Day 15

Today we hiked Rabbit Ears Peak. It was a beautiful day, sunshine and about 50 degrees when we started. Elevation at the start 9,680 ending at the 10,654 twin pinnacles looming over the Continental divide. To get there go 20 miles east of Steamboat on U.S Hwy 40 to the Dumont Lake Campground turnoff on the left(north) side of the highway. Head up FDR 315 past the campground turnoff and turn left on FDR 311 to the trailhead and parking for Grizzly Creek Road (291). The climb was not that long only about 2.5 miles but it was very steep. Well worth the climb when you got to the top. You could see for miles, including Grand Lake area and the Rocky Mountains. We could even see Long's Peak in the distance, one of Steve's favorite 14,000 peak that he climbed in his younger days.

We found a spot to sit and have lunch on the north side of the Rabbit Ears where the wind didn't catch us. It was heaven and you felt like you were on the top of the world. Good day and our last in Steamboat Springs.......

Day 14

We took a ride today to the Flattops Wilderness Area and the Stillwater reservoir. The small towns in between are something else.
We then played a little golf at the Steamboat Golf course about 5 miles outside of town. Had a great time even though we lost a few balls in the stream that winds through the course. I think I found as many as we lost so it was all good. The fairways were really narrow which is not in our best interest but we managed to par a couple of holes. End result, Steve and I tied for 18....

Day 13

Rene was not feeling well this morn- ing so I hiked by my- self. One of the highly rated trails in the area leads to Devil’s Causeway. It took me about 70 minutes to drive to the trail head at Stillwater Reservoir. The drive is beautiful going through the towns of Oak Creek and Yampa, then County Road 17 to Fire Road 400.

The temperature at the reservoir was 40º and the elevation is 10,255. The trail (#1120) follows the north shore of the reservoir then veers off to the right as trail # 1119. It winds through the woods as it gradually climbs, goes through a meadow, then climbs again to Little Causeway Lake. From there the trail becomes steeper and climbs to another meadow before entering open space above tree line and climbing steeply through a series of switchbacks. I encountered snow on the ground almost from the start. The higher I went the deeper the snow got until near the high end of the trail I encountered a waist deep drift that I had to go around. From there until Devil’s Causeway the snow was at least ankle deep. The Causeway is a narrow ledge of rock with sheer drops on either side at an elevation of 11,600 feet. Since it is only safe to cross when dry, I stopped at this point, had lunch (temperature about 25º) and turned around and headed back down. Hiking time up for the three miles was 2 hours and nine minutes and return time was an hour and forty minutes. The views all the way up and down were fantastic. The only thing missing was my hiking partner.

Day 12

Yesterday we visited Strawberry Park Hot Springs just outside of Steamboat. The roads getting there were quite narrow, and curvey. To get there, head east on Fish Creek Falls road and take a quick left at Amethyst Drive to connect to C.R. 36. You need to bring your own towels and I would recommend a beverage but make sure it's in plastic. It's kind of a rustic place, they do have a nice bathroom area for changing or a Teepee closer to the Springs themselves. There were a number of different pools with varied temperatures, try them all each one is unique. I was a little hesitant about going here cause usually the smell of sulfur is overwhelming but you could only smell a slight hint of sulfur at these hot springs. It is well worth the trip for a little eclectic adventure.

Day 12

Today we drove back out to the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness area. This will be our last hike in this area. It was snowing when we started this morning and about 32 degrees, thank goodness for Gortex. We hiked the Mica Lake trail #1162, you get to this trail via the Gilpin lake trail. When you get to the split take the left fork and follow it up the mountain to the lake. It was a little more than 5 miles of climbing and 10,460 ft in elevation. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to get there, the wind picked up and the snow was getting heavier and heavier. Our usual routine is to have lunch when we reach the top but due to the weather and more snow rolling in we took a quick break and started back down the mountain. It really was beautiful around the lake, just wish the visibility would have been better. You could see a glimpse of Mt. Agnes and little Agnes through the snow. The actual route to the lake was beautiful as well but a little less scenic in parts due to the Hinman Park Fire back in 2002. There are a number of charred trees and open areas. We were pleased that we were able to conquer this one......

Day 11

Rain, Rain, Go away.... Tried to hike today but the rain was too bad. Try again tomorrow. It cleared up in the late afternoon so we did get a bike ride in.

Day 10

Today was moving day... we switched from one condo to another one. Last week was an extra week through RCI and this week is an exchange. We are now staying at the Steamboat Grand. For anyone who has weeks to exchange I highly recommend this place. It is awesome. We have a two bedroom suite which is about 1200 ft. It is beautiful.
It is right across the street from the Gondola at the ski lift. There are a number of restaurants within walking distance as well as the Octoberwest festival going on at the ski resort. Lots of people watching. Fun times...

This afternoon we treated our tired legs to a massage. It was very relaxing and much needed. Tomorrow brings another hike in the Mt. Zirkel area. It's supposed to be beautiful, we are hiking up to a Glacier lake. Having a great time in Steamboat exploring every inch of it. I hope you all are enjoying the journey as well.
Regards, Rene' and Steve