Eleven Mile Canyon

Yukon and I explored a part of the mountains we hadn't been to yet, a neat stretch of the South Platte River that cuts through the terrain called Eleven Mile Canyon.

Rain falling on Pike's Peak to the east.

Dog on the Mount. Dog is my copilot.

Great view of a distant range. There are so many individual ranges within the Rockies I have a hard time keeping track.

Deer at a bend in the river.

Platte River Trail

Yukon and I enjoyed a glorious fall hike together on Thursday, this time venturing to the Platte River Trail a little over an hour from home. The colors are starting to become a little more muted as temps dip to freezing in the mountains at night but there were just enough golden remnants to still get some nice contrasts out there. It was one of those warm fall days that make the season special.

We got to a point on the trail where the river started tumbling through a steeper section called Wildcat Canyon. I had my air horn in hand and my guard dog off the leash but thankfully did not encounter any mountain lions.

We paused on the way home to get a photo of Tarryall Valley, an old ranching spot that still hosts cattle. Love that big sky with the dispersed clouds.

Fall Colors

Yesterday Yukon and I went for a hike up in the area of Mueller State Park hoping to see some fall foliage and found ourselves lucky to catch some of the remaining golden aspens with leaves still intact. The first photo is a view of Pike's Peak from Highway 24 after climbing up to about 8500 feet.

The golden hues of the aspens were just brilliant, especially as they were set against the clear blue sky.

This dog was made to be an excellent hiking companion.

Dog on top of the world.

This little guy must have gotten caught between the dryness of the landscape and the increasingly cold nights and shriveled up right in the middle of the trail.

First Backpacking Trip - Lost Creek Wilderness

The big kids and I had a chance to go on their first true backpacking trip last weekend. They both did really well! We went to this great wilderness area called Lost Creek, which is a convenient two hours from both Colorado Springs and Denver.

There was a massive fire that burned through here back in 2002. Miraculously, it spared the vast majority of this wilderness, running right up to its eastern border.

It's tough to hike five miles in a day when you're only four feet tall!

Dinner couldn't come soon enough. I think the kids enjoyed the novelty of these pre-made camp meals.

The structures in the background were part of an old mining camp. Luckily they had no success damming Lost Creek and abandoned the effort.

This dog was in absolute heaven. So many boulders and creeks to explore.