Another year, another hike, and here
we are 140 miles in on the Colorado Trail and finding ourselves in Leadville-
the highest city in America. I know what
you’re thinking, and it’s not because of the legalities of certain “medicines”,
but actually because it’s over 10,000’ above sea level.
It’s possibly the first town we’ve ever had to climb up to get
to.
So far, the CT has exceeded our
expectations in every way. The wildlife
and scenery has progressively become more and more exciting with the “best”
left to come. We’re getting ready to
start a 9 day stretch between towns through the Collegiate West Wilderness. This will include a hike up Mt Elbert, the
tallest peak in Colorado, weather permitting.
We hope you all enjoy some of the
photos of our journey!
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The trail starts outside of Denver with a 6 mile walk up
Waterton Canyon
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A Mule Deer doe and Fawn
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Ellie saying Hi to a herd of goats
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The family of rocky mountain goats then ran up the cliff and watched from the canyon
wall
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We used the same umbrellas as on the PCT to help with the
heat
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Black Cormorant sunning on a rock
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Finally off the road and on forest trail
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Huge Dandelion-like seed head the size of a softball
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The water cycle is very complex in Colorado involving underground
canoers, flying fish, and awkward beach-goers
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The beginning parts of the trail reminded us of the Southern
California mountains
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| We picked up a mail drop at this 117 year old general store |
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Camping under the granite
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Ellie found her favorite rock in the whole wide world
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Aspen tree grove
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The beautiful, complex texture of Aspen bark
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Lodgepole pines
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A male and female moose came out on the trail right in front
of us!
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They just went on to graze in the field and we sat
transfixed
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An hour later we got to watch a herd of cows come down to the meadow
to feed while we were taking a break
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There’s so many more mushrooms and other fungi out here than
we expected
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1000 year old Jeffrey Pines
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Grouse in the woods
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| Still some snow on the mountains |
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A herd of Mountain Goats on the shoulder of Guyout Mountain
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| Silhouettes
of the goats from the pass |
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The CT joins up with the 3,100 mile long Continental Divide
Trail for over 300 miles
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There always seems to be one storm going on somewhere all
the time
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| View from that evenings camp |
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The invasive Pine Beetle devastated the pine forests and the trees
had to be cut down. They’re then stack
to be burned
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just don't stand in the corner...
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| HUGE bull Moose |
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Meadow we camped by under the creatively named Peak 5 and
Peak 6
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| Sunrise view out of the tent |
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Marmots are the best mountaintop entertainment
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Moonrise from that nights camp
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Wildflower meadow heading up to Searle Pass
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A Ferruginous Hawk came around and all of the Marmots and
Pikas started running back into their dens and send out all kinds of warning
signal calls
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If only we had some tropical drinks melting in our hands
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The old ammunitions bunker is all the left of Camp Hale
where soldiers were trained for mountain combat in WWII. Even more interesting, in the sixties the CIA
secretly trained Tibetan Special Forces there in an effort for them to take
Tibet back from China
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Welcome to Leadville
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Victorian All-Seeing Eye of God stained glass window
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| This bar has been operating for over 150 years old |
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| Antique Bolt Drawers |
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| Ellie made a new friend! |
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| Big beers at the Tennessee Pass Cafe! |
