It’s going to be a hot one in Denver this weekend making it the perfect time to escape to the mountains. I wasn’t able to hike Mount Sniktau Trail (3.6 miles, 1,584 ft. gain) for sunrise this past weekend as Loveland Pass closed due to a landslide and is still closed. I hiked Ptarmigan Trail instead accessing it through Angler Mountain Trail #29. The wildflowers lined the trail in full bloom and it was beautiful!
I am not around Colorado this weekend but if I was I’d head back to the Silverthorne/Frisco/Breck area and check out more trails on last week’s Hiking Report to continue to enjoy the wildflowers. Trails in and around Rocky Mountain National park are melting including one of my favorites Chasm Lake (8 miles, 2,552 ft. gain). Trails near Nederland still seem to be snowy and slushy while trails in Boulder, Golden and Evergreen are in good shape! The trails off US Hwy 40 heading from Idaho Springs to Winter Park are still snowy. After this weekend’s heat wave, I imagine trails will melt a good bit opening up a lot of snowless hiking options for next week. Yay!
A note on new experiences + happy summer solstice!
My uncle and I are embarking on a multi-day canoe trip down a remote river in Alaska this weekend through part of next week. We planned this trip last summer while I was in Alaska and it felt so far away at the time. With a year to prepare, I thought I would gain some canoeing experience but, alas, I have not.
This river trip has some added factors including a half mile portage around falls leading me to Google how to carry a canoe on my head along with our gear. There are miles of Class III rapids to navigate making this my first experience on white water. At some point the river merges with a glacial river increasing the water volume and flow rate significantly and just as significantly decreasing the water temperature. Plus add in camping, in the wilderness, with bears.
My wandering mind has taken me through many worst case scenarios which I won’t list here but it’s a reminder that the unknown new experiences bring will always be a bit scary. As my minds been filling the unknown with what could go wrong I realize I haven’t given enough thought to the best outcomes. I imagine this canoe trip may just be my most beautiful and wild wilderness experience yet. I’m looking forward to fishing for grayling, paddling through beautiful canyons and through untouched remote Alaskan wilderness, camping during summer solstice, soaking up the 24 hours of daylight, seeing wildlife and, overall, experiencing more wild in my life. It’s exciting to know there will always be more to explore and experience in life. I am welcoming it all while preparing as much as I can.
Trail snack of the week
I love making and packing overnight oats for early morning hikes. Combine in a mason jar: 1/4 cup oats, 1 tbsp chia seeds, a dash of cinnamon, a scoop of protein powder (my favorite is Be Well), 1/2 cup water, mix and put in the fridge overnight. Top with plain yogurt, nut butter, bananas, blueberries, dried cherries- whatever your heart desires- and enjoy from a mountain top.
See you in two weeks… Happy trails!
-Hannah
Tales of My Trails 