Snowmass

We've been in Snowmass for a week now.

We explored the area on the first day, checking out an indoor treehouse play area for the kids, riding the small free gondolas called skittles, biking around and swimming in the pool.  

The condo we are staying in is located right by the base village and has a pool and hot tub. The only hiking trails we know about are the trails up the ski mountain. We hiked one of them for a long hike and had lunch where the big gondola lets out, at a Elk Camp.

We then rode the chair to the top but a cold rain moved in and we didn't even get off to look around, we just went up and down. The gondolas are so expensive here but if you hike up you can ride down for free. Saturday I went for a 16 mile run on the mountain and had a very difficult and bad day. James and the kids biked down to a playground below the mountain base village and then took the free bus up.  In the afternoon we drove into Aspen and attempted a river float. This is apparently a popular thing to do and we wanted to try. Unfortunately the river was very cold and once julia fell in and was wet she could never get warm again. We were having fun but we honestly got worried julia was getting hypothermia so we abandoned the float and I hitch hiked back to get the car while James snuggled with julia to keep her warm.  Near our condo and right under the skittles is a small downhill dirt bike track.  The kids wanted to try it out.

At one point julia lost control and started straight down the hill out of control and eventually crashed in a face plant. We felt so helpless watching her. I feared the worst as we ran to get her but fortunately she just had some scrapes and bruises and nothing was broken. We've gone and watched a semi pro beach volleyball tournament, played at playgrounds and spent lots of time biking and swimming. There was a small fair one day where the kids got face paint, played instruments and went down a water slide.

Yesterday we did the biggest hike so far. The kids hiked from the bottom of the mountain to the top. With our zigzagging course I have no idea how many miles it was but it was an altitude gain of 3,200 feet. The kids walked each and every step of the way and wanted to be sure they made it without being carried.  

When we got part way up we stopped for lunch and the kids did the big climbing wall located at Elk Camp over and over again.

Then we made our summit push. It was fun because we didn't follow a trail but walked up the ski trails instead.

 The kids had fun collecting "artifacts", which was anything we found on the trails such as money, broken parts of ski poles, lip sticks, sun glasses, etc.  It was a beautiful day and and we were so proud of the kids for making it up.  

We took pictures, ate snacks, and compared our artifacts before heading down on the chair lift. Tonight is the local rodeo which we are all looking forward to.

Ouray on to Telluride

Monday morning we got up and dropped James at a trailhead because he wanted to do a high peak. The girls and I went to the Ouray hot springs. It is an outdoor pool complex fed from the hot springs. The girls had a ball. There was warm water, cool water, and hot hot water. In the cool water section there were water slides and a giant inflatable obstacle course that we raced on so many times.

The kids had to pass a swim test to be allowed to use the slides and obstacle course. Anyhow, we swam for over three hours then went to pick James up from his hike. He made it to the Twin Peaks summit.

We went back to our camp and packed it up. On our way out of town the kids begged us to go back to the hot springs so we did for another hour or so. After our second round of swimming we drove to Telluride. Our first order of business is always to find our campground. We've been doing "dispersed camping" lately, which is out in the wilderness and free. Not in a campground. We drove 8 miles out of town and climbed a dirt, rocky road for about 25 minutes to 10,700 feet. It was thundering and pouring rain. We found a great spot but waited out the rain in the car. Then it rained harder, then it started hailing. Finally the rain slowed and James and I hopped out and set up the tent as quickly as we could. We drove to the Telluride Mountain Village and ate at Crazy Elk Pizza. After dinner we rode the gondola down to town and back. You would have thought we won the lottery with how excited and jacked up the kids were on the gondola.  

They were bouncing off of the walls of the thing! After going down and back up we drove back to camp and crashed. 

Tuesday morning James woke up before all of us and went for a walk. When he came back we were all up and went exploring. He had seen a porcupine so we set out trying to find it again. We did! We watched him from so close for about 15 minutes.  

We walked back to camp and made oatmeal for breakfast. The "ghost" town of Alta is a few minutes from our campsite further up the mountain road. This is a former mining town that is now deserted. We parked and explored all around it for so long. We loved looking in all of the run down buildings and exploring the scrap metal.

