[at-l] spring hiking in the Rockies

[Zenlotus@aol.com]

I hope you all had a great weekend and were able to get in a little hiking. I 
went up to rocky mnt nat park and did a nice little hike to about 9500 ft. It 
started out as a blue sky day that shone through the pines and reflected off 
the snow covered path.  The snow was actually about 4 ft deep, thankfully 
packed for the most part. 

I finally decided to stop for lunch when the body said, "stop, go no further 
until you really feed me."  It was in the woods, snow all around except for 
some bare spots near the base of a tree where we sat and ate. the sky was 
getting very gray and there was little visibility at the top of the trees.  
The air was cool and a wind picked up and made our repast a hasty one. folks 
were walking into the woods from the direction we were headed in looking 
pretty fresh. I was so surprised to see so many folks without water, food or 
winter clothing.

With the sky the color of pale slate, I decided that I needed my wind pants 
and gators; I thought there might be rain any moment and the snow would 
become a real mess then. I was all bundled up and was more than slightly 
surprised when after about 100 yards we walked to the edge of the woods out 
into the sun, no snow and blue skies. It didn't take long before the gators 
and wind pants were off and I was again quencing my thirst with cool water.  
I was still surprised to see folks walking up without a drop of water.

All in all it was a great hike. I stopped in Estes Park and quite by accident 
(not my intention) I bought a pair of Vasque Sundowner gore-tex boots. I 
started breaking them in today. Does anyone have these kind of boots and what 
do you think of them?

All for now, I am planning the next hike for this weekend. Looks good in the 
mountains.

zenlotus
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