Beautiful Day Hike

Regional park in Reno, NV.  Evening view of the Sierras. 

Mountain golf, near Reno, NV. 

Beautiful Fall evening in Reno, NV. 

View to the north. Sumter National Forest, near Abbeville, SC. 

From Glassy Mountain, near Pickens, SC. 

Off Blue Ridge Parkway, near Brevard, NC. 

Pisgah National Forest, off Blue Ridge Parkway. Near Brevard, NC. 

Fryingpan Mtn trail. Off Blue Ridge Parkway near Brevard, NC.

Mt Pisgah trail from Blue Ridge Parkway. Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, NC.  And a view of Pisgah from the trailhead.

Ride in Greenville, SC.  Reedy River Falls. 

Near NC/SC state line, above Cleveland, SC. 

DuPont State Forest, near Cedar Mountain, NC. 

Carl Sandburg National Historic Site, Flat Rock, NC. 

Kayak trip down the Broad after a nice rain. Running strong, near Rutherfordton, NC. 

Evening ride on the trail in Rutherfordton, NC.

Great late summer trip to the Leadville, CO area.  Weather was sunny and mild.  500 miles driven and 77 miles of hiking over 7 days.  After leaving I-70 and driving over Fremont Pass (11,318'), you descend into the Arkansas River Valley where I spent almost the whole trip.  The bottom picture is the Upper Arkansas River.  It flows 1469 miles (6th longest in US) until it joins the Mississippi in southeast Arkansas.

Between East and West Dyer Peaks. Near Leadville, CO. 

Returned to this hike to get to the top! Near Leadville, CO.

12,000' highway pass with hikes in both directions. East side view of Lackawanna Gulch and Casco Peak, with Mt Elbert behind.  West side view of Ouray Peak. 

Above Leadville, CO. 

12126'. Buckeye Peak in the distance and Chicago Ridge further beyond.  San Isabel NF. Near Leadville, CO.

An old favorite, it was a sublime evening. Leadville National Fish Hatchery, near Leadville, CO. 

Prospect Mountain climb from Evans Gulch. View to north of Upper Arkansas River valley toward Fremont Pass. Near Leadville, CO.

View towards Prospect Mountain and Mosquito Pass. Near Leadville, CO. 

Skis area near Leadville, CO. Thought I could make it to Chicago Ridge, but no way! Mount of the Holy Cross in the distance in 2nd picture.

From Native Lake trailhead. Mt Massive Wilderness, San Isabel NF, near Leadville, CO. 

Shoulder hike between Clinton and Mayflower Gulches.  White River NF.  Near Leadville, CO. 

Looking east toward Coosa River valley and Cheaha Mountain. Near Cook Springs, AL. 

We headed north in search of some cool air and found it in the Appalachian foothills and mountains of North Carolina!  Daily highs were low 70s in the mountains to low 80s in the foothills.  About 1000 miles driven, 30 miles of biking, ~ 15 miles of kayaking, and another 5 of hiking! View of Grandfather Mountain from Flat Top carriage trail at Cone Manor.

Near Rutherfordton, NC.