Almighty Potential.

In my palm,  a tiny acorn... 

With the potential to sprout, then develop into a mighty oak. 

Perhaps a metaphor for life... IF we let it be so. 

At face value,  these ladies are friends, hiking partners and now, travel companions. 

But what lies deeper?

The potential for shared adventure,  camaraderie elevated to another level, immense joy,  laughter that threatens the bladder,  memories that last a lifetime? I think so!

Let our Peruvian journey begin!  :-)

ONE week to Peru. Mt Evans done and dusted

As you may already know, I had my sights set on another fourteener before I set off on vaca.
Mt Evans was the chosen one. At about 14,200' it was 200' higher than Bierstadt... but in the same vicinity.

Kelly and I set off from my house at 5am. The 90 minute drive was dark and uneventful. We laughed and chatted.

Arriving at Summit Lake Trailhead around 6:30am, the sun was only just peeking above the horizon and the sky was bright orange. Gorgeous, if not chilly. And the wind was kicking up.

We put on a couple more layers, mine included an impressive down jacket. Hats stretched over morning hair, zippers up to the neck... you know the drill. 

Leaving the car with Lupe on the leash, we headed out of the car park area and up the trail. Fifty yards later, freezing and wind blown, I threw out the idea that we regroup in the car. Plan B being that we hunker down for 30 minutes until the sun has warmed the frigid air a little, perhaps have a little tea from my thermos flask and add the remaining layers we had packed. We LAUGHED raucously and ran back to the car!

With nothing left to wear, tea half drunk, breakfast power bar eaten... we were off again.

Around Summit Lake then up, up, up to the west ridge of Mt Evans. A beautiful blue sky hung over the 27 degree morning. There were other hikers and dogs on the trail too. Including those just in it for a quarter mile hike (wearing sleeping bags!?)

I was out of breath long before I was warm. And LONG before my hands stopped hurting from the cold! O.M.G. it was a freakin' cold morning. I was mentally running through my packing list for Peru for the 50th time and surprising myself with the knowledge that improvements could be made. YES... I'd be needing my warmest hat. YES times two, on the gloves (and let's look into hand warmers) and finally, that merino wool turtleneck that I'd just recently unpacked? It was on its way to Peru after all. (I love packing, so it actually made me happy to know I had good reason to rearrange stuff later today!!!)

Speaking of making me happy... 

At just over 13,000 feet now, I was feeling great. Warm, energetic, grateful. Euphoric, in fact. Hmmm. I can see how 14-ers could become an addiction. That feeling of wellbeing is quite lovely. Compelling in a way that food tastes better, views appear more fabulous and tiny alpine plants, a bit more magical.

Mt Evans and the West ridge

Kelli and Lupe

To the right of the lake... that's our car park!

Question: Did I take Diamox again? Yep, sure did. 

This time just one mid yesterday afternoon, 1 before bed and 1 before I set out this morning. That's fewer than last time over a shorter period of time before the hike began. Successful alleviation of symptoms still, but a little less of the tingly pins and needles. 

The view from about 13,500 feet, looking toward Mt Bierstadt. 

Near the top, similar to Bierstadt, the terrain is made up of big and medium boulders. We scrambled over them. Lupe was a champ! Then making our own way, following in the footsteps of others and kinda guessing... up the final section to the top of Mt Evans. The trail at the top, meets the road that some might drive up (in a warmer season, before it's closed). 

At the top, we located the geological pin and had our photo taken. I sorta want to publish it, but I hesitate to share. Why? Ok, so we asked a complete stranger to take our pic on my phone. He took 4-5, bless him. Each was worse... way worse... than the last.  All of our feet were cut off - even the ones where he stepped back and took in half a picture worth of sky! But that is not the worst part. Not even close. I'm really unflatteringly positioned behind Lupe in every picture and heck, there is another stranger clicking his fingers to get our attention, in the foreground. 

The decision to publish this crappy, but memorable pic came down to one thing. Laughter. The theme of the day was laughter, so why hold back now. Life is too short not to laugh at yourself, eh?!

Mt Evans Rd down to Summit Lake is a winding affair. We shortened it a few miles by cutting across the tundra between switchbacks. The ground was soft and boggy with holes and rocks in equal measure. It took some concentration to keep the ankles safe and the body upright, but it was also peaceful and natural feeling. 

Back on Mt Evans Rd - now closed for the season - and we found roadkill! Seriously, the last thing you'd expect to find on a road without vehicular traffic is dead meat, right? Alas, given the giggles of today, it had to happen that we came upon squashed jerky! 

The finding set in motion another round of laughter and an understandable conversation about adult (astronaut) diapers. Remember, Diamox is a diaretic and full bladders are part of this high altitude journey.

Kelli had never heard the story of the NASA love triangle involving astronaut diapers... So as soon as we had cell signal going done the mountain again, I took pleasure in reading her the account of Lisa Nowak and her astronaut diaper road trip!  Hahahaha. Like I had nothing better to do with my phone when it was finally out of airplane mode this afternoon!

Good times. Good hike. Great company. 

I could not be more excited or grateful that Kelli is joining Teresa and I in Peru, one week from tomorrow!

