Boom Days: Leadville, CO

August 5-7, 2011

First of all, camping in Leadville in August is still COLD!  The entire small town of Leadville sits at 10,200 feet above sea level, and nights while we were camping got down to 30 degrees.  We froze!  But, Boom Days in Leadville is a celebration not to be missed!

Boom Days is a festival to celebrate the old west.  There are gun fights in the street, burro races, mining competitions, and a parade.  It's not like any other festival I've ever been to.  For modern tourist types there are also a lot of local craft booths, excellent odd foods, and entertainment for the whole family!

Boom Days Gun Fighters

The weekend festivities kick off with the transporting of the beer tent (very important!).  Volunteers (my dad and step mom included) carry the tent down the parade route to its place in the center of the action, where later beer is served!

The Climax Mine Parade Float

Leadville got its name from the deposits of lead that carried high concentrates of silver.  By 1880 Leadville became one of the largest silver camps.  Even Doc Holiday visited Leadville during the silver boom.


After the lead and silver were gone the Climax mine began mining for molybdenum, used in fertilizer.  The town really stands behind their mining roots!

Parade Costumes

Random Parade Guy

My Brother, Anders, Racing his Stubborn Burro

This is what happens when we hit the beer tent after the parade...  Rich decides to wear his fish hat all afternoon.  He's so strange... :)

While in Leadville we drove Independence Pass.  This is a beautiful drive, but only open during summer months.

While driving Independence Pass you come to the old town of Independence, an old mining town discovered in 1879 and abandoned by 1890.  Now the only remains are old log cabins nestled in the foothills of beautiful mountains.  You can walk through the old cabins and stores and there's even a small souvenir shop in one of the old cabins.  It's a neat place!

Leadville, although a little quirky, remains one of my favorite mountain towns.  Boom Days is definitely a celebration like no other, but even visiting Leadville at any other time there is plenty to do.  I also suggest the self guided walking tour that can be printed online.  It gives you some history behind the buildings, and you'd be surprised how many infamous people called Leadville home, if only for a short time.  It's a small town packed with big dreams of striking it rich, and that feeling is still there!

Sunset Over the Mosquito Mountain Range

Onahu Creek Trail

August 3, 2011

I had been wanting to hike this trail for so long, so when my dad, step mom, and brother came to visit I was thrilled when they wanted to hike the Onahu Creek Trail.

This trail is on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park and starts at either the Onahu Creek Trailhead or the Green Mountain Trailhead.  It's a loop trail, so either starting point is fine, but we chose to start at the Onahu Creek Trailhead.  

The loop is a total of 7.6 miles, and relatively easy, elevation gain of only 1,130 feet.  There were some short steep sections, but nothing too difficult.  

What I liked most about this trail is that it takes you through aspen groves, a beautiful meadow, and several wooden bridges over peaceful streams.  I was told this was a great trail to see moose since they are typically around the meadow, but unfortunately on this trail we didn't see any wildlife.  We were concerned that we saw a bear print in the mud though, so that had us a little on edge!

Aspen Grove

The first part of the trail winds through aspen groves and pine forests.  It's such a peaceful hike and the smell of hiking through the pine trees is the best smell in the world!  

Onahu Creek

All along the way you can hear water rushing.  It adds to the peacefulness of this hike.

Also along the hike you will stumble on the remains of a couple old log cabins.  I wasn't able to get pictures since it started raining pretty hard and I didn't want to get the camera wet.  But, these cabins were built around 1900 by Sam Stone who earned his livelihood by selling hay from the Big Meadow, also found along the trail.

My Dad and Hiking Partner

Big Meadow

Past Big Meadow, as the trail comes to an end, the last .6 miles are along Trail Ridge Road taking you back to the Onahu Creek Trailhead.  It's a little noisy as you can hear and see the cars driving by, but it's a short walk.  I was excited to do this hike and I am so glad that we did.  Loop trails are my favorite anyway, since you don't see the same setting twice, but add to that the smell of the pine trees, the sound of the rushing water, and the beautiful meadow view and you have yourself a wonderful day of hiking!

Estes Cone

July 31, 2011

Estes Cone is the hardest hike I have done to date.  The hike is 6.4 miles round trip and I would rate it moderate to strenuous.  It was definitely strenuous for me anyway!  The elevation gain is just over 2,000 feet so it's a pretty steep hike.

The trail starts at The Longs Peak Trailhead/Ranger Station.  This parking lot fills up fast so get there early!  I got there around 7am and I had to park along the overflow area.  The Longs Peak hike handles a lot of overnight backpackers, so it can be crowded.



