There are endless ways to receive her rewards

I say it a lot, and I feel it even more. Nature heals.

In 2024, I went on 88 hikes, thirty-seven of which were on trails new to me. For the past five years, I’ve been documenting my annual hiking activity (which includes snowshoeing). I’m never trying to achieve a goal, but I get out as often as I can. It’s simply an important part of my life. My move to Colorado is how I found the space and the place for all of this. But honestly, it was my grief journey that inspired the drive and the need to explore with my feet on the ground. I continue to support others in this effort – included in my hike tally again this year are the Greif Hikes I lead several times a months,

This year, I hiked in California, Michigan, Arizona, France, and of course, Colorado. This is my first year since moving to Colorado that I didn’t hike a 14er summit.  I am a little disappointed when I think about that. I had one mapped out, but on the day, I changed my plan due to the significant wind forecast. At this point all of the 14ers that are new to me require, at minimum, an overnight stay somewhere, so it takes some scheduling. My 14er total still stands at eight, and I hope in 2025 I can change that.  I did repeat three 13ers this year and as you will see these hikes remain some of my favorites. Getting above tree line (11,500 feet) is still intoxicating for me!

Our life journey is full of so many turns and ups and downs. When I get outside it feels like I am walking it all out. The motion of my feet and the changes in elevation and view are a perfect metaphor for all of it. On many of my hikes this year, my heart felt heavy. I carried and waved a pink scarf for my niece, Whitney, who was diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in January 2024. I loved sending her pictures of me waving my pink scarf which reads, Survive and Thrive, because what else do you do when you feel absolutely helpless?

A quick reminder about my photos which I stop for frequently. It is my biggest priority to stay present where I am. I NEVER go anywhere just for the shot. I go to feel alive and to be at peace. And only then do I find it and attempt to capture it. I honestly can’t even believe how beautiful many of my photos are, all taken on iPhone. So here we go, the best of the best.

10. Raspberry Mountain, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This made my list not because I loved it but because it was memorable, and I learned from it. It was my first big hike of the year, and there was a lot of snow. I chose spikes rather than snowshoes which was half correct. The first 1.5 miles were very steep. The snow was mostly packed, but even with spikes, I slipped a lot. It was slow going. After the initial climb, the trail leveled, but the tracks ended suddenly. I decided to keep going, as I had a live trail map on my phone, and I was attempting a 6-mile loop. I knew I could find my way, but I walked for another mile in soft powder above the top of my boots. I was breaking new trail and with each step wondering why I didn’t just turn around! I finally made summit and got to wave my pink scarf for Whitney. That’s what I really wanted to do. It was my first hike for her, and she was driving me through that snow. I eventually connected to a semi packed trail where others had come up the mountain in the opposite direction, so things got easier as I descended. After the challenges with slick snow, steep terrain, deep snow, and wind, the hike felt really long. Looking back, it simply mirrored the moment in time in life.

9. Shrine Ridge, Vail, Colorado. This is only the second time I have hiked in the Vail area and it was a first time trail. It was also Hank’s most significant hike of the year. I found it particularly special for the incredible views. I don’t think the photos did them justice which is okay. We enjoyed a relaxing picnic on summit for at least thirty minutes and soaked it all in. There is a lot to explore in this particular area so it’s in my plans again for this summer.

8. Mount Sniktau and Cupid Peak, Loveland Pass, Colorado. This 13er combo made my list in 2022 and Mount Sniktau alone has been on my list every year since I discovered it.  I always feel accomplished and content on this trail. On this particular day, I set out to hike only Sniktau and it was such a gorgeous day that I added on Cupid Peak. This is also the place where I see marmots looking so chill, taking in the view, and looking like they love it as much as I do.

7. Waldrop Trail to Brainard Lake, Ward, Colorado. This is the second time I have brought a visiting friend on this route. It is one of my favorite areas to hike, summer and winter, and one trail or another always makes my top 10. In February, there is a lot of snow, but the trail was well packed and so we chose to spike it rather than snowshoe. It’s a serene place in winter and the goal of reaching the lake keeps you moving even if it’s cold and feels a bit long.  At least that is what I kept telling my friend Mary. When we got to the frozen lake, I played around in the middle, making angels on the ice and waving my pink scarf.  I noticed a man quickly walking toward me, at one point, and he asked, is everything okay?  I innocently said, yes, why? He was a volunteer ranger and he thought my scarf wave was a distress call. I was slightly embarrassed that I had caused concern, and I let him know it wasn’t a distress call, it was a power call for my niece. Mary and I laughed when we saw him later back in the parking lot. He was writing notes in a little book. We figured it was probably about us!

