Tag: hiking photography

Into the Gila Wild, Day Two

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Waiting for the Sun

Sunrise is officially at 6:45 a.m., but the sun doesn’t begin to penetrate the bottom of the canyon where we are camped until considerably later. It’s cold, and we are more reluctant to emerge from the warmth of our sleeping bags than normal. Without ever leaving their cozy confines, we can tell that the temperature is even colder now than when we went to bed last night. We unzip our bags just enough to pull our cold hiking clothes in, hoping that this will help take away some of the chill before putting them on. After a few more minutes of playing possum, we give up and get dressed as fast as possible. Our quick movements help generate a little body heat. (more…)

Colorado Trail, Day 41: We Did It!

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When we wake up this morning, the first thought that goes through my head is that this is the last day that we will walk the Colorado Trail. We are only 7.1 miles from the Junction Creek Trailhead, and, although we are excited to get there and to complete the Colorado Trail, neither of us wants this amazing adventure to end. It’s definitely a bittersweet feeling, and we linger in camp as we pack everything up for the last time, eat our last breakfast, set off on the trail on this last day. We wish our summers could last forever, but all good things come to an end sooner or later. (more…)

Colorado Trail, Day 38: Blackhawk Down

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Cascade Creek really lived up to its namesake! We awake to the soothing sounds of waterfalls seemingly all around us. We gaze at the prominent falls right in front of our peninsular campsite as we sip on our morning coffee and chat with Rob and Amy over breakfast. Before bushwhacking our way through the willows and over the creek back to the trail, I take a quick peek at the cascade that plummets 40 feet off to the right of our campsite and snap a pic. We are all in a good mood after a restful night of sleep and so grateful to have ended up with such an impressive site.  (more…)

Colorado Trail, Day 34: Welcome to the Weminuche!

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We wake up this morning to a totally out of the ordinary phenomenon in our previous 33 days on the Colorado Trail—a blanket of thick gray clouds completely blocking out the sun! We had been warned that rain might be in the forecast but had hoped it would hold off until later in the day. This is not the type of start that we are hoping for, on this our last full day of trekking before reaching the end of this leg. On the up side, it’s much warmer as we sip our coffee and prepare to head out for the day! (more…)

Colorado Trail, Day 33: A Beast of a Day

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On paper, today is the shortest mileage day of this leg between Creede and Silverton. We only have to hike 14.5 miles, and, after the 15.8 and 18.8 mile-days that we have put in already, we wake up figuring that today’s hike should feel pretty easy. Funny how that’s not the way it works. (more…)