Hikemastering for YMCA of the Rockies

August 20, 2009 (Black and Blue Lakes): Mom, Dad, Matt, Christine, and I took a hike to Black and Blue Lakes in Glacier Gorge. I did the hike to Blue for the first time on June 23, 2009, and the alluring pictures led everyone in my family to an interest in doing it…so we did! It was my last hike of the summer L but it was a good way to go out, I think!---one of my favorite areas of the park! It was a great 9-mile hike, and a good time was had by all!

August 19, 2009 (Wild Basin Loop Tour): My parents have already been here a few days, and now my brother Matt and his wife Christine have joined us in Colorado Heaven! My parents and I were recovering from Taylor (August 18), and Matt and Christine are not acclimated, so we chose a short 6-mile loop hike through Wild Basin that gets you a lot of bang for not a lot of buck! This is a loop hike I’ve now down 3-4 times, and every time I do it, I fall in love with it even more. The trail is interesting but not hard, and the views of Wild Basin and the Longs Peak area are quite unique and awesome! We enjoyed the leisurely hike, and spirits in my family are running pretty high these days!

August 18, 2009 (Taylor Peak and Andrews Glacier): The days of my parents doing the “small” hikes are apparently over! This day, they joined me for one of the biggest hikes they’ve ever done: Taylor Peak (13,153 ft, 17^th ranked peak in RMNP)! It marks my mom’s 5^th and my dad’s 6^th 13,000+ ft mountain in RMNP, so each of them has now done one-quarter of the 13-ers in the entire RMNP. From Bear Lake, it is a full 7 miles to Taylor’s summit, much of it off-trail. I gave no thought to taking them down via a different route (didn’t want to do anything fancy), but my dad said it might be his only chance to go down Andrews Glacier (which sits in the saddle between Taylor and Otis). I was a little apprehensive about this idea at first, but we gave it a try and I soon realized that my parents LOVED sliding down the snow! We took it slow and conservative, but it was still fun, and much more interesting and less effort than bouldering down or returning via the route we had ascended Taylor. The 2 AM alarm call was well worth it in the end—albeit a tad cold and windy, the weather, the scenery, the conditions, and the quality experience were all perfect! This is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. Mom and Dad, I’m so glad you got to do this with me. I love you!

August 17, 2009: After a fairly long 13+ mile hike on August 16 and plans to summit one of RMNP’s tallest peaks, Taylor, on August 18, my parents and I decided to rest up today!

August 16, 2009 (Bob, Betty, and King Lakes): I took my parents to Indian Peaks Wilderness for what turned out to be one of their longest hikes ever: 13+ miles to Bob, Betty, and King Lakes. All 3 lakes are spectacular, nestled at the base of peaks lying directly on the Continental Divide. All three are above treeline in areas where some pretty snow persists. We saw climbers with winter gear going up Skyscraper Glacier behind Bob Lake. We were also treated to perhaps the best wildflowers display we’ve seen all summer. They were truly spectacular. Despite the long distance, we took our time and had great weather---cool and sunny, perfect for hiking! Yet again, I say this is one of the summer’s best hikes! (Note: We had originally planned to backpack in Wild Basin, but due to uncertain weather and cold conditions up high, we decided to scale back to long day hikes instead…that way we could enjoy the comforts of our cabin at the YMCA even more!)

August 15, 2009 (Emerald Lake): Probably my last formal YMCA hike of the 2009 summer --- a short 3.6 mile roundtrip hike to Emerald Lake, along a very popular trail up from Bear Lake. I was feeling rather lousy from the 33+ miles done the two previous days, so I’m glad this was all I had to do! Ten YMCA guests joined me, and I think everyone had a good time. We stayed dry and cool, and none of the guests had seen this area before, so it was fun to show it to them!

August 14, 2009 (Hiamovi, Watanga, and Adams Peaks): Never heard of ‘em? Hehehe, no problem, neither had I !!! Former hikemaster (2008) Billy Sanders has wanted to climb these peaks for over a year, so together with his sister, Hikemaster Louisa, as well as Hikemaster Tony and myself, we set out on this 15+ mile adventure in the far, far southwestern portion of RMNP and northwestern corner of Indian Peaks Wilderness. Hiamovi is in IPW and is the highest summit (12,398 ft) of the three, Watanga is on the border of RMNP and IPW, and Adams (lowest of the three peaks at 12,160 ft) is in RMNP. Unfortunately, this hike was filled with quite a bit of stress. Following a late start and 2 hour drive, we were met with rainy weather that made much of the terrain treacherous and rough. I would have been happy to cut losses and head home since the views were fleeting and largely blocked by clouds anyway, but I was in the minority. We hiked very slow over the slick terrain, and after slow drivers on Trail Ridge Road, I arrived home much later than expected. Mom and Dad were very worried, as our phone connections weren’t working out and I didn’t find them until well after 8 p.m. (missed dinner too). In the end, I decided I probably should’ve waited for another time to try these peaks—and cloudy skies at 2 AM should’ve been my first clue….OK, I got it off my chest! I’m better now J It was still very cool to go to this new area I’d never seen…I’m sure the positive aspects will remain with me, and the negative ones will fade soon!

August 13, 2009 (Gibralter Lake and St. Vrain Glaciers): Hikemaster-in-training, Jackie Plummer, took over this hike from me, and I went along as evaluator and “guest”. In fact, I was one of 6 guests who were treated to some of the best scenery you can find in Colorado! As usual, the Indian Peaks Wilderness proves to be every bit as good as RMNP at providing breathtaking scenery. The hike was 18 roundtrip miles, but it was worth every step. Verdant valleys, lush streams, endless fields of wildflowers, blue skies, austere peaks, pretty glaciers, and so much more were offered on this hike that will no doubt rank as one of 2009’s best. All hikers were well-impressed and well-satisfied with this experience, and once you see the pictures, you’ll understand why!

August 12, 2009: No hiking, as the Longs Peak hike canceled (thankfully). I’ve gotten very little sleep for several days and need to catch up on that and many other things! Also, got big hikes August 13 and 14, followed by my parents’ 2^nd trip to RMNP this summer! It’s gonna be a busy two weeks!

August 11, 2009 (Chiefshead Peak): Hikemaster Martha and I led a group of 4 YMCA guests to the summit of RMNP’s 3^rd highest peak: 13,579 ft. Chiefshead Peak. It was an incredibly perfect day of weather—we were never in any danger, despite the long exposure and overall distance (18+ miles). We began at the trail at 4 AM and climbed to the Lion Lakes, Snowbank Lake, and then up Hourglass Ridge to the saddle between Mt. Alice and Chiefshead. It is a very long, but very scenic, route. Everyone was tired by the time we returned to the Wild Basin Trailhead at 6:15 PM.

