Painted Mines Trail, Colorado

After suffering from some depression on Saturday and just being tired in general I knew I needed to get out and get some fresh air. So I headed off to the 'Painted Mines' hiking trail just outside of Calhan, Colorado for a short hike.

 

Pikes Peak in the background.

 

I had the place all to myself till I got back to parking lot where there was a group getting ready to head out. Though this was only a short hike it did wonders and I feel a whole lot better.

Sometimes its the small things that can make all the difference.

11-Mile Reservoir, Colorado

Back at the beginning of November I felt the itch to get out and explore some new ground. When I first came to Colorado back in 2011 I had past 11-Mile Reservoir a number of times and briefly stop there to check it out while exploring central Colorado but never really taking the time to explore it. So this day I did just that and hike around the southern portion of the reservoir.

No that's not bigfoot in the background but a simple fishermen.

It was cold enough outside to dust the top halves of these tress with some frost.

 

This was a great start to a Saturday morning.

Medano Pass, Medano Lake and Great Sand Dune National Park

A few photo's from Medano Pass and the Great Sand Dune National Park from a little trip last weekend. No real action photo's or video from the time I was on the trail, though I should've taken some of the creek crossings since a few of them were deeper than my first trip there 2 years ago (water up over the hood momentarily).

 

 

Probable the hardest section of the trail coming from the east or west depending on which way you come.

 

 

 

Made the 4-mile hike up to Medano Lake.

 

 

The trail started getting a slick as you neared the lake.

 

Medano Lake

 

As mentioned above no photo's from between the Medano Lake trailhead and the Sand Dunes. One of the creek crossings and the one I had water over the hood was due to ruts/holes in the middle of the crossing. Right before it was a large off-camber mud hole. Fun.

Great Sand Dune National Park

 

Overall, it was a great trip and my first real trip in 2 months since coming back from Montana.

 

Montana - Glacier National Park

Trip report coming soon.

Utah - Smith Creek Lakes

Not much of a trip report, just getting out to enjoy the outdoors.

Since I'm only home once a month currently and my 4runner has either been in the body shop or garaged it really hasn't see a good dirt road/trail in a while. So I made a little trip this morning up Farmington Canyon and headed back to FS 84 and the Smith Creek Lakes/Mud Holes.

Photo's from out on FS 84.

 

 

 

Up behind the stations on the way to Smithfield Ponds.

 

 

Smith Creek Lake 1

 

Smith Creek Lake 2

 

I didn't make the drive back to the third pond, just didn't feel like it.

The switchbacks down to the ponds.

 

Overall, it was a great little drive I think a few areas have become a little more eroded since I was last here about 2 years ago when I had my green 4runner. Lots of folks on ATV's and RZR's. Saw only one other vehicle on the trail and that was a Jeep coming back up from the ponds.