My Colorado Travelings

[TripLeader]

-Feb. 2012-

Great Sand Dunes National Park

In February 2012, Ex-Coloradan and I went to Great Sand Dunes National Park.
We took his pop-up camper and camped in the park. There were only two or three other campsites being used there.

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We checked out the visitor center, and decided we would go hiking up into the dunes. We decided on High Dune and Star Dune (the highest dune in the park). It's hard to believe how much sand is there until you really get out into it.

 

[TripLeader]

-Feb. 2012-

The sand was difficult to walk in, but a lot of it seemed to be hardened by being half-frozen, so that helped. We wore snow gaiters to keep the sand out of our boots. We had good weather. I think the high was close to 50 that day, and it was sunny. There were some wind gusts.
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There were good views the whole way. The mountains are on the west side and the valley is the east side.



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The most difficult part was getting up Star Dune. It was steep and loose.

 

[TripLeader]

-Feb. 2012-

We made it to the top of Star Dune about 20 or 30 minutes before sunset. We spent that time taking a look around and watching the sun set over the valley.



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We hiked down.

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It was a long way back to camp and we didn't make it there until after dark. The next day it was snowing with it forecasted to continue. We packed up and headed out to avoid the weather.

 

[Funrover]

Very cool!

 

[FinsUp]

Awesome.

 

[shultzie]

Nice trip!! I live in Salida and work up in the Sawatch Range and Sangres. Beautiful country!

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

My First 14er Attempts

I got started with 14ers in Spring 2009. Ex-Coloradan talked me and another friend into it. We drove to Colorado from Kansas. We headed south of Breckenridge to Quandary Peak. The afternoon we arrived, we backpacked in, and set up our camp just below the tree line. Going from about 900 feet to about 11, 500 feet without any acclimatizing is an impact you will notice when hiking.

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

The next morning we got up and tried for the summit of Quandary. We had to put on our snowshoes shortly after setting out.
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Ex-Coloradan pulling himself out of a post-hole.

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Some views along the way.










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Gaining elevation.

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

We made it to 14,000 feet, but we had to turn around. We were both exhausted and the wind started getting bad.
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This was around the spot we turned around.

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The wind blowing the snow around.

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Back at the trailhead.

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

We moved on to Leadville. We decided to try Mt. Elbert, the highest mountain in Colorado.
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We camped in a National Forest site that night.

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Finally making it to the four-wheel drive trailhead.

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On the way up.

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

More views of the way up.




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Looking over toward Mt. Massive.

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It gold colder as we got higher.







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Ex-Coloradan made it to the top. The other two of us got close, but didn't make it.

 

[TripLeader]

-March 2009-

This was our last campsite on the morning we left to go home. Our attempts on Quandary and Elbert took up all the time we had in Colorado.

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The 14ers in winter conditions were pretty hard. On Elbert, I told myself the whole way back down to tree line, as I was tired and cold, that I was never going to try another one again. Those thoughts did not last (thankfully).

 

[roverrocks]

Great stuff!! Thanks!!

 

[Trav0302]

Beautiful! I really like living in colorado. Thanks for sharing! :wings:

 

[TripLeader]

-July 2009-

Longs Peak and Rocky Mountain National Park

Moving on to July 2009... A friend and I both had plans to be in Colorado. The dates of our respective trips overlapped, so we decided to meet up at Rocky Mountain National Park and try Longs Peak, via the Keyhole Route. He was there first and luckily was able to get a site in the Longs Peak Campground. I spent a couple of days acclimatizing there (a lesson learned from Quandary).
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We reserved one night on Boulder Field, a "campsite" well above tree line underneath the summit of Longs. We hiked up to Boulder Field the first day and spent the night there. The plan was to try to summit the next day.

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Approaching the trail junction that splits between going to Chasm Lake and Boulder Field, with Longs in the background.

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About to get onto Boulder Field, with the huge peak dominating the backdrop, and the Keyhole to the right.

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An elk herd was grazing on the edge of the Boulder Field.

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This was the site we chose. The ammo cans were placed at each site by the NPS to keep food secured from animals. (There were marmots all around the rocks.)