The perfect winter day near Denver: Sledding Meyers Ranch Park + Country Road Cafe

December 2, 2015 By

Have I mentioned how much I love winter and snow? Jamie summarized it best when he said I have a temperate zone of about two degrees and I’m either too hot or too cold…until it’s a chilly 20 degrees F and I’m just right.

On Saturday, we invited our neighbors the Morgans to come play with us in the foothills near Denver. We’ve adored this family since our neighborhood was built 12 years ago but they are always crazy busy–if they’re not working, they’re working harder on extraordinary renovations in their home (it’s Meredith who does the over-the-top outdoor movie nights in the summer).

So we decided it was high-time to relieve them of their overachieving ways and come play. One upon a time, we got into a battle about who had the best breakfast place. We raved about our beloved Country Road Cafe while they boasted McCoys had the best eats in Denver. Eight years ago, we visited McCoys with them (very, very good) and we finally did Country Road Cafe last weekend.

Since Colorado had a glorious dump of snow over Thanksgiving, we decided to hit the hills…the sledding hills to be exact. Meyer Ranch Park in Conifer (about 20 minutes from Denver) has an awesome sledding hill but when we stepped out of the car, we wondered “is it steep enough?” Believe me, when the powder has been compacted, careening down is plenty fast enough.

The kids all had a blast…well, with the exception of 5-year-old Evan who wiped out on the first run and never fully recovered. The rest of us more than made up for him.

Meredith warmed us up with the most delicious hot chocolate as we settled into our cozy outdoor seating.

Hadley soaking it all in. I have an identical picture of her sipping a pina colada poolside at The Broadmoor.

The girls adventured in the forest.

While my little (snow) angel beckoned me, “Mom, you’ve got to lay down beside me and see this.”

The dark green pine forest and pristine white snow field lured me in as I snuggled up to that boy, marveling at the huge frozen bulbs clinging to branches like wasps’ nests against a bluebird sky.

God is an amazing artist.

I somehow convinced Meredith it was a good ideas for us to sled together. With her in front, we barrelled down that hill, laughing ’til we cried as we soared over bumps, her leg got stuck under the sled and a spray of snow gave us a face-freeze near the bottom.

We were such ridiculous fools that we ordered The Husbands to do the same and I wish I’d video taped their run because it was about the funniest thing I’ve ever seen as Andy claimed they set a landspeed record. That wasn’t too far from the truth!

From there, it was onto Kittredge where we played near Bear Creek.

Meredith had an impressive run on the slide at Kittredge Park.

While Hadley was equally as impressive (getting stuck) on the tire swing.

Of course, the climax of the whole day was introducing Meredith and Andy to Country Road Cafe where we devoured fresh cinnamon rolls, fluffy oversized pancakes, breakfast burritos, pumpkin cheesecake-stuffed French toast and the Timber Ridge Tamale Benedict–Two pork filled tamales topped with two eggs, cheddar-jack cheese, green chili, avocado, salsa and sour cream drizzle.

Suffice it to say, our overworked friends are now converts to the playing way of life.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Family travel, Hadley, outdoors

Devil’s Head Tower Lookout’s Cut of Fall Heaven

October 27, 2015 By

I’ve wanted to do the 2.8-mile round-trip hike to Devil’s Head Tower Lookout for several years. As one of the last of the seven original Front Range Lookout towers still in service, this hike is a popular one but it’s a 1.5 hour drive from our house. Finding time and willing participants have been issues so 1) we raced over late afternoon after church and 2) I bribed my family to go.

I loved everything about this hike and one advantage of leaving later in the day was we almost had this hike to ourselves. This hike was a new favorite.

From the views of the Rampart Range along the way.

To the fall colors.

To the fascinating tornado takedown.

To the 143 steps to get to heaven.

To the 103-year-old lookout tower that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

If you’re in the Denver area, this hike is a must. And worth the bribes to get there.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, hiking, outdoors

September Adventuring

September 30, 2015 By

I know, I know. I still haven’t posted about summer in Canada and here I am sharing about our fall adventures? Getting caught up is still at the top of my to-do list but my laptop problems persist. After Jamie downloaded Windows 10 (DON’T DO IT), my computer starting having major problems. Then it caught a virus. And  now I can barely use it at all because I can’t upload photos and am having a myriad of other issues. So, I’m back to using my trusty OLD laptop I won from Microsoft Office when I went to the 2010 Vancouver Games.

I’ll be honest that September 2015 hasn’t been my favorite ever, mostly due to my relentless allergies and the persisting 90 degree temperatures. Last week it dropped down to the 80s but if I wanted this kind of climate in fall, I’d move to Arizona. One of Jamie’s top clients pressured him about moving our family down to the Phoenix area and I said “even if he offered you a half a million dollars, there’s no way in hell.”  I’m assuming he phrased it a bit nicer to the client. That said, I’m still obsessed with doing a home exchange abroad. Just  not in the devil’s summer home.