August 10, 2009 (Signal Mountains): Billy Sanders requested this hike, but was too worn out from the epic Stones Peak hike from a day earlier and did not come. Hikemaster Tony has already concluded his work schedule and came on the hike as a guest, along with 6 other guests. It was a great, chatty group of strong hikers, and we made excellent time on this 3300 ft. climb from 7900 ft to 11200 ft. The two summits of Signal Mountains offer great views of the Mummy Range and the Front Range from an eastern RMNP perspective. The peaks are in extreme northeastern RMNP. It was a great hike of 12 miles roundtrip!

August 09, 2009 (Stones Peak): One of the best hikes of the summer was coined by Billy Sanders (2008 YMCA Hikemaster) as the “Variation on the Fern-Odessa Loop Hike”! That’s because this hike began at Bear Lake and ended at the Fern Lake Trailhead with a shuttle bus ride back to Bear Lake. But this was one heck-of-a variation! Leaving the YMCA at 2 AM, we began hiking at 2:30 AM, and reached the summit of Flattop Mountain at 4:30 AM, the earliest I’ve ever reached Flattop’s summit. Continuing to hike in the dark by moonlight and flashlight, we turned northward, passing by Notchtop, Knobtop, and Gabletop Mountains. By sunrise, we were at the base of Sprague Mountain (12,713 ft) on the Continental Divide, which we had to climb completely over in order to reach the ridge leading to the very hard-to-get-to Stones Peak (12,922, 24^th highest in RMNP). Stones is the summit viewed from Cub Lake and the Moraine Park area. Billy and I hiked extremely fast and made the 10 mile journey to Stones Peak before 10 AM!!! After this, with much time to go, we descended into Spruce Canyon to visit the extremely remote and gorgeous Rainbow, Irene, and Hourglass Lakes, as well as Sprague Glacier and Sprague Tarn. Afterwards, we had to do nearly 3 miles of terrible (and excruciatingly slow!) bushwhacking down Spruce Canyon to rejoin a trail at Spruce Lake. From there, it was 5.3 miles to the bus stop at the Fern Lake trailhead, which we arrive at by 5 PM. That makes 14.5 hours of hiking, and almost 20 miles. Epic hike, and one of 2009’s best!

August 06-08, 2009 (MathFest in Portland, Oregon)

No hiking. I was in Portland, Oregon with colleagues and a sizable group of former students for MathFest! Here, I received my 2009 national teaching award from the Mathematical Association of America: the Henry L. Alder Award for outstanding teaching in undergraduate mathematics. I had an awesome following of students at the conference, 6 of whom made mathematical presentations of their own while they were there. All of them gave terrific talks, got some great questions from a very interested audience afterwards, and represented CSUF extremely well! Most of all, I am thankful to all of the students (MyViet, Kyle, Jairo, Christine, Jamie, Amy, and Nora) who came all the way to Portland to help me celebrate the Alder Award…I will never forget it. I will also never forget the countless many other students who could not make it to MathFest, but who have inspired me, energized me, and helped me fall in love with my profession so much. Teaching is not work to me, but a 100% joy and pleasure that gives me more satisfaction and fulfillment than anything else in my life ever has. Thank you, students, ever so much! I love you!

August 05, 2009 (Wind River): Once a week, the YMCA hiking program offers a hike with no particular destination in mind, just a pleasant, leisurely stroll on a trail as far as time and hiker interest permits. Since I have to be in Denver for a flight to Portland by evening, I wanted to have exactly such a hike for this day, so I signed up for Wind River, near the YMCA. I had 11 guests, including 84-years young “Uncle Brent” Washburne. These “ramble hikes” were largely instituted for him, so that he could continue getting out on hikes without the worry of hiking pace and destination concerns. He and the whole group did great—we hiked around 2 miles up the trail, enjoyed a brief snack, and then headed back to the YMCA by 1:00 p.m. It was fun and stress-free!

August 04, 2009: No hiking. I’m trying to get ready for Portland!

August 03, 2009 (Pinnacle Pool): My Bench Lake hike canceled, so I enlisted Jon Knox to enjoy his day off with a hike in an area he’d never been: the Never Summer Mountains on the west side of RMNP. In particular, I planned to take him up the 2^nd highest peak in the Never Summers behind Richthofen, namely, Mount Howard (12,810 ft). It involved a very difficult bushwhacking scramble, wading through the Grand Ditch, and an endless boulderfield scramble. These slow elements would not help our cause. Unfortunately, we should have started earlier, and we encountered threatening weather about a quarter-mile from the summit and 600 feet below it. So close and yet so far, but we turned around. Minutes later, the skies cleared up. I wanted to go give it another try, but Jon wasn’t up for it, so we bailed on the hike…ughhh!!! We could’ve made it. This has been all too familiar this summer, but I’d rather be known as someone who respects the wishes of his fellow hikers than someone who has to reach summits at all costs. Howard will be there another day…in the meantime, we returned to Pinnacle Pool for lunch at treeline.

August 02, 2009 (Deer Mountain): I’ve avoided the Deer Mountain (10,053 ft) hike for years, but finally gave in….and what a great hike it was! The 3-mile one-way hike up to the summit is really pleasant with great views of Longs Peak, the Front Range, and the Mummy Range. Even better than the hike was the company! The Arkfields (Danny and Joey) from Omaha are back—as they are every year! I’ve done Pagoda and Alice with them, and I’m told I’m their favorite hikemaster J hehehe… I’m pretty fond of them too! Their good buddy Travis Hughes is back again as well—I half expected him to be working at the YMCA en route to a hikemaster position in the future, but he got a great internship instead. But great to see you again, Travis! Don’t get struck by lightning again this year! And long-time YMCA and RMNP hiker Jan joined the crowd and got involved in a lot of fun, chatty conversation all the way up and down the trail. Both Joey and Danny are serious music students (Danny is studying at Northwestern and knows my brother’s horn teacher Gail Williams), and Joey is also very interested in math and asked me lots of interesting math questions! Needless to say, these 4 guests were about the most fun group I’ve hiked with all summer long, and with them, the hike just seemed to run itself effortlessly—great to see you all again!

August 01, 2009 (Storm Peak):This was supposed to be a Longs Peak hike, lead by Hikemaster Dave George and myself. With perfect weather, and a small but strong group of hikers, hopes were high at the outset. However, as we made our way to the Boulderfield, it became apparent that the rainy cool weather from the week had left its mark. Longs and Meeker had dustings of white on them and the boulders in the Boulderfield were slippery. As we proceeded to the Keyhole, it was clear that the wet rocks were still somewhat encased in a thin layer of ice. At the Keyhole, Hikemaster Dave and myself assessed the situation: the Trough and Narrows beyond looked caked in ice—not good when they’re so exposed to begin with! We couldn’t see the Homestretch, even higher up on Longs, but pretty much knew the writing on the wall… Despite what some hikers were doing, for Dave and myself the conclusion was clear: no Longs Peak. We gave our 4 guests (all of whom were on my Baker hike of July 29) two options: proceed 10-15 minutes on an initial dry stretch beyond the Keyhole (with an understanding that we absolutely would not go into the Trough whatsoever) to get a feel for the hike, or do Storm Peak. In the end, we decided to do both. I think Storm was a nice “consolation” prize, as none of the guests had visited its summit before. The weather was perfect, and the views in every direction spectacular. In the end, of the approximately 600 people trying to do Longs this day, everyone Dave and I talked to (including some experienced climbers) said they eventually turned back, if not at the Keyhole, then either in the Trough or Homestretch. We made the right decision for sure to forego the once-again-technical Longs, and our guests, although disappointed, were most understanding and appreciative of our focus on safety and the nice alternative plans we provided instead.

