Colorado 2020

Golden, CO 4

We had a version of marshmallow roast on the evening of July 4th. We were sitting behind the motorhome enjoying the music from the biker bar across the street and watching fireworks explode in the sky from the neighborhoods. Jason got pretty good at roasting the little buggers and we had to slow him down so he would not get a stomach ache!
The next afternoon, we took a drive to the Mother Cabrini Shrine. Our intention was to get a drink of water from the natural spring on the site. Unfortunately, due to COVID the water taps were shut off! It was too late to attempt the walk up to the statue so we posed by this vessel and called it a day.
On the way out of the shrine, we crossed the interstate and decided to check out some of the hillside homes. Jason spotted a herd of elk so we drove by and took a couple of photos. There were almost 100 elk munching on the plants around the homes.
This guy was caught in the act!
On the way back to Golden we took a side road to the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater.
The formations here were spectacular. Jason and I spotted them a couple of days before when we took a hike to the top of Dinosaur Hill.
We (Jason and I ) hiked to the top of the amphitheater. Cathy is down by the second tree on the right, dressed in blue. She decided it was not worth the 40 calorie burn to get to the top.
That is Denver, about 25 miles away on the horizon.
We got up early and left at about 5:00 AM for the trailhead of Grays Peak. I had decided to attempt two 14ers in one day; Grays being the first and Torreys the second. Grays is officially measured at 14,270 actual is: 14,278 and Torreys officially measures 14,267 actual is: 14,267 feet! You start at this bridge across the creek in Stephens Gulch. The next couple of creek crossings are sans bridges.
I was walking up the canyon on the Continental Divide Trail as the sun was rising and Grays was coming into view.
Grays is now visible dead center. The entire hike is above the 11,500 ft tree-line, therefore, NO SHADE. I did stop for a few minutes to look as some streams coming out of the rocks and forming shallow pools. There was a sheet of ice covering the water but the bubbling sounds were pretty neat.
The trail got steadily rockier as I climbed. This is the view from 11,900 feet. I met a couple of trail workers and had a good conversation with them for about ten minutes. They made sure that I had acclimatized properly before attempting this combo. They represented 14ers.org.
This is the saddle/ridge between Grays and Torreys. Torreys is not fully in view yet.
The view looking back from the switchbacks climbing Grays was stunning.
I met these guys trailside. I waited for a few minutes to get the little guy to peak out from behind the rock. A couple of other hikers joined me then momma became agitated and encouraged us to back down the trail a little bit.
This “rock tower” is at 13,400 feet and marks a sharp turn in the switchback. At this point, I had only 800+ vertical to go!
This is the view from the top of Grays Peak.
This view is looking over to Torreys. The trail goes up the ridge line until the peak gets too steep, then it begin a series of very steep and gravelly switchbacks. The snowfield to the right of the ridge line must be crossed to regain access to the return trail. The snow here was at least ten feet deep. It looks a whole lot closer than it was (about a mile away). You cannot see the hikers ascending.
Here I am, on top of Grays
Looking down the valley on the back side, the view was incredible. There is no human habitation for as far as you can see.
Now, after descending from Grays, I have this to look forward to. It is about 45 minutes to get to the summit.
I took this at the summit, looking back to Grays. My water supply and trekking poles are to the right.
I am now atop Torreys!
While lunching atop Torreys (some water and Cliff Bars), the afternoon storms started arriving so I started down the quickest route. The wind picked up and the temperatures dropped . . . drastically, then it began to sprinkle.
Approaching the snowfield that I must cross to save 1.2 miles of trail.
I fell three times while crossing this. My feet went down in some soft snow to my knees, and I almost lost my trekking poles as they disappeared in the snow several times. Luckily, each time I managed to fall backwards into the uphill snow. A fall into the downhill side could have severe consequences.
This guy was coming up the trail as I was descending. I decided to stand on the trail and he just walked around me, almost like I did not exist.
During one of my many rest stops, while looking at pocket gophers, this yellow bellied marmot appeared and I had a new friend. They seem to come out in the afternoon.
After being on the trail for almost eight hours, climbing both Grays and Torreys, then descending the snowfield and stumbling over rocks, I made it back to the trailhead unscathed. However, while opening the door to the truck (I had parked it next to a small ravine to keep it off of the road) I heard Jason yell “all I see is Grandpa’s boots going down the hill”. I could not hold on to the door handle and fell backwards onto some rocks and into the brush. My camera was around my neck and it caught on a branch on the way down and smashed into my nose. Cathy freed my neck from a branch and summoned a couple of hikers to help pull me out, but I was able to get up on my own.
After driving down the 4WD road and then the interstate towards Golden, Cathy told me I was driving “funny” and insisted I get checked out. We made a stop at the urgent care center back in Golden, they took me to the ER where they performed a CAT Scan (concussion), EKG (!), and blood testing (low on some essential fluids, hence the IV) and glued my nose back together, with purple glue! I may wind up looking like a LSU fan. It irked me that this happened after all of the dangerous stuff I had done earlier in the day!
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travellingwiththeschinglers

4 thoughts on “Golden, CO 4”

  1. Hope you are recovering! Cathy was right to have you checked out. I hope you take it easy until you heal!! Gotta say you got some outstanding pictures on this trip!! Enjoyed b looking at them and LOVED the solo elk picture! Take it easy now and stay safe. Thank Cathy for me!

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  2. Dang Steve. Can’t take you anywhere! Glad you’re OK.
    Good thing you’re still a “pliable” old fart..
    The pictures from the peaks are awesome,
    Wish we were there. Be careful!

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