Estes Cone is a very popular hike in Rocky Mountain National Park and is ranked as one of toughest hikes in the park.  Luckily, this wasn't brought to my attention until we were already well on our way to the summit!

The first point of interest along the hike is the old site of the Eugenia Mine.  There are still the old remains of a log cabin but from what I've read no one left the site any richer and it was abandoned around the turn of the century.  It's still neat to wonder what kind of people once camped where you're standing.

Estes Cone

Just past the Eugenia Mine you come to a clearing filled with beautiful wildflowers and your first alarming view of your destination; the summit of Estes Cone.  Looks pretty intimidating doesn't it?  Well, for a beginner hiker it was intimidating anyway.  But, staring at it I felt it was challenging me, so we kept going.

Beyond the clearing the trail begins to get much steeper!  The switchbacks start and they are followed by giant steps of rocks leading straight up to the summit.  At parts it was hard to find the trail, but Rocky Mountain National Park marks their trails very well with colored tabs on the trees or piles of rocks (called cairns).  Then, when I thought I wasn't going to make it up anymore, we reached the summit.

Summit View from Estes Cone

Summit View of Estes Park from Estes Cone

I had done it!  I was very proud of myself.  Heck, being a girl from St. Louis with asthma I never thought I'd be standing on the summit of an 11,006 foot mountain that I just climbed.  It was a very inspiring moment for me.

I Conquered Estes Cone!!!

Mount Evans: Narrow Drive!

July 24, 2011

The drive to the summit of Mount Evans is a must do!  It's a pretty scary drive though.  The road is steep, crowded, and in some parts very narrow.  When you get to the higher elevation the steep cliffs and lack of guard rails can really make you feel uncomfortable, but the view from the top is one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen!

Fishing at Echo Lake

The first stop on the drive up is Echo Lake Lodge.  This was a good bathroom break, but we also tried our luck at fishing.  I found myself a comfy rock, but had no luck with the fish.  Still, a bad day fishing with beautiful mountain views pretty much beats any other day anywhere!





The next stop was a view of the Bristlecone Pine Trees.  These trees are the oldest living thing on Earth!  The Bristlecones on Mt. Evans are believed to be at least 1,700 years old, while the ones in California are even older!  I know, trees aren't really that exciting, but these trees were just so neat to look at!

Bristlecone Pine Trees

All along the drive to the summit of Mount Evans there is wildlife.

This is a deer we saw when we stopped to view the Bristlecone Pine trees.  He didn't seem skittish around people at all.  We were able to get close enough to snap a really nice photo of him.

This is one of the many marmots we saw along the drive.  They seemed to be everywhere sunning themselves on the warm rocks.  These animals are large rodents and members of the squirrel family actually.  I always thought they looked more like a beaver.  They only live on plains or in mountain regions so they can be hard to spot.  I think they are so cute!

We saw lots of these guys too, mountain goats.  When reading about these goats I discovered that they are actually not native to Mount Evans, or Colorado for that matter.  The first goats were brought to Mount Evans in the 1950's and now there are an estimated 90-100 mountain goats roaming the mountain.  They don't scare easy and we were able to get close enough for a few pictures.

Another lake you pass a long the way it Summit Lake.  There is also a rest area here for a nice, but chilly, picnic lunch and a restroom break.  If there was a mild winter there can be trout found in this lake in the summer months, but unfortunately we had a pretty cold winter so there were no reports of trout in Summit Lake when we were there.  We didn't try out luck, but there were several fisherman trying it out.

Summit Lake

Finally, after 15 miles of winding switchbacks, narrow roads, and a lot of stopping for pictures you reach the summit.  Well, as far as you can drive anyway.  Once at the top you can hike the short 130 feet to the true summit, which of course I had to do!

 The views from the top are magnificent!  It feels like you can reach out and touch the clouds.  I was at a loss for words, but it was peaceful.

A few tips:

1. Very limited parking at the top.  Either go on a weekday if you can, or go early!  
2. Plan to go straight to the top, stopping for pictures on the way down.  This way you will get parking easily and give your brakes a few rest stops on the way down.
3. Bring your own picnic.  Past Echo Lake Lodge there are no food vendors, and odds are you will under estimate how long you spend on the drive
4. Drive down in low gears, mostly 1st or 2nd.  Give your brakes a brake!
5. Finally, DON'T FORGET THE CAMERA!!!  This tip holds true for anywhere in Colorado.  

Enjoy!!!