We haven’t been on as many fall adventures as I’d prefer but a couple of weeks ago, we drove to Kenosha Pass (about an hour from Denver) for some quality leaf-peeping. We’ve had the strangest weather in Denver. May was a deluge, which caused a lot of problems with the trees and now that we’re in a drought (September was one of the driest on record), the colors aren’t as brilliant.  Regardless, those shimmering golden aspen leaves still stun.





Now that school is back in session, I’ve also been trying to hike with friends on Thursdays if I’m a good girl and get my work done (at least that’s what I tell Jamie). Last week, we went to Golden Gate Canyon State Park and I regretted that it’s been years since I’ve taken my family because it really impressed.

In my defense, the only two times I’ve been to Golden Gate have been for not-so memorable camping trips so I have some pent-up angst.

Two weeks before that, we conquered Chief Mountain and it has become my favorite hike on the Front Range with gorgeous 360-degree views at the summit.

And took these newbies to Country Road Cafe.

A few other adventures included our annual hike to St. Mary’s Glacier. 

Jamie wasn’t feeling well so Bode hung out with Jamie at the base of the glacier while Hadley and I summited, no small feat. Next time, I’m playing sick.

October is my favorite month of the year with sweater weather (Denver, consider that a threat), cozy soups and pumpkin weigh-offs galore. This weekend, we’ll be juggling the Ringling Bros. Xtreme Circus, Elitch Garden’s Fright Fest, our school’s carnival fundraiser and General Conference.

October, we’re so ready for you.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel, hiking

The Colorado Bucket List

September 3, 2015 By

I complained to Jamie last year how we rarely get visitors. We live in Colorado, for heaven’s sake, not Kansas. People should be lining up to discover our state’s glory!

As it turns out, we’ve finally had a steady stream of friends and family staying with us and I couldn’t be more delighted. Our most recent were my brother Pat and his wife Jane, who have not been to Denver since my wedding 12 years ago. Jane surprised Pat with an item on his bucket list: to attend a Broncos game and spend a couple of days with us. Clarification: The Broncos game was the bucket list; hanging Chez Johnson was a huge bonus.

I was initially at a loss how to entertain them. Though they live near the Canadian Rockies, every spare moment is spent on the water but Jane soothed my concerns and told me they wanted to experience “My Colorado,” which is another way of saying they value near-death experiences.

Day 1

So, on Day 1, I took them to Chautauqua Park in Boulder. They’re not hikers so we did a moderate one-hour loop but when Pat smack-talked me “Is that all you’ve got?” it made me vow to kill them off next time around with a more strenuous trek. At least him; Jane is much more accommodating.


We spent the afternoon strolling and lunching along Pearl Street Mall.

The real highlight (for Jane at least) was to treat the whole family to Casa Bonita that evening! When she was doing her research on Colorado haunts, this Mexican restaurant was listed as one of the nation’s Top 10 Roadside Attractions, evidence that list had a very low standard. Don’t get me wrong. Casa Bonita’s pageantry–divers plunging into a pool below a 30-ft. waterfall,  fire jugglers, strolling mariachi bands, a pirate cave, magicians, puppet shows, skee-ball machine, puppet show and arcade games–are fun but the food is terrible, with the exception of their sopapillas.  But if you drown enough of them in honey, you start enjoying yourself in that cheesy Mexican funhouse!

This picture is blurry due to my sheer terror in Black Bart’s Cave.

Day 2

Boulder’s Flatirons are the foothills of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. For Pat and Jane’s second day in Colorado, I wanted to expose them to Colorado’s extremes.

We started at Red Rocks, which is known nationally for its famous music venue. For athletes, it is a haven for pushing the limits. From active.com: “Red Rocks is known nationally for its famous music venue. For athletes, it is a haven for pushing the limits in the altitude. Sitting at 6,000 feet high, Red Rocks has two staircases on either side of the amphitheater that rise from the lower parking lot to the upper concession level, each with about 380 steps. There are two interior stairways on either side of the bleachers each with 138 steps from the stage to the top. Red Rocks features 69 rows of seats in the venue, which equates to running approximately three miles on an ascent or descent of the bleachers. Add in 21 planter boxes for plyo jumps, side stairways that climb from the stage to the upper parking lot with 83 steps, which then connect by way of an ascending quarter-mile ramp to 62 steps straight up to the upper concession area; you have a challenging workout amidst some of the best scenery in the Rocky Mountains.”

Sounds fun, right? I didn’t want to kill us off so we hiked the amphitheater loop and then did a few rounds up Red Rocks’ stairs. Believe me, that was plenty!

