Father's Day weekend hike around The Land

Alex's first request for Father's Day was a hike around the Land. We've been doing this hike for as long as we've had the Land, but it never seems to get old. Although ,as Wee gets bigger, it is getting slightly faster, less whiny, and involves almost no carrying anymore. Per tradition, the hike starts at the Campsite, we head toward the road on the driveway taking in great views of the Continental Divide, then down towards The Aspens. Alex went to check out the Christmas Tree as Wee and I waved to passing cars from the point where elk cross the road onto our property.

Then up the hill behind the Christmas tree along the road toward The Big Dead Tree. This is some of the most rugged hiking on The Land, but a 6 year old expert hiking Wee One had no problem stomping on sticks in his path, scrambling over rocks, and brushing aside brush. The end of our property is marked by a surveyors stake and the Big Dead Tree. At this point we turn away from the road and start looking for the yellow wisps of boundary markers tied to trees and bushes. As many times as we've done this, it looks familiar, but it also looks a lot like just a bunch of rocks and bushes and trees.


We head up for a while and find the Interior Corner and take a right. We try to mark the boundary ourselves with big pieces of wood pointed in what we think is the right direction. It may not be exact, but it's pretty close.


We find the Tungsten Mines (which are just off property) and then make it to Bear Hill for a snack of blueberries and raspberries. If the bear were watching, he would have joined our picnic. Then down Bear Hill along the dilapidated fence line, past Poisonous Mushroom Path, to the Meadow. Then back up the other way through the Ponderosa Pine colonnade and then up the back way over Moose View Mountain. A few pine cone fights did ensue along the way to keep the fun in things. Total time just under 2 hours.