cyberhobo

Category: Outings

  • Hike to The Bishop

    Dad has half the day free, and agrees to show us the hike up to The Bishop near the Cathedral Spires. This area was closed for raptor nesting the last time we looked, but today the parking area is busy when we arrive. The recent rains have made for a mushroom extravaganza. I photograph eight…

  • Bear Mountain Hike

    We meet Dad at Pence Park with his friend Tom for an afternoon hike. The sky is full of clouds, but we start optimistically up Bear Mountain, and reach our favorite overlook there without rain. The rain and lightning are kind enough to wait until we’re a good ways down the mountain, where we soon…

  • Arthur’s Rock

    We introduce Doug and Liz to the beautiful trail to Arthur’s Rock. Last week Ann and Liz had to turn around due to unusual bear activity, and we see some large stacks of scat today, but no bear. We do the hike early, before it gets too hot.

  • City of Rocks – The Wart

    I’m still up for a single pitch or two in the evening, and Ann is tired but willing to belay. Heading to Elephant Rock we see the first evidence of the weekend crowds – the lot is full and a line of climbers marches toward the shady face. Rather than wait in line we head…

  • City of Rocks – Jackson’s Thumb

    After yesterday’s multipitch we’re hungry for more, so we start off in the morning to Jackson’s Thumb to climb Theater of Shadows, a four pitch low angle cruiser with lots of bolts for protection. I bushwhack up a steep, rocky, sagebrushy hill to the base where we can clearly the see the nicely constructed trail,…

  • City of Rocks – Stripe Rock

    We determine from talking to people and mining the guidebook that City of Rocks has a rare offering: easy bolted multipitch routes. Inspired to take advantage of at least one, we head to Stripe Rock to climb Cruel Shoes, a 3-pitch bolt party. It will be in the sun during the morning, but we hope…

  • City of Rocks – Provo Wall

    We arrive at City of Rocks National Reserve in time for some shady afternoon climbing on Provo Wall, near our campsite. We climb Easy Corner, which pushes me into several awkward (but fun) moves despite the name. We descend on the anchors of Tennish Anyone?, a nice slab climb, then toprope that. Our first impression…

  • Crystal Wall after work

    Doug & Liz, not knowing any better, agree to accompany me up the Poudre Canyon to Crystal Wall for some climbing. I don’t tell them until they show up at my house that I need a ride, and I’m not sure if we’ll even have time to climb, but the starry-eyed newlyweds take it in…

  • Horseshoe Mountain

    Dad, ever the explorer, chooses a forest road he’s never been up for his birthday weekend excursion. Four Mile Creek Road in Pike National Forest takes us into the Mosquito Range west of Fairplay, Colorado. We’re initially put off by swaths of private property and mining detritus, but end up having a beautiful hike up…

  • Take me to the river

    The idea is simple: we stay cool on a hot evening by bobbing around in the Poudre River for a while. The plan is complicated: Ann drives with our newly acquired tubes to the free solar-powered air pump on the bike trail, while I ride my bike to the take out at the Shields St…