We felt a bit less guilty about indulging at my beloved Country Road Cafe. Jamie always orders the Breakfast Burrito but I like to test out new menu items and fell in love with the Berry Bush, potato pancakes topped with cream cheese, sausage patties, two eggs, hollandaise and blackberry-sage drizzle. It was delicious but the real show-stopper was Jane’s “Holy Cow,” a heap of mashed potatoes topped with a scramble of eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, country fried steak, sausage gravy and crispy onions surrounded by french toast. 

Aptly-named “Holy Cow!”

I kid you not: her plate was triple the size of our already-huge portions and her leftovers fed my entire family for dinner. And a small nation.

From there, we were 14er-bound to drive to the top of Mount Evans, the highest paved road in North America. We popped some Tylenol to battle altitude-induced headaches during the circuitous drive but it wasn’t until we got out of the car to hike a few hundred feet to the summit that the elevation started to wreak havoc, particularly with Jane. 

Pat had another issue: he’s deathly afraid of heights and there was something about looming 14,000 feet above the valley floor that was unsettling for him. Go figure. Regardless, the views stunned but poor Jane passed out driving down and upon arriving home, this is how I found them.

If this isn’t a raving endorsement for “Come to Colorado and I’ll show you a good time,” I don’t know what is.

In my defense, this is what I look like after spending a day on the boat with them.

Filed Under: Colorado, Family, Family travel, hiking, Humor

Subaru-ing around Colorado!

September 2, 2015 By

I’ve always liked Subaru–in fact, before purchasing our Honda Pilot we test drove an Outback before we woke up and realized there was no way we’d be able to fit all of our family’s junk treasures into a crossover SUV. We needed a full-sized SUV so the dream was dead.

However, the dream has been reignited for when it comes time to replacing Jamie’s Camry. Last week, I test drove the 2015 Subaru Legacy for a few days and had a really grand time doing it. Not only was the sedan sleek and smooth, but it has boasts the largest passenger cabin in its category. This is a nice way of saying that kids in the back seat have plenty of legroom and won’t be kicking you the entire time.

It has some awesome bells and whistles like the Rear Vehicle Detection System, which includes Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, as well as Rear Cross Traffic Alert, which all helps you safely back-out of your driveway. Over at Mile High Mamas, I’ve detailed some of my favorite features. Here’s how we put our test drive to the, welp, test.

Lunching at Kneaders

To celebrate the kids (finally) back in school, I invited Jamie to lunch at Kneaders. The car had recently been dropped off at our house and I proudly took my smokin’ date for a drive in a drive in my hot car. All was going smoothly, except for the lane departure that kept broadcasting alerts.

“What is that?” I asked.

“Every time you swerve out of your lane, it alerts you.”

“Isn’t that annoying?”

“No, it’s safe. It’s gonna be like a video game alert going off every few seconds because you’re always weaving.”

Turns out, he was right. It was a tutorial of how much I swerve to the side of the road. The good news: when I put on my signal light, the notification didn’t go off. Me thinks this feature is a must for when my kids start driving.

Playing with Friends

On Day 2 of our test drive, my friends Eva and Lisa got together to celebrate my friend Jenn’s birthday. I drove my trusty Subaru to the Colorado Chautauqua National Historic Landmark in Boulder for an excellent morning of hiking, followed by lunch at Khow Thai Cafe (get the Masaman Curry with Coconut Milk, Potatoes, Onions and Peanuts), followed by Eva’s first visit to Trader Joe’s.

I felt like a kid again that night when I was discussing all the fun we’d had in the Subaru as the kids talked about school.

“I’m having more fun than you,” I boasted to my daughter.

She paused, thought about her day and shockingly said, “I think you’re right.”

There’s a first for everything.

The Road-trip

After completing our 3,000-mile road-trip to Canada this summer, the last thing I wanted to do was volunteer to drive to Aspen for Mudderella. Until I arranged my schedule to drive the Legacy and then I couldn’t wait!

There’s nothing quite like a new car on a long road-trip with no kids and girlfriends.The car was great on gas,  the new soft-touch materials and thicker cushioning on the armrests were uber comfortable and we loved the three-mode heated front seats and dual-mode heated rear seats on chilly mornings, followed by the rear seat air conditioning ducts in the afternoons for when the weather warmed up.

One of our funniest moments in the Legacy was shortly after we’d turned off I-70 onto Highway 82, the road to Aspen. We’d just passed through Glenwood Springs but were still about 45 minutes from our destination. Lunch. Could. Not. Wait. I looked for a nice place to stop by the Roaring Fork River but it didn’t happen. I finally turned off on a road teaming with grasshoppers and farmer’s fields. We ate our uninspired lunch in our Legacy.

We didn’t think anything of it until we got back on the highway and the very next exit was a gorgeous scenic picnic area and overlook of Mount Sopris, a twin-summit mountain in the northwestern Elk Mountains range.