July 31, 2009 (Gorge Lakes): With Hikemaster Tony, I co-lead an awesome hike into one of RMNP’s most remote areas: the Gorge Lakes. The trail begins with 80% of the Mount Ida hike before turning northward, downward into the gorge. From there, we hiked up the gorge to five incredible lakes (in order): Love Lake, Arrowhead Lake (largest lake in RMNP), Doughnut Lake, Inkwell Lake (5^th largest lake in RMNP), and Azure Lake (4^th largest lake in RMNP). All 5 lakes were spectacular, and Doughnut and Azure were new for me this year. Azure was my favorite, still partially covered in ice and extremely well-named. In fact, I deem that Azure is one of the pretty lakes in all of RMNP….as were all of the other 4! This was a GREAT hike with some of my best friends from my 3 years working at the YMCA. Attendees: Hikemasters Tony, Matthew, Louisa, and myself, along with former hikemaster Billy and two YMCA staff members.

July 30, 2009 (Bible Point): I led a reunion hike for the Martin Family from the YMCA grounds up to Bible Point, a short 1 mile hike upward to a pretty overlook of the YMCA and RMNP. Fifteen folks joined me for this short jaunt to the burial site of Edwin Bradt, who loved this area and contributed to the early days at the YMCA, but died at age 18 in the year 1918. Many reflections, a bible, and a journal are contained in a mailbox at this site to honor the man who died here much too young.

July 29, 2009 (Baker Mountain): I turned a *very popular* Baker Mountain hike (the hike sign-up was full within 2 hours of being put out in Sweet Memorial) over to Hikemaster-in-training Kristy for the day…and boy did she have her hands full. There was a 60% chance of rain, hikers of widely varying hiking speed, and a few other challenges as well. Well, the east side of RMNP was socked in all day, but we got VERY lucky on the west side in the Never Summers! Morning sun, and only some light drizzle on the way down to cool us off and keep us fresh. Two hikers didn’t make the Baker summit due to the steep climb, but close enough they could be kept in eye view, while everyone else enjoyed a short stay on the very windy summit. I’ve now completed Baker, Stratus, Nimbus, Cumulus, Richthofen, and Static in the Never Summer Range, but still need to do Bowen, Howard, Cirrus, Lead, Red, and Tepee.

July 28, 2009: I taught the Hikemaster-in-training class (topic: Subalpine Ecosystem). In the morning, I hiked from Bear Lake to Dream Lake to prepare the class…no problem. But later in the day, when I taught the class, the class and I got caught in the biggest thunderstorm I’ve experienced yet this summer just below Dream Lake. Heavy rain and hail soaked us, and the class was cut considerably short…oh well! I hadn’t been this wet in a long time!

July 27, 2009: No hiking. The Portland presentation is keeping my full attention when I’m not hiking, and I’ve got students to help prepare as well. Also, new problems with Ginger arose…she had to be moved yet again, and one of my car tires appears to be going flat. Welcome to the busy life at the YMCA. No time, and the big hikes are coming at week’s end again! Yikes! Then again, most of this busy-ness is the stuff I love to be busy with J, so I won’t complain.

July 26, 2009: No hiking. I went to Boulder to run some errands and worked hard on my presentation for Portland, Oregon’s MathFest on August 7.

July 25, 2009 (Mount Alice and Chiefshead Peak): First it was supposed to be Longs Peak. Then Lead and Cirrus Mountains. Then, after I couldn’t recruit any other hikers, I ran into Conor Warlock (Sasquatch fishing staff at the YMCA) during dinner, and I asked him if he was free for a hike. He didn’t want to do any of the hikes I listed, but just happened to mention that he wanted to do Alice and Chiefshead, another “double play” of peaks I’ve also been wanting to do. I climbed these peaks on back-to-back days in 2007 (Alice on July 20 and Chiefshead on July 21), but this time, by approaching via Hourglass Ridge above Lion Lakes, it was possible to bag them both in one hike! Weather played a major role in this hike, forcing us to descend Mount Orton to Sandbeach Lake (instead of returning to Lion Lakes). We did get a decent morning on Alice, but the Chiefshead stay was very short due to dark clouds. Eventually, some tough terrain and bushwhacking was needed to get on track and back to the car—ahhh, the joys of hiking! It was an 18-19 mile adventure, but worth every step! My second trip to each of these big peaks was great! With Cub Lake cancelling, there’ll be time to recover from this one on Sunday and enjoy Bob Kingsley!

July 24, 2009: No hiking. Devil’s Thumb Loop canceled, possibly a good thing in light of having just hiked 31 miles during a 36-hour stretch of time. Sleeping in is a wonderful thing sometimes!

July 23, 2009 (Wild Basin to East Inlet Continental Divide Hike over Boulder-Grand Pass): Hikemaster Tony and I took 3 guests (including Hikemaster Matthew going as a guest, a YMCA staff member, and long-time YMCA hiker Clint Butler, whose been dying to see Lake Verna!) across the Continental Divide on an 18-mile hike from the Wild Basin Trailhead to the East Inlet Trailhead. As you’ll read in the captions, we had a couple of fiascos (one involving a forgotten camera of Matthew’s and another involving a snow dilemma at Lake of Many Winds). As a result, we arrived about an hour late in Grand Lake, but still had time to devour Grand Lake Pizza before returning back across Trail Ridge Road in YMCA-provided vans. The hike involved 6 wonderful lakes. I picked Lake of Many Winds as my favorite, with Lake Verna as runner-up. Everyone else picked Verna as their favorite. I took fewer pictures than before, since I did the hike previously (July 10, 2008), so check that date’s photos for more images of this spectacular hike!

July 22, 2009 (Parika Peak and Farview Mountain): I took a great hike (YMCA “B” grade) on Mom’s birthday this year, one of the best hikes of the summer! It got me to the back side of the Never Summer Mountains. Parika Peak and Farview Mountains are 12,200-12,400 ft tall, and made for a 13.5 mile roundtrip adventure that led us past the gorgeous Parika Lake at treeline. I’ve never seen the hills so green, so flower-covered….breathtaking views awaited us at every turn. We also saw a moose! Par for the course on RMNP’s west side. Actually, we were in the Never Summer Wilderness west of RMNP…WAYYYYY west!

July 19-21, 2009: No hiking. My hikes canceled throughout this period, leaving me free to focus intensely on mathematics. It was very productive and very much needed!