We pushed on a few more minutes to look at Alta lakes which was a beautiful setting in the mountains. The only trouble was that we used all our water to cook the oatmeal and we were all dying of thirst. We drove back to the mountain village and explored. The kids went on the climbing rock but this was was very difficult compared to the ones we have done previously. We had to go up to help them down. After that we rode the gondola down into town. We got bananas and a baguette for lunch and then walked along the river. We found a park and the kids played on the playground. The championship game for the local women's softball league started so James and I sat in the stands with beers and watched while the kids played with some local kids in eye shot. It was a great summer moment.

After 5 innings we left for dinner at Brown Dog Pizza. This place must be owned by a Boston guy because there are signed Brady pictures and they were replaying the AFC championship game. Then we took the gondola back up to the car and drove to camp.

On to Ouray

Saturday morning we woke up and headed to a spot on the blue mesa reservoir to cliff jump. Everyone went, James went off of a really high one.

It was a really fun way to start the day. After the cliff jump we drove to Ridgway and took a quick peek at an old railroad museum and a real wagon from the movie true grit.

Twenty minutes further and we arrived in Ouray. Our first order of business was to find a campsite. The campground we checked was full.  There was an area nearby where you can camp for free but the road is a very steep, bumpy and rutted our road suggested for only 4x4. We gave it a go and after an exciting ride up we found an awesome, secluded spot with amazing views down the valley and overlooking the town.

By now it was almost 4pm and I still had a long run to do. I set out for a 22 miler and James took the girls exploring in a river canyon. They headed in to town and got pizza for dinner and I met up with them afterwards. We had a campfire and went to bed. 

Sunday we woke up late and drove to a mine tour. They cook breakfast for you there and we had a big breakfast of eggs and pancakes. Then we got our hard hats on and went into the mine about 300 yards.

Our guide explained all about the lives of miners and the working conditions. It was really fascinating. Casey volunteered to demonstrate a "double Jack".  When two men would work together to dig into the mine walls with a sledgehammer and post. After exiting the mine we got to try panning for gold. Casey was especially into it and very determined to stay and strike it rich.

After the mine tour we went on a short hike on the Ouray Perimeter trail. We climbed off the trail and went to explore an old mine on the cliff face. It was neat but a little hairy getting the kids up and down from there.

After hiking the kids rode with me on a 9 mile run. It was a fairly easy ride so despite the distance they managed it well. James drove to the end and parked and ran towards us then we all ran back to the car. We stopped a a scenic lookout and made some pasta on the camp stove for dinner and then headed back to camp. We had another campfire and turned in after a full day. 

On Thursday the kids were pretty wiped out from our climb the day before so we had a mellow day. We found a trail by a lake that seemed easy for the kids to bike on.

Unfortunately when we got there it was steep and then very narrow and bumpy. So we ditched the bikes and just sat by the lake. Some  took their clothes off like they were going to swim but they didn't.

We had a picnic and relaxed by the lake awhile before leaving.

Then we went to look around the ski area. We were too late to go up the chair lift so we planned it for tomorrow. There is a 3 mile bike path back to town that is mostly downhill. So the kids rode their bikes and I ran with them.

They had a ball because it was easy and paved.

We hung out at the playground for awhile and called it a day.  On our last day we went to the ski area and rode the silver queen chair up and then climbed to the summit.

It was a mile and a half climb up. We saw a bunch of mountain animals. One called a pika, and other we weren't sure of. Like marmots or something. The end of the hike is a big scrambleof rocks which the kids loved.

The peak was 12,200 feet. You sign your name in a book for making it to the summit.

We didn't linger on the mountain because the weather was threatening. It was raining everywhere else except on us and we could hear thunder so we skiddadeled off and back to base.

The kids loved riding the chair lift. We had lunch at the base watching mountain bikers come down and over jumps. Afterwards we packed up and headed out of town. We found a great camp site at Lake Fork off of route 50 west of Gunnison. 

Crested Butte

We are here in Crested Butte for a week, staying in the home of a friend. Here is how our week is going:

Friday: we arrived in the afternoon, loaded up on groceries and just relaxed at the house. And did about four loads of laundry.

