On weekends, the goal is to get as much of nature as we can! Yesterday, we climbed up Falcon Mountain, which towers above the little town of Morrison (where Red Rocks Amphitheater is) and offers excellent views of Denver!
Morrison – Mt. Falcon – Sun – Wind – Storm = Saturday by Eli
“Saturday – we planned a familiar hike up Mt Falcon (link)…3-4 hour hike…trail was mud, puddles, ice and snow, with patches of dry and rocky…the temperature was pleasant and the shade…the shade was dictating the experience…cloudless sky…the mountain controlled the sun…as we meandered or followed a meandering trail, the mountain blocked the heat and displayed water’s different stages…as the trail wound into the shade, the dry trail transitioned…puddle…mud…slush…ice…snow…ice…mud…puddle…dry…the temperature accommodated this as well…warm t-shirt…cool off…cold sweater…warming pull up sleeves…warm consider sweater removal…see shade ahead…remain in sweater…as we reached the trail fork and small covered area, we stopped…the sun was unblocked and the ground dry…we used our backpacks as pillows…my eyes seeing light through my eyelids…the wind is being drawn down the valley we’re lying in…denver is within view…yellow smog surrounds it…the wind blowing around us and the mountain will soon be down there…pushing the yellow away…north…sky is still cloudless…the wind is now dragging a storm west to east…the wind is careful…it is a whisper…just enough to trigger the nerves connected to my exposed arm hairs and face…i could lay here all day…a few clouds start passing…the wind is less gentle…but not constant…it is becoming grumpy then nice…the warmth brought by the gentle wind is laden with pockets of cold…my sweater is off…we decide to rise and continue…we no longer feel like resting here…the unshaded cold is showing itself…we walk up a few hundred feet…the founder of falcon part was building a presidential retreat until his life fell apart…what remains is a white cornerstone atop crumbling walls facing a priceless view…he was a dreamer and i felt i saw what he saw and perhaps some of his inspiration…time to head back…we only brought water and were low on hiking energy…our thoughts were of sharp cheddar and fresh bread…gravity is on our side…we engage the descent and immediately are presented with ice and slope…the best way is to skidaddle(?)…fast paced stomp down the trail…no time for lack of friction and gravity to prevail…quick steps…land one foot…lift off …land the other foot…build confidence in footing…faster…faster…let gravity pull…let your feet land where they must…but not too long…arms maintain balance…legs straddling the trail…adjusting at impact…pushing off…landing…bounding…decisions are reactions…faster…dry spot…rest…reflect…alive…repeat…there’s the car…done.”
By Eli (see Busker for more!)
Heidi Todd // Feb 25, 2011 at 12:01 am
Are you happy? Yes! I love the pictures of your outings.