A kilted weekend in the mountains

[hallmarktex]

Holy Smoke! I spent all last week in a cabin between Creede and Lake City, just below the Rio Grande Reservoir. We left on Saturday just as the nasty weather was blowing in.

I also did a kilted hike; from our cabin to the continental divide. I'll post a picture from the peak when I remember how to post pics on this site.

[Alan H]

That beautiful country...thanks for posting these. It looks like a great hike and drive-through.

and.....

I like your dog!

[Inchessi]

Absolutely wonderful pictures. I used to drag my Girlfriend with me hiking when I lived out there.

Again, where is the "Envy" emoticon?

[Dave80203]

From answers.yahoo.com:

'According to "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States," by Henry Gannett (1846-1914), Uncompahgre is a combination of three "Indian" words (Ute, I suppose): unca (hot), pah (water), and gre (spring). Hank didn't give pronunciations, though ...

In "The American Alps: The San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado," by Donald Baars (U of New Mexico Press, 1992), the pronunciation is presented as "un-come-pah!-gray."

I've climbed it several times. The approach from the southeastern side (Nellie Creek) isn't particularly difficult -- so far as 14ers go. The northern side is sheer crumbling cliff.

Best to do it early in the day as lightning storms occur in the afternoon. There's nowhere to really take cover.

[MacMillans son]

Great photos, thanks for sharing! I have to put this on my travel destination list. I usually travel by motorcycle (HD road bike, not BMW on/off road type) so would not be able to get through "the bumps" to the trailhead but will look up the area for sure. How is the weather there in the fall?

Another thing, being one of "us" I cant imagine what it would have been like hiking unaware somewhere near you and all of a sudden hearing the pipes coming over the river and through the glen! FRIGGIN AWESOME!!

Good times!

[Whidbey78]

Nice pics. Great scenery and it looks like a heckuva good workout.

I wouldn't sweat the kilt being high. I have a couple for bashing in the boonies, one of which was of my own making, and I have them at the top of the knee, maybe slightly above. I find it moves better when really swing the legs around and climbing and such. Somehow, I get less snags and catches on brush and rocks. I wear my "big boy kilt" in town.

How did you not trash those kilt hose? I ruin almost anything lighter than, well, black.

[wildrover]

I thought I recall seeing here examples of kilts designed for hill walking that were a bit shorter, anyway.

Honestly, I didn't even notice. There's a good bit of slop between "chafe the back of the knees" and "too much hail hitting the front of the knees". Visually, I think there's a big difference, but functionally...there's probably a good three or four inch margin. Come to think of it, functionality as regards sitting in the chair for a haircut in front of a full-length mirror probably dictates the lower side of that margin ...I was being awful careful yesterday to keep the aprons down .

We've been to Creede once, and will plan a weekender there later this summer.

I highly recommend Kip's Baja Grill and the Creede Repertory Theater, and if you stop by the grass square across from The Doghouse in the afternoon, you may find a few people jamming on whatever instruments they happen to have. I was wishing I had a set of kitchen pipes...talk to Courtney, he runs the music/instrument shop.

I also did a kilted hike; from our cabin to the continental divide. I'll post a picture from the peak when I remember how to post pics on this site.

Looking forward to seeing the pics! I just use a free image host, and then the [IMG] [/IMG] tags around the URL for the image file itself.

I like your dog!

He is awesome ...shelter rescue a couple years ago.

I've climbed it several times. The approach from the southeastern side (Nellie Creek) isn't particularly difficult -- so far as 14ers go. The northern side is sheer crumbling cliff.

Best to do it early in the day as lightning storms occur in the afternoon. There's nowhere to really take cover.

Right on, thanks for the heads up. I did look up the route...it was ironic to see what amounts to a Class 1, maybe Class 2, ramp up the back versus the view from Slumgullion Pass!

How is the weather there in the fall?

Can't say, as I've only been there twice and both times in June, but I would imagine beautiful. It's still chilly in the early morning this season, and there's still fresh snow liable to show on the heights after a storm...the town is at about 8800-something feet. Right now, it's perfect for hiking around in woolies and a tank.

Another thing, being one of "us" I cant imagine what it would have been like hiking unaware somewhere near you and all of a sudden hearing the pipes coming over the river and through the glen! FRIGGIN AWESOME!!

They sound incredible, outdoors like that. Even a grove of trees will produce an echo, and when you get your own slice of the mountain, it's amazing. I've played them at the top of Pikes Peak (to verify it would work), Mount Evans (wanted to play at the Goliath area, and later took them to the summit), and Grays, but personally I think they sound better when there's something to reflect a little sound back. Grand Mesa, in the summer, was a great area...back in the woods, near the cross-country ski trails, there are a lot of ponds and open areas in the trees. In Moab, there's a very large natural sandstone amphitheater at the end of the hike to Corona and Bowtie arches...every embellishment comes back to a listener about three or four times. It's pretty incredible.

Here's a link to the piobaireachd I was playing...just through the 3rd variation, tho...I'm still working on the taorluath variation.
http://www.piobaireachd.co.uk/images...rnishnicol.mp3

I always wanted to play that piece in the wilds somewhere!

How did you not trash those kilt hose? I ruin almost anything lighter than, well, black.

No water crossings, no mud, and no walking in snow . I did pick a few tree bits off them later, but really didn't have a problem. When I get my hands on some darker socks, there will be mud, snow, and water crossings .

Also, I spent a good 45 minutes messing with my drone reed bridles yesterday. MUCH better now . I think a little more experimentation is in order!

[GMan]

Love that area.

[BoldHighlander]

and.....I like your dog!

He is awesome ...shelter rescue a couple years ago.

They can be the very best!
Our smooth-collie is rescue as well...I'm sold on "rescued" dogs!