It’s been somewhat of a solstice tradition the past 20 years or so, to get up early, hike somewhere to watch the sunrise.
Before sunrise, the sun reflecting off the wave cloud
Before I moved to the mountains, the solstice hike had 6-20 people attending, followed by breakfast at a local eatery. Now that I’m living in the mountains, the solstice hike has just me and breakfast is usually back at home.
I like getting up on the tundra this time of year. Normally there would be more snow and wildflowers. Niwot mountain is a relatively quick (less than 1 hour) hike up from near Lefthand Reservoir. Niwot is named after a native Indian chief of the Arapaho. His nickname was Left Hand, probably for obvious reasons.
Lefthand Reservoir and Mount Audubon from Niwot Mountain (11,400 elevation)
Mount Audubon, in the photo above, is a thirteener, meaning it’s summit is over 13,000 feet in elevation. I know I’ve attempted the summit a couple of times, decades ago. I don’t remember ever making all of the way up. It’s a long hike with a 3,000 foot elevation gain. I’d like to attempt it again this year and cement a yay or nay into my memory. I think if I could stop injuring myself, I’d be in good enough shape to accomplish it.
Some type of shrine/memorial at the top of Niwot
I have mixed feelings when I discover shrines or memorials in conspicuous places along trails or on top of mountains. They’re interesting to look at, but they are selfish when placed at such a public point. There are so many corners of the forests or on the sides of mountains that would be more appropriate. But claiming a major mountain top as your own is simply self-centered.
I was hiking down a nearby gulch after work last week, when I saw what I thought were the fingers of a leather glove sticking up through the snow. When I took a closer look, I realized they were raptor talons.
I dug down through the snow and ice and uncovered an eagle. This was next to a power pole. I determined the eagle had been electrocuted when his/her wings crossed two of the wires. The power pole even had a raptor guard on it, but that didn’t save this eagle.
I later confirmed that it was a juvenile bald eagle, a little over a year old. It was a meaningless death that left me sad.
Power pole where the eagle was killed, with trianglular raptor guard on the left.
