more mountains, great weather at last...

so I'm sitting here in the library in Salida CO with about 5 minutes to update the blog - what to say, what to say? The trails been great lately - beautiful sunny fall days in the high country, peaks turning rusty with the first hints of changing leaves - crimson patches of alpine cinquefoil, dry golden grasses and sedges. Frosts every night, cold mornings in the shadows of the towering mountains. Probably the most beautiful, high, and challenging hiking yet during the last segment from the "Hotel Tylerado" in Silverthorne 150 miles to Monarch Pass. B and I managed to take a few hours off the trail to hike up Mt. Elbert, an easy walk, but at 14,443 the highest peak in the entire Rocky Mountain chain, amazing views, nothing but horizons of mountains all around, greys and reds of rocky slabby peaks, snowfields, grassy slopes, the blues of spruce and fir forests. Marmots whistling, the hint of the cold cold breeze telling us that we'd better keep on keepin on if we want to get through the southern Rockies before the snow flies...

The rest of the segments been grand, a brief pit stop in Twin Lakes, then more high country just about the entire route to Monarch Pass. Been hiking some more with Eric, cruising 25+ miles a day, pretty much worn out each evening but loving it all the way. No more rain, no mosquitos, just mile after mile of alpine peaks and ridges. Pretty nice, pretty nice.