Missing SD Card

Sorry to all of you who have been checking my blog for updates. There are many, however, the SD card is being borrowed at the moment and it wouldn't be a Kmegan post without the accompaniment of photographic evidence.  See you this weekend!


*Missing SD and Missing NY*

Golden Colorado Autumn in a Jeep

The boyfriend decided to sell his Honda civic and buy a Jeep wrangler instead.  I can only say that it seems to fit him, and Colorado, perfectly.  Lots of driving on back roads that had previously been beyond our reach.

 <<Ladies, can you blame me for holding onto this one?>>

 <<She likes to pee in water for some reason but usually she drinks first>>

 <<Makes me wanna take a back road...put a little gravel in my travel>>

 <<Just some fence sitting>>

 After admiring the roads and the changing colors we decided to walk along a trail inspiring this little writing...

"Rotten air reaches up in tendrils from the damp floor of the forest smelling familiar of a long awaited autumn.  We make our way from the dirt path and begin picking through the stiff grass a path of our own, our feet making offbeat rustling with each step.  Light streams down in rich, golden beams enhanced through the many yellow leaves whispering a welcome to our presence.  I look ahead and watch you stride beneath the golden arches framed in silver beams. We manage to hop from log to log until we reach that fallen tree and balance our way out to the middle.  

Whoops and hollers echo up from the bike path just down the hill and we sit immaculately still.  The most innocent of beings comes through the thicket.  A doe and her fawn, wary at first, but then comfortable and unaware of our excitement to have company.  In the silence I realize how different the aspen grove is from all other forests.  No squirrels scurrying back and forth chattering at anything and everything.

An entire fortress of trees all agreeing the time for autumn has indeed arrived.  None trying to outdo the other in its seasonal frock but rather celebrating together in a holy cathedral.  The same dancing breeze knocks the aspens and from down below it sounds as though the forest is rocking itself to sleep for the coming drifts of winter snow and howling, bitter winds."

 

*Flickering gold and Increasing cold*

Kmegan

Gothic- Not Gotham

All summer long I have stared out at the magnificence that is Gothic Mountain.  No, batman does not have a hideaway here.  That would be GothAM, dear tourist you!  Finally, I got to climb up to it's peak. Unfortunately there's not much of a trail head available so we began at a mountain biking trail known as the 403.  By we I mean; Adam, Nick, Millie, neighbor's dog Owen, plus myself.

 

 <<What you can't see are my legs awkwardly holding me up on tippy toes>>

 <<The boys and Millie>>

After hiking almost all of the 403 looking for the cutoff we turned around and began bushwhacking our way to the spine of Gothic.  Finally, we found a trail. After coming back and reading other trail reports online it appears that bushwhacking is necessary- climbing over numerous downed logs, through meadows of pricklies, and the occasional wetland.

Of course there was a false peak.

After spending about 15 minutes on the actual peak a huge cloud had rolled in amazingly fast and began to hail.  Poor Millie had hail balls stuck all in her fur.  Trying to hike along the razor-sharp ridge to get down we could hear the wind howling over into the canyon on the other side.

In order to avoid staying up near the peak in case there was lightening, we very smartly *sarcasm* decided to cruise down the loose rocks on the side.  Sliding, having heavy rocks landing on our feet, sliding, trying to stand.  Not the most efficient descent I've been a part of but oh well.

We ended up hiking into a deep v-shaped valley (To Neil: what is the difference between a V-shaped valley and a U-shaped valley?), crossing through a swamp, straight up the other side of the ravine, across the spine of a smaller ridge, until we were once again joyfully reunited with our biking trail, the 403, and a nice, easy walk back to the car was achieved.  Both dogs were exhausted, all three hikers were exhausted, no way of knowing the mileage, no way to know the gain in elevation.

Gothic Peak: 12, 625 feet

Done.

*Tumbling Talus and Windy Malice*

Kmegan

My First 14er

For those who don't know, a 14er refers to a mountain with an elevation of 14,000 feet or greater.  Yesterday the boyfriend and I drove through Cottonwood Pass which is not open during the winter and parked at the trail head to Mt. Elbert.  Because of the length of time and the distance I couldn't bring my beloved Millie since she is a mere 9 months so alas, I left her at home to chew her way through my things.  At least the things she hasn't already chewed.

