Roadtrip to the Rockies: Estabrook

I enjoyed a wonderful weekend in Estabrook with some of my tennis crew.  It was our first time to spend more than a few hours on the tennis courts together and was a blast!  Ellen, Marissa and her dog Beans carpooled up on Friday after work as did Sue and Nicole.

I was up the day prior, so I had happy hour ready…Margaritas, guacamole and mexican dip from the dry cleaners!  Shortly after came ground turkey tacos and we finished off with S’mores while playing Trivial Pursuit the fast way…any question answered correctly gets a wedge!

Saturday we took a hike on our property to Johnson’s Gulch.  We followed Craig Creek along the relatively flat trail.  The path hasn’t been used much this year so it was rather overgrown with a few fallen trees in the way.  In addition, two bridges were out, so had to do a decent amount of wading!  Fortunately, the creek was rather low for June and easily traversable, but the hike was more of an adventure than a leisurely stroll.

The meadow at Johnson’s Gulch was lovely.  The cows must have been in a different area for a while now as no mean, biting flies were around which allowed us to linger for a bit.  We crossed the creek once more to follow the logging road back atop the mountain behind the house, but we found the cows with babies.  The cows, dogs, and my guests didn’t thrilled with one another, so we turned around and followed the creek back.  This gave us more time to play on the hanging bridge anyway, so it was fine by me to soak my feet a bit more.

That afternoon included cards, Settlers of Catan, reading and hammock time.  Nicole and Sue brought a lovely spread of meats and cheese for Happy Hour before Marissa whipped up a gourmet pork dish that rested on wilted kale and farro.  We rematched in Trivial Pursuit as we roasted a few more marshmallows for the rest of the evening.

Ellen provided great breakfast spread.  We dug in before taking a short hike up to Eagle Rock. We only had to climb over one tree on this hike do despite the incline up to a nice view, the hike was probably easier!  After a nice lunch (or two or three), we headed back to town.  The weekend felt too short…what fun!  ETB

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Roadtrip to the Rockies: Gill Trail

Trail: Gill Trail but the parking area says Cheesman Canyon Trailhead
Distance: 7 miles roundtrip
Elevation:6,548-6,610′

I finally got the opportunity to hike with my friends which hasn’t happened since last fall! I planned on meeting Tanya and Sharon at Gill Trailhead just about 22 miles down highway 126 from Pine Junction. They were coming from Denver while I was coming from Bailey. When I saw the trailhead sign “Cheesman Canyon Trailhead”, I figured we wouldn’t be meeting on time at 9:15am. Without cell service, there was no way to contact them. In addtion, after studying the map at the trailhead, I learned there was another trail parking area up by the lake. I hoped they looked at the directions I sent them, but was afraid google maps might have directed them through Deckers which really would complicate matters.

I waited in the parking lot as fishermen suited up and prepared to hook some trout. Thirty minutes went by as I watched a car pass hear or there. Some with two ladies. Last I knew, Tanya was picking up Sharon, so I thought I was looking for a white Jeep, but I wasn’t positive. Usually, when I hike alone, I tell someone where I was going, and without cell coverage I couldn’t.

I thought about it for a while and decided with all the fishermen around I could find help if I needed and headed out at 10am after leaving a note for Tanya in my car. I still had Sheena, the German Shepherd, in my care, and we started off at a slow walk. I let her sniff the sides of the trail as I took pictures of the Platte River flowing through the canyon below. Occasionally, I inspected the few wild flowers that dotted the sides of the granite path.

Despite evergreens peppering the rolling walls of the canyon, there was virtually no shade and somewhat warm. As such, we took a few side trails down to the river so Sheena could cool off as we watched fishermen sling their line back and forth. According to the description of the hike, it was always best to stay high and to the right in order to stay on Gill Trail. This led me on an errant switchback once, but I could see the trail following the river in a southeasterly direction, so I retraced my steps.

After a few miles, Tanya and Sharon caught up. Google maps had sent them to the upper parking lot. Fortunately Tanya knew my car wasn’t in the lot and they drove around some more. Eventually they got directions from a store attendant in Deckers. Amazing the store attendant knew of Gill Trail, yet the two park Rangers in the “Cheesman Canyon Trailhead” parking lot had not heard of Gill Trail until they looked at the posted map!