At least our views within the Legacy weren’t half bad.

Filed Under: Colorado

Mudderella: The Ultimate Girl’s Weekend in Snowmass

August 26, 2015 By

When I was invited to compete at Mudderella in Snowmass with three friends, my first thought was GIRL’S WEEKEND. I’ve never done a girl’s-only getaway and it was the perfect motivation to stay in shape this summer while training for this 5-7-mile athletic event series that encourages being strong, having fun and enjoying the day with your gal pals. I asked my friends Lisa, Kendra and Tiffanie to join me and the hundreds of other women having the Ultimate Girl’s Weekend in Snowmass!

We dined slopeside on Venga Venga’s deck overlooking Snowmass Mountain and were thrilled to have a bird’s eye view of the Mudderella course. I surveyed an A-frame with ropes, small tunnels and mud pits. “That doesn’t look so bad,” I observed. My friend Kendra countered, “I think that is the [Fruit Shoot Mini Mudder] kid’s course.” Next time, I’m entering as a kid.

Mudderella

I haven’t spent much time in the mud beyond hosing off my children at the end of a summer’s day so I didn’t know what to expect. The night before, we received a text message from organizers boasting this was one of the toughest mountain courses they’d ever designed. I’m sure that might excite some people, but I shared my rules with my teammates to accommodate my irascible right knee: “I have no problem running on flats or on descents but I am not running uphill.” These were my final words as a sane person.

The next morning, we checked in to get our bibs, armed ourselves with STRONG tattoos (it helps when you take the plastic off before applying), drew purple war paint under our eyes and joined the tutu- and boa-clad women in our heat to stretch. Our Team “In Dirt ‘Til the End” (a play on “Endure ’til the End”) started in a slow jog until we realized the relentless course started uphill and, if you will recall, that was against my edict. We slowed our pace down to a brisk hike until we reached Upper Snowmass Village Mall where we jogged through a parking lot until we were greeted with a serpentine trail up the mountain.

I was miserable for the first 1.5 miles as I inwardly fumed “I am tired. Whose idea was this?! Oh wait, mine.”  I was apprehensive about keeping up with my younger and faster teammates who kindly kept pace with me. It wasn’t until after our first couple of muddy obstacles that I started to come out of my fog. “Yes, it’s steep but you love hiking. And you’re in the mountains with your friends. And it’s beautiful. No one is stressed but you so just have fun with it.”

mudderella1

And fun we had. The obstacles were my favorite part of the event. We climbed up Tough Tatas (wall climbing with ropes), did the Downward Dog across a trench of mud, had a Surprise Party like no other where we waded through waist-deep muddy waters, navigated Wheels in Motion and got Down to the Wire as we army crawled through mud. I felt much stronger and capable the longer we competed and was on a muddy high as we got down and dirty.

As we neared the end of the course, we encountered a structure that was like a miniature Haunted House of Bubbles. Excited to slip ‘n slide through it, I ignored the signs not to crawl and did just that, banging up my bad knee on a large rock hidden underneath. Tip: If you’re going to get hurt, make sure to do it on the body part that is already injured.

I half-limped/ran the rest of the course to the final obstacle, the Hat Trick. Spectators lined the bleachers as they cheered us up the daunting two-story cargo net wall and we then shot down a slippery, steep slide into a muddy pool. We raced to the finish line, soaking wet, exhausted and exuberant.

Would I do Mudderella again? Absolutely. Would I train more? Most definitely. But was it the best girl’s weekend ever? You’d better believe it.

maroonbells

Play

We dropped our kids at school on Friday and drove to Aspen. None of us had ever visited the iconic Maroon Bells in the Elk Mountains but from mid-June to October 4th, they can only be accessed by public bus ($6) between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. We parked at Aspen Highlands and were delighted when our quirky shuttle driver gave a fascinating history of this glacial valley surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks. We took a leisurely stroll along the Maroon Lake Scenic Trail past the creek through fields of wildflowers, vowing to return when we had more time.

Once back in Aspen we toured the downtown area, marveling at the fountains, eateries, galleries and high-end boutiques brimming with treasures we could never afford while having a blast pretending we could. We drove 20 minutes to Snowmass and checked into Timberline Condominiums, where our specious slopeside three-bedroom condo with a full kitchen had all the fixings and easy access to everything Snowmass had to offer.

