Eli Climbs a Colorado Summit

[Pat Howlett]

My son (Eli) just shared his recent hiking adventure with me and I thought I'd share the pictures here.

Many know that I still consider myself a Coloradoan (yet love the NC).

These are from near Leadville and make up the Emerald group from Lake Fork with a "ridge run" to Missouri Mountain.

When I did this the concern was always with outrunning mountain thunder and lighting stroms (can be like a monsoon on fire) - so you get up really early, hit the hill and try to make it back down before late afternoon.

Here is their base camp with beaver den...

Above Treeline...

Looking down on Pear Lake and the high alpine greenery...

Mining ruins with an incredible backdrop...

Western Slope of Emerald - look down on the snow (yup, them are Colorado girls and I got one :)...

Standing atop the summit of Emerald with Eli in the Middle (9:00am - I said you had to start early)...

Everyone in Colorado has to have a pack dog...

Looking back at Emerald from the south side of Iowa (Yes, every ridge and peak in Colorado has a name)...

A high mountain quail in camo (its good to blend in)...

Now on top of Missouri (or as we used to say On Top of the World)...

My Eli is the 2nd from the left.

I've been working too much lately and needed to take a minute and remember why I do what I do.

Hope you enjoyed the little trip to Colorado and that one day you go and visit.

[Pat Howlett]

I had to feature this so I could find it again easily later today when I could use another smile :].

[Leland J. Rychel]

We spent a week in Colorado Springs and left the night the big fires started. Beautiful country. So how many of the 53 fourteeners have you scaled, Pat?

[Megan J. Huber]

Thanks for sharing these incredible pictures, Pat! It is a reminder that we take life for granted and that it's essential to celebrate, reflect, relax and rejuvenate before life passes up by and we aren't here to see the change that we made.

[Pat Howlett]

@Megan - Thanks, I know it was something I needed. It has me and my Sweetie and I planning our own NC Mountain hike soon.

[Pat Howlett]

@Leland, only 3, the famous Pikes (view for Purple Mountains Majesty and Amber waves of grain) - above where you were in Colorado Spings - also Longs and Mt. Evans. I've hiked miles between 12k and 13k and hiked a couple 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail with my Dad and Brothers when I was 13 (we spent close to a month on the trail). That's actually how I fell in love with the Blue Ridge Trail and in turn the Mountains of NC.

Thanks for asking :)

I have several friends who lost their homes in not only that fire but the last one - sadly the Pine Beetle has created so much damage to trees that many of our forests are standing match sticks and you'll hear about more huge fires into the foreseable future. Very Sad.

[Gaynor Fries, 919 Director]

Great photos, Pat - beautiful scenery. Is that dog really wearing rock shoes?