Fell in love with Colorado all over again this fall.
When people ask why we don’t have kids.
Exhibit A.
A few of our summer adventures.
Green Screen
The pain of hauling way to much gear in and pooping in the woods was more than worth it for the opportunity to visit this amazing place. Sitting at Mirror Lake and watching the sunset on Lone Eagle Peak was an unbelievable experience, We sat there thinking that it just couldn’t be really. At any moment the curtain was going to drop and it was all going to be over. it’s times like these that make you feel alive, make you understand, make you realize it’s not just about you, it’s about us, the planet that we share and that maybe one day everything will work itself out.
Loved to Death
First of all Sweet Coloradough in Glenwood has one of the best apple fritters i’ve ever had!
A couple weeks ago we took a weekend camping trip to Aspen and Glenwood Springs to check out the bells and hanging lake before the summer tourist season. Going to the bells I didn’t really know what to expect. It is after all one of the most picturesque places in Colorado and possibly it’s most photographed. I thought trails would be crowded and the main ones off the parking lot were, but I couldn’t image how beautiful those two peaks would be. The bells and the lakes did not disappoint, The views were amazing, the hikes were filled with photo ops and the weather was absolutely perfect. The main lake with the most famous view had quite a few people there, but hitting the trail to crater lake and the base of the mountains allowed for a little more seclusion, making you feel small and insignificant.
We camped that night in Aspen then headed back to Glenwood to hit up Hanging Lake on the way home. Now Hanging Lake is also a very well know place in Colorado, a lot of that has to do with it’s easy access off 70. Even with it being a fairly strenuous hike there were 100’s of people on the trail that day, most without enough water or the correct shoes, but that’s not unusual. The problem is that Hanging Lake and the Bells are a couple of those places we are loving to death. People see these amazing places in photos and want to see them in person, which is awesome! I am 100 percent for more people getting outside. The problem is when people disrespect the rules that are put in place to protect these places. People are constantly breaking the rules to walk across the famous log in the lake, taking a dips in it’s blue waters or bringing dogs on the trail even with it’s no dog policy. You constantly see these rules being broken online in posts. I even exchanged words with a couple about their dog that day. Nothing makes me angrier than when people believe the rules don’t apply to them. We are all owners of this public land and it is each and every one of us who needs to respect it. It’s the only way future generations will get to experience it as well.
So Much FOMO
Adventure lies everywhere in Colorado and it’s super overwhelming. It’s weird to say that but it’s true, and that’s totally a first world problem. I’ve had many conversations about all the fomo people have here.
Everyone in Colorado is an athlete and outdoorsman, everyone is pushing for that next big goal and that next outdoor excursion. Sometimes we all need to slow down and enjoy these wonderful places, that we are so lucky to live close to.
Garden of the Gods Ain’t Got Nothing on Roxborough
I’d just like to put it out there that Garden of the Gods is incredibly overrated. Don’t get me wrong, the rock formations at Garden of the Gods are amazing. However, taking a trip there also means fighting the large crowds and walking the paved paths behind people who don’t know how to walk on the right side.
Roxborough offers similar rock formations at a location close to Denver. Better yet it’s a State Park, with a beautiful hikes and amazing views. So next time you are thinking about checking out Garden of the Gods, give Roxborough or one of the many other amazing state parks a shot.
Gnar Pow Pow
After experiencing my first winter living in Colorado, I now have a new appreciation for the season. Back home in Missouri, winter means months of dark gloomy skies with a cold dampness that cuts through your core. On the other hand Colorado winter days are met with sunny bluebird powder days on the mountain. Every weekend the question isn’t what brewery or bar are we hitting up this weekend, but where are we, snowboarding, snowshoeing or hiking. Only after these activities does the brewery question come. I live for the outdoors and being active in the wild. In Colorado all you have to do is dress in layers and remember your wool socks. Though all that still doesn’t help if you’re in the mountains when it’s 7 degrees with 50 mph gust and a negative 20 wind chill. Even on days like that the sun will shine and you’ll be glad you at least attempted that hike. I now understand the love for winter some people have and why snowboarding that fresh pow pow is such an amazing thing. It’s sad to see global warming already changing the weather patterns and season but we all must do our part to protect this planet and save our winters.