Eat

Several of my friends recommended Richard Sandoval’s Venga Venga Cantina and Tequila Bar for dinner. Conveniently located in Snowmass Village, this affordable (by Aspen standards) Mexican restaurant was The Place for a hoppin’ night out as legions of Mudderellas gathered to eat, drink and be [exceedingly] merry (note: the restaurant’s 75 Tequilas and mezcals may have had something to do with that).venga

My non-drinking group was all about the food–from the guacamole prepared tableside to the Chicken Zarape (with bacon, panela, pico de gallo, cotija and chipotle sauce), to the Carne Asada (grilled Harris Ranch hanger steak, rajas, chimichurri, chile morita sauce and a sweet corn tamale). For dessert, we may have ordered one of everything–churros, flan, banana empanadas and coconut ice cream.

In our defense, we burned those calories (and more the next day).

Filed Under: Colorado

Kids Adventure Games in Vail, Colorado!

August 17, 2015 By

“Mom, stop being part of the paparazzi. You’re taking too many pictures!” My daughter Hadley joked as I snapped my camera yet again while she soared across Gore Creek on a zipline.

But I couldn’t stop because she kept right on going in the Kids Adventure Games where kids, ages 6 through 14, experience the thrill of adventure racing in Vail, Colo. And believe me, it was thrilling as you can see from our video:

My children have participated in a number of sporting events but never anything that pushed them to their limits while emphasizing the important of teamwork, problem solving and fun as teams of two tackled a variety of challenges.  From the get-go, this race was different. Prior to getting outfitted in their harnesses, a kids-only safety meeting was held as the racers were debriefed on the race course and equipped with a map. Race founder Bill Mattison later told parents  ”Your kids are capable of doing great things if you just let them go it alone.”

Tyrolean Traverse

Tyrolean Traverse

And great things they did.  My son Bode and his buddy Seamus were ”Team Awesome” while Hadley competed with his sister Maeve as “Adventure Girls.” Anticipation was palpable as they lined up with their bikes at the starting gate beside Vail Resort’s Gondola One. Racers of all ability levels were staggered a few minutes apart. Adventure Girls started 15 minutes before Team Awesome so the boy’s goal was to catch them while the girls vowed not to be caught.

Parents can observe as much of the race as they want but are discouraged from helping; there were race volunteers at literally every turn in the seamlessly organized race. My plan was to follow the girls while my husband Jamie stuck with the boys. At least that was the plan until Adventure Girls raced their bikes along the Gore Valley Trail leaving me in their dust. A fellow helicopter parent pointed up. “There’s no way to keep up with them on their bikes but you can meet them at Gopher Hill Lift.” I took off up the hill, remiss I wasn’t able to witness the first three checkpoints: Ride through Hay Tunnel, watch them navigate the Slick Wall and then carry their bikes through the Skier Tunnel Obstacles.

heavenWhen I saw Hadley and Maeve round the hill, they were covered in mud and delved into the Tyrolean Traverse where they clipped onto a fixed line and pulled themselves across a river. From there, it was onto the Underground River Hike, a Blow Dart Challenge, Jungle Walk and Balloon Launch. I was breathless trying to keep up as they ditched their bikes, grabbed a tube and PDFs as they wound through the village  to the Covered Bridge where they ziplined across Gore Creek before tubing down the icy water. From there, it was onto a climbing wall, mud pit, a cargo net, and they ended with a Slope-N-Slide where all their mud was washed away in their frothy landing (on behalf of mothers everywhere, thank you for that).

My kids had the time of their lives but was it all smooth-sailing? Absolutely not. Seamus crashed his bike as he attempted to descend the loose gravel trail. Maeve hated crawling through the mud. Hadley dismounted her bike to walk down steep sections of the trail while Bode struggled figuring out his technique on the Tyrolean Traverse. The fastest time from some “seasoned veterans” was 45 minutes. My kids posted times that were right in the mix: Adventure Girls finished in 1:16 while the boys were just one minute behind at 1:17.

As they rested and basked in the midday suns electrifying verdant Vail Mountain’, I asked Bode if he wanted to do it again in 2016.teams

“Yes, but next time we’re beating the girls.”

[Kids Adventure] Game On.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, outdoors

Camping, hiking and redemption at Brainard Lake

August 15, 2015 By

It seemed like a good idea at the time. Booking the camping trip early, that is. Brainard Lake Recreation Area is a popular outdoor Mecca for locals but you will rarely find any out-of-state license plate in the parking lot–tourists congregate at nearby Rocky Mountain National Park and I’d prefer to keep it that way.

We’ve long wanted to camp at Brainard Lake but the problem is the Pawnee Campground fills up several months in advance. There are a few first-come, first-served campsites but unless you can come mid-week (we never can), you’re out of luck. So, on Dec. 31, 2014, my good husband somehow finagled us a campsite before the reservations opened for 2015. Don’t ask me how he did it; he has his ways.

