| 903 | Best of 2013 Mountains and Metro |
2014-01-31 |
As we look forward to new adventures in 2014, we also enjoy looking back at the past - 2013. We really had a lot of good adventures in 2013, especially in the mountains. Today, we are choosing our favorite Journal entries from the Mountains and Metro categories. We had many entires that we thought were worthy and in the mountains category we just couldn't decide.
The Metro (town) category was dominated by the On the Street series, which are snippets from our daily walks, runs, and rides from the streets of Nashville. We hope you remember the Mountains and Metro stories, but if not, take a few seconds to see what all the fuss is about ...
Mountain Journal Picks from 2013
Well, anyone who has read the Journal this year knows we hiked the Teton Loop Route in Grand Teton National Park. Sorry, we are still in awe of the route. We had heard how good the route (the Loop is comprised of 6 trails, maybe more depending on side trips) and were overwhelmed by the mountain sections of the route. It needs to be on your bucket list. If you don't have a bucket list, it is time to make one and put this trail near the top!
Staying in the Tetons, we also did the Enclosure, a sub-peak of Grand Teton. Whereas, the Grand requires technical climbing to reach it's summit, the Enclosure is just a scramble. We followed the regular approach to the Upper Saddle and then headed southwest to the Enclosure's summit. It was a fun day's scrambling high in the Tetons.
In Rocky Mountain National Park, we did a several trails that were new to us. The Granite Pass Loop route used at three new (to us) sections of trail. Starting at Longs Peak Ranger Station, we climbed the East Long Peaks Trail to Granite Pass (before the Boulderfield) and then descended on the North Longs Peak Trail. What a great section of trail. North Longs had great new views and was not crowded. We then took the Boulder Brook Trail to the Glacier Creek Trail and finally the Storm Pass Trail to Storm Pass (near Estes Cone). We finished the loop and had nothing but good things to say.
We have not spent much time on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. In 2013 we hiked the Timber Lake Trail, North Inlet Trail and the East Inlet Trail. We enjoyed all the hikes, but the East Inlet Trail was very special. The trail was built by the CCC in the 30's and was excellent, visiting mountain lakes as it climbed toward Boulder Grand Pass from the west. We only made it to Lake Verna on our day hike, but it was a good day.
Back in Tennessee, I went on a three day backpacking trip to the Smokies in January. I was hoping for snow, but just got rain. It rained on the climb to Le Conte Shelter and it rained on the traverse of the Boulevard to Icewater Springs Shelter. It was still a good wet trip because it with good friends. The Smokies don't have the same difficulties of the mountains of the west, but they still have 3,000 foot climbs and severe weather. Don't underestimate the Smokies.
Metro Journal Picks from 2013
On a spring day we visited our local Warner Park to walk the roadway (and some of the trail). We had a great walk that was highlighted by a huge barred owl sitting in a nearby tree. My what treasures we have so close to us.
We love our old Golden Retriever, Jake. He is a good dog and is very curious.
One day while working in the backyard, we had an incident with a blimp. Yes, a blimp. The blimp was flying in circles over an event which was close to our house. We noticed Jake barking at the sky, but originally thought it was his nemesis, a squirrel. On further inspection, we discovered the real reason for why he was barking. It's a good read.
Happy Mountains and Metro trails