¿Tired of these constant mountain mega picture threads yet? Too bad. There's hundreds and hundreds of mountains I've yet to summit. So on with the latest trip...

It seemed like the idea of taking a weekend off from hiking was destined to fail form it's inception. Not three days into the week rumors began to swirl as schedules and preferences were coordinated. By Friday it was on, Quandary Peak on Sunday. The week's cold snap had ended, the rain (snow up there) moved out and Friday/Saturday brought with them summer temps and clearing skies. I gleefully watched Breckenridge webcams and radars on Saturday as nothing, NOTHING moved through the Ten Mile Range that day. Feeling a bit smug about my abilities, I stayed up drinking beer and eating pizza. To top it off I woke up before the alarm at 3:30am. After the coffee, waking up, loading up and gas routine we were on our way at 5:00. The drive was uneventful and about as familiar as a ten year old wallet.

With a slightly later start than originally planned (since weather was exceptional), we forged our way up the corridor and south through Summit county to arrive at the trailhead at 7:00am. The one and a half lane dirt road was choc full of cars just parking at the bottom. I decided to at least go up and maybe find a spot above the trail or just turn around. The parking lot area was stuffed and just past a right turn and DIRECTLY in front of the trail... A clear parking spot! Swwwweeeeeeeeet. Then I received another pleasant surprise. We were able to gear up the dogs and ourselves in less than ten minutes. One last offer of water for the dogs and we were off...


At the time the start didn't seem too bad. But later I would learn that it was indeed steep...


The tree section of the trail quickly thinned as every turn gained another few feet...




Heh, the trail was clearly marked...


Approaching treeline the view nearly hits you in the gut as the obvious incline shows no other way up...


No one likes being with the dogs, so we took off ahead and covered the first mile in just under nine minutes. I sense that our future hikes will be mostly them and me...


Ridik and Sioux's packs are pretty much done with. For as cheap as we picked them up they definitely served their purpose. But it's clear that I'm going to have to make my own somehow. I know what works and what doesn't for our use...


Still below the Continental Divide to our south...




HWY 9 and Hoosier pass to the southeast with Mt. Silverheels asking to be hiked....


The herd of goats that have no fear of humans. I've seen pictures of people right next to them, and someone in our party was within charging distance...


Bross on the left and Lincoln on the right. Showing another angle of how much further 14k was...


Looking north towards Breckenridge. Slowly but surely we were gaining on the surrounding hills...




Wheeler Mountain...


This bit was one of the longest slogs...


Sioux and Ridik battling for front. Sioux's recent talus skills have earned him the "most improved" award for the season...


The Kite Lake four just past the divide. Bross, Lincoln, Cameron and Democrat. We're determined to give these four one more try this year...


Progress was easy to see at this point. Finally looking down on Wheeler about 100 yards from the summit...


BAM! Another one gets checked off the list. While thinking back it was a memorable hike. But I'm glad to have it over with, these busy trails are grueling. 3hr 10min up and 2hr 50min down; 10,904' to 14270' and 3633' vertical gain; 7.11 miles round trip...


Views. North with Ten Mile Range in foreground and Gore Range in background...


Another angle on Gray's and Torrey's...


South, Democrat...


From left. Bross, Lincoln and Cameron...


Zoom on Gore Range...


West. Mount of the Holy Cross, next year...


There were a few folks arriving around the same time as us...


...and it didn't take long before everyone was nearing ground level to counteract the wind and chill...


Southwest. The Sawatch Range beckons from afar. With it's 15 fourteeners that could keep a person busy for a while...


It was time to get back to the dogs before my mom got frustrated...


There's even a pic of me...


On the way back down the dogs got a short break to cool off in the last bit of remaining snow...




Bubba pissin off his grandma. The dogs don't work right for anyone else anymore. They're my dogs...


This is a good representation of the bulk of the trail. About half of our time was spent in this loose sharp stuff. Glad my dogs' pads are tough enough to handle that without issues...


Once the rocks were over with we could try to make up some time. Notice that Sioux is sans backpack. I'm frustrated with their gear. Making my own is going to be the only way. Good thing I have a winter to get it right...


