Colorado Camping

Camping in the Rockies is amazing! These are pics from our first camping trip in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. We camped for four days and got rained on each day/night.  We had a blast anyway. We've been camping every other weekend, so bring your tent and come join us sometime! --B

Eldorado Springs

Here are some pics of our visit to Eldorado Canyon State Park - our closest state park..... about 20 minutes away.

 This park was stunning right from the entrance.  You pass through Eldorado Springs a small, old mountain town and then enter the park.  It's really cool.

You're in this big, steep canyon, so pretty much the only way to go is up.  So this is the kids before the ascent.

 Just too cool.

Amelia ready to climb. The kids were all eager to go up to test their playground skills.

Cora had a lot of fun hanging out on Daddy's back.

This is a shot of us going down after we made it as far as we safely could go with such little legs.

The views are just unbelievable, probably even more so in person.  This will be the park to hit in the fall.  It will be four years since we've seen the leaves change.  We are excited about it!

All of us hiking it on the trail that runs along the creek.

We never did make it to the top of that one though.  Maybe next time.

Shots of the creek along side the trail.

This is Boulder creek running through, and there are more small water falls here than in Boulder where the creek passes.

The kids had to get a closer look, and they are always looking for their chance to spot some gold.

Cora doing a little rock climbing of her own.

Cora just being cute.  She'd keep right up with the kids and their climbing too, if we'd let her.

--B

On Top of Mt. Evans

A couple weekends ago we drove up 14,000 to reach the top of Mt. Evans...the highest paved road in North America. 

We met this friendly Mountain Goat on our way up.  He seemed to have no problem with us being there in his territory.

 Even Grandma made the trip with us on her first ever mountain excursion.

More Mountain Goats showing off their agility.  It was amazing seeing them walk around on the rocks.  This is the first time we've seen them...besides sighting them in the zoo.

On our way down, we stopped in Idaho Springs for  lunch.  Everybody hung out on the rock watching the white water rafters float by.

--B

Gross Dam Reservoir

This weekend we put the canoe on the top of the van and headed up to Gross Dam Reservoir.


We ALMOST went canoeing too...until we realized hiking a canoe DOWN to the Lake was nearly impossible. And we probably would have left it there if we would have had to hike it back UP to our van.


But, with or without the canoe, this has made our top most beautiful mountain location so far.


Lots of kid photos by the water. Can you tell we are BIG water fans?











Cora wasn't quite as good as the rest of us at maneuvering the sandy mountain terrain, so she kicked back with her sparkling water.








The kids doing some minor mountain excavating. After wading around in the water, we came out covered in gold dust!





This is where we were having one of our don't look down moments. You can see Boulder Creek gushing through the valley.


Just can't resist a train along the hillside.


And this is what happens after a mountain excursion...times two.


-B