skiing at Arapahoe Basin

So far it's been a lousy year for snowfall in the high country, which has skiers (and ski resorts) bummed out. Last year set records, and I spent the summer getting motivated to get back into skiing and scrounging up cheap used ski gear. Everything I've bought so far is intended for skiing in the backcountry (avoiding the resorts and hiking/skiing uphill under my own power, then skiing back down in the uncrowded wilderness.) But I first have to get some practice before I venture out into the more challenging terrain and conditions of the backcountry so I hit A-Basin today for some fun turns and lazy rides up the ski lifts.

looking west over the Montezuma Bowl towards the Ten Mile Range

the East Wall- still closed to skiers due to lack of snow

Had a pretty fun day, although I'd definitely prefer to be out in the peace and quiet of the wilderness, ascending with my legs and lungs rather than buying a lift ticket with everyone else. But I got about 13,400ft of vertical in 6 hours... and you can't do that on your own!

Mom & Dad visit + CO road trip

Mom and Dad paid a visit to their slacker son here in The West, so we went for a good trek in the Rockies. They loved it. Admittedly and appreciatively, it's my folks who introduced me to the mountains, to traveling, to exploring and being adventurous. As a youngster, I saw the gleam in their road-yearning eyes and took some lessons, that desire to move and see. They took me to a ton of new places in this world! I can't begin to grasp the fortitude it would require to drag 2 kids into a camper/van for weeks on the road. It's a safe bet that I'd leave the kids at the first encounter of a Rest Stop. Thanks to my folks for instilling that yearning for new territory...

I'd composed a tentative itinerary for us to follow on a 4 day Colorado road trip, seeing some of my favorite places and a couple on my own personal list of  'gotta see CO' locales. Little did I know, as we traversed the state, they'd actually been to most of these places, canyons, scenic drives already... some before my days and some that I already coursed through as a boy in the back seat of the van. Due to an approaching storm system, we elected to refrain from heading further west and trending north instead. Even though they'd once seen these places years ago, they still love it. I like it too; that's why I'm still here in Colorado.

First stop on the roadtrip is the Air Force Academy in CO Springs, which is extremely angular:

Next we made it to the legendary Bishop's Castle, which is exquisitely organic. Unbelievably, this 160ft tall castle is a one-man effort begun in 1969 by Jim Bishop and is still growing and evolving. This place is equal parts amazing, awe-inspiring and potentially deadly. I highly recommend it without hesitation, although you will experience hesitation when you crawl out upon its catwalks....

After a walkabout in various little mountain towns, we drove over the Continental Divide in a mild snow shower and got to Glenwood Springs for the 2nd night. Here now, is the adventuresome spirit I've come to know, my parents. A snowy drive in a Honda Civic brings a pretty sunrise.... 

The next day we headed southwest into Aspen... and to an utterly deserted drive back to the Maroon Belles. Sadly the two Belles themselves were socked in with clouds, but the essence back there was sublime. It mattered not that we didn't capture the postcard photo of the the ridged sedimentary mud peaks... Mom loved being amongst the mountains with her family. [and alas, we should go backpacking together next year]

USA Pro Cycling Challenge: Stage 5 @ Swan Mountain

The biggest pro road cycling race ever in the history of the US came tearing through Colorado this week. A 6 stage race through beginning in Colorado Springs and hitting some of the most scenic regions and heinous summit climbs in the state. I was lucky to be invited to join some friends at a swank mountain house outside the town of Silverthorne in Summit County. My visit coincided with Stage 5, which ran through the town on today's route from Steamboat Springs to Breckenridge. A few coworkers and I secured a fantastic spectating point at the top of the Swan Mountain 'king of the mountain' climb on the south side of Dillon Reservoir.

The crowd was huge and merry with lots of time to kill before the racers made their way to our locale. But sipping beers and goofing around with my buddies helped pass the time in a lively way. Finally the race brigade got to us, with a full regalia of police cars, motorcycles, team cars, ambulances, and finally the spry Belgian climber Andy Schleck (2nd in the Tour de France this year) out off the front in a solo breakaway.

Not too far behind with the peloton came the Team BMC boys; here's liftime legend George Hincappie smiling while pulling a less perky Cadel Evans to the top of the climb. Cadel's fresh off this year's Tour de France victory, recovered from his own broken elbow the year prior. Earlier in the week George won the Colorado race's "Queen Stage" from Gunnison to Aspen that conquered two 12,000ft+ passes over the Continental Divide: first Cottonwood Pass into Buena Vista, then over Independence Pass into Aspen.

