acclimatization

It's been five years since I've been to CO and a decade to the month since my dad and I bagged our first fourteener.

Within a few hours of landing in Denver today, I was running up the Tenmile Gorge out of Frisco (elev. 9100') to the Gore Range trail. I met a couple retreating from the loop I had in mind. They said there was too much snow and mud to continue. It was afternoon, and thunder rumbled from an ominous sky. My camera also malfunctioned at this point. My courtesy county map didn't clearly show whether or not I was going to keep climbing above treeline...

But I was pumped up to be back in this gorgeous alpine land, and I kept going! The trail topped out right at treeline at 11,500' in a wide meadow framed by a craggy cirque. I forded the icy creek and flew down the singletrack with expansive views in all directions (wish the camera was working!)...

Three hours and 12.5 miles later, I'm back at the Frisco Visitor Center. Barbara has been very helpful. The locals are super friendly. I wait for Mohammed to roll in anytime. It's great to be here.