March Mountain Ascents

 I hiked to within 100 feet of the summit of Mount Yale during late March, but was stopped short once again by hurricane force winds. Wind speed estimates are notoriously wrong, but I can say that forward motion was futile, I couldn't even stand up without being knocked down. So I inched my way off of the summit ridge and enjoyed decreasing speeds and warm sunshine after reaching the lower slopes. A few days later I hiked most of the way up Mt Belford, but became enamored by the beauty of the large glacially carved valley below. So I turned around and enjoyed some time in the mid morning sun watching the trees blow in the wind and the water cascade down the streams. One technical note...the snow is completely rotten and mostly melted out up in the alpine zone. Post holing was deep, and the snow instantly turned to slush after only a short time in the sun. Ski season is surely over, and the water year seems hopelessly lost.

 

Leadville, CO 2026 Ski Joring

A couple of pictures from the recent Leadville, CO 2026 Ski Joring competition. Nothing but good old fashioned mountain fun.

 

Reflection Canyon // Utah

 I braved the Utah desert, ravines, and seemingly endless sandstone slickrock to watch a sunset and sunrise over Reflection Canyon. The trip began with a 2am wakeup in Leadville, Colorado. I dragged myself out the door and began the 7-8 hour drive to Escalante, Utah. The drive itself is always a classic roadtrip, and after gassing and snacking up in Escalante, I began a long 60 mile adventure down Hole In the Rock road, which becomes progressively sketchy with each additional mile, though not as bad as other roads I've encountered in the state. Finally I reached the trailhead for Reflection Canyon, and after a few minutes of prepping, hit the trail for the 7-10 mile journey out across the desert and toward the edge of Lake Powell.

I headed up the first rise of slickrock and after some searching found a well-beaten path that guided me along the edge of a broad area of canyons to my left and towering cliffs to my right. It was a warm mid March afternoon with temperatures near 80F. The heat was beyond anything I had experienced in Leadville over the winter, and that heat would cause me to throwup after reaching my Reflection Canyon destination toward sunset. But after throwing up once I felt great the rest of the evening, and found a tall towering cliff to sit upon while I watched the sun set and the sky turn various colorful shades. After sunset pictures I headed back down my perch, found a flat area of sandstone, and lay down on solid rock for a not-so-deep sleep. My reward for enduring painful desert sleep was a sky full of stars plus meteors and an endless series of satellites. 

I actually managed to get some okay sleep, and woke up an hour before sunrise. I walked to another cliff overlooking the canyon, and watched the sun emerge above the desert. It was a great experience for sure, but to be honest, Lake Powell is quickly drying up, and Reflection Canyon is not the dramatic epic scene it once was. I'm guessing in another year there will be no more water at this photographic destination, which may make it no longer worth the journey for some. Regardless, I was glad I got to experience the place, but not so glad I had to hike back to my truck as peak solar heating spread across the land. I got a bit of sun burn, I had to rest 30 minutes in a shady cliff overhang, and I regretted not bringing enough water. But I survived unscathed.

Google map location of Reflection Canyon.

 

Royal Gorge Cascade Trail

 I tackled the Royal Gorge Cascade Trail, a double black diamond bike trail that can also be hiked. The descent was a two hour leisurely jog to the Arkansas River, while the ascent back up to the canyon rim was a steep tiresome slog. I actually felt sick back at the top and had to lay down for a bit, only to notice possible thunderstorms approaching, which ended my nap and provided the encouragement I needed to quicken up the pace to my truck several miles away. Overall a nice hike, but it seems like it would be deadly hot in the summer, so perhaps better to attempt during the off-season.

  Google Map showing the start of the Royal Cascade Trail.