Saturday: we had a slow start in the morning. We found an easy hike right in town called the Lower Loop trail. While James hiked with the kids (Molly decided to bike), I took the chance to do some running. I planned to do two loops but got lost and ran around and just enjoyed the scenery. The views were incredible, I ended up getting about 15 miles in. Near the end of our hike it started raining like crazy and even some hail.  I was running down the road and found James and the kids hiding out in a little shelter. I took the keys and ran to get the car.  The weather in the mountains moves in and out so quickly. Definitely something to consider for my race. The kids had an ok hike. We parked too far from the trailhead so they weren't on the trail too much. They found the slate River and played in it some. Molly did a good job biking on the trail.afterwards we all went into the cute old town to check it out a little.

We were all wet and chilly so we didn't explore too much.we went back home and played around and cooked dinner.

Sunday: we packed picnic lunches and got ready to go hiking. We did a scary drive out slate River road and up to "Paradise Divide". Our mini van made it over the steep, winding, Rocky, Mountain roads, through some small streams and up very steep climbs with huge drops offs. I was white knuckled the entire ride. Once we made it to the top we did a hike to Yule Pass. It was four miles round trip on an out and back route. It was all on scree and some parts were very dangerous with massive drop offs.

We took our time, held on tightly to the kids and after two and a half hours made it to the pass. The kids loved that they got to touch snow in summer. The views were amazing.

It was not steep, it was a very slight and gradual climb, not arduous at all besides from the footing. We made the hike back in an hour and a half.  We read up on engine braking before taking the way down the hill and it worked well. When we got back down the mountain James took the kids to a play ground in town and I ran back to the house, which was 10 miles. We showered, cooked dinner and went to bed. 

Monday: today we stayed in Crested Butte South, which is where the house we are staying in is located. Crested Butte south is about 8 miles from town. We went into the valley and found a few hikes. We saw a fox and walked through beautiful aspen groves.

One was up to an old mine shaft.

We had a picnic lunch then went into the mine. We went in about 50 yards. We were scared a bear would pop out. A bird flew out and scared us all to death! There was nothing really interesting in there but it was neat to think of the history. Then we hiked up to some caves. This was a harder but shorter hike as we gained more altitude more quickly. One cave was wide open and went all the way through to the opening in the top.  The second cave we explored was very fun. It had lots of off shoots and different rooms. We had to climb up a pole to get in.

We explored every nook and cranny.  Sometimes we were on our stomachs climbing thru tiny openings to other rooms.

Molly was totally fearless and went into little openings on her belly on her own. We were all filthy but had a very adventurous time. When we drove home we searched for a hot spring but didn't find it. We came home to shower all the mud off and are tired! We had a little fire put to roast marshmallows.

Tuesday: today everyone woke up a little tired and run down so we decided to have a more relaxed pace day. We hung around in the house, doing puzzles and the kids learned about setting up domino tricks so we did a few of those. James, casey and julia drove down the hill. Molly rode her bike while I ran.

We met them at a playground at the bottom of the hill. The kids played on the climbing wall, playground, and there was a tiny bike track with small berms and bumps.

The kids all rode on it a bunch but especially molly. She rode around and around for so long, getting faster and more confident.

Molly and I came back to the house and had a lunch date and she took a a well needed nap. James and the other two went into town and ran into a herd of cattle in the road.

Afterwards the girls and I ran into town for some groceries. 

Wednesday: today we tried a more difficult hike. We drove to the trailhead and hiked to the summit of Scarp Ridge West. We hiked two miles up and gained 1,500 feet of elevation to reach the top at 12,200 feet.

The girls were amazing and hiked every step of the way on their own. We took many breaks and it took about two and a half hours to get to the top.

Casey climbed down into a rocky pit and when she was scaling the wall she fell and scrapped her belly. It was very windy at the top but the views were great.

We could see so far. The bowls all had a lot of snow in them still. We had lunch up top in a little spot hidden from the wind.

The walk down was hard on the kids because they were cold and tired so we did some carrying on the way down.

We were very proud of the girls for making it so far. When we drove back to town we stopped at a restaurant for happy hour and had chips and salsa and a beer. And we loaded up on postcards. As I sit on the deck of this house it's hard to believe tomorrow is our last full day here. We've really enjoyed Crested Butte.