<<scuba?>>

The boyfriend and I hiked all the way through the woods full of rocky switchbacks, beyond the treeline, over 2 false peaks and finally finally finally made it to the peak.  Mt. Elbert kicked my butt! 

 <<Still not even close>>

 <<Walking the ridge line at the top>>

 <<We found some cardboard signs, something to pack on the next one>>

It sucked because sometimes you're on the path and you think the peak you see is the one and you think to yourself "Oh, I can do that, no problem" but then it turns out to be a false peak and so does the next one and so it's absolutely discouraging until that final climb when you know for certain that's it because there's no higher spot rising up beyond it.  (There's got to be a dating analogy here).

Anyways, back in NY when you hike it goes like this: see the peak, hike the peak.  In CO, hiking goes like this: see many peaks, see the peak, not the peak, see the peak, not the peak, see the peak, reach the peak, see nothing from the peak.

I believe the point of hiking great heights is to realize an ability to feel superior to all things below.  I can stand there and feel superior.  I can feel as tall as the mountains which, of course, I am.  Feeling superior is hard to come by when you're a recent grad with a small paycheck and big loans.  And unlike the rest of my life, if I work hard at a hike, commit to it, prepare for it, clear the summit, I can see the results and I can revel in the ideal progression of hard work.  Plus mother nature is kind of a great boss: no interviews, no board meetings, no instant demands.

<<Hello Mr. Marmot>>

<<Gray jay? Camp robber? Fed him part of a granola bar out of my hand>>

<<Yes Dad I whistled at him and he stayed for my pic>>

<<Marm...i if you will>>

 <<Rainbow below!>>

Unfortunately a rain cloud had rolled in and prevented us from seeing anything beyond 25 feet of chunky rock (I'm sure there's a technical name for that...talus?...tor?).  All was not lost, however, for being in a rain cloud was a brand new experience and as I stood tall (haha) at 14,433 feet I could see and feel the fog rolling up the side of Mt. Elbert, across my sodden shoes, and back down the cliff on the other desolate side.  After a few Lord of the Rings quotes and some bites of a warm deli sandwich, we hightailed it down as it began to pour, pouring hours later when we finally reached the car, pouring as we drove the 3 hours home. Pour, poor me.

<<I spy with my little eye a Ptarmigan>>

7 Hours

8 Miles

4100' Gain

2 Exhausted Hikers

*Ptarmigan and Down Again*

Kmegan

Deep in Colorado

To those who have managed to contact me since my move to Colorado, thank you.  For that one person who keeps checking back on this blog, thank you for not giving up on me.  It's been a difficult transition from Syracuse to Crested Butte and even more difficult was the transition from Winter to Summer.

<<Cutting of the Xmas tree>>

<<Summer with the wildflowers>>

Teaching little kids 3-6 how to ski was a blast and I'm definitely looking forward to doing it again this winter.

<<Crested Butte Photos of the Day>>

I road tripped back to Syracuse to pick up more of my things and to visit friends and family.  This road trip was longer than the ride out here because I stopped in Minnesota for my boyfriend, Adam, and then again in West Virginia to drop off my friend, Nick.  Meeting their families and having people to ride with made it much more memorable than the solitary non-stop drive out this past November.

 

<<Quick, picture with the giant bug statue!>>

This summer I worked up at Gothic, specifically the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab which is essentially a field station for biologists and ecologists, professionals, and students.  A good number of mountain bikers and tourists ride through as well.  I managed the general store.  Lots of snacks and t-shirts but no cell reception.  There was also a good month when internet was down as well.  Talk about a rustic experience!

<<My store>>

<<View from my store>>

As I wrap up my job in the middle of fumbuck nowhere, I am increasingly aware of the drawbacks to living in a resort town.  Mainly that all things slow and jobs are scarce when the tourists are slow and scarce...well, mainly just scarce, tourists are pretty slow all the time.

*Happy Attitude and High Altitude*

Kmegan