Colors of Casper Falls

August 2010

July 2011

January 2012

Colorado Trip!

At the beginning of August Jay and I went on a week-long camping, mountain experience in Colorado. I got to see many places in Colorado that I didn’t know existed and go to places that I have always wanted to go. The trip began outside Keystone/Montezuma area and ended in Estes Park. We traveled over high mountain passes, ritz towns, wedding, hotsprings, multiple Starbuck trips, mine/mill adventures and other wonders in Colorado.

I think the highest we gotten was like 13110 in a vehicle and then hiked to about 13200 (got to see mountain goats)… And a day of off-road rough driving we did some fishing and hung out in Breckenridge.

After Breckenridge, then through Fairplay over Weston pass and ended up in Leadville, after spending 2 days in the Leadville area at Turquoise Lake and another day camping at the base of Mt Elbert (Highest Peak in Colorado). We were going to hike a 14er but I didn’t think was in good enough shape. Experiencing the Champion Mill on Colorado... which is one of the largest mines in Colorado that operated up to 1940s.

We then decided that camping every night and sleeping on an air mattress was getting tiring so we decided to go to Glenwood Springs before my cousins wedding. After a long drive over Independence pass and dodging the hundreds of bicyclists that though it was a great idea to drive up the narrow, windy road with vehicles up the pass. After a quick lunch in Aspen (still like I remembered when I was younger) we were on the way to the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs where we got to soak in the hot springs. And were able to take a shower in!!

The next morning, we decided to hike the Hanging Lake Trail. I have always wanted to hike up to this lake and since we were in the area it was good plan. EXCEPT it was the most popular trail I have ever hiked there were people everywhere and there was lots of stopping to let people by. This trail was pretty rough with rocks and large steps and there were lots of people there with little babies that made me a little concerned. Once we actually gotten to the top the small lake was beautiful, I only wished that we were the only ones there not the other 40 people standing around the lake.

Next was my cousins wedding for 2 days that was a fun time spending with my family and seeing people I normally don’t get to see. The wedding was beautiful and was great to spend time with my family J

Afterwards we decided to start to head north and ended up going to Rocky Mountain National Park, in Estes Park. Where again I felt like cattle being herded through out the park. Now it is beautiful…. but it looked just like everywhere else in Colorado. I could understand how people who don’t normally see mountains and the majestic views could find it beautiful but I just didn’t like all the people. Next, we though it would be good to try and stay at the Stanley Hotel, but without making reservations it was booked and a $250 a night rate, hopefully in the future... It must have been a popular weekend because we ended up staying at some dinking hotel that I was afraid was going to give me bedbugs for $110 a night which was totally NOT worth it. The next morning we went back to the Stanley and walked around and took pictures.

Both exhausted from our Colorado trip we decided to go home and rest. Over all I had a great experience and being able to camp and be outside was wonderful. I have learned that Colorado is just too populated especially after living in Wyoming where you can go anywhere and be like the only people around. I also got to get to know Jay more about how he is away from our comforts of home and were able to work out some kinks, which has made me love and care for him much more. J

Garden Creek and Bridle Trail

This last Sunday I finally went on my first hike in Wyoming. I have been wanting to go for a long time now but really don't want to hike by myself. So my friend Amanda and I went to the base of Casper Mountain and had a pretty nice work out for 3 hours, in the hot, hot sun. First when we got to the parking lot it was packed and we saw people walking up to the falls in flip-flops so we guessed it wasn't that hard of a hike but after like 2 minutes of walking we made it to the "falls" it was a pretty pathetic "hike" and did impress either of us. After 5 minutes staring at the wonders of Casper we decided to turn around and see if there were other hiking trails. We finally made it on the Bridle trail that was a nice steady incline. We stumbled upon great views of Casper, a little rock climbing and a really old car from like the 20's that must have rolled down the hill; it was pretty neat looking, we were wondering how long it was there. Amanda said that she though the Bridle trail also had a waterfall from the same creek as the fall we saw earlier we finally made it to a stopping point at this "waterfall" and again was marveled by the attractions of Casper. It was also getting later in the afternoon and we decided that we better turn around. We did get passed by a couple of people who were running the trail. Very impressed with them we had a hard time hiking it and and a couple pit stops on the way. But I do think I could probably hike this trail alone, and it really was only a 10 minute drive to the area, so hopefully I can do that more before it gets colder. That picture of wood looks like a squid...thought I would share :)