salida?

How about slipping into the police station in Buena (BYOONUH) Vista to dig up some dirt on [USER=20]@paden cash[/USER] from his early days of semi-criminal activity? Even though his is a very common last name, I'd bet if you can find an old geezer who was around back in Paden's day all you would need to do is mention the J****** boys and their surveyor pappy. They may still have a wanted poster up at the post office.

As for Salida, Mrs. Cow has a number of relatives there. I am not making this up.....one of her cousin's is a Buffalo. That's true. She married a fellow whose last name was Buffalo.

Grandchildren are the payoff after all the s**t teenagers and young adult children put you through.

There's a hill to the east of Buena Vista named "Midland". Everybody calls it the "Sleeping Indian".

The old stage coach grade is visible between the house and shop in this pic, just above the roof line. Although not the alpine high country exactly it's a great hike and there are a few old mine shafts scattered about. To get to the trail you have to east on the highway at Johnson Village. The Arkansas River runs along the base of Midland. This time of year you might be able to walk across the river, but it's cold.

The trout have probably quit hitting hard, but you can still catch them. Rainbow Lake or Twin Lakes is a good spot to try. Cotopaxi is east of Salida on the old canyon highway; a good place to rent a float on the Arkansas.

West up Cottonwood Creek up over the pass to Taylor Reservoir is a beautiful drive through the high country. It's a highway now. When I was a kid it was a 4wd Jeep trail.

Behind Princeton is what we use to call Chalk Cliffs (that what they look like). This is up toward the hot springs, St. Elmo and TIncup. That is another beautiful area with lots of trails and "ooh looky" mountain views.

4 or 5 days is a short time to spend up there, but you won't be disappointed. If you're into driving hit Leadville or around the mountains east to Fairplay. Lots to see and do.

I'm jealous.

paden cash, post: 436854, member: 20 wrote: There's a hill to the east of Buena Vista named "Midland". Everybody calls it the "Sleeping Indian".

The old stage coach grade is visible between the house and shop in this pic, just above the roof line. Although not the alpine high country exactly it's a great hike and there are a few old mine shafts scattered about. To get to the trail you have to east on the highway at Johnson Village. The Arkansas River runs along the base of Midland. This time of year you might be able to walk across the river, but it's cold.

The trout have probably quit hitting hard, but you can still catch them. Rainbow Lake or Twin Lakes is a good spot to try. Cotopaxi is east of Salida on the old canyon highway; a good place to rent a float on the Arkansas.

West up Cottonwood Creek up over the pass to Taylor Reservoir is a beautiful drive through the high country. It's a highway now. When I was a kid it was a 4wd Jeep trail.

Behind Princeton is what we use to call Chalk Cliffs (that what they look like). This is up toward the hot springs, St. Elmo and TIncup. That is another beautiful area with lots of trails and "ooh looky" mountain views.

4 or 5 days is a short time to spend up there, but you won't be disappointed. If you're into driving hit Leadville or around the mountains east to Fairplay. Lots to see and do.

I'm jealous.

thanks! yeah, i wish it were longer- always do. i'm actually getting almost 2 weeks off (longest break in maybe ever), but the second half will be spent nearer manitou in light of the race and all. i've spent a fair bit of time in the area before- run the leadville marathon, acquaintance owned the twin lakes lodge for a spell back about a decade ago and i've spent a couple nights there in the past. friend's old boss had a house up on boreas pass, spent a week up there and goofing around alma and fairplay and hiking the mosquitoes. rafted right there out of one of those spots on the bridge in BV. and i recently found out some old friends just bought 30 acres and a big ol' house/lodge somewhere in the vicinity of the background of your photo. if i can get hold of them we may well adjust plans and stay there.

in any event, it'll be a nice break from the vistas like the one in the photo i posted yesterday.

flyin solo, post: 436822, member: 8089 wrote: [USER=9850]@Gene Kooper[/USER] - ever been up to the top of princeton? if so, think a couple of whiny kids could handle it? looks like the best option in terms of proximity, length, and severity. i've done all the mosquito peaks (and quandary and longs), i know there are easier hikes, but i also don't feel like driving to get to them- though elbert or anything around BV or leadville would work too.

ideally i'd just do nothing all week except enjoy not being in a city. but these kids are gonna get restless in a hurry. (which isn't a complaint- i'll take it over some of the alternatives.)

thanks.