July 18, 2009 (Ute Trail West): It’s Mom and Dad’s last day in RMNP after a 3-day backpacking extravaganza. They wanted something fairly short and relaxing to rest their weary muscles. Most such things in the park tend to be very crowded, especially this weekend (free admission to the park), but I am full of good ideas J RMNP has so much to offer, and after countless trips to the park, Mom, Dad, and I had never tried to hike the Ute Trail West. Perhaps this is because it is best done with access to 2 cars, with one of them parked at the Alpine Visitor Center and the other at Milner Pass on the west side of RMNP. In between, we find 4.1 miles of very easy, slightly downhill trail, affording incredible views of the Never Summer Range, the Gorge Lakes area, Forest Canyon, and the plethora of tundra wildflowers in bloom this time of year. It was a great hike, and a great way for Mom and Dad to end a terrific week of hiking that included numerous new destinations! I think they loved it!

July 15-17, 2009 (Backpacking in the Mummy Range, Fairchild Mountain): Mom, Dad, and I set off mid-morning on Wednesday, July 15, en route to a campsite 6.4 miles uptrail at Lawn Lake. We stayed 2 nights and enjoyed gorgeous weather throughout our time. On the second day, we hiked steeply to the summit of Fairchild Mountain, RMNP’s 6^th highest peak (13,502 ft.), marking one of the most challenging mountaineering experiences my parents have ever had. They did fabulously, and we took our time, enjoyed incredible scenery and wildflowers, and had a wonderful time camping at pretty Lawn Lake. We also got to enjoy Crystal Lakes at the base of Fairchild on our hike down from the summit. It is truly wonderful to have been able to share this special trip with my folks, and every time I gaze at Fairchild in the future, I will surely remember the great time the three of us spent together in that remarkably pretty area of RMNP.

July 14, 2009 (Second Hike: Lily Mountain): With hopes for good late-afternoon weather, I signed up to lead a sunset hike up Lily Mountain. It is only 2 miles one-way, and the weather turned out to be perfect. We arrived at the summit about 30-minutes before sunset, long enough to take photos and eat a snack before watching the sunset turn the sky into a color wheel…it was amazing! The 5 YMCA hikers and myself were treated to a perfect evening. The late day hike also allowed me the opportunity to hike with my folks earlier in the day (Twin Sisters, see below). Definitely a full day!

July 14, 2009 (First Hike: Twin Sisters): My parents and I took our final “tune-up” before heading into the Mummy Range for 3 days of backpacking and high-altitude “peak-bagging”. We’ll see how that goes, but in the meantime, we all did great getting up 11,500 ft. Twin Sisters. It was Mom’s first-ever climb to the summit, and my Dad’s second. Great to get them up here! Weather was perfect and the views sensational!

July 13, 2009 (Loomis Lake): Three great YMCA hikers joined me for this 9 miles roundtrip hike to Loomis Lake, that included 1 mile of serious bushwhacking. Loomis is a gorgeous, remote, seldom-visited lake not far from Fern and Spruce Lakes. We got nailed in a hail and lightning storm on the trip down, which is shocking after you see all the photos of perfectly blue, clear skies all morning long. Guess it’s good we started early! It was my 2^nd trip to Loomis Lake, but my first chance to spend any substantial time at it….the weather was perfect and a good time was had by all. Thanks for coming to Glenn, Jamie, and Richard! Great hikers!

July 12, 2009 (Finch Lake): Mom and Dad joined me for an 8.3 mile hike in Wild Basin. But this was not the usual hike to Finch Lake—I got to try something completely new: a Fisherman’s Trail up from Calypso Cascades to Finch Lake! It was a bit rough, rocky, and steep in places, but it paralleled the river, which was full of water, lushness, and green vegetation. Not to mention the solace and peace off the main trail. At Finch Lake, we decided not to push on to Pear, due to weather and an interest in saving our legs for another day, so we returned to Calypso Cascades via a more traditional route. So part of the hike offered serene isolation along a stream and another part offered grand views of the high peaks….this hike had everything!

July 11, 2009 (Bierstadt Lake): Mom and Dad are at the YMCA for the next week, and this is their first day in town. We took a leisurely hike from Bear Lake to Bierstadt Lake, and then hiked down to the Bierstadt Lake trailhead. Mostly downhill! YMCA staff members Carol and Sarah (both of whom have hiked with me before) came along too---it was a lot of fun!

July 10, 2009 (Desolation Peaks): Hikemaster Tony loves this hike and has done it twice before! It was great to get to go with him, as the route-finding near the two summits is rather tricky and some exposed scrambling and climbing is required to reach these summits. Definitely not good for those afraid of heights or faint-hearted. Still, they were worth every step, gave great views of the Never Summer Mountains, the Gorge Lakes amphitheater, and the Mummy Range. Desolation Peaks are the highest summits in RMNP under 13,000 feet, and having climbed them, the new highest peak that I haven’t done is Mount Julian (in the Gorge Lakes amphitheater). I’ll get to that one soon, I hope! Enjoy these unique pictures into the northern portions of RMNP!

July 09, 2009 (Snowdrift Peak): One of the best hikes of the summer! Hikemasters Matthew and Tony joined me for this 16.6 mile roundtrip hike that took us up Flattop Mountain (amazing sunrise!) and down the other side, then up to one of the least viewed, least visited, and most remote and scenic areas of the park. Snowdrift Peak looks as majestic as a mountain should look, and the views in every direction were amazing, despite the relatively low 12,274 ft. summit altitude. Great weather, great company, great views, and much to lure me back to this remote region….what else could you ask for! How about a good night’s sleep??? J Well, Mom and Dad will be here tomorrow….can’t wait!

July 08, 2009 (Ptarmigan Tarns): After trying (not too successfully) to catch up on “life” all morning at the YMCA, I decided to try a half-day hike to Ptarmigan Tarns high in Odessa Gorge. On my way to my car, I ran into Sasquatch fishing staff member Conor, asked him what he was doing, and when he said “nothing”, I asked him to come along, which he did! He was NOT disappointed. This was a fabulous hike, and I got to explore an area I’ve not before seen up close and personal. We hiked at a blistering pace, starting at Bear Lake around 1:30 p.m. Normally, you can’t get away with that up here in RMNP, but the weather this day was incredible and perfect…and by 4:00 p.m. on our way down, the crowds were gone, the temperature was great, and the breezes refreshing. Oh, and did I mention, the scenery at Ptarmigan Tarns and above (near Ptarmigan Glacier) was exceptional. Conor made a good call to come along, I’d say J We got back to the YMCA for dinner at 6:30 p.m. Perfect!

July 07, 2009 (Circle of Lakes): This 8 mile loop hike begins at Bear Lake and ends at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Five lakes are passed (in order: Bear, Nymph, Dream, Haiyaha, and Mills). For a more vigorous group, Emerald Lake or the Loch can be included too, but that was not the case this day. I led YMCA regular Maribeth plus a family of 5 from Ohio on the hike. A good time was had by all.