So Sharon, Tanya and I hiked the last mile or so together until we reached a very steep and slick portion of the trail covered in scree and boulders. It required some scrambling if we weren’t careful, we could have easily slid all the way down to the river! With an injured ankle, Sharon passed. With camera and dog in tow, I passed too. Because of that, Tanya stuck with us. It is one of the first times I’ve turned around on a trail in the summer. The elevation range of 60 feet from low to high is misleading. We climbed up and down quite a bit on the easy part of the trail which was slick at times and never made it to the more difficult switchbacks.

Regardless, we enjoyed the hike and our nice lunch on an outcropping. We packed up as the black clouds rolled in and light sprinkles fell. On the way back, we saw a cool duck resting on a rock mid-river. We also ran across two rattlesnakes which surprised us. I didn’t think rattlesnakes made it above 8,000 feet. At least as kids, we were always told there weren’t any poisonous snakes at our family cabin near Bailey. So the jury is out…thoughts on pic below are welcome. Overall it was a lovely hike, and I’m so happy the summer is here for exploring. ETB

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Roadtrip to the Rockies: Flying J Ranch

Trail: Shadow Pine Loop and Junction House Trailhead
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation: 7,500- 8,700

I’ve driven by Flying J Ranch a few times though I have never stopped to check the place out.  Today, with Sheena, a pretty fit German Shephard, though at 8 slightly elderly, I thought it might be a nice place for a leisurely hike.

I parked in the main parking area to explore the 2.9 mile Shadow Pine Loop.  I was really hoping to complete four miles today, so I added on an out and back trail called Junction House which was an additional 1.2 mile roundtrip.  I think it would have been better to park at the Junction House Trailhead, so the out and back across a boardwalk through the meadow with a lovely view had a little more meaning than simply extra mileage.

Sheena and I hiked the Shadow Pine Loop (very appropriately named) counter clockwise and slowly gained about 1,200 feet in elevation as we strolled through the shade of the lodge pole pine forest.  The undulating dirt path seemed popular among the locals.  Many runners and friends with dogs appeared to be out for their Sunday morning exercise as the woodpeckers attacked the trees and birds chirped overhead.

I was pleasantly surprised by this Jeffco Open Space park.  This park would be great for trail running and for bringing out of town visitors to the mountains, as the elevation change is gradual.  In addition, the bathrooms in the parking area had flush toilets and were very nice!  The only downside would be that there wasn’t much of a water feature.  The path did criss-cross a small stream, though I think later in the summer it would be close to dry.  It was a beautiful day in the foothills!  ETB

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Roadtrip to the Rockies: Lizard Rock Trail

Trail: Lizard Rock
Distance: 4.6 miles (RT)
Elevation: 8,500-9,350

Today I took an overnight road-trip to our mountain cabin and I got my first hike in of the year in Colorado.  That’s hard to believe!  I don’t know where the time has gone.  Anyway, I decided on a hike called Lizard Rock.  The trailhead can be found at the Spruce Grove Campground off of Tarryall Road.  It was a much farther drive than I was expecting, especially for a 4.6 mile hike, but the drive was beautiful.

The road took me by old barns and farmland as well as a variety of turnout marked with history story boards.  On the way to the trailhead, I stopped at an early homestead called the Derby Cabin.  The tiny cabin was home to a cowboy, William Derby, his wife and two daughters.  When his young wife died at 23 years old, he left the valley.

Soon I reached the Spruce Grove Campground.  The parking at the trailhead was for hike-in campers, so I had to park in a small area just outside the campground for dayhikers.  Sheena, a German Shephard for which I’m caring, and I meandered through the campground to the trailhead where we began our hike.  The trail immediately crosses the creek over a sturdy bridge and turns to left by the creek’s bank.  The dirt path led us immediately to a short passage through the boulders.

