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Tuesday, July 31, 2018

A Routine Courthouse Climb


"If you never test your limits, how will you know what they are?"  Lene Gammelgaard, A Woman's Account Of Surviving The Everest Tragedy.


"I hoped to inspire people to take a closer look at their own lives, to consider whether they are living their dreams or postponing them. ...life is meant to be lived fully, explored twenty-four hours a day...pursue your goal and have the courage to persevere, even in the face of failure...a necessary part of any endeavor, no matter what your dream."  Lene Gammelgaard  



Aside from autumn, it isn't often that we hike below timberline. But Courthouse Mountain is a worthy exception.


So on the heels of a Duco Mountain summit the day before, we make another exception...to drive well over an hour and fifteen minutes on the rough, rocky road over Owl Creek Pass in order to stand atop Courthouse Mountain. 

At only five miles roundtrip, our legs should be able to handle back-to-back steep climbs. Won't know if we don't try...  


One compelling reason to climb Courthouse is the eye-to-eye views it affords of Chimney Rock, and the ragged knife-edge ridge that separates the two mountains. 




The sky is hazy from distant fires. This, it seems, is the "new normal" out west so we better get used to it. 

Toward the summit we meet a couple with two children from Albuquerque.  The guy asks if we have any food we could spare as they didn't realize just how steep and taxing this little two mile hike would be. I forked over two Chocolate Mint Cliff Bars and wished them a good descent.




It was a routine climb; nothing exceptional to report other than our legs were up to the challenge and we had the summit all to ourselves. Well, except for brazen beggar chipmunks that now prefer Cheetos over pine nuts and grass. People, don't feed wildlife.  










It is an honor and, hopefully, an honorable deed, to share our passion for outdoor endeavors, be it photographs or stories or both.
Thanks for checking in,
mark and bobbie 


19 comments:

  1. Great pic's, I really like the contrast on the black and white photos. Those Cliff bars are a nice easy way to survive!

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  2. Routine!!! There ain't nothin' routine about Ouray hiking!

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  3. Thanks as always for doing the 'honorable deed' and sharing your photos and hikes. The scenery is breathtaking and I hope the beauty and your ability to do these hikes never gets routine for you.

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    1. Thanks, Mary Jo. It's time to die when this kind of hiking gets routine :)

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  4. Love it! You two are aerobic machines!

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    1. To be honest...we require more and more afternoon naps these days. :)

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  5. Thanks for taking me along so I can get my rocks and hiking fix. Good you had some food to spare. I can't imagine going for a five mile hike in the mountains with kids and not having food!

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  6. I've seen Chimney Rock from a distance and always wanted to get closer. You two are sure pushing the limits to do those hikes back to back, thanks for sharing them.

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  7. Limits? What is that, exactly??? :)
    Got do do it while we can because the "ultimate limit" lurks in the shadows (sigh)....
    Looking forward to seeing you in Utah and So. Arizona this winter :)
    mark and bobbie

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  8. Love the new header photo and I especially enjoy tagging along on your spectacular hikes. Summer 2018 is a summer to remember! love you guys. -scamp

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    1. Back at you, Scamps. Hope we can boondock with you again this season...have a couple beers and watch the sun set :)

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  9. Let's see, I think you have just about covered the area surrounding Little Switzerland and it's just the 1st week of August; must feel good. We love the Cimarons, the drive over Owl CrK pass and that drive up to hwy 50 is some of the pretties ranching country in Colorado in my book, just wished we could have taken that hike up Courthouse Mt and seen that view of Chimney Rock.
    The Engleman Spruce trees which are one of my favorite trees make this mountain scenery just about my favorite of all your hikes Mark, just wished we had a picture of us with Rocky in photo no 3.
    Stay thirsty my friends..

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    1. I wish you had that photo, too...
      Compelling views of Chimney Rock, for sure.
      Thanks Sonoma Pals
      mark

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  10. Very different header picture for you. I like it and love the black and white. That picture of Bobby picking her way through the rocks made my head hurt for the concentration it must have taken. Simply stunning pictures of what must be chimney rock. I hate to hear you say that hazy skies from fires is your new normal. Not sure how those folks couldn’t have thought looking up that the climb wouldn’t be steep and taxing. Fabulous views. I can see why you drove the distance to hike up.

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  11. Enjoyed your post. We could see Courthouse and the Chimney from my father's house, but I've never seen them from this perspective.

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