Pikes Peak

June 8, 2012


I know I have already blogged about Pike's Peak but this time we drove to the summit, rather than take the train, and it definitely deserves another blog post!


There a few pros and cons to driving vs. taking the cog train.  Pros - it's a beautiful drive, you can spend all the time at the top that you want, it's slighting cheaper, and there is a lot to see along the drive.  Cons - It's a scary drive!!!  Also, it's crowded, and of course wear on the brakes.  Having done both, I preferred the drive to the top.  My V8 truck handled it very well and I read and followed all the recommended driving instructions (see below).

Crystal Creek Resevoir

Take Your Time ... at least two hours

• The 39-mile round trip to the summit takes about two hours, not including time you spend at the stops along the way.
• The speed limit on the highway is 25 mph.
• All vehicles should have at least a half tank of gas.
• Uphill traffic has the right-of-way at all times.
• Do not pass on corners.
• Watch for maintenance equipment on the road, and do not straddle rocks or grader ridges.
• When stopping, use the turnouts provided. If you must stop on the roadway, choose a straight section so your vehicle is visible to the other motorists.
• If your engine begins to labor on steeper grades, shift to a lower gear to maintain speed and engine cooling. Shift an automatic transmission manually to stay in a lower gear.
• When you reach the summit, run your engine at fast idle for a few minutes to dissipate engine heat.
• On the way down, use your vehicle’s lowest gear to allow the engine to brake your vehicle. Above all, don't ride your brakes as this will cause them to overheat and possibly fail.
• If you plan to be away from your vehicle for an extended period, leave a plainly visible note on the windshield saying where you are going and when you will return.
• Information obtained from  http://pikespeak.us.com/Essentials/driving-tips.html

The most important tip I can give is give your breaks a rest and stay in low gears.  When descending from the summit there is a break check half way down, and if your breaks are too hot you have to wait at the visitor's center while they cool off.  I stayed in 1st or 2nd gear all the way down and my brake temperature was fine.

View from the Summit of Pike's Peak

Once at the summit there are lots of things to do.  First, you have to try the homemade donuts.  They are not like any other donuts I've ever had but they are delicious!  I was able to find a coupon for a free donut on this website http://www.aramarkparksanddestinations.com/landing-pages/pikes-peak/donut-coupon.aspx.  I hope it still works, but you cannot miss these donuts!  Second, have your photo taken at the summit sign.  After all, you are standing at 14,110 feet, so you have to have the proof!  Lastly, shop, shop, shop!  

Molly, our Travel Partner

The drive to the summit is breathtaking.  We brought Molly, our beagle/boxer mix, along for the ride.  She had her nose out the window the whole time.  I guess there are a lot of different smells. She seemed to enjoy the trip as much as we did.  

Look Closely, See the Zig Zag Switchbacks?  That's Your Route to the Summit!  SCARY!!!

The most interesting photo spot is the "Big Foot Xing" sign.  The sign reads "due to sightings in the area of a creature resembling "Big Foot" this sign has been posted for your safety."  There have been numerous sightings of a Big Foot type creature, dating back to 1988.  


We didn't see any creatures resembling Big Foot on our trip, but we thought it was an interesting picture.  Maybe next time!

Steamboat Springs

May 27-28, 2012

As a Mother's Day/Father's Day gift to his parents, Rich took all of us to Steamboat Springs for a couple days. We wanted to see some place new and none of us had ever been to Steamboat before, so we gave it a try.  We were not disappointed!

A friend told me Fish Creek Falls was a must do, so we made sure to get there first.  The hike is pretty easy to find, but it's a little outside downtown Steamboat Springs.  Heading into Steamboat Springs from Denver you would take a right on Third St. and follow the signs to the falls.  GET THERE EARLY!!!  There is very limited parking for how popular this trail is.

The hike is short but difficult.  It's only .5 miles roundtrip, but it's very steep.  Gravel is loose on the way down and the hike is rough getting back up, but the falls are well worth the trouble!