From here, the trail slowly climbed 1,000 feet over the 2.3 miles to Lizard Rock.  Along the way, we passed by a few stands of aspens, some open spaces, a variety of rock formations and eventually a nice view of the meadow.  I’m not exactly sure which rock formation looked like the lizard, but I know I hiked far enough to see it and then some.

found the shade on the trail

The trail continues to Hankins Pass Trail which I believe I started up as the grade increased.  I wasn’t planning on going too far for my first hike of the year, so I found a nice place off the side of the trail in the shade of the pine forest to snack on a light lunch before heading back down while enjoying the early signs of summer as wildflowers were beginning to bloom.  I may have to come back to explore more of the connecting trails.  ETB

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Things to Do Around Boulder City, Nevada

We arrived in Boulder City, Nevada on Thursday morning to compete in a triathlon at Lake Mead Recreation Area on Saturday.  Not leaving until Monday evening, we had time for a mini-vacation, and found a variety of attractions in Boulder City and the surrounding area.

First, we visited Hoover Dam, which was only a few miles away from the Hoover Dam Lodge where we were staying for the event.  This was my third time to Hoover Dam, though Steve’s first.  We paid $10 park and walked down to the dam to take in the view of Lake Mead, the water intake towers, as well as the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.  Then we wandered into the visitor’s center where we paid for the shortened tour of just the power plant that took place every half hour.

In the power plant, we were shown the water tunnels that transfer nearly 90,000 gallons of water each second to the dam’s hydroelectric generators.  Next, we visited the 17 generators on the Nevada side of the dam.  These generators are held in a wing 650 feet long which is about the depth of the dam at its base.  I marvel at the construction of this dam in the 1930s every time I hear about it.  Amazingly, it was built ahead of schedule and under budget.  If only the government could do that now!

After visiting the dam, we stopped for a walk along the Pat Tillman Bridge as well as for a lovely view of Lake Mead from a nearby overlook.  From the overlook, we could see the marina near where the race start would be.  It was approaching lunch time, so we tried The Bighorn Cafe at the lodge.  It was sustenance.

While we spent much of our time hiking over the weekend, we tried hard to limit our mileage in order to keep our legs rested before the race and stretched afterward.  As such, we stopped at the Nevada State Railroad Museum.  We were pleasantly surprised.  A variety of rail cars and engines were on display under a pavilion.  We could explore at our leisure.  I personally liked the mail car and learning about mail-on-the-fly.  The Railway Post Office would use mail cranes and catchers to retrieve mail without stopping!  Then mail was sorted (very quickly at times) so it could be ready to drop off.

Dinner came early at Southwest Diner.  We both order pasta.  The portions were enormous!  I got three meals out of my chicken, artichoke, mushroom alfredo.  They must have cooked a whole box of angel hair per plate!  I think they may be better known for their Mexican food, however.

The following day, we drove over to Lake Mead Recreational Area.  We stopped at Boulder Beach and then drove thirteen miles along Lakeshore Drive to check out the bike course and enjoyed spectacular views of hills peppered in a medley of colors including different shades of reds, browns, oranges, and greens.  Along the way, we enjoyed a nice hike at St. Thomas Town Site and a quick stop at the Redstone Picnic Area where red boulders peppered the region.

We wanted a simple dinner and early night before our race, so we went to Chilly Jilly’z.  They really should change the name!  It sounds like a yogurt shop, which it is, but it has fantastic broasted chicken.  The chicken, fried in a pressure cooker was so tender and tasty.  We went back on Monday for our last meal in Boulder City, but they were out of breasts, so that was disappointing, but their sandwiches were good too!

After we competed in our race Saturday, we wandered through an art festival which was taking place in town.  A variety of photographers, painters, and handicraft artists displayed their wares.  Having strolled around town for a few days now, we noticed that Milo’s Cellar and Inn had a very popular restaurant with a patio so we treated ourselves to nice a dinner before stopping at Grandma Daisy’s Candy Store and Ice Cream Parlor for dessert.  We tried the ice cream which was mediocre, but the shop was cute.  Perhaps the candy was better!

Donald Trump Hair Cotton Candy

We saved Sunday for a visit to Las Vegas.  Boulder City is only about a half hour away. Before we headed out, however, we had to try breakfast at the Coffee Cup Cafe, which was featured on Guy’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  Guy Fieri suggested the pork chili verde omelette which is highlighted on the menu. Steve ordered it while I stuck with good ole bacon eggs.  One good thing about competing in a triathlon is I can eat whatever I want!

