The Great Outdoors

Welcome to my outdoor page!

As you may already know I love the outdoors. I love hiking, skiing, backpacking, birding and many other outdoor activities. On this site I will have pictures of trips I take Outdoors.

Mt. Bierstadt July 4th

Steve and I headed to the Mt. Evans wilderness area to camp at the base of Mt. Bierstadt on July 3rd. We set up camp at the pass, nestling our tent in some bushes for fear of a windy night. The night was cool but never cold or windy. The next day we started hiking at 6:30am and reached the peak by 9:30am. It was a pleasant hike with some difficult areas but the view was nice as we rested during our ascent. At the top there were a few people and shortly following us were tons more. I haven't seen that many people on top a peak since Pikes Peak, that mountain has a road so you can see why. The day was perfect. We decided not to conquer the "Sawtooth" over to Mt. Evans. My fear of heights would have won since the Sawtooth is a traverse over a jagged edge with nearly vertical drops on either side. NO WAY! We'll do another route to Mt. Evans some other time. Spencer fussed on the way down over the big rocks, a big ordeal for a small dog, he just stopped moving and ended up falling a few times. Steve carried him down to where the rocks got smaller and there was actually a trail. Then later he was limping so I took pitty and gave Steve my backpack contents leaving room to stuff the little dog into the pack. He was at his most pathetic but honestly I think it was just two 14ers so close together that did it, usually he's such a great little hiker and only fusses a bit about going downhill, it's harder for him with his little legs.

Mt. Bierstadt Chicken Enchilada Stew

3 Corn Tortillas (torn to bite size pieces)

Half packet of enchilada spice

2/3 cup powdered milk

Dehydrated chopped tomatoes (full can)

Dehydrated chicken (full can)

6 oz dehydrated cheddar cheese, sliced thin for better melting

1 TB corn starch

Indrections:

Put all ingredients into one quart sized ziplock bag to pack in your backpack. At camp pour 3 cups of water into pot and mix ziplock bag contents into the water. Set up camp, pee, take pictures, etc. Come back to pot and light camp stove. Bring stew to a boil, and then simmer until the chicken and tomatoes are rehydrated. Enjoy!

Mt. Shavano, 2nd Attempt

Steve and I took off on a Friday evening to camp at the base of Mt. Shavano. This was Steve and Spencer's first time hiking the peak and my 2nd. Last time I tried to climb it lightening and thunder chased John and I down in 2003. This year it was no different. Steve and I left for the peak earlier than John and I had and I know that I hiked the peak much better this time around. The clouds came in way to fast and apparently have stayed since then. We've been getting a lot of rain in Colorado! Well Shavano will be climbed by me this year. Steve and I plan on hiking in on a Saturday to a high camp in the trees, 3 miles in. The remaining 3 miles will be hiked starting at 5am, which means we should be able to climb the neighbor Tabeguache as well. When that day comes we will have three Shavano 14er pins and make a ceremony out of the thing. Third time will be the charm!

Pikes Peak

We both have climbed the peak before, me once with John in 2003 and Steve about 6 times via the Barr trail. We figured we'd do it again in preparation for 14er season and July 4th when we'll hike Shavano, Tabeguche and Uncompagre. It took us a while to hike it and we realized we need to get into hiking shape, swimming laps does not translate well into endurance over a 11.2 mile hike. But it was fun, and since most 14ers don't have donuts at the top I embraced the urban mountain and ate a donut. Spencer has been up there with Marie and I when we drove it last summer but this was his first time hiking Pikes Peak. Spencer has hiked 5 peaks now, I'm 2 up on him...hehehehehe! He did well accept some rocks were way too big and he needed a lift.

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