No, I've never been to the top of Princeton. I'm too old and fluffy to climb 14teeners JUST for fun. You might want to check out Mt. Shavano at the southern end of the Collegiates. It doesn't look too rigorous for youngsters after a couple days to acclimate. I imagine the hard part with cranky adolescents will be getting them up before dawn to start the climb. It is now monsoon season and you know what that means.

Gene Kooper, post: 436857, member: 9850 wrote: No, I've never been to the top of Princeton. I'm too old and fluffy to climb 14teeners JUST for fun. You might want to check out Mt. Shavano at the southern end of the Collegiates. It doesn't look too rigorous for youngsters after a couple days to acclimate. I imagine the hard part with cranky adolescents will be getting them up before dawn to start the climb. It is now monsoon season and you know what that means.

luckily with my kids the waking up part ain't bad. the older one is epileptic, so having rigid sleep habits and bed times has always been a matter of necessity in our house. (plus we'll have the hour shift advantage.) but yes, i'm aware- did a mad scramble down bross one time after getting hung out by surprise. might have been noon, but i don't think so- more like 11 a.m. or so.

I'm glad you're familiar with the area. I first took my two boys up there in the late '70s when they were 5 and 7 to show them "where dad use to live". Their mother (from Big Spring, Tx) had never been to the high country either. It was July. All she packed for the boys to wear was t-shirts and shorts...

We finally had to run to town to get them some pants and sleeves. An afternoon shower in the high country can get downright chilly. 😉

I'd watch out for hypoxia with the kids (and maybe you too). We did the highest point in New Mexico and both my son and I got altitude sickness. They have some meds to take ahead of time to ward this off. At least in my experience, without acclimation, anything over 10 can be a risk and we went from 9 to 13.6 and back down in 12 hours.

Kris Morgan, post: 436868, member: 29 wrote: I'd watch out for hypoxia with the kids (and maybe you too). We did the highest point in New Mexico and both my son and I got altitude sickness. They have some meds to take ahead of time to ward this off. At least in my experience, without acclimation, anything over 10 can be a risk and we went from 9 to 13.6 and back down in 12 hours.

That's true. A few years ago while visiting my sis in Loveland we drove up to Estes and up over Trailridge. I had to hop out at the summit and run off the road a few hundred yards to a snowbank to get a selfie with me and snow in June. It was downhill getting there. It was uphill getting back...

I think the summit is a little over 12k. This old fat Okie was loopy by the time my nephew stuffed me back in the car. I felt like I had slammed about 4 Fat Tires... good thing we were headed downhill after that ...;)

paden cash, post: 436863, member: 20 wrote: I'm glad you're familiar with the area. I first took my two boys up there in the late '70s when they were 5 and 7 to show them "where dad use to live". Their mother (from Big Spring, Tx) had never been to the high country either. It was July. All she packed for the boys to wear was t-shirts and shorts...

We finally had to run to town to get them some pants and sleeves. An afternoon shower in the high country can get downright chilly. 😉

reminds me of the first time i ran up pikes peak- my ex-wife took the cog up to meet me at the summit. when i got there she was nowhere to be found. i went in the summit house to get a donut and there she was, lying prone in one of the booths, green as one of her kale smoothies, shivering in clothes that make perfect sense below 8K in august.

i last ran pikes peak in 2008. it was my 7th trip up. vowed i'd never do it again after the thunder/sleet storm rolled in when i was about a mile above timberline and about 2 miles from summit. ended up with mild frostbite in all my fingers. it had been balmy that morning and the whole way up to that point- so much that i had- based on experience- run in just shorts and a tank top. my fingers still remind me of that any time i'm in a bowling alley or a doctor's lobby for too long, and pretty much the whole november-march window.

paden cash, post: 436871, member: 20 wrote: That's true. A few years ago while visiting my sis in Loveland we drove up to Estes and up over Trailridge. I had to hop out at the summit and run off the road a few hundred yards to a snowbank to get a selfie with me and snow in June. It was downhill getting there. It was uphill getting back...

