes a jeep road for a short distance taking us by a campground before narrowing to a traditional mountain path into Arapaho National Forest, and the James Peak Protection Area.

Jim Creek.

This trail is considered moderate in terms of hiking difficulty.  If I were to consider the number of exposed roots, and rocks, mountain springs running across trail, and the number of times I caught a toe or pole on a knarly root or crevice in a rock, I would rate it extremely knarly...otherwise bothersome.

Jim Creek Trail - Winter Park

High Country Hiker Group
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Bus leaves ACAA at 7:30 a.m. sharp.

This O & B hike begins about 10 miles north of Berthoud Pass on CO. Rt. #40.  The turnoff is directly across from the main entrance to Winter Park Ski Resort.  There are no restrooms at the TH so we will likely stop before leaving I-70.

The first 2+ miles will have substantial canopy for us.  Part of the trail is an old jeep road before it reaches a steep section leading to James Peak.  Wear sturdy boots/shoes, a cap and sunblock of SPF 30 or better. 

Temperatures are expected to be in the high 70's in the city.  That means it will be cooler in the mountains so pack a windbreaker.  There is no expected rain but again rain gear is always in my pack.  This is Colorado remember.  Winds will be light throughout the day except for higher elevations.

Trail is relatively straight but keep on the lookout for wildflowers on the slopes.  Hikers can expect a light to moderate amount of difficulty on this hike.  Bring sufficient water (32 oz. or more) to keep hydrated.

See you on trail
Gary2