Two weeks to Peru. Two peaks in one hike!

What I'd like to say is, every time I feel I'm in shape and ready to take on the Andes, I challenge myself with a new hike and excel.

The truth is that for every new challenge, no matter how far I feel I've come, the result is unimaginable fatigue later that day and a a day or two of no hiking to follow. Every muscle from core to ankles, shoulders to knees, reminds me I'm but a mortal with a middle aged body! Hahaha. And yet... I remain undeterred!

On Sunday, Dana and I decided to do South Boulder Peak. It fulfilled both of our needs to escape to the wilderness, my need not to drive too far, her need to stay below 10,000 (as she has a cold) and it was reportedly still a great challenge.

South Boulder Peak from the south trailhead of the Mesa Trail was apparently 5.5 miles. Or at least, we thought we read that. And with a gain of close to 3000 feet, it seemed like a good way to spend a morning together. Neither of us had done this particular trail either.

We departed the trail head at around 7:15am. The day was still cool and we were in good spirits, chattering non-stop. At first there was gravely dirt road, but then as we entered Shadow Canyon, it turned to steep, rocky path... one that required concentration to avoid spills and discover best route.

It was wooded and wonderful. That faint smell of pine needles, earthiness and the onset of fall.

Nearer the top (2 hours later) we found ourselves exposed. The wildfire that had taken it's toll here in 2012, still apparent. Burned trunks, baby aspens and low growing shrubbery. I had thought the forest bounced back quicker than that after a fire... I was wrong.

At the top of Shadow Canyon, the trail comes to a T intersection. Go left for 0.3 mile and you get to South Boulder Peak. Go right and you find yourself, also in 0.3 mile, at the top of Bear Peak.

South Boulder Peak

We went left, per the plan and struggled up South Boulder Peak, scrambling over boulders, large and small to finally reach the summit - seriously, the summit looks WAY easier that it was! There is no geological pin affixed to the top... you assume you are there, but short of a selfie, there is no proof!

Brunch. Just us, our power bars and nuts and the handful of chipmunks with a sense of entitlement and hungry eyes to rival any Golden Retriever! I threw a few cashews and almonds into the rocks as we packed up to leave. Winter is coming... a little extra fat and protein for them seemed understandable. Plus I'm a softie.

This was Bear Peak behind us. I was feeling kinda good still and wondered if I wasn't prudent to skip over the valley between, then up the ridge line to Bear Peak. Why not nail two peaks in one day when it was only going to add 0.6 mile to the distance?

Dana was less convinced. Back at the T intersection, she started back down Shadow Canyon as I headed up the ridge to Bear Peak alone. O.M.G. Sometimes, I just don't know what comes over me. Hiking on paper is definitely easier than hiking in the dry mid-morning sun, 8,000+ feet up in the sky.

Honestly though, Bear Peak from this point is not as difficult as South Boulder Peak (or quite as high) and it didn't take long before I was one of 4 people enjoying the view over Boulder from there.

View from Bear Peak to Green Mountain

View from Bear Peak back to South Boulder Peak

Then it was time to go. Back down Shadow Canyon, hopefully catching up with Dana before she got to her car. The trail through the woods was a welcome relief from the now hot sun and increasing dryness. I was almost out of water, which is utterly unheard of for me.

We reconnected about a mile from the bottom. Both of us water-less, parched and way more than just tired. Bodies hurting. Mentally and physically DONE for today. That was so not 5.5 miles!!!

The creek coming out of Eldorado Springs was a perfect place to "ice" our feet and debrief before going our separate ways. It was a good 15 minutes before the pain of spent feet was replaced with the pain of frostbitten feet. I had a tiny blister to show for my efforts today. And a large (and growing) appetite!

Until our next adventure, my friend... Thanks for lending yourself to yet another training challenge on my route to Peru!

3 Weeks to Peru!

Hot the heels of (.... well, in the not-to-distant memory of) the bear chase, I had some anxiety about early morning hikes, alone on Boulder hiking trails that are bursting with ripe berries and such.
I did it still. But Im not going to lie, every rustle I heard in the woods made me nervous.

Mark decided that there was something to be done about that. We made a little trip to REI for research and purchase reasons and I learned a lot about options one might have to ward off bears!

1. Bear spray. The canisters range in size but start at over 9.0oz and require a holster to carry it. Can you imagine me doing a "quick draw" to spray a bear in the face at close range with something akin to a small fire extinguisher?! Me neither.

2.  Bear Bells... for the hiker who wants to sound like a Christmas elf prancing down the trail. I'd drive myself nuts and throw myself at the mercy of the nearest bear. Just sayin'.

3.  Bear Horn
Toot. Toot! The instructions say that you are supposed to sound the horn about every 1/4 mile on the trail to alert creatures that you are coming. OMG, I can only imagine what the City of Boulder (and all the other hikers) would say about that. Not going to happen, obviously.
I am content to stuff this can of noise into my little backpack and retrieve it should I have an encounter.

And that's it, or so I thought.
Then the other day Mark came home with this little gift for me too:
Pepper Spray.  Quick release from the key ring, then just press the trigger and behold... no more unwanted attention from bear or anyone else!

It even matches my outfit!