Aug. 03, 2011
Woke up this morning and headed for Alma, Colorado where we would take a dirt road up to Kite Lake. From Kite Lake you can hike/climb to four different peaks over 14,000 feet in one day but you have to start early.
Keith and I didn't get started until around 11 a.m. After we were maybe 20% of the way up, Keith decided it was nearly as much fun and I had made it out to be. We started at about 12,000' and as you might expect, air is pretty thin up there. He decided I could have enough fun for both of us, so I went on and he went back down.
I was really impressed with the people I saw on the trail coming down from the peak. Many were overweight and older than I was, so that kind of kept pushing me. I wish I could say it was easy, but it wasn't but it was easier than the hikes I take with a full pack hunting elk. I know Alton can recall a few exceptional moments (i.e.Carbondale).
The view from the top is AMAZING! The road we drove in on is at the bottom of the valley. To think that during the Great Flood all of this was under water, is just really beyond comprehension. From the peak you can see 360 degrees and the view is great in every direction.
My exertion on the hike was keeping me just above being cold. The sweat was really cold on my back.
The trail to the top looked like this in a lot of places, actually too many places.
It took 2 hours to climb up and 1.5 hours to climb down. It was sleeting part of the way down. You can see storms building in the background.
I met this little fella on the way down. I'm not sure what it's called. I think I'd like to tackle all four mountains someday before I get too old.
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