Set in a glacially-carved valley, the craggy peaks of the Continental Divide are the backdrop for this azure lake that boasts a variety of year-round recreation opportunities in the Boulder Ranger District. It is open year-round but Jamie had reserved the campground’s opening day. There was still quite a bit of snow on the ground and the early-season weather was iffy. Our last several camping trips have either been rained, hailed or pooped out so I braced myself for whatever catastrophe would come our way. Though the temperatures were cooler and the sky overcast when we arrived, the weather held out.

The problem with booking something for June 26 six months in advance is he had no idea that the kids and I would leave early for Canada that year, just one day after camping. It’s rare that I have a bad attitude about getting outdoors but I had one about this trip. I was busy prepping for our month away and to throw in camping on top of it? I got over it really, really quickly.

 

Moose in the trees

Following our hot dogs and s’mores dinner, Jamie and I ditched the kids and went for a romantic stroll through the subalpine forest set in a glacially-carved valley.

That’s my kind of date night.

Brainard Lake at dusk

There are two things I hate about tent camping and hundreds of things I love. Hate: Sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag and inclement weather. If we had a trailer/RV, crummy weather wouldn’t be such a big deal but I have never been able to sleep through the night in a sleeping bag. Stomach sleepers of the world can assuredly relate.

Despite a sleepless night, the next morning dawned bright, clear and beautiful as Brainard Lake looked like a completely different place.

We’ve had four attempts at hiking 6 miles round-trip to 11,355′ Blue Lake.

First Attempt

Jamie and I were newly married and we successfully hiked to this gorgeous area.

Second Attempt

Late-June 2014. There was still a fair amount of snow during our daytrip, which put a kibosh on our high-elevation hiking plans. Hadley used to throw tantrums when she wouldn’t get her way. Now, those fits are about our refusal to hike through muck and snow. We made it as far as the moderate 1-mile hike to Mitchell Lake, which occupies a broad, marshy flat at the base of Mount Audubon before we made her turn back. Cue: Bode’s relief.

Third Attempt

Our trip in June was officially Hadley’s second attempt and I prayed the trail would be more clear so as to avoid tween tantrums. It didn’t happen. Upon reaching Mitchell Lake again, snow was a concern but a ranger we met en route warned us of the dangerous, icy conditions ahead getting to Blue Lake. It was like an episode of Groundhog Day and we made her turn back.  I promised her we’d return late-July and even invited some of her friends to join us. Cue: Bode’s Relief Part II.

 

Mitchell Lake

 

Trail conditions

A girl in her element? No, a tween tantrum

Fourth Attempt

Upon returning from a road-trip to Canada, Bode stayed an extra week in Canada with Grandma. Despite the fact that Hadley bagged her first 14er on that Saturday, she practically begged me to make the 1.5 hour drive back to Brainard Lake to hike Blue a few days later. Our friends we’d originally invited just happened to be camping in the area at the same time but were non-committal about their plans so we decided to go it alone because it was too difficult to coordinate schedules.

The hike to Blue Lake is 6 miles round-trip but the problem is the Mitchell Lake Trailhead has either been closed or full every time we’ve attempt to hike it. So in keeping with our luck, the parking lot  was full so we had to park 1 mile down the mountain. Because why hike 6 miles when you can do 8?

I debated making a final outhouse stop in the parking lot but opted to wait until we reached the trailhead and wouldn’t you know it, my bladder was inspired. As I walked to the outhouse, I heard my friend Lisa call out to me–they were waiting in a wooded grove to hike Blue Lake! Finding the parking lot was full, their husbands had dropped the families off, driven back to the Brainard Lake parking lot and biked back up the road (stroke of genius).

We had such a great time hiking with friends! As soon as we passed Mitchell Lake, Hadley caught fire–we were finally going to summit! There was a profusions of wildflowers as we passed through patchy krummholz before catching our first few of Mount Toll’s conical summit.

After a series of switch backs, we cleared treeline and we were greeted with 11,355′ Blue Lake, which frames a large rocky cirque with Mount Toll, Mt Audubon and Paiute Peak standing sentry.

Hadley and I stayed for about an hour as we soaked our feet in the blue-green water while lunching and watching a lovely waterfall flowing down from the south-side cliffs.

As we hiked the four miles back to the car, I observed, “Aren’t you glad you have finally done Blue Lake?”

“Yes, but now we have to come back and do Upper Blue Lake,” she said, referring to the 0.6-mile scramble up a steep traverse through thick willows, across the snow field, and up the rocky mountainside to see the smaller hidden lake.

I started to protest that she isn’t ever satisfied until I realized she finally *gets* what mountaineering is all about: you’re never really done as there are always mountains to climb.

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, hiking, outdoors

Hadley’s first 14er!

August 3, 2015 By

My 11-year-old daughter Hadley has always been a strong hiker but I was surprised when she announced she wanted a climb a 14er this summer.