We finished off our visit to Nevada with another hike in Lake Mead Recreation Area, though we had to cross the border into Arizona to do it.  The hike to Liberty Bell Arch offered spectacular views of the Colorado River and canyon.  Who knew there was so much to do in Boulder City!  We didn’t even get to ziplining, kayaking, or four-wheeling.  Boulder City is a great town for those interested in the outdoors!  ETB

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Beautiful Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop

Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail
Fees: None
Website: http://www.gohikeco.com/2012/03/beaver-brookchavez-loop-genesee-park.htmlElevation: 8,605-10,744 feet (below treeline)
Distance: 3.9 miles
Elevation: 6,552 to 7,641ft

Today Tanya and I went for a hike in Genessee Park. What I love most about Genessee Park is how close it is to Denver, yet all the views are of the mountains and none are of the City. I feel like I have driven a few hours into the mountains instead of 30 minutes.

We opted for a short hike this week and tried out the 3.9 mile Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop. I had read that the Chavez Trail was marked with braille signs for the blind, so I made the poor assumption that the path would relatively flat. It was not! I had brought along Toby, a beautiful Great Dane/Lab mix, and with his steady pull on the leash, I didn’t feel that safe climbing down the steep, rocky terrain, so I let him off the leash.

He went wild! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog go so bonkers on a trail. Generally, if they need to get some energy out, they run back and forth on the trail. Toby, however, ran in loops while going up and down the mountain (way off the trail). He leapt over fallen trees like a deer and splashed through the creek. Most of the time I could hear or see him, but sometimes I wondered if was coming back! Fortunately, there wasn’t in the parking lot on this chilly morning, so he had the freedom to run.

Speaking of chilly, when we driving up to the trail, my outside thermometer suggested it was 36 degrees outside. What?!? We didn’t gain that much altitude. Both of us were in denial thinking something was wrong with my car, but we didn’t even make it to the trailhead before we added layers, a hat, and gloves! It was our first cold morning of fall I think.

Our hike was absolutely lovely. We followed the path all the way down through the conifer forest to a quaint creek. We were happy to be hiking this trail at the end of the season as several places required creek crossings without a bridge. The water was low enough that we could walk across beaver dams and rocks without getting our feet wet.

Not long after we made it to the bottom of the canyon, we had to climb back up. This was good because I could finally put Toby on the leash (and get a little help ascending). It was warming up a bit, so we expected to see fellow hikers soon, and we did. We also saw a nice waterfall and enjoyed expansive views through the trees.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop. For place to go near Denver, this hike might be one of the prettiest. I highly recommend it! ETB

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Beautiful Hike to Upper Cataract Lake

Surprise Trailhead
Fees: None
Website: http://www.protrails.com/trail/450/summit-county-eagle-county-clear-creek-county-upper-cataract-lake-and-cat-lake
Elevation: 8,605-10,744 feet (below treeline)
Distance: 10.9 miles
Hours: Any…Careful for hunting season

I had such a great weekend! On Saturday, I went up to Schussbaumer, a ski chalet in Breckenridge, for a work party. There was hardly any work to do, so I just got to enjoy a relaxing day in the mountains and got to catch up with my friend Cat. I love that its just a short roadtrip for me to enjoy the Rocky Mountains…no flying across the USA.

I stayed the night at the chalet, and met up with Cat the next morning. We started out with a great breakfast at Clint’s. We were good and got eggs, but the muffins and cinnamon rolls sure looked delicious!! It was probably better to load up on protein since we planned on a 10.9 mile hike to Upper Cataract Lake.

Uniquely, just a month ago, a few of my fellow hikers and I aimed to hike Lower Cataract Lake, but accidentally ended up on the Upper Cataract trail (Surprise Trailhead), but we were limited on time and weren’t able to get to any of the lakes on the route. The last time I hiked the trail, we stopped at the trail intersection at mile 2.7 for a 5.4 mile jaunt as we admired the colorful aspens. This time, we climbed up the steep trail peppered with aspen leaves as they had already fallen. Then we entered the conifer forest laden with fallen trees.

The sun was out and the sky was clear on this 65 degree day. We worked up a sweat as we tackled the sharp grade. At the trail intersection, we turned right and continued climbing, though the terrain began to level out. As we were walking along, it was about time for a bathroom break. We scanned to our left and were surprised to see a lake concealed by thick timber! The name of the lake was appropriate…Surprise Lake.