July 06, 2009 (Mount Lady Washington): ….with a twist! I got to take Jon Knox (YMCA staff member at the mini-golf course and first-time Colorado visitor) up his first 13er ever! He did great and we enjoyed terrific weather atop RMNP’s 13^th highest summit. But Jon and I must have been thinking alike---from Lady Washington’s summit, we gazed down on Chasm Lake 1500 feet below and decided we wanted to go down to it. Jim Cline had discussed this option with me just one week earlier on my YMCA Chasm Lake hike. There are lots of cliffs in the area, but miraculously, my intuition about the route was right on the money and led straight to the boulder-laden gully that is passable. The result: incredible never-before-seen perspective on Chasm Lake and the deep cirque beneath Longs Peak. Indeed, it was my closest and most personal encounter with Longs Peak’s “diamond face” ever. The unique descent route made this hike into a great loop hike! Enjoy the photos of a great day in RMNP!

July 05, 2009: No hiking. A great day to enjoy Bob Kingsley’s Country Top 40 and catch up on laundry and math!

July 04, 2009 (Mount Audubon and Paiute Peak Loop): Hikemaster Matthew and I arose at 4 AM for a hike up Mount Audubon, with the intention of going an extra 0.9 miles along a ridge to Paiute Peak. Things looked rather grim at first with low clouds and fog blocking all views and encouraging the winds. Views were absent atop Audubon (13,209 ft) and just started when we reached Paiute (13,088 ft). Had the fog stayed, we would have been forced to return via the same route, but as it lifted and revealed the valley below containing Blue and Upper Blue Lakes (2^nd and 7^th highest lakes in IPW), we were encouraged about completing the “loop”. It was really fun and a great hike. I should have stopped there. Instead, I drove 2.5 hours to Laramie, WY only to get rained out on a concert and had to drive 2.5 hours back home. The concert (Eric Church and the Lost Trailers) will be re-scheduled, forcing another such road trip. Ughhh, can’t afford to lose sleep for a pointless drive! Oh well….at least the hike was awesome!

July 03, 2009: No hiking.

July 02, 2009 (The Loch): Seven YMCA hikers joined me for a standard hike through Glacier Gorge to the Loch. It was Mareike’s last day in the park, and after a few blisters, the more leisurely hike was probably right on par at this stage. Unfortunately, July 4^th crowds seemed to have sprawled all over the trail—it was extremely busy. Even worse, several “belly-boater” fishermen were riding their rafts in the Loch, making natural, undisturbed views of the scenery difficult. I even griped about it to a ranger at the Glacier Gorge trailhead. All in all, however, the hikers were in wonderful spirits, seemed to learn a lot and enjoy the exposure to some of Colorado’s finest scenery. Great hike, everyone!

July 01, 2009 (Pear Lake): After several early mornings, I decided that a bit of sleeping in would be good. Night owl Mareike had no objections! We decided to try a lake that I have only seen in 4:30 AM pitch darkness (August 10, 2008 Ouzel-Ogallala Peak hike of 21 miles) in recent memory: Pear Lake. The lake is a rather long hike (7 miles), and with our late start, I was not sure how the day would go. It turned out great, we made it all the way up to this very pretty spot, enjoyed a great deal of solitude, some pear at Pear Lake, and a cool rain shower on the descent. I took Mareike down the spur trail to Calypso Cascades to build a nice loop into the trip. It was scenic, fun, new, and full of adventure! Mareike has sure brought good weather our way here in RMNP, with 4 great hikes over the past 5 days. Thanks, Mareike!

June 30, 2009 (Spectacle Lakes): I hiked to Spectacle Lakes once already this summer (with Hikemaster Tony on June 13, 2009—see below), so there will be fewer photos this time. I led a group of 4 students (3 college YMCA staff members and one high school math stud from Aurora, CO who is involved in taking the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) that I have been working on a book project for). These guys were in terrific shape, and we had a great hike to the ridge overlooking Spectacle Lakes. Due to time constraints, we were not able to descend to the waters, but everyone had fun nonetheless. The hike to Spectacle Lakes is very, very steep, and has lots of challenging terrain. However, the route I found is safer than the cascading waterfall, and two of my hikers went along with me just to learn the non-waterfall route up to Spectacle Lakes. The ridge above the lakes is almost superior to the lakeshore, so the hike above and around that we did was well worth the extra elevation. It’s a heck of a hike up there though!

June 29, 2009 (Chasm Lake): Wow, what an all-star line-up for this incredible hike! My inspiration and the first hikemaster I met, Hikemaster Jill, came along at my request (and Ken’s authorization) in the event that some (but not all) hikers were uncomfortable crossing the snowfield below the lake. No hikers had trouble, but I was still glad to have her company on the trip! Thanks, Jill, ever so much, not just for this hike but for inspiring me to be a hikemaster! It’s been a dream!!!! My friend Mareike enjoyed a 3^rd great day of weather to hike in RMNP on her visit from southern California—she seems to have brought great weather with her—thanks Mareike! Then we have veteran YMCA hikers Clint Butler, John Adkins, and Jim Cline! Many years of combined experience for these great guys! That makes for lots of great stories. You won’t meet 3 nicer guys, and I just love hiking with each of them so much! The weather was perfect and the lake was gorgeous on this early summer day at the base of Longs Peak!

June 28, 2009 (Lake Isabelle): My first trip to Indian Peaks Wilderness this summer! Not surprisingly, Mareike and I were greeted by tons of snow (and weekend dog-lovers) on the trail. It made the late June winter-time scenery all the more marvelous and spectacular. I decided it would be good for Mareike to enjoy at least one day in this gorgeous part of Colorado, and the hike to Lake Isabelle wouldn’t drain us completely. As an added bonus, after hiking a few hundred feet above Lake Isabelle, I got to share the thrill of snow-sledding with Mareike! She was a little hesitant at first, but that changed in a hurry---we both had a BLAST sliding down the slopes towards Lake Isabelle! Got lots of good video to go along with it J

June 27, 2009 (Odessa and Fern Lakes Loop Hike): This 9-mile loop hike passes 3 major lakes (Helene, Odessa, and Fern), a huge waterfall, and is downhill for 2/3 of its length. A bus ride from the Fern Lake trailhead to the Bear Lake trailhead makes up the elevation difference! It’s one of the park’s best hikes, but we had to go carefully down a snowfield on the side of Odessa Gorge. Indeed, there was significant snow for 2-3 of the 9 miles. But I had 3 great hikers who handled it just fine: Clint Butler took his 3^rd straight hike with me, Charles Staples came along, and so did my friend and colleague from Fullerton College, Mareike Claassen. Mareike is here at RMNP for a week, so expect more photos of her in the hikes ahead!

