Lake City, CO

Escaping the heat 

Colorado's heat wave wasn't easing up so we made a detour into the mountains and the small town of Lake City after stocking up on food. October is the end of  the season with many businesses closing. The small grocery stores had very little on the shelves and the restaurants' menus were out of many items. The temps were 20 degrees cooler than in the cities on the front range. 

Most of the people at our campground were seasonal from Texas. Every morning and evening we could hear the southern twang from the small propane firepit as they gathered to tell stories. Probably the same as last week.

The Packer Saloon and Cannibal Grill in memory of Colorado's Cannibal, Alfred Packard.

In 1874, Alfred Packer guided five men to Gunnison, Colorado to explore the mountains for gold even though winter weather was on its way.

Months later, Packer arrived alone in and with his clients’ belongings and cash, he said he had been abandoned by the others. Later he confessed to being forced to cannibalism as they got lost in a storm and soon without any food. He shared how in order to survive he ate the flesh of his companions after each one died and to having killed the last surviving explorer in self-defense.

Later that summer, the five bodies were found at the massacre site and there was evidence that their skulls had been crushed while they were sleeping. After being accused of murder, Packer fled and hid for nine years.

He was returned to Lake City to be tried for his crimes after being captured in Wyoming. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 40 years in prison for five counts of voluntary manslaughter.

The governor pardoned him in 1901. Never actually found guilty of cannibalism.

We took a self guided tour of the town reading the placards. We realized that every time we explore local history, it begins in the late 1800s. Very little is written about the Ute Indians that inhabited Colorado before the white people arrived.

Most people had ATVs and off road vehicle and traveled in packs. They like to have a friend if they get into a bind. I wouldn't mind being the first in line. The further back in the pack, the more dust to breath as they fly up the dirt roads.

We occasionally come across other hikers coming towards us on the trails. They often look startled to see us coming down the trail directly towards them. They are deciding whether to put on their masks and figuring out how to get 6 feet of separation or just be cool and walk briskly by while looking the other way. Do they greet you with a "hello" or just wave to avoid potential contamination. So many decisions. I sometimes wonder if they get any closer to the edge if they will plummet down the hill. We usually find a place to step aside and signal them on. I occasionally wonder what they would do if I should suddenly "stumble" towards them as they get closer. Just kidding? ;-}

Signing in at the USFS book in case we don't return and they know where to find us.. 

Fall is in the air. Actually, next week they are expecting up  to 13 inches of snow in the mountains.

 Lake San Cristobal

Next, we settled into our campground in Fruita with the intention of parking and plugging into the electricity. and wait until sundown to finish setting up since the temp was 95Fand heading to 101F for a new record. As we kicked back to read as the power went off. A car accident on the interstate took out a power pole, knocking out power for 2000 unsuspecting folks. We found a tree and spray bottle to keep somewhat cool but the power company had us up and running in an hour. I had been eyeballing the swimming pool but some kids beat me to it.

The sun through the smoke with a reflection on a pond.

I thought I was being cleaver by setting the alarm for 6am the next morning for a bike ride before the heat returned the next day. We were freezing in no time and headed home for our jackets after 4 miles. The smoke from all of the fires in the west and one 8 miles north of us had blocked much of the sun giving it a red glow. Mother Nature must not be happy with us humans.

Hanging out with the locals in Colorado National Monument. 

A mom and her kid!

                Then the temps went the opposite direction and set record highs in the 40's for a high and rain                                                                              for a muddy hike.

Mike's grandson, TJ, joined the Navy and is now in Chicago, IL for two weeks of quarantine before starting basic training. We are excited for him and what lies ahead.

Amanda, his daughter, is doing well and hanging in there with chemo ever other week.

After four months in Colorado, we are excited to cross over into Utah are hoping for rain to help with the fires in the West.

Gunnison, Colorado

Cowboy Country

 We moved across the Continental Divide to the big open valley of Gunnison. The temps cooled off and monsoon rains returned after a very dry few weeks. Overlooking a pond and surrounded by trees was a big change from the dusty, windy campground we were in the past three months.

Ranches with happy cows and horses line county road where we hiked and cycled. 

Driving up Ohio Pass Road

We arrived at the trailhead and met a retired couple from San Antonio, TX that comes to this area every summer.  They were happy to have someone to hike with and tell their stories after 50 years of marriage. They had me hustling to keep up.

The wildflowers had gone to seed from the frost over the past few days and looked like fall.

Our big Ohio Creek Valley view as we started up Swampy Pass Trail.

Marvin and Vickie, our new friends, gave us the low down on hiking Mill Castle Mountain.

We finished our hike and lunch as the thunder and rain started. Driving back, a 30 elk traffic jam had us waiting as they crossed the road as the rain got heavier making the pictures blurred. 

We had a couple of days to ride our bikes along the backroads of CR 730. It was 46F degrees on our second morning as we started. The sunshine had us warm in no time, along with our warmer clothes. 

