After the conference ended at 2:00pm on Friday, we drove to the little gold mining town of Idaho Springs, west of Denver. We spent the rest of the day driving up to Mt. Evans and back, on the highest paved road in North America. Fun!
Looking over lots of mountain ranges from the high tundra above the tree line.
Here's the parking lot and the switchback trail to the top. It wasn't long, but it was slow going. Oxygen was in short supply!
On the tippy top...14,260 feet. Evidently there are 54 peaks in the Colorado Rockies that are above 14,000 feet! The highest is Mt. Elbert at 14,433. Oregon's highest, Mt. Hood is 11,239', Utah's King's Peak is 13,528' and Washington's Mt. Rainier is 14,410'. (Then there's Alaska's Denali at 20,320' !!!)
Dad at the top...a bit cool and breezy.
Mom on top with Pike's Peak in the center of the faint background (way back) with the "castle in the sky" and the Denver University Observatory on the left behind the parking lot.
Looking the other way is Summit Lake.
Closer view of the "Castle in the Sky."
Friendly mountain goat.
Lots of goats.
Smiley goat.
Chubby marmot.
On the drive back down we stopped for an evening stroll around part of Echo Lake.
Nice reflection and pines.
Calm Echo Lake at sunset.
Dad in the woods.
I had a great trout dinner at Echo Lake Lodge, built in 1926.
After the conference ended at 2:00pm on Friday, we drove to the little gold mining town of Idaho Springs, west of Denver. We spent the rest of the day driving up to Mt. Evans and back, on the highest paved road in North America. Fun!
Looking over lots of mountain ranges from the high tundra above the tree line.
Here's the parking lot and the switchback trail to the top. It wasn't long, but it was slow going. Oxygen was in short supply!
On the tippy top...14,260 feet. Evidently there are 54 peaks in the Colorado Rockies that are above 14,000 feet! The highest is Mt. Elbert at 14,433. Oregon's highest, Mt. Hood is 11,239', Utah's King's Peak is 13,528' and Washington's Mt. Rainier is 14,410'. (Then there's Alaska's Denali at 20,320' !!!)
Dad at the top...a bit cool and breezy.
Mom on top with Pike's Peak in the center of the faint background (way back) with the "castle in the sky" and the Denver University Observatory on the left behind the parking lot.
Looking the other way is Summit Lake.
Closer view of the "Castle in the Sky."
Friendly mountain goat.
Lots of goats.
Smiley goat.
Chubby marmot.
On the drive back down we stopped for an evening stroll around part of Echo Lake.
Nice reflection and pines.
Calm Echo Lake at sunset.
Dad in the woods.
I had a great trout dinner at Echo Lake Lodge, built in 1926.
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