Day 8 7.26
We had a slow morning (we love these kind of mornings) visiting with our other three camp neighbors.
Sitting there looking over the meadow then up towards the mountains, I’ve always wondered what was up there & what it looked like. So, just as I’ve done several times in years past, I asked Danny if he wanted to bushwhack up there…and, as always, he said yes.
So, for more than three hours we tried to find something near the saddle where Gothic mountain drops down. I soon realized how easy it would be to get lost, so I turned on a tracker & I was sooooo glad I did.
Elephant heads love to grow where it’s wet & this area was super wet.
I was so happy to come across one of my fave wildflowers…Prairie smoke (on the left). And, we’d be seeing a lot of flowering California Corn Lily….that doesn’t happen very often, so that was pretty cool to see too (pic on the right).
Some places were difficult hiking….
and some places were not. But, it was soooo easy to get lost. The section that followed this photo, was literally straight up the hill. I used my hands & knees to get up there. Then we realized, it just kept going straight up with no end in sight. So, we turned around & tried another way. I used my ample padded butt to slide back down the mountain.
Saw a lot of wildflowers today!
All these years we’ve camped above this meadow, but have never seen these ponds. And look at the size of that beaver lodge! The whole area down here was wet & mushy & filled with formidable willow bushes, some higher than we are tall. Danny took a huge step down & fell into one & while he had a teeny tiny cut on his head, willows are mostly bouncy if you fall on them.
At one point in our hike, we disagreed on which direction to go. Really grateful for that tracker to take us back to the right spot. We only saw some deer, but lots of beds where animals had laid down. Still a bit too early for elk, but I was hoping we’d see more animals.
It was a hard time of hiking by the time we made it back to camp, & we never found the ‘top’. But it was fun doing this together (because I wouldn’t do it on my own). And it was nice seeing our camp from a different viewpoint.
We went to Bonez for lunch & each had one of their margaritas we love so much. Then we went back out to camp of another repeat of a lovely evening visiting with Talie, sitting by the fire, & looking at the mountains.
Day 9 7.27
It rained overnight & early this morning starting our day with a beautiful double rainbow!
Rick & Sherry were packing up to leave this morning, so we visited with them for quite awhile then said goodbye. Wow! What an interesting couple (& I’m envious of their Tiger!)
The three of us had plans for today….Living Journeys is a CB organization that helps cancer survivors. Talie had always participated in this event, long before she had cancer. But LJ has help so many people, including Talie. I did this climb two years ago with this event & Talie did too….with her prosthetic & in a tutu! I’ve climbed this mountain probably more than a dozen times over the years & it’s not a walk in the park, but always harder when there are many climbing at the same time.
You start by riding the lift up to the ski area, then climb up towards the peak. It’s a big climb with huge dirt steps & rocky trail. By the time you get to the rocks to climb to the top, it’s just kind of a free for all scrambling to the peak.
Talie climbed the trail with only her crutches this year & a friend from Adaptive Sports by her side.
Fantastic views!.
We eventually made it to the top, which most people think is the hardest, but on a climb like this, the downhill is the hardest part (plus you have to yield to all the uphill hikers).
This year Talie hiked farther than she did two years ago, adding the huge & steep downhill climb (which she would have to climb back up that same trail to return) & we saw her at the bottom of the rock scramble. Determination & “won’t give up attitude” is Talie…along with her bright smile & positivity…always. She told me later that next year she is thinking of getting a knee pad & gloves & scrambling up to the peak! I have no doubt she can do it & I hope I’m there too.
There’s always food at the end of the hike at the base of the mountain, so we did that, listened to a bit of music then headed back to camp. We both read awhile, then studied our Spanish….another new retirement project. This is super fun though, because Emma & Claire are learning too using the same program.
When Talie got back to camp she didn’t even look tired! What an amazing woman!
Day 10 7.28
This morning I cooked breakfast in camp….doesn’t happen very often (I’m always super stoked to get to the trail!) but it was tasty. Then we took off out Kebler towards Beckwith Pass trail. There were still lots of flowers here too! Yay!
Danny is always so great at stopping to check out all the views surrounding him. It’s great for me too as a reminder to slow down & look!
That’s looking towards Ruby & Owen peaks near Scarpe Ridge.
Then we hiked back to ‘the rock!’…a place we always stop & sit by & check out this view!
The Castles in the distance…
After the hike, we drove up to Mt. CB for a burger at a new burger place Rick (the camper) had told us about…it was pretty good & not $25 like most places in town. Then we drove south (driving all over today!)