The traffic jam on this road on Sunday was from so many cyclist on the road and few cars. My kind of traffic jams. It was great to ride from the campground for a 25 mile rides without a lot of climbing.

Mt. Crested Butte in the background.

Fall was in the air as the hay fields had been cut and colors starting to change. The smell of the cut hay brought back memories of the time Mike spent working on his grandparent's dairy farm in Vermont. I clicked away on my camera as I pedaled. Stopping for pictures while cycling is tiring to me.

We took a drive to the Taylor River Valley on a rainy day. A lot of cyclists like to ride this road. I voted to stay on our favorite county road.

As a young girl, after everyone was asleep, I would take a blanket outside and stare up at the stars. On our visit to Banff National Park in Canada many years ago, we put our pillows and blankets on the grass outside our condo to watch the sky. We still spend evenings wrapped in a blanket in our recliners looking at the sky.  It is a quiet time to reflect on our day and let our imaginations go while waiting for the space station pass by across the night sky. These are some big skies to look up in.

Mill Castle Trail

The scenic hike up the Mill Castle Trail to Storm Pass winds its way up the Mill Creek Valley thru the West Elk Wilderness. The landscape is unique with rock castles and formations with few visitors.

I checked my bear spray and reviewed how to use it. No sense waiting until you need it to remember how to use it. This trail had more wows per mile and around every corner.

The early morning sun gave some interesting shadows on the mountains.

We had several creek crossings. Fortunately, the water level was low making crossing easier. But I still managed to slip in a few times. I am glad Mike waterproofed my boots/

After an amazing hike, we headed to the food truck for a grilled peach salad for lunch.

What a fun visit to some new to us places. We were pretty tired after a week with fabulous fall like weather.

Hartenstein Lake

A Fun Summer

As you can see, we love our public lands and feel privileged to spend time out here. Unfortunately, much of it is being sold off for as little as $1.50 per acre for oil and natural gas exploration. Not only have we lost public land but the decency in how we as owners and the land are being treated.

Colorado is dealing once again with wildfires, 4 of them and warm temps. We have smoke blowing in over the mountains but fortunately for us, most is going north. On our final day at Lake Dillon, the smoke starting getting much heavier so we headed back to Buena Vista for our last two weeks. The mornings are a cool 50F in the mornings and it cools off quickly once the sun goes down.

Hartenstein Lake Hike

We were up early to beat the predicted thunderstorms and the crowds. Who's idea was that?

 12 miles up Cottonwood Pass heading west from the stoplight at Main Street in Buena Vista is the Denny Creek Trailhead on the right. There were several cars at the parking lot when we arrived. It looked like several people had been car camping before ascending to Mt Yale (14,000+ feet) which shares the same trailhead, for an early start.

A steamy mist was rising from the trees as the sun started warming them.

Climbing straight uphill as soon as we hit the trail was a great way to acclimate to what lies ahead. We hiked through pines and aspens up switchbacks until reaching a more gentle path.

Coming upon the turn off for Mt. Yale (14er) at 1.3 miles, we hiked past and on to the forest, over several creek crossings until emerging out of the trees and into incredible views.

Turning here we had only a mile more to reach Hartenstein Lake. This last mile was packed full of views all around and sprinkled of wildflowers.

'We heard the chirps of several families of marmots.

A bit marshy in spots but so blue and so quiet, it’s beautiful. The lake sits at 11,480 ft. in elevation

The terrain on the way to Hartenstein Lake told stories of harsh winters with fallen trees and a windswept landscape.

Happy birthday Mike!

The Trailhead Co. is a favorite stop in town after a hike or bike ride for an iced tea before our last couple of miles.

A favorite food truck for us with picnic tables under the trees.

Cycling in Summit County

We were fortunate to have another visit to Summit County.

The Ten Mile Canyon Trail is one of the best maintained bike trials we have ridden in from Frisco to Copper Mountain. The views aren't bad either making the climb more pleasant.

Someone threw a block party in Frisco and no one came. Wait, we were there.

The next day, Mike invited me to take a short ride towards Breckenridge. This ended up being a 26.5 mile ride. I am not sure how he determined this was a short ride after riding 25 miles the previous day. 

Our time spent in the Arkansas River Valley has given us the opportunity to visit many places and hikes we had not seen even though we lived 90 miles away. There are still very few cases of COVID in Chaffee County and everyone (almost) wear masks and keep distant.

One More Hike

We had planned to take a short hike on the Lily Pond Trail but had a change of mind once we arrived at the South Mt Elbert Trailhead overlooking Twin Lakes and Mt Elbert (the second highest 14er in the lower 48 states below Mt Whitney).

Twin Lakes

Being forced to slow down this summer has given us a chance to listen and wonder while in this strange world. We are humbled and appreciate our mobile life even more now. We just changed up the plans and enjoy each day. Travel and birthdays change how we think.

There is so much noise distracting us from seeing what is happening. We hope that no more of our public lands will be lost to developers before our grandchildren get to experience these wonderful places.