Cougar Ridge // Minturn, Colorado

 I broke trail through knee deep snow three miles up Cougar Ridge during late January, eventually reaching a point 1000 feet above Minturn, CO. I followed numerous animal tracks on the way up, likely being elk, though one set might have been a mountain lion. Sun shining through the forest and onto the fresh snowy forest floor created a surreal atmosphere. And I thoroughly enjoyed basking in bright sunshine at my cliff-top perch, looking down onto highway 24 below, and westward across the Sawatch Range.

Map of Minturn, CO and the Cougar Ridge trail located to the east.

 

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.