Category — Camping

UTM and I are going to flash up America’s Mountain starting from my house this afternoon and camping tonight just above treeline then hit the summit for morning coffee then running back down the hill hopefully home by early afternoon.

The weather has been nice for a few days, which is a welcome break from the highly charged electrical storms we have had. Unfortunately the weather is calling for a bit of rain and thunderstorms, so I will be keeping my eyes peeled for those nasty anvil heads to start rolling in. If it gets too sketchy we may change our plans and head to some of the lakes around the back side.

Wish us luck and fast feet. More upon my return.

I rolled back into town early Monday (now a week ago) after a great trip into the Lost Creek Wilderness. UTM his buddy Todd and I headed out to the Goose Creek trail head Saturday morning eager for a hike and a great relaxing weekend among the wilds.

The trail head was overstuffed to say the least but we managed to find a spot to park the rig and after a few last minute gear checks, we were off. The trail head lies near the northern end of the Hayman burn area (largest fire in Colorado history) from there you drop down to Goose creek among the standing dead trees that leave and eerie reminder of human idiocy.

Interspersed with the standing dead are the promise of a new forest with Aspen and Spruce and Ponderosa saplings popping out everywhere. Working your way down switchbacks to the creek itself you quickly transition into the untouched forest with the beautiful creek on your right. All the while surrounded by giant granite boulders, moss covered rocks and the pleasant song of nature untouched.

We followed the trail down a few hundred meters until we met a fork in the trail, to the right we could cross a bridge or continue going on a secondary trail straight ahead. We chose the latter and were not disappointed, after a bit more hiking we found a great site secluded from the others with great views and plenty of flat ground for our tents.

We went to task at setting up our camp and quickly took off down to the rapidly flowing creek and enjoyed exploring the creek north of our camp as well as stopping on a grand flat granite boulder for a quick nap in the sun. Returning to camp after that short hike we settled into dinner and conversation. All in all the first day and night went well with clear skies and a grand celestial display.

Sunday we rose early cooked up some pancakes and dedicated our morning to making our way to the top of a granitic outcropping where we had seen an arch the day before. With the promise of another warm breezy day we decided instead of taking the trail to go cross country and were not disappointed as we were set to scramble up and around huge boulders deep in the old growth of vanilla scented Ponderosa pines. We found numerous springs and the views south of Pikes Peak were amazing. I guess it took us about two hours to reach our goal and were rewarded with outlandish granite boulders and the smooth almost flowing terrain of rock. From the top we were actually looking down on Harmonica Arch and Goose creek all the way through the valley to Pikes Peak far to the south. From the north you could see the expanse of the Lost Creek Wilderness. An area I plan on exploring in great depth very soon!!

The trip ended uneventfully and although we did not hike a great deal we all had a great time simply being out of doors and taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of this great wilderness area.

This list is what I tend to pack when going out for a weekend excursion. There are variations to the theme depending on location and weather expectations.

Feel free to copy it if you would like, but keep in mind this is what I have found works for me, be sure and adjust your list for your own needs.

I do try and keep the items in their own stuff sacks that are different colors for ease of finding them. For instance, I keep all of my survival gear in a light blue stuff sack and all of my clothing in a waterproof red stuff sack etc… [Read more →]

Yesterday I went on a hike with Uncle Travelin Matt just west of Denver and as we were walking down the trail we both were sharing information about the types of plants along the trail as well as the edibility of some. We found an abundance of Geyer’s Onion (Allium geyeri) that I was familiar with and I had UTM give it a taste.

Fortunately UTM and I know each other well enough to know that accurate knowledge of subject matter is paramount and never to pull any fast ones especially when health or safety is involved. Anyhow after UTM gave the onion a taste I thought of the Universal Edibility Test and figured it would aid you guys if you are out and about looking for edible plants. I implore you to carry a guide with pictures as a reference but also utilize EVERY step in the test remember your life depends on it! [Read more →]

Imagine a world so removed from what you have grown to understand that you are left mouth gaping, eyes tearing and mind wandering lost in awe of what your eyes have told you is a reality. That is the impression you will get when hiking deep in to the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Rarely are there times when time stands still as it is usually while your mind tries desperately to rationalize the next step as you are heading towards some devastating result from a misstep or miscalculation during your adventurous life.

Think slow motion as the front tire sticks as you endo over the bars of your mountain bike, heading rapidly towards the rocky singletrack, you some how can see every jagged edge on every rock, you hear the birds songs and smell the fresh air. All the while careening rapidly toward the inevitable…the collarbone shattering crash.

That is the same experience you will find after the laborious hike up to the top of High Dune, the highest point in the park but not the highest dune. (The highest dune is the nearby Star Dune, which is taller due to the slope of the valley below the sand). From the top of High Dune you can see the entire San Luis Valley, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the beautiful sight as dunes meet Medano creek and transition to the grass lands on one side and the forest on the other. There is such great biodiversity of both in flora and fauna that no nature lover will leave disappointed. [Read more →]

A good friend of mine asked me to write about the steps I take when preparing for a trip. He was thinking that there are things I do subconsciously, that I might not ever mention because it has become routine.

Great Idea! It might also aid me in remembering things I have long over looked, here is my routine.

Really I start about a week prior to the trip by looking at the map and weather report to see where I will end up and what the conditions will be. Then I gather all of my gear and lay it out neatly on the floor, this includes clothing and food. Then I look over each item and determine if it will serve a purpose for the trip. Once I have whittled down my gear I do it all over and usually can ditch more stuff. As I do this I check all of my gear to make sure it is in working order and no repairs/replacement is necessary. All the while making a list of things I need to get. [Read more →]