Maroon Bells

We decided a hike up in Maroon Bells Wilderness would be appropriate. Well, it turned out to be magnificent. There is a reason these mountains are photographed so much. God's creation displays itself in so many ways at this place! We hiked up to Crater Lake pictured below, and just tried to take it all in.

After a while we decided to hike up Maroon Trail. A few miles later we found a beautiful spot on the slopes of North Maroon Peak with a magnificent view. We sang a hymn, shared some thoughts together about people who were important spiritual influences in our lives, and then enjoyed lunch together. This was a time I will always treasure.

"Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters."

Revelation 14:7

Hanging lake

This hike took us up to Hanging Lake near Glenwood Springs, CO. Some of the group decided it would be fun to pose for a photo while standing on the log. I gave my camera to Dan because I was afraid I'd fall in and ruin it. The water looked to be way over my head and very cold. But we kept our balance and no one went in!

Here is a photo of the group on the way up to Hanging Lake. It was a nice hike but there were a lot of people on the trail and parking places were scarce, so we had to wait a while. While the hike was short (only a mile or so), it was very steep.

Chautauqua Trail

Today we hiked up Chautauqua Trail from Boulder and then did the Flatirons Loop Trail. Most notable along the trail are the magnificent sandstone flatirons. This bold meeting of the plains to the East and the Mountains in the West makes for a fine setting to enjoy our time together.

This shelter is in just the right place to take a nice water break and enjoy the beautiful view of Boulder and the plains beyond. If you decide to hike this trail, it's not a place to be in a big hurry. There is just too much to see and enjoy, including the geology behind us, the flowers below us and the fellowship around us.

Below is a photo of the newcomers to the group, Teena and Mark Harvey with the third Flatiron behind them. This is their second trip with us and we hope there will be many more with the Harvey's along. After the hike we all decided to go have lunch in Boulder and then.... I confess... we went to Haagen-dazs!! However, the author was good.

Mt. Sniktau

Today we climbed Mt. Sniktau from Loveland Pass. It was a beautiful 59 degrees with a brisk wind pushing us up the hill. While there is still a great deal of snow left in the mountains, the ridges on this climb were relatively snow free, just because of the wind. It made for a nice hike.

The scenery from over 13,000 ft. is terrific. We tried to name as many of the nearby mountains as we could, but there are so many!

At the top we enjoyed some special views and special fellowship. We took some time to share things that have been on our minds and hearts and encouraged each other in our walk with Jesus.

There is something special about being on the summit of a high mountain. You can see for miles around in every direction. Colorado! We are so blessed to be near the red rock walls, cascading waterfalls, lofty peaks, and alpine meadows all bedecked with wildflowers and beautiful views. It's like being in God's garden.

When we returned to our cars we celebrated Chris's birthday! Nothing like a great dessert after a long hike in the mountains!

Of course, there is that moment when everyone stops talking! This community stuff is serious business you know. We have work to do.

Goose Creek

Our group hiked into the Lost Creek Wilderness area yesterday on the Goose Creek trail. The weather finally improved and off we went to enjoy God's creation. Personally, I think we need to live more with nature if for no other reason than to get more of an impression of God's majesty. That's hard to do at Broadway and Colfax or inside Wallmart.

An interesting feature of Lost Creek Wilderness is the abundance of granite. Below, we are walking on a large rock which has groves in it worn by years of water running over it. What's really nice is to stop and listen to the wind. Trees carry on this most pleasant and refreshing conversation. And even though all the needles talk at the same time, it lulls the external senses.

Close to four miles up the trail is the shaft house which dates back to 1891. At that time, an attempt was made to build a dam on Goose Creek. There were several old cabins which housed workers. None of the work was really ever begun, but the houses remain.

We walked down to the creek and checked out the beautiful scenery. There were some fishermen nearby trying to catch small brook trout. We were just enjoying the hike and fellowship together.

Elk Meadow Trail

Our original plan today was to take us up to Goose Creek in the Lost Creek Wilderness. However, because of concerns over the weather we decided to stay closer to home and went to Roxborough Sate Park. We followed the trail up toward Carpenter Peak and then took the Elk Meadow Trail around to the South. We saw old homesteads, animal tracks, a couple of foxes, and an unusual patio high up in the rocks.

This track in the mud was a little old and we couldn't see any claw marks (clearly making it a bear track). Was it a mountain lion (they have retractable claws). Either way, it was fairly large and I'm glad we didn't meet it.

We did meet this little fox on the trail and he let us get pretty close. We also watched him catch a mouse and enjoy a little lunch.

As we neared the start of the Carpenter Peak trail we saw this! They were mountain lions carved out of wood and placed on the rock as though they were stalking their prey. Someone had a great imagination.

Close to the mountain lions pictured above, we noticed two beautiful stone patios perched high in the red rocks with commanding views of the valley below. They even came with patio furniture! All of this made for an interesting hike today. Next week, we hope to return to Goose Creek and get better weather.

Biking the South Platte and Highline Canal

Our trip this week took us down the South Platte River, across to the Highline Canal, and back to Jim and Chris's for a cookout. The weather was spectacular, no wind present, and the fellowship was superb.

If you're wondering how we got from the South Platte to the Highline Canal, well, we took the new Dry Creek Trail pictured below. I didn't even know about it until this trip.

Our fearless leaders showed us the way. It's a good thing we have them though. I'm the world's worst biker. I hardly come to a stop at a stop sign, I never look right or left, I ride the brakes to death, all techniques I learned from my Uncle Rusty. Jim and Chris always get us there safely.