April 8th, 2007 -Chautauqua

Several friends of mine went skiing on April 8th.

As mentioned, I no longer want to ski.

I want to walk.

And I wanted to walk solo.

To go at 2-3 mph and feel my feet upon the trail.

To again have the rhythm of walking along the trail, being in my own thoughts.

A winter-like day and two hours of walking was what I needed.

A morning out on my own, just to explore the area.

When it snows, the familiar somehow seems a little more exotic. The trails and surrounding area takes on a different quality. With a spring snow storm, everything is covered in ice. It was perfect for solo wandering and perfect type of day to be with my thoughts.

April 7th, 2007 -Eldorado Canyon

A spring snow storm changed my hiking plans. I still wanted to get out and enjoy a hike. I was no longer in the mood for skiing.

Eldorado Canyon State Park called.

"Eldo" is more of a climbing mecca then a hiking destination. Still, there are trails there. The trails connect to the Boulder Open Space system as well.

My companions for the day were Terry and D-low.

The three of us followed the trail and then elected to do some off trail hiking.

All together, we were out for about ten miles.

With the red rock walls, freshly fallen snow and ice coated surroundings there was a ethereal
beauty.

Not my usual idea of Spring hiking. But it provided some much cherished time outdoors.

All the pictures

April 1st, 2007 - White Ranch

During this time of the year, I stick to the foothills for hikes.

The high country still has much snow, and I am more in the mood to hike than to ski.

Fortunately, there is a wonderful trail system in Boulder itself. Makes for an easy time to spend a whole day hiking, or even a short jaunt after work.

But sometimes, I want to see something new. A place I do not know well. A place where I can see different views.

For something different, I chose White Ranch Park near Golden, CO. I was there once in 2003 for a 10k trail race. It was drizzly day then, so I really did not see the park that well. With expected sunshine, the park would be seen this time around.

I had a friend join me for the hike. She has not had much outdoor playtime this winter for a variety of reasons, so a 4.5 mile stroll with mellow grades was just the perfect hike.


The views and terrain were different from Boulder. Rather than a sharp uplift of where the High Plains meet the Rockies, there were rolling hills and wide open spaces. Hogbacks were seen. We were a little early for the majority of spring wildflowers, but we did see some wild geraniums.

The hike was perfect. It allowed my friend and I catchup after not seeing each other for a while. The terrain allowed for a casual sauntering pace. And picnic tables appeared just when we were hungry for lunch.

I'll be back to White Ranch Park again. Be it by a trail run or a hike. A little gem that I should see more.

March 31st, 2007 - Climbing the Bear

The Bear Mountain loop in Boulder is my favorite local hike. A steep climb up, and then a gradual down hill along a ridge with views of the Continental Divide.

The snow from the previous weekend was still around a fair amount on the approach. Made for some slower going, esp. with a group.


At the summit, though, the slog up was all worth it. The warm sunshine, lack of wind, and a very clear day made for a long time at the top.

As we looked to the Divide, we noticed the weather moving in after a while though. Down the trail we went and enjoying the much easier and mellow terrain. All in all, another good day!

March 24th, 2007 - Frozen Flagstaff

I had organized a hike for the Colorado Hiking and Outdoor Society (CHAOS) that was supposed to be a jaunt up South Boulder Peak.

When I woke up in the morning, there was very un-Colorado like weather in the form of torrential rain! No matter. Rain or shine, I want to hike!

I showed up at Caffe' Sole not expecting anyone. But my friend Dee was already there! A "river rat" to my "hiker trash". Someone used to being out in all kinds of conditions...and enjoying it.

So we sucked down the last our coffee, waited around just in case someone showed up and went to my truck. Just as we were walking to the truck, I hear a "MAGS!"

My friend Stephen showed up as well. So there were three of us crazy enough to go hiking on a day that had rain and snow a mere 1000 feet up.

A slight change of plans were made. Instead of doing South Boulder peak (and the exposed meadows), we did Flagstaff Mountain.

Flagstaff Mountain is about 2000 feet lower and is mainly in the trees. The rain let up as we started hiking and a mist came out that reminded me of the Pacific Northwest or the Whites in New Hampshire. It really was beautiful.

The wooded summit of Flagstaff

At the wooded summit, it started snowing. No matter. We drank some hot tea, enjoyed the falling flakes that came down in large, wet clumps.

We made our way down the trail and gradually entered back into the drizzle.

After this wonderful, but cold and wet morning, a late breakfast and some hot coffee would be just the ticket. The South Side Walnut Cafe' obliged.

It is almost always sunny in Colorado. Some change of weather made a well known mountain a different experience. Not bad..not bad at all.