My blissful place.
There’s just one factor about October that I don’t like – It’s that it solely lasts for a month. One of many highlights of my autumn has been the unimaginable show of fall colours alongside the South Fork of Little Peoples Creek not removed from Hays, the place I dwell and educate. I’ve develop into particularly keen on a 2-mile stretch of jeep path that begins on the Hays Pow Wow grounds and winds its means by means of acres of aspen to the southern border of the reservation. Over the previous few weeks, strolling or operating there was like touring by means of a golden dreamscape.
Past and above.
This previous Saturday (10/3/20) I adopted the highway farther, persevering with one other mile past the reservation boundary to a saddle beneath the northeast slope of Indian Peak. From there I bush-whacked as much as the summit – lower than half a mile with 650 toes of elevation achieve. The bush-whacking wasn’t dangerous, and there was no scree – nevertheless it was steep. I spent about an hour on the summit ridge having fun with the calm sunny day, feasting on the autumn colours, and flying my drone, which took some dandy photographs. The summit time was very nice however the two hours spent strolling that jeep path was the most effective a part of the afternoon.
Strolling the road.
The forecast for the subsequent day (Sunday) referred to as for extra wind, plus haze from wildfires, so I needed to get out and do one thing early – earlier than the wind picked up. I drove previous the pow wow grounds, parked alongside the highway and did a brief VERY steep hike up Mission Peak. I’ve completed this uncommon hike many occasions however hadn’t been up there because the show of fall colours began. My route adopted the border of the reservation, which runs north-south on this a part of the Little Rockies. The unusual factor in regards to the route is that it follows a linear clearing straight up the north aspect of the mountain – A number of years in the past timber the place cleared alongside a 20-yard swath, marking the border.
The place to be.
Sadly, I didn’t beat the wind and haze nevertheless it’s at all times good to see the pow wow space within the morning mild. Additionally, it was good to get some train earlier than heading again to the condo the place I spent the remainder of the day prepping for an additional week of on-line educating whereas listening to the wind howl. The hike from the highway up Mission Peak is just a mile (one-way) however positive aspects 1,000 toes of elevation. It’s price it although – IF your knees can deal with it. The tip of a ridge west of the summit gives among the finest views to be discovered wherever within the Little Rockies.
Beneath: This map marks hikes which were featured on bigskywalker.com thus far, together with a number of others alongside the Rocky Mountain Entrance – Choose full display screen to increase, zoom in for extra element, or click on on a marker for a hyperlink to the publish.