June 26, 2009 (Finch Lake and Calypso Cascades Loop): One of my Pear Lake hikers canceled at the last minute, forcing our hike to be changed to Finch Lake, about 80% of the way to Pear. Only 2 hikers joined me for it, but it made my job easy. Jackie (staff member in Sweet) and Michael (kinesiology major at Texas A&M) were delightful hiking partners and enjoyed the hike a great deal. The weather was fairly good until the end, and everyone had smiles on their faces as we headed back to the Y quite a bit early J

June 25, 2009 (Powell Peak and Andrews Glacier): My last 13-er to be climbed in RMNP is Powell Peak (13,208 ft, 14^th ranked in RMNP). It is a long hike traversing the tundra past Flattop, Hallett’s, Otis, and Taylor Peaks. Along with Hikemaster Tony, we were Powell bound from Bear Lake at 3:45 AM on one of the longest days of the year. Within 30 minutes, faint signs of morning light were already appearing, and by the time we reached Flattop’s summit around 5:30 AM, the sun was just coming up. The scenery was incredible, the winds were light, the sun was warm, and the day was perfect. We summitted Powell at 8:18 AM and stayed one full hour. By 11 AM, we were ready to slide down Andrews Glacier, and we returned to the YMCA at 1:30 PM. Fast hiking, to say the least. I am so thankful to the YMCA for helping me explore RMNP so well and accomplish so much. It’s been a great ride, but there’s much more to be done. Before getting into that, I want to celebrate the hikes that have led me to this milestone. Celebration of Hikemaster Scott's Climbs of Each of RMNP's 13,000+ ft Peaks

June 24, 2009 (Jackstraw Mountain): Jackstraw is a winner! I believe it could be the nicest summit under 12,000 ft. in RMNP!!! The views of the Never Summer Mountains are unsurpassable! The peak sits at 11,704 ft. Cal State Long Beach professor and long-time friend from graduate school at U.C. Berkeley, Will Murray, joined me again for this hike---I picked a hike across the Continental Divide on the west side, so that Will could enjoy the incredible drive across Trail Ridge Road and hopefully get another good hike. It definitely happened as planned. Great hiker (and lawyer from Tennessee) Clint Butler came along for a second day in a row as well, as well as a church music director in Chicago (Richard Clement), whom I’ve also hiked with in previous years. It was a great group and a great hike!

June 23, 2009 (Black and Blue Lakes): Cal State Long Beach professor and long-time friend from graduate school at U.C. Berkeley, Will Murray, is in town for 2 hikes with me at the YMCA! This was the first one, and what a great one it turned out to be. I got to re-visit Black Lake, one of my favorites in RMNP, and go on to visit a lake I’d never been to before, Blue Lake, lying on shelfy slabs right up against Longs Peak. It was a spectacular setting, and I had a great group of 3 hikers, including Will. On the way back, a little snow-sledding was in order. The weather looked a little threatening, but nothing materialized. It was a wonderful hike. Thanks to Dawn, Clint, and especially Will, for making this a memorable and special hike! Compared with the other tarns (Frozen and Green Lakes) scoured in the rock high in Glacier Gorge above Black Lake, Blue Lake is easily the simplest to reach. It’s a very short distance beyond the top of the inlet gully to Black Lake. What Blue Lake gains in easy access it does not give up in scenery. Blue Lake is truly a gem worth doing!

June 22, 2009 (Emerald Lake): After two unsuccessful peak hikes in the past week due to windy and cold weather, this day’s weather was picture perfect and gorgeous. Naturally, therefore, I ended up stuck on a slow hike on RMNP’s most popular trail. We were supposed to go to Lake Haiyaha, but the northern slope of the ridge overlooking Dream Lake was still rather covered in snow, and my guests were not comfortable on the snow. Therefore, we changed plans and went to Emerald Lake, where dozens of people were gathered everywhere all over the rocks. All the people were even more annoying than the usual chipmunks! The weather conditions were incredible…

June 21, 2009 (Flattop Mountain Sunrise Hike): At 9:30 p.m. on June 20, Hikemaster Matthew called me up with an interest of knocking off Mount Powell, RMNP’s 14^th highest peak and my only un-summitted 13,000+ peak in the park. We agreed to meet at 3:30 AM, and to my pleasant surprise, two hikers from the Isolation Peak hike, Trey and Chris, came along too. Sadly, however, the winds were howling ferociously from the moment I awoke, and I got a sinking feeling that another hike might go down in flames due to wind, the #1 set-back I’ve experienced. Sure enough, it would prove to be too much, making June 2009 the least successful month of hiking I’ve had in my entire career working for the YMCA. Chris turned back first, about 3/4 of the way to the summit of Flattop Mountain, and the rest of us followed suit at Flattop’s summit when conditions were not improving. I did get some great sunrise and clouds shots along the way, and we made it back to the YMCA in time to eat the big buffet breakfast in the staff dining hall…that was a welcome treat J

June 20, 2009 (Shelf and Solitude Lakes): YMCA member and cancer surgeon Keith H. has tried on his own (unsuccessfully) to reach these two lakes, but decided that having a hikemaster help him find it would be better! At first, we were short on hikers, but I got YMCA staff members Sarah, Justine, and Jon to sign up so we would have a large enough group to go---they agreed, and they loved it! It was a fantastic, if tough, hike. Keith was really happy and excited to find these lakes. The story is very familiar for me. You see, 3 years ago I didn’t know how to reach these lakes either, and it resulted in my first ever YMCA hike. That’s right, my first YMCA hike ever (as a guest) was the Shelf and Solitude Lakes hike on June 27, 2006. The bushwhacking was so fun and took me to a new place in the park…I was hooked on hiking with the YMCA from that very moment on! This day, it was my turn to lead others to this incredible setting and these gorgeous, peaceful lakes.

June 19, 2009 (Sky Pond): The best day of weather for the entire summer blessed the YMCA’s hike to Sky Pond. I joined Carl Hane and a family of 3 for a wonderful trip high into Loch Vale. The area was covered in a lot of snow, but I chose not to ask the group to take snowshoes up there, a decision that turned out to be quite wise. The snow was soft and slushy and easy to build footsteps into on this warm day. The Loch, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond were all magnificent lakes on this 9-mile roundtrip hike. Timberline Falls always represents a special challenge, especially in early summer. The falls must be climbed (nearly vertically) with hand-over-feet climbing on slippery rocks. Everyone did wonderfully with it. I also had the great pleasure of presenting a special YMCA award to one of my hikers at Sky Pond, an award that came as a big surprise to him. Check the pictures to see!

June 18, 2009 (Emerald Mountain): One of the great privileges of being a Hikemaster is the opportunity to share beautiful scenery and nature with the many visitors to the YMCA. This day, I was especially blessed in this regard. A group knows as “Boys and Girls Hope” organization visited the YMCA. Its members consist of inner city youth who have just completed high school and are college-bound in the fall (along with several of the group’s mentors). They come from all over the country to participate in this program of enrichment, character development, etc., and this year they came to the YMCA of the Rockies. Our steep hike to Emerald Mountain this day challenged many of the students, but with lots of patience and breaks along the way, we made it. I used the opportunity to draw a metaphor for them between climbing a mountain and overcoming obstacles in life. I shared my experience of earning higher education degrees as akin to climbing a mountain, and I believe my message resonated with these kids. They were wonderful, respectful, and friendly folks, and I wish them all the best as they begin their lives as college students.

