On March 5th, we went to Mt. Sanitas for a day hike along with our friends. We started the hike at 3:30 in the afternoon. The weather was rather warm for a winter day so while we hiked up the mountain, we began to peel off the outer layers of our clothing. The trail started with log steps and then turned to rock after rock that we had to step over. Although the difficulty rating on this trail is moderate, it requires a lot of legwork uphill. So beginners or those of you like me who are a bit out of shape and not fully adjusted to the high altitudes of Colorado, may find this trail somewhat difficult. I found that frequent short breaks and sipping water helped me keep going.
A friend of ours showed us a side trail that veers off from the main trail which led us down to the crags. From there, we could get a peek at the city of Boulder, and we were able to view of the Indian Peaks on the west side plus spot a few cars driving on the road next to few houses below us. Our friends promised us a better view at the summit, so we went back to main trail and continued our way up the mountain. We found yet another trail that wandered off to the left and decided to take a break there and snapped some pictures as well.
The main trail was populated with a number of friendly hikers, some with dogs who breezed up and down it. I, on the other hand, have to admit that hiking uphill was tough. I found motivation from the beauty of the mountain with its vast forest of pine trees and boulder outcroppings. This kept me focused and determined to reach the summit.
When we finally reached the summit, we were all so happy. What a panoramic view! We could see all of the Indian Peaks, the city of Boulder and from foothills below clear out to the Plains. This breathtaking view was definitely worth the hike. Needless to say, it was time for a rest, snack and, of course, more pictures. At this point in the day, the sun began to set behind the Indian Peaks and it became quite chilly. So we put back on the clothes we shed at the beginning of the hike and started our decent.
The trail that leads north and downward became challenging especially when we had to cross wet and icy spots. We had to really watch our footing in order to prevent ourselves from falling. Unfortunately, a friend of ours didn’t have on proper shoes and slipped on the ice, landing on her hands, which later required that she take some Advil to ease the pain in her palms. This served as a warning for the rest of us and as the trail became steeper and more rugged, we put on our gloves in order to use our hands as we climbed down over the rocks.
The trail eventually changed into a gravel pathway that meanders through the rolling hills east of Mt. Sanitas. We were told to be on the look out for animals at this point. So with a keen eye, we kept searching for some signs of animals. We did see a herd of deer eating the grass behind a mansion that we were walking past. We were able to get unusually close to them until a large dog decided to bark at the deer and they all took off. It was cool how they all reacted in the same moment and with the same speed to run away from the enemy dog.
Within minutes, it seemed that the sky was dark. Travis and I put on our headlamps to guide our way back to the Mapleton Road. We gave our flashlights and glow sticks to our friends and soon, the strobe function on the flashlight became the incentive for everyone dancing through the woods while those with the glow sticks twirled them in the dark creating “art” in the air. “Let the wild rumpus begin!”
Good hike, good friends and a nice way to end the day.