When we first drove towards CB after picking up Danny from the airport, we stopped in CB South. A friend of ours who had previously own The Last Steep, had opened a liquor store called Red Mountain. So, we stopped to pick up Danny some beer & to say hi to Shaun. It was hugs all around…so great to see our friend again & that he’s doing well. We talked about the new brewery in CB South & he really liked their beer & the owners
So, after our burger, we went to Zuni. And, as fate would have it, Shaun was there having a beer & he invited us to sit by him at the bar. The Olympics were on some big screen TV’s so we happily watched the USA Women’s Rugby team & Shaun was up on all the rules & info. We had a really good time.
We wanted one last walk before going back to camp & Brush Creek was on the way back, so we walked the trail, with hardly anyone else there. It’s always just such a beautiful view of Teocolli mountain & the East River snaking it’s way through the valley.
These are our evenings & we love them!
Day 11 7.29
This morning was an early trail call…up & out, because we were headed to Scarpe Ridge where finding a parking spot that doesn’t defy gravity, can be tricky. But thanks to me, a travel-Nazi (as Danny’s brother once called me) we found a very level, non-anxiety creating parking spot—no chocks needed (my parking brake doesn’t work). And, it put us on the trail early!
We huffed & puffed & took about 100 breaks getting up this trail, but it’s just breathtaking (ha ha)!
Looking back towards Lake Irwin far below.
Then we headed toward to the loop that would take us back down.
After we made it back down, we stopped in town to try the new Thai Chile restaurant that is where the Ginger Cafe used to be…it was good. But, I do miss the Ginger…I have many good memories from that place.
We drove out to Gothic road to RMBL & to say hi to Rick & Greta who work at the Visitors Center. Then we took the gnarly road over to Stupid Falls, which I have renamed Gothic Falls….they’re too pretty to be called stupid.
A closer shot.
We stopped by camp for a bit for a cocktail & a Spanish lesson, then headed back into CB for the Monday night concert.
We didn’t stay to the end of the music…camp was calling us back.
Day 12 7.30
We took off for another big trail today, the 401….one of my favorites!
Danny’s photo below.
And, the fireweed is out which means that wildflower season is about over.
We had a picnic lunch at the top.
The views going up the mountain are spectacular & so are the ones coming back down!
My guy surrounded by wildflowers & mountains…love this!
Met up with our friend Jeff Hahn, from Lawrence. Jeff has been coming to CB for a few years to mountain bike & we always get together for a beer. This afternoons bar is a locals favorite, the Talk of the Town.
The best show in town!
Whetstone with alpenglow!
Day 13 7.31
Danny hadn’t been up the 403 yet this year, so we drove up the road from camp & hit the trail. Again, we had the top to ourselves only running into one couple as we left the top. Danny’s photo below.
The view of Gothic from this trail.
About 4 years ago, the Forest Service stopped all the dispersed camping in the valley & created designated camping. So, there’s a limited number of sites & rules & regs for designated camping. It’s still first come/first camp (as opposed to reservation systems, which suck in the backcountry like these places) & it has been wonderful! Normally at our site which now holds three campsites limited to 2 vehicles or RV’s per site, there would have been 10 RV’s crammed next to each other smashing all the wildflowers with no sense of space or courtesy happening. But since the camping has changed & there is space in between sites, & we are surrounded by tons of wildflowers in camp…and it’s brought back the birds! So many more birds than normal. They were constantly landing everywhere….it’s wonderful!
We ate a Paradise Diner for lunch (so yummy patty melt!) & saw our friends working there. It’s our go-to place now that so much has changed…but they close at 1pm which makes it harder if we’re hiking much in a day. But, the staff & great food is awesome! After our practically daily chores of getting ice & water, we headed back to camp. We’d left a jug of water in the sun so we could take camp showers…felt so good. We were mostly clean!
Later in the evening, our friends John & Tracy (sooooo good to see her again!) came out to party, catch up & share some good big beers! What fun we had! A big campfire & the 5 of us laughing & chatting under the star lite skies! So. Much. Fun!
Tracy & John camp in a small skoolie with the best behaved dogs. So, finally we all said good night & tucked in to our respective bus/van/tent & 4Runner.
What a perfect day!
Day 14 8.1
We had a wonderful slow morning with Tracy & Talie (John was headed out early to go rafting the Gunnison river). Then it was time for everyone to go on with their day…but we hoped to do this again before Danny & I left.
Another big hike on the plan for today…Hasley Pass. And we did not get an early start. Thank goodness the afternoon storms & rains haven’t started yet. We drove up Gothic road & past the magnificent Emerald Lake.
It’s a lung buster of a hike up to over 12,000+ feet.
So many gorgeous wildflowers!
Hiking back.
This is how we clean up after a big hike!
After our hike & long drive back to town, we had a cocktail at the Dogwood Cabin before heading back to camp for dinner.
Again…I’ll never stop looking at or taking photos of this mountain.