Fish Creek Falls, Steamboat Springs, CO

After the hike we checked into our hotel, The Steamboat Grand.  This hotel took my breath away!  We stayed in a 2 bedroom suite and it was amazing!  The staff is friendly, the rooms were clean and beautiful, and The Cabin Restaurant in the lobby was the best dinner I've ever had!  Definitely try the lobster mac & cheese!!!

The Steamboat Grand

View from Our Room

On day 2 we had to try the local fly fishing!  We went to Stagecoach State Park, where roomer had it fishing was good.  We had a few bites and saw dozens of trout, but we left a little too early to really get into it.  We will definitely be back though!

Rich Fly Fishing at Stagecoach State Park

We finished the trip by taking the long way back home.  Rather than go back down to highway 70 we took highway 14 through Walden and Poudre Canyon hoping to see some moose.  We saw one moose in Walden just off the road in a meadow and another couple of them in State Forest State Park.  We also stopped by the Moose Visitor Center for a short walk to get out of the car.

The drive through Cameron Pass on the way home was beautiful!  I can't wait to go back to Steamboat Springs!  We had a wonderful trip!

Cameron Pass

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park

September 23, 2011

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park actually surprised me!  We had a wonderful time!

The visit to the park starts at the base of the mountain.  You have to take a gondola ride to the top, which is a beautiful ride.

In September this park is a ghost town, which has its advantages and disadvantages.  The nice part was it wasn't crowded and we didn't have to wait for any rides.  The down side was most of the snack places and some attractions were closed.

We were able to ride the rides we wanted to ride though.  I haven't tried many alpine slides, but I would guess the one at this park is pretty cool in comparison!  You sit in a toboggan on rails and you get going pretty fast, I even had to use the brake on some turns.

Then we tried the Soaring Eagle Zip Line.  Having done a real zip line I found this one pretty lame, but it would be very kid friendly.  I am an adventure seeker, however, so it's was just so so for me, but my mother in lawn enjoyed it very much.  

Two people sit next to each other on a bench in a seat belt, then you ride down the zip line and get pulled back up backwards.  Yeah, not exciting...

But, the best ride at the park is by far Giant Canyon Swing!  We rode this three times.  You have to at least ride it twice to experience it on both sides.  The ride seats only 4 people, two on each side.  On one side when you swing you're looking straight down into the canyon, and you are high above the ground.  It's pretty scary!  On the other side you see nothing but sky when you swing over the canyon and it's a whole other rush!   Below is our video of the ride... So awesome!

I liked this park.  We all had a great time.  I highly recommend it! I am typing this almost a year later, but I hear there is a new rollercoaster addition to the park, so we are looking forward to going back in a couple months!

Hanging Lake

September 17, 2011

One word describes this trail - ROUGH!  The view from the top is completely worth it though!

Hanging Lake Trailhead

The trailhead is about 7 miles east of Glenwood Springs right off highway 70 and the exit sign clearly says Hanging Lake.  


This trail is only 2.4 miles round trip but it has earned it's difficulty grade.  For the first 3/4 mile the trail climbs steadily, gaining about 1,000 feet.  It's rocky and a little rough, but with a few rest stops we were able to make it.

Cascading water along the hike

My hiking partners, Rich (my husband) on the bench and Brian

After that the trail comes to a straight uphill climb for the remainder of the hike.  This part of the trail is strenuous.  The steps are large, the cliff is steep and narrow, and it can be very slippery in the rain.  Luckily, there is a hand railing leading to the top.

Just before you reach Hanging Lake a short trail breaks off to the left leading to Spouting Rock.  This is a must see!  It's a huge waterfall but you can walk behind it and it's really pretty!



After you get back on the main trail leading to Hanging Lake you come around a corner and then you see to the most beautiful view!

Hanging Lake

This is probably the most beautiful destination hike we have done.  Hanging Lake is crystal clear and the most amazing shade of blue I've ever seen.  I highly recommend this hike, if you're up for the challenge of getting to it.