Went up to Estes Park 2 weeks ago and hiked within the Wild Basin. I didn't see anything too wild, but did hike up to Lions Lake to see some cool scenery. It was quite the trek, but rewarding nevertheless.
After the hike, I drove over to Moraine Park to see all of the elk running around. They are always fun to listen to and watch. Hundreds are roaming around the meadow.
That Sunday, I drove out to the South Platte River to do some mountain biking, although my legs were pretty worn out after Saturday's hike. Fun trail.
There were alot of burnt areas, which allowed riders to see Mt. Evans in the distance.
During the week, I rode from my place over to Green Mtn for a quick afterwork ride before it got to dark. I was surprised to see a full size bull elk less than a quarter mile from my apartment. And I thought seeing prairie dogs that close to my place was cool!
After enjoying my hike in Wild Basin the week before, I decided to return to it the next week. The weather was much different however. It was much cooler and very, very windy. I am pretty stubborn when I get a place in mind to go to, so I decided to hike despite the less than stellar conditions. My first destination was Sandbeach Lake, which sits just south of Mt. Meeker in Rocky Mountain National Park. The area was very scenic, but the wind was absolutely howling across the lake. I took cover behind a large rock to eat some lunch.
After bushwacking across a wooded hillside, I climbed to the top of Mt. Orton, which sits in the center of Wild Basin. It provided spectacular views of the Continental Divide and the southeast side of Long's Peak. When I reached the top of the peak, my hat blew off my head and instantly flew 50 yards away. I retrieved it, but had trouble standing up due to the wind. It was approaching hurricane force.
You know it is cold when the wind speed exceeds the temperature by a factor of 2. Brrr!
Pagoda Mtn, Long's Peak, Mt. Meeker
Well, my goal was to climb Chief's Head Peak, the 3rd highest in RMNP, but the wind was pretty miserable. Plus, I knew the view from it would be incredible and I didn't want to capture it with just a camera phone, so I headed back down. I grabbed some dinner in Estes Park (Village Pizza!) and went to visit the elk in Moraine Park again.
On Sunday, I rode my bike out by Deer Creek just outside of Denver. I picked an easier trail since I took such a long hike the day before. The scenery was neat, but I was most amazed by the number of deer I saw. I bet I saw more than 25 deer and not all at once either, but in groups of 4-5. They were everywhere!
I know I spend alot of time in the mountains, which probably seems boring to read, but I am still loving it.
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