June 17, 2009 (Zelma Flower Walk at Endovalley): Each June, for about 10 days, wildflower expert Zelma comes to the YMCA to lead flower walks for the guests. Each such walk requires a hikemaster in attendance to oversee logistics and safety issues, but it is essentially a “day off” for that hikemaster. Today, it was my turn J Zelma is just amazing. Her knowledge, excitement, willingness to answer questions, and so on, are so refreshing and welcome. Everyone loves hiking with her, and we wish she could stay longer. Thanks Zelma, I learned so much! We love you at the Y!

June 16, 2009 (Cub Lake and Pool Loop Hike): The warmest day we’ve had in a while around RMNP. I had 3 guests hike the 6.5 mile loop, starting up the Fern Lake trail for 2 miles to the Pool, then ascending to the ridge above Cub Lake, and then hiking down past Cub Lake and back down to the cars. It was a lovely hike, and we were back to the YMCA rather early. Good thing, since I had to prepare my Leadership and Safety class for the Hikemasters-in-Training for the evening. The class went well.

June 15, 2009 (Copeland Mountain...almost!): I awoke at 2:15 AM to leftover rain and thunderstorms….an omen that this day’s weather was going to be interesting, and indeed it was! Along with Hikemaster Matthew and YMCA staff member (mini-golf attendant) Jon Knox, I set out to climb Copeland Mountain for the second time. The first time (June 14, 2008), it ended up being my favorite hike of 2008! The conditions were summery then, but not this day. Quite the contrary, we experienced all sorts of crazy weather, and ultimately the weather proved to be too much. Jon became dangerous cold on the side of Copeland Mountain about 800 feet from the summit, and I decided that the hike needed to be called. The winds and cold became horrible above 12,000 feet, and I was concerned for Jon’s safety. Still, no regrets….the views were spectacular, the adventure invigorating, and the snow sliding the best I’ve ever experienced. Look at the pictures and watch the snow-sliding video!

June 14, 2009 (Bierstadt Lake): Bierstadt is one of the easiest lakes to reach in RMNP that actually requires some hiking. However, with help from the RMNP shuttle bus system, it can be made into a loop that is mostly downhill! We parked at the Bierstadt Lake Trailhead, but then immediately hopped on the shuttle bus up to Bear Lake. This enabled us to hike mostly downhill past Bierstadt Lake and then back down to the car. The hike includes gorgeous aspen groves, evergreen forests, and open views of the heart of the Front Range on the way down. A family of four joined a college student, Jim Cline, and myself for this pleasant and easy 3-mile stroll. It’s a classic, and I do it at least once every summer.

June 13, 2009 (Spectacle Lakes): I will be leading a hike to Spectacle Lakes later this summer, so I asked Hikemaster Tony to join me on this 11-mile roundtrip hike to the lakes. I’ve been to the lakes once before (July 12, 2007), but our YMCA group took a difficult route up a very tall cascade filled with slippery poorly-angled rocks and slabs, and a lot of water. I set out this day hoping to find a less risky and challenging way to reach the lakes. Instead of scaling the cascade pouring from Spectacle Lakes, we went up and over the ridge that rises above Spectacle Lakes to the west. The route is much lower risk, but is no walk in the park either. It involves steep bushwhacking, then bouldering, and then some traversing on slabs. None of it involves too much exposure, but the lungs need to be ready! You wind up climbing to a gorgeous overlook of both “spectacles” on top of the ridge, perhaps a superior view than can be gained at lake level. On this day, gorgeous waterfalls and cascades were pouring into Chiquita Creek from every direction as snow was melting. It was truly spectacular scenery, and some of the most rugged country anywhere in RMNP (between Lake Ypsilon and the two Spectacle Lakes). This hike *IS* the definition of wilderness.

June 12, 2009 (Mills Lake): Two of RMNP’s prettiest lakes take off from the Glacier Gorge trailhead: Mills Lake and The Loch. Today, it’s Mills Lake, at 10,000 ft. Mills is named for Enos Mills, founder of RMNP in 1915. It is an incredibly pretty scene, a mere 2.8 miles from the trailhead, yet gives the feeling of being completely surrounded by mountains. In particular, Longs Peak, Pagoda Mountain, and Chiefshead Peak (3 of the 10 highest peaks in RMNP) form the cirque at the head of Glacier Gorge and the backdrop viewed from Mills Lake. It is amazing that such a pretty place is so accessible for so many people—what a blessing! I have hiked to Mills Lake dozens and dozens of times and never tire of it. Each time it is different! This day, I took 9 YMCA hikers, NONE of whom had ever seen the lake before, to this great spot. There were no disappointed customers, as the guests were singing the praises of Mills at first look. Mills is undeniably grand, and always will be.

June 11, 2009: No hiking.

June 10, 2009 (MacGregor Mountain): I awoke this day to rainy, foggy skies and went back to bed! I guess I was tired from the trip up Trail Ridge Road the night before for our “Hikemasters in Training Snow/Ice Class” that I had to co-teach. Luckily, Hikemaster Matthew was available later in the day, so in somewhat of an unusual plan, we started hiking after lunch. Destination: MacGregor Mountain. Neither of us had ever summitted this peak, which lies just north of the Fall River Entrance Station to RMNP. The peak is only 10,486 ft. tall, but the hike has no trail and gains 2,200 feet of elevation in about 2 miles! VERY steep bushwhacking. But it was fun and took us only 4 hours round-trip! Thanks Matthew!

June 09, 2009 (Ouzel Falls): RMNP is not especially known for waterfalls in the way that, say, Yosemite is. However, this day marked the third in a row in which I visited a RMNP waterfall on a YMCA hike. Late spring is the best time of year for waterfalls, as they are extremely full of water from the melting snows in the high country. This hike presented some special challenges, as I had 12 guests of varying abilities of hiking and a strict deadline for returning to the YMCA. Still, we stayed on schedule, everyone had a great time, we only got a brief rain shower, and we saw lots of wildflowers and I got to teach the group a lot of what I know about the environment in the Rockies.

June 08, 2009 (MacGregor Falls): My Twin Sisters hike encountered some last minute logistical problems that necessitated a change in plans. Hikemaster Pete had a large group going to MacGregor Falls, including 83-year old veteran YMCA hiker Brent Washburn. He hikes at a pace consistent with his age, and so the need for a second hikemaster is obvious. I became the second hikemaster and helped “Uncle Brent” along. Besides, I had never visited MacGregor Falls, a fairly short hike from the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead, and it’s a little tricky to find---so I was glad to learn it from Pete!

June 07, 2009 (Bridal Veil Falls): It’s the second time in a week that I’ve visited Bridal Veil Falls, but this waterfall is particularly pretty and filled full of water at this time of year. I didn’t mind the easy hike after a tough hike the day before. Unlike my previous visit, the falls was basking in sun this time around. My guest list? Three awesome college staff members at the YMCA! It was a great, chatty group, and we all had fun!