I was a bit worried about her readiness but mostly about my own. I’ve “bagged” a dozen of Colorado’s  54 peaks that rise 14,000+ feet above sea level but it has been several years since my last climb.  In the interim, I’ve grown dazzlingly wiser, impressively slower and more cognizant of my own mortality because, if you’ve ever climbed a 14er, you know there are moments when you feel like you’re going to die (or that death might be more enjoyable than this).

Most mountaineering enthusiasts recommend starting with Mt. Bierstadt or Grays Peak but we opted to hike 14,036 Mount Sherman, a rounded peak that looms above the western edge of South Park. There are no easy 14ers (with the exception of driving to the top of Mount Evans and Pikes Peak in your air-conditioned car). The pitch isn’t the only factor that makes them tough, it’s the altitude. The barometric pressure decreases when you climb, causing air to expand in volume and decrease the amount of air you take in on each breath.

Case in point: We climbed famed Ha Ling Peak outside of Banff National Park in July and the trail was much more challenging, but Mount Sherman’s elevation made us feel like we were summiting Everest without oxygen. Or a sherpa. And with a 50-pound bag of rocks on our backs.

There are two standard routes up Mount Sherman and we chose the route accessed via the Southwest Ridge from Fourmile Creek outside of Fairplay, Colo. The hike is 5.25 miles round-trip from the gate but parking along the road is minimal and our 9 a.m. (relatively late) arrival forced us to park a mile away.  5.25 miles + 1 mile just to the trailhead + that same mile back to your car = seriously considering the virtues of hitchhiking.

My husband Jamie, Hadley and I have very different hiking styles. He is more of a sprint-and-stop kind of guy while I am slow and steady with minimal breaks and Hadley is somewhere in between. We started at about 11,500 feet so there was no time to acclimate to the altitude. Hadley and I slugged along the windy rock-strewn road past Dauntless and Hilltop mines,  gasping for air but after 20 minutes we were breathing more regularly as the trail narrowed. Despite the commanding views at the top, I am not partial to 14ers for their beauty. Part of the reason is you are doing the brunt of the climb above treeline and, call me crazy, but there is little innate beauty about rocks, particularly when that is all you see for hours on end.pond

First glimpse of the summit

First glimpse of the summit

snowfield

However, when we arrived at the snowfields, I was missing those rocks.

We generally carry an altimeter but it wasn’t needed on Mount Sherman–the summit is in view for most of the hike. If you’re not familiar with altimeters, they help you ascertain your elevation and avoid something agonizing called false summits: thinking you reached the top, only to find the real summit taunting you in the distance. For further clarification: Baby keeps you up for first six months of her life. Finally sleeps through the night. Parent thinks HOLY CRAP, BABY SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. I HAVE ARRIVED! Next night: Baby wakes up every hour. False summit.

There were a number of families hiking with elementary-school-aged children but very few made it past 12,500 feet and many looked downright miserable. Soapbox: Do not EVER climb 14ers with a baby in a backpack. We always take an ibuprofen preventatively when we begin hiking and again at the first sign of an altitude-induced headache. Just imagine how much worse it is for a little one who can’t voice how the altitude is impacting them.

As we hiked to the saddle between 13,748-foot Mount Sheridan and Mount Sherman, Leadville and Turquoise Lake gleamed in the background ensconced by an army of 13,000 and 14,000-foot giants.

view

At that point, Hadley got summer fever and boldly forged forward up the most difficult part of the climb: a narrow ledge of scree. I got an illness of a different kind: altitude sickness. Jamie–knowing he will be stuck with me long after his daughter flies the coop–wisely stayed back with me  to ensure I didn’t become one with the glacier-scoured valley below.  summitpush

When we reached the summit, we joined an elite club of folks whose altitude sickness made them forget the misery of the climb as we marveled at the 360-degree views of the Mosquito Range’s craggy peaks, aspen groves, boreal forests and profusions of wildflowers as chirping pikas played peek-a-boo in the rocks.

summitgirl

summitpano

shermancouple

 

Hadley’s biggest advice for climbing your first 14er? “Don’t die.”

Though those views really are to-die-for and I can’t wait to do Mount Bierstadt with her next year.

Filed Under: Colorado, Hadley, hiking

Colorado’s best and most affordable family vacation: YMCA of the Rockies

July 6, 2015 By

Are you looking for an affordable and fun family vacation in Colorado? Look no further than our adventures at YMCA of the Rockies’ two gorgeous locations in Granby and Estes Park, and the iconic National Park that connects them.

Camp Chief Ouray

Last week, my daughter Hadley attended her third year at Camp Chief Ouray (CCO) for kids ages  7-17 outside of Granby, Colo. To say she looks forward to spending the week making new friends, horseback riding, hiking, crafting and canoeing in one of Colorado’s most gorgeous locations is an understatement. Her week at CCO is the highlight of her entire year. It’s not just the fun activities she enjoys but as Colorado’s longest-running overnight camp in Colorado, CCO is heaped in traditions–from all-camp games to Vespers to camp cheers to racing into the field during the final night’s dance and rocking out to Rusted Root’s “Send Me On My Way.”