Don’t Die Today. JTNP
I recently wrote about the actual Joshua tree. But now let me tell you about the park!
When visiting the area we stayed in a fun little Airbnb way out in the desert. We were lucky enough the sit at the outside bar and enjoy the beautiful desert sunsets and sit around the fire to enjoy the unbelievable clear night and take in the vastness of the night sky. On the day we were set to go into the park, we awoke to a desert thunderstorm! I thought the desert couldn’t gives us much more, but the rain was an absolute treat considering they are only get maybe 6 inches of rain a year. it was incredible to see the rain blanket this incredibly dry climate and how just a little bit of rain can have a huge impact on the landscape and flash flooding. The week before the area had temps reach aver 100 degrees but as we drove into the park it was a rainy and cool 80 degrees.
Joshua Tree National Park itself is a massive landscape made up of massive boulders and Joshua tree forests. It’s known for it’s amazing bouldering opportunities. Not being a climber meant we’d be taking in the sites from the trails. All offering a unique perspective on this landscape.
there are endless opportunities for photographs everything from mountains to rock formations. I could have spent the day just taking photos of different trees. Each tree has a unique look and just shows that Mother Nature is the most amazing artist.
Going to Church
Being able to go to the mountains every week is a major reason why we made the move. Just a short drive and nature will cleanse your spirit from the shit that is life. The mountains and wild of this land are my church.
This second weekend I was living in Colorado we headed up to Nederland for a quick hike to Lost Lake. This was back in early November and We made the hike in good time and decided to head up the Forest Service road and make our way to Diamond Lake. Both hikes were absolutely beautiful. The day started out sunny for the first hike but it started to snow on the second. It was amazing being out in the wild during the snow and trudging through the deep powder to make it to the lake. The last mile we should have probably had snow shoes but made the trek up anyway. It was breathtaking figuratively and literally, as the last mile was tuff for these low elevation midwesterners. We probably should have turned back, and in hindsight it was stupid to continue but now we fully understand the power of wool socks and their amazing ability to insulate while wet.
The Channel Islands. Close…yet so far.
Channel island National Park may not be the most well known or most visited national park, but it may just be one of the most beautiful and unique. Because the islands sit off the coast of California there is little to no development on the islands, the park visitor centers are not even on the islands, they can be found in Ventura and Santa Barbara. The beauty of the islands is breathtaking but the biodiversity is what makes them so special. More than 2,000 different species of plants and animals can be found on the islands including the Channel Island Fox which is endemic to the islands and adorable, except when they are trying to scavenge your lunch. The history of the islands is also interesting. Seeing and learning about the native inhabitants who had lived on the island thousands of years ago.
To get to the islands you have to book a trip with a charter boat that will either take you for the day or drop you off for some overnight camping. We opted for a day trip on Santa Cruz, where we took a sea cave kayaking trip and finished the day with some hiking. On our kayaking trip we were lucky enough to see dolphins, sea lions, seals, and the American kestral. it was unreal to be in the middle of the ocean floating through kelp forest and having sea lions pop right up to see what was going on. Besides seeing all this wildlife we had the chance to venture into a multitude of sea caves with the help of our guide. Kayaking into these caves was super awesome but also sketch at times as the tide would try to slam you up against the ceiling. After hours of sea kayaking we quickly ate lunch while fending off the foxes. We then headed up to the cliffs to take in the views and admire just how untouched these islands truly are. In just the short time we were there we learned so much about the biodiversity, geology, human history and many other things that are happening and have happened on these islands. We were only there for a day but the memories will last a life time.
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Channel Islands Santa Cruz
Dan Feeherty 