Colorado on Marco's Blog

Colorado 14ers: Mount Shavano

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Sat, 31 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Deal

After a very successful climb of Mount Oxford, I decided it was time to try something ambitious: a whole week of climbing Fourteeners. As I knew, there are several clusters of them: the Front Range and Sawatch ones were easy to climb from Denver; the Elk Mountain ones were all too hard for me at this point; a cluster in the South comprised the Sangre de Cristo Range; and the final cluster were the San Juan Fourteeners, some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.

Colorado 14ers: Mount Oxford

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Fourth time is the charm! I had been ‘dreaming’ of hitting the third 14er in the group since summiting Mount Belford a few years prior. But it never worked out. Would I have it in me to make it happen on this beautiful occasion?

Climbing Your First Colorado 14er

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

So you are visiting Colorado or just decided to try climbing one of Colorado’s 53 mountains above 14,000 feet. Should you? Could you? What do you need to know before you go?

Colorado 14ers: Mount Missouri

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Fri, 08 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

After seven seasons of hiking 14ers, finally one with a group I really liked hiking with! Mount Missouri was a bigger challenge than expected, but certainly a lot of fun and a great workout.

Rocky Mountain National Park / First Open Week!

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 21:20:10 +0000

Colorado is justly famous for its mountains. The Rockies rise up in the middle of the continent like a wall meant to stop colonization and make the place rugged, remote, and scenic.

Alas, humanity is really good at beating down nature, and the Rockies were no match for our relentless pursuit of wealth and suburbs. By now, there are homes everywhere in the state, except where Federal land ownership prevents construction. But the mountains are still there, marvelous in their beauty and isolation.

Hiking Green Mountain

marco@mrgazz.com (Marco) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 23:58:33 +0000

I bought my house in Lakewood in great location. To my West, the mountains in a series of ascending peaks, including the giant tower of Creation Rock in Red Rocks Park. To my South, the beautiful Bear Creek Lake Park (also: a handful to say) with the public beach and water skis on Soda Lake. To my North, of course, the big hulking mesa known as Green Mountain.

It’s been a while I’ve lived here, but I never hiked up Green Mountain. Much of it was simply because it was too cold or snowy, but finally it’s warmed up and it was time to try hit the summit. I packed a protein bar and carried a giant jug of water (you’ll need both) and set out to conquer my first Colorado mountain (that didn’t have a ski lift).