Wednesday/Thursday 08/13-14/2014 Crested Butte

Allison and I got a few days to ourselves while the girls went RV camping with Nana and Papa, so we headed up to one of our favorite places, Crested Butte for 3 nights.  Staying there was almost tortuous for me, being right on the ski hill and near so many peaks I have not yet climbed, my brain goes into mountain madness overload, nearly short circuiting, wanting to run/hike/climb/bike up everything in sight.  I feel like a kid in a candy store.  But, with the Pikes Peak Marathon looming in a few days (and it being a trip to be shared with Allison), I was just barely able to contain myself.

We did get out for a few nice hikes, Ruby Mountain from Irwin Lake and then the following day, we started from Schofield Pass and headed for 13,323 ft. Belleview Mountain, which includes some of the 4 Pass Loop and sits between W. Maroon Pass and the Maroon Bells.  I had climbed it before, but would have been a new one for Allison.  The views are normally pretty amazing, but the weather did not cooperate and we ended up just hiking to W. Maroon Pass, which still ended up being our 2 nd consecutive 10 mile day, so probably for the best.

The wildflowers though were a highlight, surprisingly, even this late in the summer, they were at their absolute peak and I spent both days snapping a zillion photos.  I was also really happy to bring Sierra along, she is getting older (11) and does not have the speed/endurance/fitness that she once had, but still loves getting out there and with a bit of patience, can do just fine.  Like us, there is nothing she likes more than romping above treeline and is almost like she is a puppy again.

Here are a "few" shots:

Green Lake, beneath Ruby/Owen

Sierra enjoying the views

Owen from Ruby

Green Lake from summit of Ruby

All smiles.  She could not have been happier

The flowers along 1970 Trail leading to the 4 Pass Loop are just absolutely insane, an almost surreal mosaic for as far as the eye can see.

On the 4 Pass Loop (which she has completed in it's entirety)

On our way up, these clouds were chasing us.

Heading for W. Maroon Pass

Those clouds finally caught us

Visibility became minimal and it was raining pretty steady

Even though a random Thursday, there were a few a few handfuls of people out there "card camping", hiking to/from Aspen/CB and hopping a shuttle stay a night in either spot.  There were also some backpackers doing the 4 Pass Loop.  Being here again has me itching to run the 4 Pass Loop (hiked it 7 or 8 years ago in a very relaxed ~10 hours).

Pyramid Peak, in that fog somewhere

Mt. Crested Butte.  I LOVE running straight up/down ski slopes for some reason and almost went for this, it looks so close, but I have done it a few times before and know it is a stout climb, definitely not a great taper run just a few days out from a goal race.

The hotel provided a free lift ride.  Kind of touristy, but was fun, and odd to be riding a lift without skis.