Oh, and sunsets like this don’t hurt, either. ouraysunset

As the Crow (Cabin) Flies

Friendship Circle at closing ceremonies

Prior to their final sendoff, families gathered around the campfire and each cabin shares their “Camp Magic” for the week. Responses ranged from touching to hilarious. “Human Pac-Man and Apache Boot Camp.” “Friendship and stomping ants.” Mysterious mouse attacks and winning the Golden Plunger.” “Playing in Pole Creek.” “Sleeping with the squirrels.” My daughter’s cabin’s contribution was “Tooting during Devos [nightly cabin devotionals] and squishy cats,” which is particularly impressive because our cat, Fat Kitty, wasn’t even there and he somehow he still made camp memorable for the girls. My all-time favorite Camp Magic was from a group of 10-year-old boys: “Raiding cabins and being rejected by girls at the dance.”

Hadley’s favorite moment was late one night when she swears the heavens were opened to reveal the Milky Way’s glorious Big and Little Dippers, the Gemini twins, and the seven sisters of the Pleiades. Now, that’s some true camp magic.

YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch

I’ve been to both of YMCA of the Rockies’ two locations in Granby and Estes Park but never back-to-back. On the final day of camp, my son Bode and I drove to Snow Mountain Ranch and checked into Indian Peaks Lodge, with a bird’s eye view of Camp Chief Ouray. Rest assured, we did not stalk Hadley;  we had a few hours before picking her up and we played hard. We started with the zipline and I informed Bode he had to climb a 30-foot pole or ladder to ride the 600-foot zip line!  ($10; must be 8 or older). He nervously asked, “We’re attached climbing up, right?” “Bode, have I ever made you do anything unsafe?” His response summed up our entire mother-son dynamic: “That’s debatable.”

zipline

From there, we canoed Gaylord Reservoir ($5) located on-property. We followed a mother duck and her ducklings, spied on a beaver dam and did not capsize. Guess which one I enjoyed (not doing) the most?gaylordreservoir

 

After retrieving Hadley, we tie-dyed shirts at the craft center, did archery, mourned we weren’t staying longer to delve into the expansive summer programming schedule and ended our adventures with their infamous Summer Tubing Hill that opened last summer. Free for YMCA of the Rockies guests, we relished barreling down the Snowflex® tubing slope with a cool spray mist, followed by the magic carpet whisking us to the top again.tubing

YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park

Snow Mountain Ranch and Estes Park share an iconic neighbor: Rocky Mountain National Park.  Trail Ridge Road (the highest continuous paved road in the U.S.) connects the two and is only open during the summer months. We followed the itinerary How to do Rocky Mountain National Park in One Day and had a fabulous day at play before arriving in Estes Park.

trailridgesm

The 860-acre Estes Park Center borders Rocky Mountain National Park on three sides and was like entering another world. Juxtaposed against Snow Mountain Ranch’s 5,100-acre spread with sweeping views of the Continental Divide, Estes Park Center seems like a small, intimate non-stop party.  When I asked Hadley which she preferred, it was a draw. “I think Snow Mountain Ranch is  more about outdoorsy stuff and everything is much more spread out because it’s bigger. At Estes Park, it’s nice you can walk to all the buildings and more people seem to be doing regular sports.”

Both locations have epic hiking, mountain biking, day camp, pools, activities (archery, zip lines, craft centers, volleyball, mini golf) and horseback riding. But Hadley was correct–everywhere we looked, families were playing sports. And, apparently, nose picking.

nosepicker

After 27-hole miniature golf, we were cutting across the field when three fun staffers stopped us with an invitation to play football. Hadley balked. If she had a bucket list, learning to play football was at the bottom of it. Bode and I consented and my reluctant daughter was soon embroiled in a heated 3-on-3 game (it helped that two of the counselors were cute college-aged guys). By the end, she was not only receiving like a champ but had taken over as quarterback.

While Hadley delved into the Mootz Family Craft and Design Center (arguably one of the best craft centers we’ve ever seen), Bode fell in love with Gaga Ball.gagaball

Unfamiliar? It’s like murder ball but with more carnage.

That night after our all-you-can-eat buffet-style dining at the Aspen Dining Room cafeteria, we’d planned to do the Astronomy Walk but I was recovering from a cold and I. Was. Done.  Disappointed at the prospect of spending the rest of our evening in our room, I suggested the kids play across the street at the playground as I kicked my feet up on the balcony and read a book.playground1

It was, just like the entire weekend, the best of both worlds.

 

Filed Under: Colorado, Family travel
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