Megan, Astro, and I decided to go hiking in Divide this weekend to see the Aspen trees that are bursting with various colors right now. Our original destination, The Crags, was never reached because we got sidetracked by the Raspberry Mountain trailhead.
We set out across the creek on the trail leading up a moderate elevation gain for a quarter mile or so. We reached the top of a rock formation and met a family who was searching for the trail. I asked the mother of the group if she knew where the trail was and she sharply replied “no’. (Must have been my backwards hat and Dickies shorts that was rubbing her the wrong way). I decided to search for the trail but bushwhacking was the inevitable route.
Hiking along the hilltop I came across a game trail that meandered to the top of the peak. The trail was almost like a highway, compacted and cleared of branches like something rather large paved the way. Hiking in the Colorado Rocky Mountains I often find myself daydreaming about what animals are doing when we aren’t invading their space in the weekends. What stories could the rocks and trees tell us? Were there Indians here? Who cut all these trees with a chainsaw? How long was it since the last person was here? I’m always searching and wondering with my mind in the wilderness. I feel so much more comfortable on a mountain than in a city.
We were now far enough away from the family that I couldn’t hear the kids screaming and the dad yelling for the dog. The silence of the forest was all around us. Megan and I decided to have a break to enjoy the surroundings and do some yoga.
After enjoying our break we headed back down the mountain following a drainage that lead us to a semi clearing that looked like it used to be a meadow. We walked up the eastern face of another hillside and came across a huge Piñon Pine!
We made it back to the car much quicker and easier than I had anticipated but enjoyed being out in the fresh air nevertheless. Can’t complain about that Rocky Mountain High!
Get Out And GazE 