6. Butler Gulch, Empire, Colorado. This was number four on my list last year.  The entire area between Empire and Winter Park is a favorite location for summer hiking for me . On this day, I felt mentally and physically very strong. And even though this trail has a few long stretches of steep and rocky incline, I just kept moving all the way to the summit. There I felt so much peace, I could have sat all day. That is the beauty of being above tree line. On my way down, I paused to chat with two ladies that I had seen earlier. They were still heading up. I learned one of them was celebrating her 80^th birthday and these two had been hiking together for many years including several 14ers in the past. These moments are so inspiring. This trail that I would complete in three hours would take them at least twice that long. But that was no concern of theirs. They were likely feeling just as strong as I was and they were beaming with light. 

5. Calanque D’en Vau, Cassis, France. I completed seven hikes during my trip to France. They were all lovely and very different terrain from what I am usually trekking on which is one of the reasons I wanted to take this trip. This particular hike was interesting because it was on the high cliffs above the Calanques which are inlets along the Mediterranean coast that look like water fingers. On the hike we looked down on them and later in the day we explored them by boat.  This was a very rocky trail and my favorite part was during the halfway point of the loop where it got quiet and it was just the four of us from our hiking group. The views were long range up the coastline and you could smell the sea air rising up from that incredibly blue water below.

4. Square Top Lakes, Georgetown, Colorado. I have been on this trail several times, but this was my first time veering off to the upper lake. My friend Kath was visiting, and this would be our big hike of the week. It was a crisp late Spring day in June and we had to reckon with quite a few interesting snow passes that were in melt phase.  We also stepped in water up to our ankles a few times as it was the safest route. It was an adventurous and messy hike. Kathryn is always up for it and even tried to talk me into continuing onto Square Top Peak a 13er summit which I had completed the prior year in similar conditions.  It took some convincing that it would not be a good choice for us that day, but I was emphatic. Safety first!

3. Crestone Ziggurat Loop, Crestone, Colorado. This is the shortest and easiest hike I did the entire year which says a lot about it for making my list.  I just fell in love with this entire area, the San Luis Valley. This was the only hike I was able to do there while attending a weekend yoga retreat. It is a loop trail to the rather peculiar Crestone Ziggurat, one of over 20 spiritual sites in the area including ashrams, temples and stupas. This structure serves as a private place for prayer and meditation and sits on a hill in the foreground of the stunning Sangre de Cristo Mountain range which includes 14ers Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. These are said to be two of the most technical and dangerous peaks in Colorado’s fifty-eight 14ers, and I will only be looking at them from a distance. From this ziggurat, you can also see the Sand Dunes National Park. This was a special little hike, and I am excited to revisit the area for more as soon as I can.

 2. Manitou Incline, Colorado Springs, Colorado. This may be an unusual choice. This was my fourth time doing the incline and it’s never made the top ten list. It’s not the prettiest, it’s always crowded, and because of the stairs, it can feel less like a hike. And, it’s always a trail where I am asking, why are you doing this again? This is the old cog trail in the Pike’s Peak area, and it includes 2,768 steps on the ascent, there is a gain of 2,011 feet of elevation in just under a mile. I believe it’s one of the steepest grades you will find on a hike of this length. This time I decided to do it differently and skip out the first half of the steps and go via a nearby switchback trail. This is the same trail that would take me to Pike Peaks summit 14 miles later in 2022 (my number one hike that year!) But on this day, I hiked it for a few miles and then I “bailed in” at a spot that is actually designed for a bail out for those going up the steps. So, I joined the steps a little over half way up at the steepest point of the grade. I still got the grade but shortened my time on the steps. Are you following all of this? If not, get our here and try it yourself! This was my birthday hike (a day early due to forecast). I got some fun photos on the summit with a Colorado flag. But I also lost some really amazing photos of frost on the trees. I got a new iPhone later that day and some great pics hadn’t downloaded into the cloud. Anyway, this was a fun day, a change up to the usual challenge, and the first time I did this trail with a coating of ice on the trees which was absolutely lovely.

1. Mt Flora, Empire, Colorado. My third time on this 13er peak and first time at number one! It’s really exciting when you have a friend “young” enough and adventurous enough to take on a 13er peak without question. This is my third 13er summit with Isabella! It was a gorgeous day and the best conditions I’ve ever experienced on this trail. We spent a lot of time exploring summit and eating our cucumber sandwiches. I knew the afternoon forecast included storms and the clouds started rolling in suddenly and quickly, so we accelerated our descent.  But wow those clouds were so beautiful we paused for some amazing photos! We literally arrived back at the car at the first rain drop and drove home in some ridiculous lightning. I am diligent about checking peak forecasts in the Colorado summer, and on this day it was a good reminder of the importance of ALWAYS doing so.

Though we each have our own interests and abilities, the healing power of nature is an absolute, and there are endless ways to receive her rewards, not just the way that I choose. Walk, if you can, or sit by a tree. Listen, smell, look around. Whatever senses you have available to you. Use them. Get present with nature. It matters.