Long Trails

Quandary Peak is recognized as a easier 14er according to most reviews.  Though I understand the standard route is not technical, it is quite physically demanding.

At 1:30am Christopher, Dad and I start, with our headlamps on, up the Long's Peak Trail toward the Boulder Field and Keyhole. 

I was 5 minutes late of seeing it crest the horizon, but I still got an epic view and it was well worth the push. Good Times.

Nearing the end of the 14er season, this would be my last in 2019.

Slept in my car, waking to use the restroom in the early hours of the morning I saw headlamps leading up Mt. Bross.  Those hikers would make the summit for sunrise; I would go back to bed.

A route that, though not technical or especially long, kicked my butt while providing some amazing scenic views.

On this trip, the road had been taken out by an avalanche. So the hike really started about 1 mile from the official trail head.

I fell running down and scrapped up my knee pretty good. Had to run about 2 miles before getting back to my car.

The Missouri Gulch Trail is one of the steeper trails I've hiked so far in the Colorado Rockies.  From the trail head, I walk nearly 2000 vertical feet in 2.1 miles, reaching base camp in a little under an hour and a half.

Elbert was a true gem once I found the trail.

The route I took up Mount of the Holy Cross leads up a 1000’ warm-up hill before descending 1000’ back to the base of the Mountain. Only then do you actually start going up the real mountain.