A cool but sunny morning, destined to be a warm midday, and for some reason dog and I headed up to the eastern ridge—and kept right on going. I didn’t bring a lot of water, but I guessed (correctly) that there’d be snow up there, so Jack had plenty of water. Even thought of continuing up to Grandeur Peak again, but we’re two years older now, and both have semi-creaky joints.
So we stopped at about 7,500 feet.
But what an accomplishment. We both felt it. We also felt a few aches and pains—but there was scenery, there were smells, there were birds and deer and distances.
Hell of a hike. Dog’s been snoozin’, and I had to take an ibuprofen.
Grandeur Peak Area List
At 7:56 a.m., sun time, I hiked about 2,500 feet up a mountain.
1. Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay
2. American Robin*
3. Rock Pigeon*
4. House Finch**
5. Spotted Towhee
6. Pine Siskin**
7. Northern Flicker* (v)
8. Black-capped Chickadee (v)
9. Chukar
10. Townsend’s Solitaire
11. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
12. Common Raven
13. Song Sparrow* (v)
Elsewhere
14. House Sparrow (v)
15. California Quail
16. Lesser Goldfinch
17. Eurasian Collared-dove (v)
18. European Starling
Mammals
Mountain Cottontail
Mule Deer
(v) Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American robin, black-capped chickadee, California quail, chukar, common raven, Eurasian collared dove, European starling, house finch, house sparrow, lesser goldfinch, mountain cottontail, mule deer, northern flicker, pine siskin, rock pigeon, ruby-crowned kinglet, song sparrow, spotted towhee, Townsend’s solitaire, Woodhouse’s scrub jay