June 06, 2009 (Isolation Peak): Four YMCA staff members had plans to climb Isolation Peak this day, but they intended to hike to Bluebird Lake, go up to the peak, and return via the same route. After inviting myself along for the hike, I made two suggestions: (1) Abandon the Bluebird Lake trail in the burn area around Ouzel Lake (since Bluebird Lake is virtually inaccessible without ice axes at this time) in order to climb onto the ridge of Mahana Peak which would be much more snow-free, and (2) take a different route home, via two gorgeous, serene, remote lakes near the base of Tanima Peak. Both suggestions were well-received and came off perfectly---it’s not that often that I look like a genius, but this time I did! We summitted Mahana Peak (12,632 ft) and Isolation Peak (13,118 ft) by 10 AM, and the latter brought me within one peak of conquering all 13,000+ foot peaks in RMNP. Only Powell Peak (between McHenry’s Peak and Taylor Peak above Sky Pond) remains! It’ll be much easier than Isolation, since the hike will start 1,500 feet higher.

June 05, 2009: No hiking.

June 04, 2009 (Tourmaline Lake, via Fern and Odessa Lakes): Hikemaster Matthew has a hike to Tourmaline Lake scheduled next week, and neither he nor I has visited this lake before. We decided to scout out the hike on this day. Snow-free trail made for fast hiking for the first 4 miles to Fern Lake. This was followed by ¾-mile of alternating snowy and dry patches of trail from Fern Lake to Odessa Lake. Odessa was as glorious as I’ve ever seen it on this beautiful day in RMNP. Beyond Odessa, it was new territory (always a good thing, and becoming rarer all the time!), and entirely covered in snow. We got to enjoy a new alpine lake and a lovely snow-slide down from the ridge on which Tourmaline Lake sits. Gorgeous peaks on this hike include Flattop, Notchtop, Knobtop, Gabletop (listed from south to north). Normally from Flattop, most hikers turn south to Halletts, Otis, or Taylor Peaks, but the “Tops” to the north of Flattop are also incredibly beautiful, as Matthew and I discovered this day.

June 03, 2009: No hiking.

June 02, 2009 (East Glacier Knob): Hikemaster Matthew has a hike scheduled to the East Glacier Knob, which I hiked on June 4, 2007. Since the route-finding is a little tricky near the top with ledges, etc., I went along (as did Hikemaster Tony) for a brief 3-hour excursion from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead to reach the summit. Weather? Terrible! Couldn’t see a thing, but actually, it was fun hiking while the snow was coming down. We had a reasonably good time and stayed warm most of the trip. Got back to the YMCA in time for lunch J Definitely not summer yet around here.

June 01, 2009 (Lookout Mountain and Horsetooth Peak): Gray, overcast skies in the morning gave way to heavy rain and storms in RMNP during the afternoon. Luckily, Hikemaster Tony and I were able to complete this 6.5 miles roundtrip hike just in time before the weather came in! Lookout Mountain (10,712 ft.) and Horsetooth Peak (10,344 ft.) sit along a ridge extending east off the summit of Mount Meeker (13,911 ft, 2^nd highest in RMNP) in the southeast part of the park. This hike includes an element I’ve never experienced in my years hiking with the YMCA. It was Tony’s idea, but it worked to get us to the true summit of Lookout, our first stop. What was it? You’ll have to check the pictures to see!

May 31, 2009 (Bridal Veil Falls): A group from Sioux City, IA was scheduled to hike to Emerald Lake with me, but due to some misinformation about the cost to take a greyhound bus into the national park, we had to abandon this plan. I came up with an alternative that does not require a park permit: Bridal Veil Falls. It turned out to be a pretty good choice because, for the 3^rd hike in a row, we had bad weather. Thunder and lightning storms have come unusually early this summer and are expected to continue. The rain was cool and refreshing, and we were protected in the low forest valley below Estes Park.

May 30, 2009 (YMCA Grounds): A large group of very young girl scouts (K-3 grades), together with their parents, are at the YMCA this weekend. I very much dis-liked “babysitting” these youngsters on a walk around the YMCA grounds. The parents were just as bad at following rules and staying together as the kids. Quite stressful and not rewarding. Please—I have too many degrees to be doing this type of work!!!

May 29, 2009 (Crosier Mountain): An awesome group of 9 hikers joined me for this pleasant 8-mile trip to the summit of Crosier Mountain. Included in the group were four other hikemasters who had never done this summit before: Hikemasters Tony, Matthew, Kristy, and Louisa. Thanks for joining me, ya’ll. I also had the pleasure of Jim Cline’s company--now in his 24^th year of hiking with the YMCA. Jim, I’ll never tire of hiking with you---thanks for coming along! This was a chatty, enthusiastic group of hikers—I loved it! My third year in a row of summiting Crosier!

May 28, 2009 (Emerald Mountain): I hiked with a dozen YMCA folks to the summit of Emerald Mountain, right near the center of the YMCA grounds. The peak lies just at the edge of RMNP at 9,237 ft. But don’t let the low elevation fool you---this hike is steep! We had a great time, 6 eighth graders and 6 guardians/parents.

May 27, 2009 (From the YMCA): No hiking on the schedule for me today. I tried briefly to find a legal way to get to Emerald Mountain from the YMCA grounds without crossing into private property. No luck. So I believe May 28^th Emerald Mountain Circuit is going to be without the “Circuit” part!!! Look at the incredible pictures of the high peaks of the Mummy Range (most notably, Mt. Ypsilon and Fairchild Mtn.) from the YMCA on this late spring day. And you’ll also see pictures of one incredibly adorable cat in these photos as well!

May 26, 2009 (West Creek Falls): I began the summer hiking season with a familiar hike to West Creek Falls. I’d visited this waterfall on June 11, 2007, and although it’s rather small, the trail is well-suited to cool, overcast weather, so I decided it was worth another trip. Whenever the high peaks are out of view, I recommend waterfall hikes, because they can be just as lovely, rain or shine! My hiking partner was Hikemaster Matthew, who is considering leading this hike for the Y soon. Now do you know the last time I hiked with Hikemaster Matthew? Yep, it was August 2, 2008, on that most fateful day on McHenry’s Peak when my backback rolled down a shelf and over a cliff, dropping into the abyss many hundreds of feet below on a narrow ledge. Two days later, on August 4, after a long and exhausting 16 mile hike, two friends and I were able to locate and salvage most of my pack. It has made for some great stories over the past year, and already in 24 hours at the YMCA in 2009, I’ve had several people reminding me about this adventure! Anyway, thanks to Hikemaster Matthew for taking me in as a hiking partner again after all that drama…luckily, West Creek Falls offers no opportunities for the sort of stupidity that occurred on McHenry’s Peak 10 months ago! Therefore, both hikemasters and both packs made it back to the car safe and sound!

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