Lazarow World-Hike-About

We visited Arches National Park enroute to Colorado, again. This time we assembled pictures from positions not usually viewed. Of course, this is an opinion as it seems the full frontal from slightly right of the icon is the photograph of choice. After hiking on the snow-capped mountains and in heavy snow, too of Colorado and New Mexico, the semi-desert conditions of Utah together with Delicate Arch make for a contrast. It's certainly easier on the muscles. Isn't it one of life's ironies or our funny minds but when it's very hot, we long for the cold and of course, vice-versa. This is an unusual position across the canyon, behind Delicate Arch. Taken from in the bowl below the arch. The more formal view of the Arch framing my favorite. (Through the arch one can see the La Salle Mountains.) Our favorite position at the arch; a place of tranquility and brunch. Unfortunately, this is a painful situation as the editor panics after finding...

The hiking on this trip, together with the sights, has been nothing short of superb. Southern Utah is a gem, South-West Colorado is beautiful and along comes New Mexico which has to at least try to make up a good third place. (Nevada has rugged beauty, too.) We set off for Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in New Mexico at 13,161 feet above sea-level, knowing not what to expect. The elevation gain is over 3,000 feet, the distance about nine miles but the real tough part: The entire trail was covered in snow and in places, ice. This made it difficult, slow-going and we estimate more draining by a substantial percentage . (We love the beauty snow creates but dislike walking on/in it.) Having mentioned that, it was an exceptional experience, quite extraordinary. In fact, on our visit to Seefeld Spitze in Austria a couple of years back, we had a similar type of adventure. An incredible effort from Jenni, an incredible position. (We're heading for Texas eventually where t...

Sometimes, it just happens. It happens and a person has to deal with it. Most times though there is a reason. Bad decision followed by consequences thereof—it’s how the world works (or used to work). Today was one such day. A Monday morning is a wonderful time to head for the trails rather than the office. Although we did some work earlier, we approached the tough Rattlesnake hike which lies on the border of Cedar Breaks National Monument in Ashdown Gorge. The rugged path takes one down into the amphitheater towards the river. The views of the aspen and cottonwood-dotted forests are remarkable now that the autumn colors are dominant. Looking to the side and back views of the eroded sandstone formations are a delight. It’s difficult to differentiate this area from that of Bryce Canyon. Both regions, geologically neighbors, are unique. In fact, to look into or up to these formations is absorbing a wonder of the world ...(continued at end dealing with issues of risk on the tr...

Last Friday, I told our son, Gavin, that our first hike in Colorado was superb—Blue Lakes in Ridgway. He makes fun of me because rumor has it that I tend to have fifty hiking experiences rated in our top ten . Jenni, of course, is far more even and balanced than me—how boring! I'll pay dearly for that comment but sometimes it's fun to live dangerously. The following Sunday, we undertook the Ice Lakes Basin hike which was nothing short of spectacular. After the preamble, you might wish to take the comment with a pinch of salt, perhaps even some snow from the trail. There is a subjective aspect to hiking as well. Besides the energy expended, beauty absorbed, a lot depends on the mood of a person, health, weather, favorite scenes, track style and underfoot to mention a few aspects. We left the trailhead in weather below 40 degrees, warmed ourselves quickly on the climb, crossed streams, broke the tree line and then reached snow level all within two hours. This hike had...