To most natives and transplants getting high in Colorado has been legal since... well... forever. Colorado is home to 53 mountains with summits over 14,000 feet above sea level. They are referred to as 14ners. We planned to do a combo trip of; the maiden voyage of the new camper, backpack trip, alpine cutthroat fishing and Humboldt Peak (14,064'). Dharani simply crushed her first 14ner, leaving me trailing behind for much of the hike into camp and to the summit the next day. All those days she bikes to work are really helping out!
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| Our trek started at 8,800' in Wet Mountain Valley |
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| Our trek started at 8,800' in Wet Mountain Valley |
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| Our trek started at 8,800' in Wet Mountain Valley |
We camped Thursday night at the lower 2wd trailhead not wanting to drive up in the dark. Friday morning we started our way up a 4wd road that based on research was pretty rough. I wasn't sure if my rig would handle it so we figured to give it the old college try. About 1.5 miles in we encountered an obstacle that had one side of the vehicle on a bank the other half in a rut with loose cantaloupe size rocks. To exit the rut was a large smooth ramp-like boulder. Being so top heavy I decided against it.
Back down to the parking lot to gear up and hike from there. This would add about 5 miles to our round trip and 1,100' to our climb. Off we went...
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| Colorado's state flower. |
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| Photo by Dharani Jdanov |
We reached the South Colony lake area and slowed for more photos. It was a grand sight coming up on Broken Hand Pass, Crestone Peak and Crestone Needles.
We found a great alpine camp above the lower lake. Even some distance from the lake mosquitoes were in full force! Even with theses annoying little pests it was hard not to be in awe by the surrounding beauty. After the exhausting hike up to our 11,700' camp we just wanted to lay down. With no shade that far up Dharani decided to take advantage of one of Colorado's resources, sunlight!
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| Can you find our tent in this photo? |
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| Photo by Dharani Jdanov |
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| Photo by Dharani Jdanov |
Friday morning we started our hike to the upper South Colony Lake so that we could continue up the saddle beginning the approach to Humboldt Peak.
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| Dharani climbing switch backs up to the saddle. |
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| Thanks to great trail work there are convenient steps up to the saddle. |
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| From the saddle one 1 mile to the summit. One really long mile.... |
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| On the false summit of Humboldt Peak looking down the North Colony Lake drainage into Wet Mountain Valley. |
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| The Luck Bunny! |
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| Dharani atop her first 14ner! Photo by Cory Arola |
Here we are! High in Colorado, Nature is Our Drug! Oh I am aware the sign is wrong, we found it in the register. Humboldt Peak 14,064'
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| Thanks stranger for taking out photos! |
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| Thanks stranger for taking out photos! |
Whilst gazing in awe at this next photo keep in mind we started out hike down in the flat at 8,800'; now standing at 14,064'. For those math impaired we did approximately 5,350' of climbing.
