Kissing the Sky

An amazing day along the Front Range -- moderate temps, sunshine, brilliant blue sky and no wind. Perfect day to run 1,635 feet uphill.

Time: 1:23

Distance: 8.25 miles

Effort: Moderate

Body: Good

Weather: Brilliant

Two-thirds of the way through the climb up the eastern side of Bergen Peak, just over the crest of a hill that is the climb's steepest section, one is treated with a full-on view of Mt. Evans and its brood of surrounding thirteeners. 

Bergen Peak from Elk Meadow. Photo from early January.

Engulfed in the deepest blue of blue skies, the mountain today looked almost unworldly...too beautiful to be real. But, of course, real it was. Bathed in white and dominating the western skyline, Mt. Evans looms large as the backdrop (and water source) to the Evergreen vicinity.  

Clearly, I was particularly struck today by the peaks to the west. The perfect weather and the stillness on this windless, sunny day seemed to make everything that much more vivid.

The run, too, was sublime. I brought the climbing legs. No fatigue felt on the steady 1,635-foot climb up the Bergen Peak Trail to the intersection with the Summit Trail (43:18 from home). The trail was snow-covered, but the snow was still grabby.  Almost no ice. Good winter running conditions.

Jogged down the Too Long Trail and completed the circle via Meadow View.

Got home exactly on time for my next conference call. The flow was happenin' today.