Colorado Week

I did a Colorado theme last week and created a collage of all things Colorado which means a few new designs needed to be created to make this wall complete.

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Discover Your Home Goes to Discover the Outdoors

With just weeks before we start the back to school routine, we realized we hadn't even gone camping yet.  We managed to jet around the globe this summer, but had yet to discover our own backyard.  Our family is fond of finding a place in a wilderness area, pulling off the road, and setting up camp.  Found the perfect new place to set up our camp right near the summit of Vail Pass.  

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Quandary has been Conquered

Okay so that may be a little dramatic, however for a class 1 hike, this one was hard.  We started below timberline, and it felt like it went straight up from there!  The view is breathtaking, always worth the effort.

We had to start a little earlier this trip.  The weather was definitely not on our side.  There have been several lightening strikes that have hit hikers this year, and we didn't want to take any chances.  After a morning full of delays, we did manage to hit the trail head at around 7 am.  Not as early as we wanted, but close!

After venturing above tree line, we encountered several mountain goats on this trip.

This big guy was walking right down the trail. We stepped just off the trail to let him pass, however he moved off the trail right along with us.
This was a no zoom photo.
We are aware that mountain goats can be dangerous, and we in no way followed or harassed this beautiful creature.
Just fortunate enough to be able to see him.

What a view...

It's official, we made it to 14,264'.  We managed to hit the summit at about 10 am.  Not bad timing, but as you can see the clouds are moving in.  Can't stay too long up here.

Konnor's second 14er!  This time like last he practically ran up the mountain.  He left his mom and dad in the dust.  He made the summit before both of us.

Geo marker, love finding these.
Thinking we might try one more this year.  Grays and Torreys were coming for you, maybe even this season!

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Mt. Bierstadt Done!

We did it!  My husband and I finished our 6th 14er, and my son just completed his first, and I think we have him hooked.  Just so we all know, my reference to the term 14er refers to the 53 peaks in Colorado that are 14,000 feet above sea level.  My husband and I have a goal to complete them all in our lifetime.  Right now while the kids are smaller, we have done the easy ones, and the ones closer to Denver to start out with.

The views at the top were breathtaking.  Just can't describe how much all the effort is worth every minute of this view.

It's a three and a half mile hike from the trail head to the summit, and we got started at 7:30 in the morning.  Best to start early, sometimes the weather will move-in in the afternoon, and don't want to get stuck up there when that happens!

Here we are at the start of our day

The first part of the hike is through the willows. It's a swampy area, so we were prepared to walk through some mud and tall brush, then we also had a river crossing  to contend with as well.  We walked up the trail a ways to find an area that was easier to navigate across the river.

Once you make it out of the willows, you have the snow to contend with.  Kind of cool though to see snow in June!  We had to go through several snow fields with some ice as well.

Konnor was such a trooper.  With this being his first 14er, he was so excited he practically ran up the trail.

Once you get near the top, the landscape changes to more climbing over rocks than hiking.  But you can see the summit.

We made it!! Gratefully still as happy as we were at the bottom when we got started.  It took us 3 hours to get to the top, not too shabby if you ask me.

We always like to take a picture of the geological marker when we get to the top.









Our goal is to do at least two this year. Quandary Peak here we come.

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