So, for this week, I thought I would explore around Evergreen, CO. I grabbed my preferred hiking shoes (my freakish looking Five Finger Vibrums) loaded up my trusty green climbing bag (recently outfitted with a new, working belt buckle!) and hopped on Highway 6 headed to the mountains. Storm clouds were gathering, rain pelted the windshield, but I didn't care. I'd been cooped up in my house for two weeks suffering from severe allergies and I wasn't going to lose one more day because of a little rain.
Once arriving at Evergreen I drove out to the Alderfer/Three Sisters Park, a small open space park managed by Jefferson County. Once there I got my first look at Elephant Butte, a gnarly, rocky crag of a mountain. I scoured the internet on my trusty iPhone (man do I love having that thing) for information about trails. Apparently, there weren't any. One website had mapped out an unofficial trail that I was eventually able to follow (though it meant brazenly ignoring several NFS signs asking people to keep out).
The result was one of the best hikes I've been on in a long time. It was a short 5-6 miles round trip, but it was challenging enough and the views were spectacular. From up top you have an almost unobstructed 360 degree view, giving me an spectacular seat while a thunderstorm rolled across the valley. And since it isn't an official trail, I had the entire mountain to myself all day. The solitude was rejuvenating. I was able to spend some time doing some real thinking, feeling a very real nearness to God, that kind of nearness that can only be found on top of a mountain.
Verdict: Highly Recommended
2 comments:
Awesome. Glad you take advantage of your independence. And so beautiful.
Beautiful! Love the little farmhouse tucked in the valley. I can't wait to see you soon!
Post a Comment