June 29, 2012

June 29, 2012

Wildfires are again raging in many parts of the West. We have been avoiding those areas, but it seems right after we drove up here to Grand Mesa, one broke out where we left the highway. The fire has closed the interstate so our only way off this mountain is to the South. But we are not ready to leave yet; at least as long as the smoke blows to the east.

This morning we explored another section of the Grand Mesa. We drove a few miles up the road to the flat top summit at 11,000-feet and then continued on to the Island Lake area. We stopped at Grand Mesa Visitor Center and got a map for the Crag Crest trail. This 10.5-mile hike takes you along the top of the ridge for six miles and then follows the forest below to complete the loop. We brought bug spray this time and it worked great. No mosquitoes buzzing in our ear. The trail steadily rises through a fir and spruce forest until it reaches the rocky crest. There I find a small snow pile, a reminder that this area must get a lot of snow in the winter. Our camp host said that last year our campground didn’t open till July because of snow. What a difference a year makes.

From the crest we get great views of Grand Mesa. We see dozens of lakes scattered around. There are some 300 lakes scattered atop the whole Mesa. Farther along the trail, the crest narrows to a rocky spine with a 1000-foot drop off on both sides. This narrow spine continues for another couple miles. What a great hike. We can see for miles in both directions. This boulder-field spine must be the rim of the volcano that formed Grand Mesa.

All good things must end and eventually we descend back down into the forest. Our legs are tired but we still have four more miles to circle back to our starting point. At this high altitude, it felt like the longest four miles we have ever hiked. By the time we reach the RV we are exhausted.