Summiting Hayden Mountain with Friends

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and winds long to play with your hair.”  Kahlil Gibran

I'm not so sure about the "bare feet" part on this hike to Hayden's 13,206 foot summit of talus, but we did manage to toss hair in the breeze. 

A plan to hike with friends Paul and Rebecca finally came to fruition...thanks to weather gods taking a day off. Of the myriad of choices I laid at their "table," Rebecca chose to summit Hayden Mountain. It would be "first ascent" for them, and Bobbie and I are pleased to serve as "guides." 

Climbing Hayden from the Ouray side requires a 4WD to get would be hikers to the trailhead. So we enlist Petroleous Rex to navigate the extreme terrain—steep, ledgy, off-camber shit that leans the cab toward ass-puckering drop-offs. Recall a coupe of weeks ago, how Pet Rex blew a tire on that obstacle course. Trust me: It's no place to change out a flat tire. 

You also might recall when Bobbie and I were last up in this "neighborhood" we passed on climbing Hayden, opting for new territory over a familiar summit. We ended up tiptoeing a sketchy ridge as it morphed from friendly to gnarly-knife-edge, and promptly expectorated us like a mistaken swig of Coors Light...a truly noxious experience almost as bad as the ridge.  

Before ending this post, a few words about hiking partners, Paul and Rebecca...a couple of "kids" with wandering hearts and "Tiny Home" dreams.

Rebecca is a former coworker/lifeguard from my days as "Pool Boy." She is sweet and has an infectious bubbly personality. Rebecca recently graduate from CSU (craft brew capitol of Colorado) with some sort of degree in Environmental Science that now escapes my aging/atrophied memory. Anyway, she is on a mission to help save our planet...a noble undertaking in this day and age of deregulation, climate change, and an unsustainable consuming culture. 

Husband, Paul, is soft spoken. He has an "artist's heart" and we share an adoration for rocks, freedom, and adventure in the great Colorado outdoors. Paul's good with his hands...and enjoys repurposing stone into works of art. He's well read, intelligent, and a seemingly perfect match for Rebecca. Lately, this adorable couple has been "repurposing" something else...

They "invested" in an old yellow school bus. that once carted 70 plus kids. When done, "The Bus" will serve as their mobile "Tiny Home," though not too "Tiny" as it once carted 70 plus rowdy kids to and from "Day Care." The Bus fits well with their "less is more" philosophy, living simply, and it gives them a sense of "freedom."  As you would expect, it has a composting toilet... 

We hope to tour The Bus soon and share (with their permission) photos of how the project is coming along. Rumor has it that the might be headed in the direction of our annual playground near Zion this fall. If so, we can't wait to show them some of our favorite trails-less-traveled. 

Now back to the climb up Hayden Mountain...where flowers still cling to life post-frost...   

Paul has plans to repurpose this glittery, HEAVY rock, and packs it up and down Hayden.