We didn’t expect to reach it so soon, nor did the landscape seem to suggest we’d stumble across a lake here. Lily covered, it was quite different than the alpine lakes we generally strive to reach. We stopped for a short while, but the sweat on our backs coupled with the cool breeze encouraged us to continue.

It wasn’t long before my stomach started to grumble. Of course, we wanted to reach a lake but we stopped for a snack. We originally thought Surprise Lake was just a random pond, so we thought we would be at another body of water within the hour. Not so. We kept going and going while crossing a few streams. We even descended over the ridge toward a talus field.

On this side of the ridge, the wind was relentless. We gave into the elements and stopped for our hat, gloves, and puffy jacket. We also decided on a snack because we weren’t certain when we’d see the lake. Then Cat pointed to the right as she looked through the trees below and questioned, “Wait, is that a lake?”

Sure enough, it was! We threw our packs on and headed down the trail as we admired Eagles Nest Peak lightly dusted in snow. Soon we turned the corner and enjoyed a remarkable view of Cat Lake. At the time, we thought this was Upper Cataract Lake, but when we reached another trail junction, the sign suggested otherwise.

We were pretty cold at this time and weren’t willing to hike much farther, so we figured we’d actually read the description of the trail that we had on our phones! We warmed up a bit at the trail junction as we stood in the sun with some protection from the wind. This new warmth coupled with the good news that Upper Cataract Lake was only a tenth of a mile up the trail rejuvenated our spirits.

First we found a small pond and then a large lake tucked beneath the towering mountains. As much as we would have liked to sit by the lake for lunch, the wind was brutal! We climbed over a small, rocky ridge to find shelter and enjoyed a lovely view while we soaked in the sun. It’s amazing how cold 65 can feel with 40 mile per hour winds!

On our way back, we opted not to explore Cat Lake though the shore sure looked beautiful. We climbed back up the trail past the talus field and soon descended to the other side where we began shedding layers and enjoyed a pleasant walk back to the parking lot. It was a great day and gorgeous hike. We were pleasantly surprised by all the lakes! I’d highly recommend this trail especially during the fall color change. ETB

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Meridian Trail, Kenosha Pass, Ben Tyler Trail, and Estabrook

What a great week I had with friends and fall colors! On Thursday, Belinda, Tanya, and I hiked the Meridian Trail. Normally, I wouldn’t find this trail too exciting as it is an out and back path that climbs to a saddle with little view, no lake, and not much of a stream to speak of (all things I prefer on a hike), but for the fall this hike was a treat.

The trail is lined in several golden aspen groves. Occasionally we were treated to some orangy red aspens too. When we weren’t enjoying the intermittent groves that we walked through, we were admiring views along the way of green hillsides peppered with yellow and red. It was a lovely six mile hike on a gorgeous day.

On Friday, Tanya and I visited Kenosha Pass, known for its fall beauty and it didn’t disappoint. The golden hillsides were simply spectacular! I’m not sure my words or pictures could do it justice. Golden leaves floated to the soft ground in the strong wind while we stayed bundled up in the cool temperatures.

Our view from lunch on the ridge was magnificent. We hiked far enough in (a few miles) that we got to enjoy the solitude. For a Friday, the pass was quite crowded with cars parked along 285. I’m glad we made it there before the weekend!

Saturday, Erin, Brian, Mario and I hiked the Ben Tyler Trail, also known for its fall colors. This is another trail I wouldn’t normally find too exciting as it starts immediately with switchbacks up the mountain next to highway noise. But then, it weaves it way back through several aspen groves with views of a nearby hillside blanketed in fall colors.

What made the 2,500 foot climb over four miles even better was the dusting of snow near 10,500 feet. The fallen leaves in the snow was an added bonus to the lovely views. We felt lucky to hike when we did, as the aspen were already succombing to the winter weather that blew in overnight.

The cold weather also made Estabrook a little nippy! We hung out by the fire and had an awesome night…tacos and margaritas! Our final hike of the week was to the Bear’s Cave. I do it just about every time I go to Estabrook. It’s such a serene place to me! I had so much fun with my friends! ETB

afternoon nap
taco night
homemade apple pie!
the bear’s cave

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