October 8, 2021
We have explored Colorado several times over the years, but this is our first time in the fall. Familiar places look so different with yellow quaking aspens splashed across the mountainsides, orange and brown Gambrel oaks in the drier canyons and mesas in the western part of the state, waking up to frost on our windshield in the morning.
After crossing the open plains of eastern Colorado, we headed for Pike National Forest in the Rockies west of Colorado Springs. A side trip to Castle Rock to visit a long-time friend and coworker was a treat. Camping at elevation 8,500+ feet means waking up to temperatures around 32 (plus or minus a few). A layer of long thermal underwear and sleeping bags rated for 20 degrees keeps us warm and toasty throughout the night. It is getting out of the bags in the morning that wakes us up in a hurry! It is all good and we have experienced it all before so we keep on exploring new and previous locations.
As far as a new exploration . . . Pikes Peak or Bust! In 44+ years of traveling together, we have never made the trip to the summit. We found ourselves making the journey on a cloudless, perfect October afternoon. Driving 19 miles to the summit is quite daunting for some, but Brian has lots of experience (Mount Washington in NH, Moki Dugway in Utah, Mount Evans twice) and the road up Pikes Peak even has lane markings! Now, the road up to Mount Evans gets you up to a higher elevation, but you have to huff and puff your way 200 feet more to reach the summit. Not with PP, you park and there you are! The elevation of 14,115 means us aging, out-of-shape sea level dwellers had to move around slowly to take in the awesome vistas. We had to watch the clock to make our descent to the bottom of the mountain before the toll road gates are closed, but we had to stop for photos of the gorgeous yellow quaking aspens.
It was 72 degrees at the bottom of the mountain, 41 at the top.
I can't imagine making the journey to the top by horsedrawn wagon as
Katherine Lee Bates did in 1893. I can understand the "purple mountain majesties."
Our first trip to the Rockies in this van - it does well with the mountain driving.
Of course, first gear all the way up and down the mountain is the safest way to go.
We found a really nice campground just outside Woodland Park and had fun exploring that town and nearby Green Mountain Falls.
Hiking trail in Pike NF
We headed westward, crossing the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass, and were amazed at the grandeur of Mount Princeton in the Presidential Range. We made a brief stop at Browns Canyon National Monument (undeveloped unit administered by US Forest Service and BLM). We camped overnight in Curecanti National Recreation Area west of Gunnison and could see how low Blue Mesa Reservoir is compared to our last visit.
Our last view of Pikes Peak at sunrise
Is there any rock under all that lichen?
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| The Presidential Range |
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| Heading to Gunnison |
Low water in Blue Mesa Reservoir, Dillon Pinnacles
We were surprised to see bighorn sheep crossing U.S. Hwy 50 in Curecanti NRA early one morning.
Due to road closure of U.S. 50 west of Blue Mesa Reservoir, we detoured on a state highway that took us within 11 miles of the North Rim of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the last 6 miles were unpaved. We have visited the South Rim a few times (in fact we camped there last night), but the quieter North Rim offers dramatic views of the gorge, too.
"Painted Wall" of Black Canyon
wonderful old pinyon pine and juniper trees
Gunnison River - inner canyon
We spent time on the South Rim Drive as well and watched a very nice sunset.
We spent some time in Grand Junction at the Audubon Nature Preserve along the Colorado River.
(Trivia for the day - The Colorado River was orginally named the Grand River. Its source is Grand Lake near Rocky Mountain National Park, it flows past Grand Mesa to Grand Junction, CO. Eventually, it enters Grand Canyon.
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