This is one of those mountains I've stared at through the front window for two and a half years now...
I awoke Saturday morning at 3:00am on the couch after some sort of party, it seems like. I hauled myself upstairs and slept soundly until 6:30. Then I got up for no good reason and began my day. Browsing through some old hiking pictures while moving them to an external hard drive, I got an urge.
Digging around the county website, I found the coordinates and trail information on this mountain. Turns out it's directly across the two lane highway from where we got married. Taking a couple of hours to decide if I was really going made for a very late start. Keying off of the fact that I was bringing my boots and pack downstairs, the dogs went NUTS. There was no backing out at that point. Everything was thrown in the van, the dogs did a hot lap around the yard and we were on the road at 11:00AM for a quick 12 mile drive. Traffic was nonexistent so we were geared up at the parking lot precisely at 11:30 eating snow...
The absolute best vehicle decision we ever made...
There's no mistaking the start of the trail here. Heading west on the utility road, signage a quarter mile in marks the turn south for Round Mountain Summit Trail...
After about 100 yards the trail continues past the end of the road portion and heads east. As you enter the trees, there's a bit of ice and snow since it's the north side of the mountain...
Conditions were good when we were there, but I could see this first leg being tricky with a bit more snow...
We cranked out the first mile and 800 vertical feet in about 12 minutes. That pace was not sustainable and a break was imminent...
Doggies were slap happy to be out hiking again...
My five year old camera is tired and outdated. This was supposed to be a nice shot of the Mummy Range in RMNP, but it came out like this...
Somewhere around 1.75-2 miles, the trail starts rounding some monster rock formations. Coming around a blind corner blocked by 20 foot tall granite, this oddball rock sits right smack dab in the middle of the trail...
I guess it's Bubba's now...
The first view of this, ummm... rock...
Not taking into account that this was still a mountain, I didn't pack much more than a snack and water for the dogs. We kept plugging along as the trail zig zagged up the east side and we approached mile three. Then I decided that we should probably call it good for the day. There was still over two miles to the summit and the dogs would definitely need food for that much work. One last break to enjoy the views before heading back down...
The Devil's Backbone formation is visible directly above the hill in the foreground...
More big rocks...
Poor doggies wanted to keep going...
There must be close to two dozen signs along the trail with various information about distance and local plant life. At almost three miles up the trail, this is the first sign that hasn't been vandalized to the point of being illegible. ¿What is it that possesses a person to hike up a friggin trail and vandalize things?...
Lake Loveland in center...
Parting shot of the group...
Back at the van with satisfied tired doggies...
5750' to 7451', 5.85 miles round trip, 1,881' vertical gain and 2hr 48min. We'll be back to summit that thing soon...
Fin.
