Mount Sherman Fail Plus Camp Hale Makeup Hike // Colorado

 I exited the east side of Leadville just as the sun was illuminating the western horizon during a late January day, drove up a snowy county road as far as possible, then parked a few miles downhill from Mount Sherman. I began hiking toward the mountain, looking for a trail that cut across its lower western slope. I spotted the trail, but in order to reach it, had to wade through hip deep snow. I vetoed that idea, knowing the mountain would likely still be there later this year when the snow melts away and gives access to the trail I desired. As a consolation prize, I drove north of Leadville to the old WWII Camp Hale, an army camp that trained soldiers to wage alpine warfare. I hiked across the flat valley that once housed 15,000 soldiers. It was brilliantly sunny, and warmed the still air as sun reflected off of fresh white snow. I reached a trail that spurred uphill, and I followed for several miles until reaching a thick forest. I wanted to stay in the warm sun, so I turned around at the forest and hiked back to my truck. Another great day in the mountains.

Google map location of Camp Hale.

 

Quandary Peak // New Years Eve 14'er // Colorado

 I picked an easy access 14'er to ascend on New Years Eve, Quandary Peak, which is also perhaps the easiest of all the Colorado 14'ers to summit. Besides a few chilly gusts, the weather was generally pretty pleasant going up and down the mountain. And the hike went about as one would expect, simple and straight-forward...plus the snow was firm so no post-holing. I started around sunrise and was back down to my truck in time for midday lunch. I wish every 14'er were like that.

Google map of Quandary Peak is here.

 

Mount Princeton // Christmas Eve 14'er // Colorado

 Great December weather and an ongoing snow drought favored a successful winter 14'er ascent, and I picked Mount Princeton for my target. The adventure started off with me missing the 2WD parking lot, I don't know how, but I cruised on by and started ascending a steep 4WD road in my truck. The snow got deeper the higher I went up, and the road became more and more sketchy, which made me realize that I was going to get stuck if I didn't find a place to turn around. Luckily a ledge appeared on this mountain road and I had just enough room to turn around and go back down. Now parked at the 2WD lot, I started hiking up hill–around 3 miles to the radio towers, and several more miles to a trail that led to a never-ending field of boulders and talus. I picked my way through the rocks, skidding occasionally on ice covered snow–eventually bypassing the official trail that ascends up to a ridge, which was a mistake, as I encountered a slope that turned to pure dirt and loose rock. I had to cling to the side of the mountain, controlling my breathing so I could think my way through this obstacle, and eventually found just enough hand and foot-holds to avoid sliding down the mountain and crawl upwards to safer terrain.

After a bit I joined the ridgeline trail, and from there it was just a slog to the summit. Despite the low snow pack, the surrounding mountains were still sufficiently plastered to make for some enjoyable sight seeing while I celebrated my climb with a summit beverage. Then as usual, the hike back down began. Given it was winter, the forest soon became pitch black by 5 pm. I calmly scanned the trees and brush for signs of menacing creatures–none were encountered. And just before 7pm I was back in my truck and on the way home. I definitely noticed that sleeping at 10,000 feet every night has improved my endurance and lung capacity while climbing Princeton. Acclimatization really does work. 

Google map of the Mount Princeton.

Buffalo Mountain // Silverthorne, Colorado

 I came up a few hundred feet shy of summiting Buffalo Mountain, partially due to fast approaching hazardous weather, and partially due to fear of triggering an avalanche, as small slabs would slide off beneath my feet on the steeply slopped eastern face. Otherwise, the skin trail has become hard-packed by boots below treeline and thus was an easy hike to the windy upper mountain. In hindsight, maybe the avy danger wasn't too bad, but high winds and advancing snow showers forced me down regardless. A future summit awaits when weather turns more pleasant.

Buffalo Mountain is located here in Google Maps.

 

Royal Arch // Flatirons // Boulder, Colorado

 Ellen and myself hiked from the NCAR parking lot to the base of the Flatirons, and then ascended 1,000 feet of rocky trail to the Royal Arch. The ascent was fairly strenuous due to a robust vertical to horizontal gain ratio. And since I hadn't experienced any significant mountain relief in over a year I was definitely the slower member of the party. But, we made it to the arch, soaked in the spring-like weather, and admired the epic views of the surrounding terrain and eastward expanse of the Great Plains. As usual, we rewarded ourselves with beer at the Southern Sun Pub & Brewery in Boulder (make sure to bring cash!)

Google map of the Royal Arch location. 

North Table Mountain // Golden, Colorado

 A nice mid-December hike during a mild late afternoon up North Table Mountain near Golden, Colorado. The hike wasn't too challenging, but did offer fantastic views of the Denver metro, including the skyline. My friend Ellen and I completed a loop past a lava cap, then trekked across mesa-grasslands, and finished with a jog back down to New Terrain Brewing Company for post-hike beer. And as a bonus reward we were treated to an epic golden-red sunset that lit up mountain-wave generated lee-side clouds.

North Table Mountain is here in Google Maps. 

 

In Search of Original Prairie // Little Bend, South Dakota

 I traveled from Omaha, Nebraska to Little Bend, South Dakota during early October to experience the prairie as the buffalo and first nations knew it hundreds and thousands of years ago. I had my prairie experience, but unfortunately it was a limited experience as the six mile hike I had planned across the Little Bend peninsula was not possible due to numerous hunters in the area actively firing weapons. I had to settle for an hour atop a bluff overlooking the rolling grass-covered badland'ish hills. The Missouri River is now a man-made lake across this particular section of the waterway, but I could still imagine the Lewis and Clark party floating past. This area also happens to be along the route in which Hugh Glass crawled back to a fort near Chamberlain, South Dakota after being mauled by a grizzly bear farther upstream. That story of course was turned into the epic film "The Revenant." And this site also happens to be included in The War on Drugs song "Thinking of a Place," which is an amazing song by an amazing band.

Little Bend, South Dakota in Google Maps is here.

 

Malcolm X Birthsite & Pioneer-Mormon Cemetery // Omaha, Nebraska

 I visited a couple of historical sites in Omaha during late September. I first drove to North Omaha and the former address of 3448 Pinkney Street, which was the location where Malcolm X was born on May 16, 1925...100 years ago this past spring. The house itself was torn down in 1965, and all that exists today is an empty grassy field. After standing at the site for a bit of time, I drove further north to 3301 State Street to walk through an historic Mormon grave site, where 359 pioneers were buried en route to Salt Lake City during the mid 1800s. The cemetery is very peaceful and well preserved.

For more information on the Malcolm X birth site click here. 

For more information on the Pioneer-Mormon Cemetery click here.