It’s October and for me, it’s near the end of climbing season. I had one more mountain on my list for the season and had scoped out a forecasted stretch of sunny days in which to climb it. That mountain was Uncompahgre Peak.
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So far, in my 14er journey I’ve had surprisingly good luck with weather. Weather’s a huge factor when it comes to climbing mountains, not just because you don’t want to be outside in the cold and wet, but because at fourteen thousand feet the weather can be unpredictable and unforgiving.
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In terms of area, Colorado’s San Juan mountains are the largest mountain range in the state. Whereas other ranges are more or less linear, the San Juans comprise a vast wilderness area of something like 4,000 square miles in the southwest corner of the state.
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After completing my climb of Mount of the Holy Cross last fall, I noted that I’d climbed all 15 of the Sawatch 14ers, putting my total number of 14ers climbed at 26. A milestone, of sorts.
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In the Alps, along the borders of France, Italy and Switzerland there is a hiking route well-known among backpackers called the Tour du Mont Blanc.
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After Pikes Peak, probably the most widely known mountain in Colorado is Mount of the Holy Cross. Unlike Pikes, which sits on the Front Range flush against the prairie, staring drivers from the east in the face for miles, Holy Cross is hidden deep in the Rockies. It only reveals itself to those willing to hike. And as I discovered, hike a lot.
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You may have noticed It’s been a while since I’ve spewed forth any kind of hiking post on this here cavalcade of outdoor adventure.
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A couple of weeks ago, while the high mountains were in less than ideal condition for skiing and the local trails were too soupy from snowmelt for mountain biking, I headed up into the network of gravel roads in the Arkansas Hills for some random exploring.
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We’ve been having what can rightfully be described as a spectacular fall season in Colorado. Weeks of crisp, clear evenings and cloudless bluebird days with high temperatures in the 70s. While the leaves are gone from the aspens, the cottonwoods and birches in the valleys are all brilliant shades of yellow and orange.
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Is it possible for people to love the outdoors too much? Studies have shown that getting out in nature is one of the best things you can do for both mind and body. But is it good for nature? How many people can nature sustain before it stops being nature?
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