Indian Summer

Kenosha Pass

Kenosha Pass is one of my favorite rides.  It climbs AND climbs.  Lori and I planned to do this ride in preparation for Monarch Crest.  It was a suffer-fest for me because of altitude sickness.  I struggled ALL day ... fighting the urge to vomit.  HOWEVER, it did prepare me for Monarch Crest the following weekend.

Monarch Crest

38 miles of bliss

This is my FAVoRITE ride EVER.  Riding along through the forest the air is filled with a wonderful smell of pine ... and between that smell and the happiness in my heart ... I feel like it's Christmas minus relatives, good cooking and presents!  This trail finishes on the Rainbow Trail.  That ribbon rips through the woods like a roller coaster on dirt.  No wonder I love it so much.  

Mount of the Holy Cross

Green Bridge Inn (Red Cliff, CO)

"Beautiful women .... "

"If you tie a dog to a pickup truck in Red Cliff .... she's gonna get knocked up." 

Difficulty: Class 2 
Summit Elevation: 14,005 feet 
Elevation Gain: 5625` 
Round-trip Length: 12 miles 
Trailhead: Halfmoon TH 

4:30 AM Awake 
6:30 AM Start Hiking 
11:30 AM Summit  
4:30 PM Back at Trailhead 

Date Ascended: 10/03/10 
Roundtrip: 10 hours 
Temperature: 30's/40's/50's/60's

Sunrise

Mount of The Holy Cross - A Shy Peak

14er #10

Mount of the Holy Cross has been on my Bucket List for over a year.  I have stood at the summit of Vail Resort during ski season and stared at that peak imagining myself up there ... without the snow (of course).  It's a long day of hiking, not technical, just long.  

We stayed at the Green Bridge Inn in Red Cliff.  That was an experience.  I felt like we were on a movie set.  I just couldn't decide if it was a cool Western Movie or a terrifying Horror Flick.  The hotel was awesome ... the people were ... interesting.  

I hiked (climbed) HC with Sarah, Christin and Deb.  I enjoyed their energy and humor.  It was fun to see Deb tearing up and down the talus ... she is a very gifted climber and I am very envious.  It was fun to watch Sarah weeble and wobble and (thank goodness) never fall down.  It was fun getting to know Christin in an outdoor environment - her personality/spirit/attitude is amazing and infectious.  AND, of course, it was fun for me to physically suffer outdoors ... surrounded by the beautiful Colorado mountains ... with people that I enjoy and love.  They are good peeps :)

"I cannot endure to waste anything as precious as autumn sunshine by staying in the house.  So I spend almost all the daylight hours in the open air."

-  Nathaniel Hawthorne


Posted October 4th 2009
Colorado to do list:
Summit Longs Peak
Summit Mount of the Holy Cross
Denver Broncos game
Hut trip
Colorado's Triple Bypass
Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
Concert at Red Rocks