We picked up our rental Ford Escape (nicknamed "Eddie") and hit the road on Sunday by 8am.
The scenic drive along highway 285 took us past Fairplay, the Collegiate Peaks in Buena Vista, and Salida.
The quaint downtown area of CB runs along Elk Avenue. The buildings have a historic, country-western feel with a colorful twist. At 8,909', the town experiences cooler temperatures year-round. Highs were in the low 60s during our stay--a welcomed change from the Denver summer heat.
That afternoon, Anna and I checked into our cozy accommodation at Timbers Condo, a short distance from the mountain base area and downtown.
The balcony boasted a spectacular view of the unassuming clusters of chalets nestled at the base of the mountain.
We went back into town for dinner at the Brick Oven Pizzeria and Pub, followed by a beer at the Eldo Brewery (#44 on my Colorado brew list).
The trailhead was a 30-minute drive from town, though only 9 miles away. Anna and I immediately validated our decision to rent a high-clearance vehicle in order to maneuver the challenging terrain.
We set off on the well-marked trail, instantly enamored by the colorful wildflowers. I was surprised at their longevity, as they had supposedly reached their peak a month earlier during the July festival. The clouds added an artistic touch as well.
After an initial steep incline, the path flattened out for the remainder of the trail.
We quickly reached the overlook at 1.4 miles, which offered a breathtaking panorama of the valley below, stretching all the way to Mt. Crested Butte. Here we both greedily drank in the crisp mountain air.
While we could have continued on to hike to Gothic Mountain, we decided to turn around in an effort to conserve our energy for the next 2 days of hiking. As we returned to the trailhead, we noted a number of mountain bikers starting the slow climb.
Overall, this is what I would call a "short and sweet hike." It is 2.7 miles with 746' of elevation gain (11,435' max), that is doable in under 1.5 hours.
With the rest of the afternoon ahead of us, Anna and I decided to take a scenic drive. After a stop at the Visitor Center in town, we began our route heading west out of town. Kebler Pass is 30 miles long, climbing to over 10,000'. It is alternately paved and gravel, and is closed in the winter months. The West Elk Mountains and aspen trees did not disappoint.
The end of Kebler Pass intersects Highway 133. While bearing north would have taken us to Carbondale, we headed south towards Somerset, Paonia, Hotchkiss, and Crawford.
The West Elk Loop Scenic Byway continued through the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where I caught my first glimpse of the majestic San Juan Mountain Range in the distance.
We continued on along the rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnsion National Park. The Black Canyon's dramatic drops surround a deep, steep-walled gorge carved through rock by the Gunnison River. Certainly a place that I would like to spend more time someday!
After passing the Blue Mesa Reservoir, we arrived in Gunnison, where we stopped at High Alpine Brewery (#45) before making the final trek to CB. The byway covered around 200 miles--more than we had originally anticipated, but a fun afternoon drive nonetheless!
We ended the day in town at Montanya Distillers with a lengthy menu of mixed and vibrant rum-based cocktails.
Anna and I woke up on Tuesday feeling energized for a big hike.
The hike to Hasley Pass is off the beaten path, and rumored to deliver among the most beautiful scenery in the Elk Mountains. We set off at a reasonable hour on another SUV-recommended drive to the trailhead via Gothic Road--a different direction than our hike the day before.
The popular West Maroon Pass that connects CB to Aspen shares the first part of this trail. The hike to Hasley Pass, however, is easier and less crowded. We began by winding through a forest next to the Crystal River.
A decaying cabin at the end of the forest marked the first fork in the trail. This is where you must decide to do an out-and-back or a loop (which is where we got lost). Bearing right, we entered incredible fields of wildflowers. To my delight, the flowers at higher elevations were still in bloom. The hillsides were waist-high in columbine, sunflower, paintbrush, and other colorful varieties.
After about 2 miles, the slope kicked up for a steep climb to an alpine basin. Here the trail flattened, with a view of Hasley Pass in the distance on the right.
The views looking back at West Maroon Pass were really something.
Hasley Pass was a short climb from there, offering stunning views in every direction. The backside of the Maroon Bells and Frigid Air Pass lay to the left...
...while straight below sat the green meadow of Hasley Basin. Stretching beyond was Snowmass Mountain and Hagerman Peak in the north, opposite the Ruby Range to the south. Anna and I agreed that it was one of the most beautiful sites that either of us had ever laid eyes on.
As the clouds began to roll in, we headed back the way we came--which is the recommended option, as there is no obvious trail to complete the loop.
The trail had 1,816' of elevation gain (12,120' max), and should have clocked in around 6 miles in length (though we likely added on an extra mile or two as a result of navigation errors).
We arrived back in CB by late afternoon, and toasted a leisure beer at the mountain base area. As we watched the mountain bikers ride up the chair lift and down the mountain, I declared my love for the charming mountain town.
Pizza at local joint, Secret Stash, was on the menu for dinner that night, where our quirky waiter was coincidently a fellow hiker that we had befriended earlier that day!
Wednesday morning, Anna and I checked out of the condo and packed up the car.
We weren't in a rush to hit the road, however, so a short hike sounded like an appropriate way to spending the morning. The Brush Creek trail, unlike our last hike, is straightforward and close to town.
We followed the easy trail through a couple of small aspen groves, enjoying views of the East River Valley. The rural surroundings were an appreciated contrast to the scenery from our previous two hikes.
We followed the easy trail through a couple of small aspen groves, enjoying views of the East River Valley. The rural surroundings were an appreciated contrast to the scenery from our previous two hikes.
Unfortunately, a territorial cow impeded our path about a mile into the trail. After a few minutes, we decided to back down and turn back. He was there first, I suppose!
On our way out of town, we fueled up for the trip and snagged our caffeine fix at iconic Camp 4 Coffee.
At about the half-way point of the journey, we stopped at Eddyline Brewery (#46) in Buena Vista.