Again with tired/happy face...




Another successful hike in the books. No one had any real soreness or exhaustion, and that was a tough vertical compared to what we've done so far. The dogs were ready to roll the next day and so was I. It may be time to up the difficulty a bit. I just GOT to remember that horse hockey that is I-70 on a Sunday. Yeesh. Over two hours from the tunnel to HWY 6. Then the three lane bit opens it up again for the Floyd Hill ascent rally. What a buzz kill.

Fin.

So NOT tired of these pics yet Harrise - once again fabulous amazing scenery you are so lucky - I really envy you Your doggies are a lucky pack of pups.

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Great as usual. I agree with Catherine..your pack of furr-kids are super lucky. Have a great week.

Beautiful pictures! Looks like another great hike Your dogs look so happy at their new regime

Never tired of these pics or the way you tell a story! Growing up in the southeast, I've never seen mountains like that! What views! The GA mountains, while beautiful, just don't compare to the beauty and incredible amount of sky in your pictures! Stunning. Makes me wish I lived up there and liked the outdoors! LOL thanks so much for sharing!

Well good. I'm glad to have an audience because I bore the hell out of everyone around me always talking about and planning hikes. We're doing a garage sale *bore* this weekend and I suppose it's time for a break. Eight weeks in a row we've been in the mountains. After the garage sale, we have an end of season push for at least three more hikes. More if the weather permits.

Aug 15th/16: Kite Lake again. Our fail has only driven us to finish those four mountains at once. From what I read, it's a short hike considering the trail starts at 12,300-something feet.

Aug 22nd/23rd: Audubon Mt. Again, our first hike of the season ended in everyone showing signs of altitude sickness and we turned back from 80% up the mountain. This needs to get done.

Aug 29th/30th: Berthoud six. At the top of Berthoud pass there's the old abandoned ski area. If you hike east and head north after the first peak, there's up to five more peaks right there on trail. I'm not sure how many we can bag, but so far it sounds like I'll be solo. I'm thinking of just taking Ridik and jogging the whole thing to see how fast we can do it. These are the first big mountains you see when heading up I-70 after Gennessee hill.

After that, I have boat loads of ideas if September weather holds. What a summer!

You selling anything good at your garage sale? i wanted to ask you when you camped the other weekend with Danielle did you need to pay for the spot or did you just go claim it? we were thinking of trying to hike mt. bierstadt the weekend of the 22/23 but i looked at the camp ground there and it is booked throught most of sept. or is the one you are planing that weekend much harder since everyone got sick? i really want to do a 14er this year!
thanks

We just claimed a spot on the left of the road a quarter to half mile past Guanella Pass Campground. You can't miss it, it's a pulloff right before a parking spot. Again, on the left as you're going up. In the National Forest areas you can camp anywhere really with no fee, just clean up good. The 14er's we have left are the Kite Lake combo. There's the four right there and even beginner people are doing them in 5 hours or less. Not hard and there's plenty of opportunity to turn around after one, two, three or all four. I'd never want to push anyone past their limits. BUT, if you want to do a 14'er on one of those later weekends let me know soon (I'm going finalized on Monday). I can switch up the schedule and add Sherman or Torrey's. Both easy climbs except the Torrey's trail road is beat up and I don't know if my van could make it this year. We BARELY made it last year and parking adds almost six miles to the round trip (cuz I would have dogs and be forced to walk). But I'd hike that again.

We only got sick on Audubon (13,232') because it had been eight months since our last treeline hike and we went too fast. I plan on being ready by the end of May, 2010 for that season.

well which ever one you have planed for the weekend of the 22/23 we might be down for. husband just gave me the will see text when i asked him. he does a labor job so when it comes to the weekends he likes to sit around and i sit at a desk all week so for me i want to be up and moving all weekend, it is always a battle!

Well, there will be a bunch of Legos at the garage sale.

Hijacking my thread to hock your blocks... Yeesh.

was wondering if you knew each other! who would nodogforme be? sorry no kids, ever.... so i do not want legos!

many, many, many,....... many beers of hard work putting them all together.
The sets range in price from $15-$100. Come on down and have a look. Everyone needs Legos.