Colorado - 2010

I planned a trip to Colorado to hike some fourteeners with my boys. 

On Thursday, August 26, 2010, Andrew and I flew from LAX on Delta, leaving at 6:15 a.m. and arriving in Salt Lake City at 9:13 a.m. Sam joined us on the flight in Salt Lake, leaving at 9:46 and arriving in Denver at 11:12 a.m. We rented an SUV from Thrifty Car Rental. We drove to the Buckhorn Exchange in Denver, where Judy and I ate last year, and shared a grilled duck breast, buffalo sausage and each of us got our own main course. I got a blackened buffalo prime rib sandwich. Afterwards we drove west of Denver to near Idaho Springs, then took Hwy 103 to near the summit of Mount Evans, a 14,264 foot mountain, the highest paved road in North America. 

It is about a 22 mile drive with 5,500 feet of elevation gain. From a parking lot near the top, it is just a short hike to the summit. Aside from spectacular views, we saw lots of bighorn sheep and mountain goats.  

From Mount Evans we drove to Frisco where we had reservations at Alpine Inn for three nights. We had a room with two queen beds: Andrew and Sam shared one of them. We ate at Wendy's for dinner. 

     Buckhorn Exchange - Denver, Colorado  (Bob)

     Mount Evans  (Bob)

Friday, August 27, we slept in until about 7:00 a.m., with little sleep the night before, ate breakfast at McDonalds in Frisco, then drove to Alma where we took a six mile dirt road to the Kite Lake Trailhead, at 12,000 feet. 

First we hiked to the summit of Mount Democrat, 14,148 feet, then to the summit of nearby Mount Cameron, 14,238 feet, then to the summit of nearby Mount Lincoln, 14,286 feet. We could easily have summited nearby Mount Bross, but it was posted as no trespassing by the landowner (which we respected despite the fact that many hikers were still doing it anyway). That evening we discovered Carlos Miguel's Mexican Bar & Grill in Frisco which became one of our favorite restaurants. We got guacamole made at our table which was the best I've ever had. Then we shared a dish of chiles poblanos as an appetizer, which was two poblano peppers stuffed with Mexican cheese and smothered in a white sauce. Then I had bistec chihuahua which was a rare filet sprinkled with Cotija cheese on a bed of fried sliced potatoes. We all loved it. 

     Mount Democrat  (Bob)

     Mount Cameron  (Bob)

     Mount Lincoln  (Bob)

     Carlos Miguel's Mexican Bar & Grill - Frisco, Colorado  (Bob)

Saturday, August 28, we drove east on the I-70 and took a rough 3 mile dirt road to the Grays and Torrey Peaks Trailhead. 

We started hiking about 8:10 a.m. We hiked to the top of Grays Peak, 14,270 feet, then to the summit of Torreys Peak, 14,267 feet. We drove back to Frisco, showered, then ate again at Carlos Miguel's Mexican Bar & Grill. We shared the guacamole and the chiles poblanos again, then I got a Baja fish taco.

     Grays Peak  (Bob) 

     Torreys Peak  (Bob)

On Sunday, August 29, we got up early to get to Denver for our flight. The three of us flew Delta, leaving Denver at 8:45 a.m. and arrived in Salt Lake City at 10:22 a.m. where Sam got off. Andrew and I continued on to LAX where we arrived at 12:32 p.m.