I think the summit is a little over 12k. This old fat Okie was loopy by the time my nephew stuffed me back in the car. I felt like I had slammed about 4 Fat Tires... good thing we were headed downhill after that ...;)

first time i ever had dale's pale ale was camping in RMNP (at about 12K), in '04 i think (the older one was a baby). stopped at the old brewery in lyons on the way up. drank 3 of them. i was about useless as a functional parent the rest of that evening- the ex had to take up the reins of responsibility for the night.

"A couple of cranky adolescents?" "Whiny kids?"

When are you coming to pick them up?

Dave Karoly, post: 436841, member: 94 wrote: Grandchildren are the payoff after all the s**t teenagers and young adult children put you through.

I hope I live that long (most days, other times I'd be just as pleased if I don't).

eapls2708, post: 436881, member: 589 wrote: I hope I live that long (most days, other times I'd be just as pleased if I don't).

It is impossible to convey -how sweet it is (a la Jackie Gleason)- when you take their squalling baby from them and it immediately stops and smiles at you. Why does he do that for you? I have magical powers 😀

Dave Karoly, post: 436888, member: 94 wrote: It is impossible to convey -how sweet it is (a la Jackie Gleason)- when you take their squalling baby from them and it immediately stops and smiles at you. Why does he do that for you? I have magical powers 😀

Grampas DO have magical powers.

Here's young Paden circa 1953 with his Grandpa cranking ice cream. I was suppose to be helping.... I think about that guy everyday and he's been gone 55 years.

Here in paden's playground. That's chalk creek, bout 100 yards behind the cabin, in the shadows of the chalk cliffs. Have a great pic I'll have to share later, when I can shrink it enough to upload via this boondocks dial-up internet (which is absolute torture for the kids).

[GALLERY=media, 48]IMG_5133 by flyin solo posted Aug 16, 2017 at 9:25 AM[/GALLERY]

paden cash, post: 436854, member: 20 wrote: There's a hill to the east of Buena Vista named "Midland". Everybody calls it the "Sleeping Indian".

The old stage coach grade is visible between the house and shop in this pic, just above the roof line. Although not the alpine high country exactly it's a great hike and there are a few old mine shafts scattered about. To get to the trail you have to east on the highway at Johnson Village. The Arkansas River runs along the base of Midland. This time of year you might be able to walk across the river, but it's cold.

The trout have probably quit hitting hard, but you can still catch them. Rainbow Lake or Twin Lakes is a good spot to try. Cotopaxi is east of Salida on the old canyon highway; a good place to rent a float on the Arkansas.

West up Cottonwood Creek up over the pass to Taylor Reservoir is a beautiful drive through the high country. It's a highway now. When I was a kid it was a 4wd Jeep trail.

Behind Princeton is what we use to call Chalk Cliffs (that what they look like). This is up toward the hot springs, St. Elmo and TIncup. That is another beautiful area with lots of trails and "ooh looky" mountain views.

4 or 5 days is a short time to spend up there, but you won't be disappointed. If you're into driving hit Leadville or around the mountains east to Fairplay. Lots to see and do.

I'm jealous.

I believe Cottonwood Pass is closed till 2018 for major re-reconstruction. More and more of my old camping spots are being paved or closed off.

flyin solo, post: 442374, member: 8089 wrote: Here in paden's playground. That's chalk creek, bout 100 yards behind the cabin, in the shadows of the chalk cliffs. Have a great pic I'll have to share later, when I can shrink it enough to upload via this boondocks dial-up internet (which is absolute torture for the kids).

[GALLERY=media, 48]IMG_5133 by flyin solo posted Aug 16, 2017 at 9:25 AM[/GALLERY]

Chalk Cliffs at Mount Princeton Hot Springs