It was simply amazing how fast all these racers (over 100 passed by us) flew up this climb, especially after 5 days of hard core racing at altitudes well above most of them are conditioned to. Just an amazing day all around. Team Radioshack's Levi Lephiemer ended up taking the overall win when the race concluded in downtown Denver the following day. Organizers, host towns, the politicians and certainly cycling fans all deemed the inaugural race a stunning success and they promise to bring it back again next year. I can't wait!

Dillon BBQ Fest

One of the larger Colorado BBQ fests was going down in Dillon, so what better excuse for a weekend camping and getting some tasty que.

my hands-down favorite sauce makers, Brook's BBQ from Aurora, CO

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Afternoon lounging in the sun on the shores of Dillon Reservoir. April made a summer mudman:

 

Lots of folks out sailing on Dillon Reservoir in the feet of the Ten Mile Range (and Continental Divide runs south along that ridge)

Frisco BBQ Fest

We'd been looking forward to making a return to the Frisco BBQ Fest since we made an impromptu trek last year. Luckily I was still feeling pretty alright after surgery, so we got into the car and headed west. Unlike the perfect mountain weather we encountered the first time, we drove through pouring rain all the way up to the tunnel. And unlike the forecast of 71' and mostly sunny, we arrived in Frisco to a blustery squall and cold rain that began within 5 minutes of parking the car. After sipping hot coffee inside a coffeeshop and April picking up a pair of warm pants at a consignment shop, the rain broke and we turned loose onto the tasty offerings. Despite the shivers, we still had a really fun evening of great BBQ and mouthwatering smells in the chilly air!

Miner's Cabin / Mohawk Lakes - outside Breckenridge, CO

We heard a tale of this refurbished miner's cabin up outside of Breck / Blue River from our neighbors and wanted to check it out for ourselves. Evidently this old, abandoned mining shack had been fixed up at some point and was now open to whomever stumbled across it, wood stove and all. We headed up after work on Friday, and it was plenty dark before we actually arrived to the trailhead.

But it was only a couple of miles on a well established trail to the cabin, but in case we didn't find it we brought tent and supplies to camp on our own. And plenty of headlamps. After an ultra-quiet, moonlit walk in the woods, we found the cabin and to our luck it was unoccupied. We poked around with limited light, sparked a fire in the stove and settled into the cozy sleeping loft.

It wasn't 'til the morning light that we even grasped where we were at:

1883 miner's cabin we stayed in

Not a bad scene to wake up to, that's for sure! But we also quickly discovered that this cabin is along a very very popular hiking trail in Summit County. Cooking up some eggs for breakfast outside rendered us the de-facto tour guides for dozens of hikers, kids, dogs, etc. It wasn't anticipated, although it wasn't surprising either given the novelty and location. They all asked the same innocent and curious questions, but it got old fast. Most of these folks would have passed on by had a couple of morons (us) not been fixing breakfast and coffee here.

We were staying a second night, so we cleaned up and headed uphill as soon as possible to avert the prying crowds. Joining the day-trip masses on the trail, we came to some great features:

Upper Mohawk Lake

This alpine lake lies a couple miles above the cabin in a historically rich mining area. Lots of pits and mines and rail tracks and trailings litter the hillside.

Further up around treeline another alpine lake hangs within the glaciated bowl. Looking west:

After hiking back to the cabin, the daytime crowds meandered off downhill in the afternoon and it was back to just us. So quiet and pleasant, and just a tad spooky... knowing that tough miners had erected this place for shelter and rest and their toil of riches ~130 years ago.

We cooked dinner, as they had, although we are lazy westerners who bought fun food & wine at the supermarket and hiked it in a couple miles from the car. They did not even conceive of such luxuries, I'm sure.

A huge thank you to whomever the ambitious folks were that restored this cabin to an 'inhabitable' state in 1989. I imagine you guys are long gone from the regular scene, and I figure this trail was a lonesome hike back in your day, a quiet place mostly of your own... 21 years has brought a lot of development and visitors to Summit County. Ourselves included. Thank you for sharing, all the same:

photo of the original visitor's log, mounted and weathered on the cabin wall, 1989

An uneventful hike back to the car and a stop for coffee and made-to-order donuts in Breckenridge before heading north over Berthoud Pass and through Winter Park, Frasier & Granby. We drove through Rocky Mt. Natl Park, eastward over Trail Ridge Road for some spectacular motorized views.

I had to work in the Boulder office on Monday, so we made it back to Camp Dick near Peaceful Valley (along the Peak to Peak Highway) just as darkness arrived on Sunday night. An easy night of car camping before heading down the mountain in the early morning, and I arrived back to work just in time for a day in the office!