Outdoor Spinners... fitness hikers

Only in Colorado!

?

When I was MUCH younger, most of the books that were written about hiking, backpacking and the like ... were geared toward helping people to focus on the purpose of being outdoors. The presumed purpose was to enjoy the beauty of nature, enjoy the fresh air, get away from the hustle and bustle ... things of that sort.

I live now in Colorado. I chose to live here because I love mountains. Very much. I love to hike in the mountains.

But now, I've become extremely aware of how slow I am compared to the vast majority of people who hike the kinds of trails/terrain that I hike. They seem to be very... well... competitive. I now hike alone primarily because I don't feel like holding other people up, who are clearly determined to "get to the top of this damn thing, and get off". I know people who won't do a mountain twice. They've checked it off of their list, and thus no longer need to hike it again.

We have 54 (depending on your definition) mountains in Colorado higher than 14000 feet. We call them 14ers. People who have a goal of hiking all of them, some in one summer even, are called "peak baggers". Not always lovingly.

An interesting side-effect of this is that if you love hiking, love solitude and you're in Colorado, go for a hike on something that is not a 14er. Like a 13er. Or even a 12er. You'll have it all to yourself. I've hiked more than a few, and not seen a single person all day.

My opinion: there's something wrong with this picture. On the other hand, it leaves more for me.

Mt Evans from the West.. Mt Spalding

We Made it!

Hiking Trips - different categories

I've decided that there are, to me, 3 kinds of hiking trips. To categorize them like this allows me to set my own expectations, and to avoid beating myself up when I don't accomplish something.

• Challenge hikes.... trying something for the first time, a new route /approach, a time goal, new mountain, etc.
• JIJ "Joy in the Journey"... go where I will, smell the roses, take pictures, investigate a different path. Summitting is NOT the goal here, being outdoors, enjoying the beauty of God's creation, getting exercise - these are the goals on these kinds of hike
• Picture taking very much like number 2, the goal however, is to take pictures.