Before Jody and I left Denver, we wanted to make sure that we got in one more backpacking adventure. So, we decided that we would finish our jobs two weeks before Departure Day. However, we were faced with an issue. This past winter had brought epic snowfall in the Rockies, so there were limited places that we could reach in the higher elevations without hitting snowdrifts. And honestly, we aren't really prepared for 4 season camping.
We decided to check out the French Pass Trail, which we had been to before two years ago and had really enjoyed. So, we finished our jobs, said goodbye to everyone whom we love so much... and before we hard-core started packing everything up, we packed for the mountains first. :)
Much to our chagrin, we had to stop two miles ahead of the trailhead due to snow drifts 3-4 feet high in some areas on the road. After debating going to another trailhead, we decided to stick with our original plan and to hike in as far as we could and set up camp wherever we found a good spot. I'm thinking the pictures just don't do it justice, though. Off the beaten path, the ground was either snow, ice or ridiculous mud pits.
I confess I was quite shocked to find this much snow towards the end of May. While the elevation is fairly high (10,500 ft at the trailhead), it still seemed like a lot of hard packed snow for so late in the year and definitely confirmed in my mind that our favorite spot at the base of Mt. Massive near Leadville was definitely out of the question. We probably couldn't have made it out of Leadville into the National Forest. I'm guessing the road was probably closed until July....
In any case, the views were beautiful as we hiked along the road and we loved the quiet along the way. There was nothing. Just beautiful, precious silence.
We knew that we were probably the first people to try and make it to the trailhead that year, because we were shocked to find an abundance of droppings right on the road, as well as this delightful skull above. While we didn't see any wildlife (the animals always hide from us, praise God), we saw plenty of evidence of their existence.
When we reached the trailhead, we were overwhelmed by the snowfall levels and the snow drifts. It was probably 6-10 feet in some places. And especially right at the trailhead. And while we had debated bringing our snowshoes with us, in the end we decided against it. So by the time we got to the trailhead, we realized we would have to camp right there.
And... there are worse places to camp than in the middle of the beautiful, delightful silence near Jefferson, Colorado at 10,500 feet. My mountains = my happy place!
We were thrilled to be able to find a place where we could set up our hammocks. It was quite cool in the morning and evening, but during the middle of the day under the intense heat of the sun it was quite warm and perfect for an afternoon of reading/sleeping/drooling. We do so love our ENO hammocks and the "portable Sabbath" that they are for us.
As usual, the pups came with us, though the snow proved much more difficult for their little legs. When we were trying to make our way over/through the snow drifts, we had to carry the dogs. Poor things. In hindsight, I think we really put them through the ringer. They were quite pooped at the end of the day, and cold, as well.
At the end of their hikes, they were ready to curl up in the warm wool blanket we got from the Army/Navy Surplus store right down the street and sleep. :)
But certainly not before they ate their "nummies." The dogs' one love. Food. Ahh, blessed sustenance.
I am not usually one for "selfies" (a picture you take of yourself), but since I'm usually the one taking the pictures I often end up with no proof that I was actually present at the event. And so I decided that I would document the fact that I was actually there in those beautiful mountains of mine...
And so was my handsome husband. Here he is with the mountains and that beautiful Colorado sky in the background. Is it just me or does he look incredibly tall in this picture?
I think the dogs had a good time overall, though here Eu-mi doesn't look very excited. Usually the hot part of the day is Eu-mi's favorite time. She loves to sunbathe (i.e. bake) almost as much as she loves to eat!
We had to purchase some form of water filtration for this last trip, since all of our previous water filters had gone kaputt. We decided that long-term we would consider the Katadyn super-expensive filter (that runs ~$300), but for now, we'd go for the super light-weight MSR filter. It pumped water quite quickly and proved to be pretty decent on the trail. (When we got back home there was some trouble trying to clean it out, though. I'm not sure if we'd recommend it long-term. Will need to try it out again.)
We decided to go exploring a bit but discovered that the road was pretty much the only "trail" that we or the dogs could manage, and the dogs got pretty tuckered out. So we decided to make it a short walk... :) It was fine with me. After the craziness of saying goodbye and wrapping up our jobs, I didn't mind making the focus of this backpacking trip to be one of rest before the big move.
I love this picture of Jody. :)
And these pictures of the pups, as well. :)
And these pictures of us. So happy in our mountains.
We (or rather, I) decided that the best way to celebrate our final backpacking adventure was to have a camp fire until late in the night so we could watch the stars come out. So, we stoked the fire for several hours and watched the beautiful sky as it got cooler and darker...
I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but Penny instinctively goes into this pose. We call it the "Man Dog" pose, and apparently all the pups from
her dad Riley do the same thing. Genetics are crazy.
It was so wonderful to take in the evening sky while we were up there. The months leading up to this point had been so busy. Jody accepting the job with Crosspoint. My trip to Nepal. The offer of the job with MountainChild. Wrapping up our jobs at Mosaic and Southeast. So many changes and so much stress.
But out in the mountains there is just the wind. And the sound of the melted snow gushing through the stream. And the occasional bird or chipmunk that dares to be present. But mostly just the wind in the trees. It's as if time is standing still, and there's nothing else going on in the world.
When we woke up on Day 3 we saw that a storm was probably going to make its way through the pass, so we decided that it was probably a good idea to head out by lunchtime. The afternoon storms can come quickly, and we didn't want to get truly stuck before the trail was even technically open. So we packed up and headed back to the Jeep.
I'm glad we left when we did, as it started snowing on our way down. When I stopped to look back at where we'd been just an hour or two before, it was difficult to see. Crazy how quickly the weather can change!
We got home safely, praise the Lord. The wienie dogs were happy, I think, to be back home. :) And I was ready to start some serious packing for the move.
Now that we've been in Wisconsin for a few months, I am doing my best to settle in. Nonetheless, I think the West is in me. Denver peeps, I am coming to visit! (Not sure when... but I'm coming anyways!)
