It has been such an amazing experience to live in Colorado and have such easy access to some of the most beautiful places in the world. But not only that I have meet some great people to go climb with. I remember always complaining to Josh that I could never find people committed to climbing a lot when I lived in ABQ. But I have to admit working weekends made it impossible in NM because all the places to climb are a good hour plus drive away which left only weekend climbs. But having the Rockies right in your backyard, 30 mintues away, you can climb with people right when they get off work!
I was so excited when I had a weekend off and was able to join some awesome people on a climbing trip! We headed up to Loveland to go to an area called The Monastery. The drive to Loveland wasn’t too bad, about 45 minutes. It was when we hit the back dirt road that I got a little worried.
I had to drive up in my little VW bug, Leroy, because I couldn’t stay for the post climb camping. When me and my little Leroy saw the roads we had to go up we kinda freaked a little. These were steep grades maybe 20%? Haha I don’t know if that is exactly it I’m terrible at perception. Let’s just say if you had to walk it it’d get you out of breath REAL fast . Also there were tight switch backs. Then on top of the steep grade and tight turns the road wasn’t paved and had a lot of pot holes, which a low to the ground vehicle like mine was not made to handly. Thankfully my dadd-o has taught me how to drive in these conditions so I was able to handle it. 😉 (I had to skip the low gear thing because the turns were so tight I couldn’t handle shifting, turning sharply, and dodging pot holes…I’m not that awesome. haha.)
After a good 30-40 minutes we made it up to the top, and MAN was it worth it!!!! I could have just sat up there all day standing in amazement of how great our God must be to have thought out and made such a magnificent view! Let me just show you… 😉
I love how the aspen trees sparkle in the sunlight!
The Aspen trees were starting to turn….mmm so pretty!!
Even the weeds are pretty up there!!! HAHA!
Leroy was such a trouper!! Made it all the way to the top…of course with much complaining, but he did it!! 😉
One of the guys I went with, Mark, borrowed my camera and took these two. 🙂 I was using his. 😉
Michelle getting wood for the campfire. I wish I could have stayed for that part!
Come back tomorrow, more photos of the actual climbing area!
