The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The mountains are a year-round playground for those who get their kicks in the outdoors.  Each season brings new opportunities for fun.  While, weather-wise (in the Rockies), one can experience all the seasons within a few hours time, for eight to ten months out of the year the highest parts of the mountains are covered in snow (usually).  There is plenty to do on the snow, but for a short window each summer the high country dries up, revealing spectacular rocky peaks, high alpine meadows, and crystal clear lakes to be explored.  Although a lover of snow, I have to recognize this short window of snow-freeness in the high country as the most wonderful time of year.

The mildness of this past winter opened up the high country earlier than usual (at least where I’ve been (mountains around Leadville, CO)) and I have been taking full advantage.  Usually things are still pretty soggy right now, but I’ve been on dry trails leading my to 14,000’ peaks for over a month now.  It is becoming a serious addiction. 

Every morning my first thought is “Where should I go?” as I jump out of bed and pound down a cup of coffee.  I’m so excited to get out, I skip my habitual second and third cup.  When staying in town, it is less than four miles to get to treeline.  Here, I usually pause to take it in and lay in the thick, spongy alpine tundra, noticing what new wildflowers are showing themselves today.  Every few days a new color joins the party.  Then I continue on, usually exploring somewhere new for me, climbing over ridges, through valleys, up another saddle, down the other side.  At the tops, I usually just look around and decide what to do next time.  Most of these excursions have ranged from 3-6 hours so far.

The last two summers, I have done my best to be uncommitted to anything else during this time.  It is so short and sweet that I cannot dream of being anywhere else.  I’m not even training for anything specific, just roaming around for the pure enjoyment of moving in the most beautiful scenery I know of.  And I am loving it. 

Last week, I left my happy place, on short notice, to return to the swamplands (Midwest) for a funeral.  While I faced slight withdrawal symptoms (especially because I didn't run for a few days because it was too hot), it just makes me more excited to get back up there.  On my last outing, the wildflowers seemed on the verge of peaking.  I expect them to be mind-blowing when I get back tomorrow or the next day. 

“I came for the winters, but stayed for the summers,” is a common explanation for mountain transplants.  Spend a week up here in the summer and it is easy to see why…especially if coming from the swamplands of the Midwest, East Coast or Southeast.  The lack of humidity was reason enough to never return to the air-conditioned confines from which I came.  While there can be a whole other set of discomforts-dust, fires, tourists-I’ll take these any day over feeling the need to shower after a walking out to the mailbox.  And I don’t find any of these inconveniences above treeline.  So, if I go missing, you can at least narrow your search to anywhere above 12,000’.

Another Perfect Job for the Noncommittal

As I enjoy my last day of spring break and prepare to return to what may be two more months of substitute teaching, I realize I have found another perfect-fitting job for Camp Fancy-Free.  Luckily, as my tolerance and flexibility for bullshit continues to diminish, I am finding more income-generating matches to my lifestyle.  The latest…substitute teaching…currently in Leadville, Colorado. 

Its (just about) always sunny in Leadville the last two months.

I had pretty much written off any school/teacher-related work after my experience teaching during my initial stint in Leadville.  I first moved to Leadville soon after graduating from college and signed up to be a substitute teacher, upon my friend, Sara’s, suggestion.  That year, I was called in on the first day of school for a vacant high school special education teacher and proceeded to masquerade in that position for a whole school year.  Without getting into too much detail, I’ll only say that it was a great experience and it scared me away from the profession.  I never really considered subbing or teaching again, until a few months ago when I wanted to get a job, but couldn’t imagine giving up the autonomy that I had been thoroughly enjoying the previous couple of months.  The subustiuting idea dawned on me one day, while hanging out in Bozeman, Montana.  I checked the Lake County School District page, saw they needed subs, and headed towards Leadville.  After moving in with my friend, Wizard and filling out the necessary paperwork, I became licensed to substitute in Colorado and proceeded to get called into work everyday since.  After one month, I conclude it is perfect for my intents and purposes.

First, it most obviously fits my criteria in that it is temporary.  Signing up with only three months in the school year guarantees an end in sight.  This is of single most importance to me.  I never want to have to lie or mislead an employer, but I not looking for a job for the long haul.  Since most employers are looking for the exact opposite criteria in a potential employee, my job searches are limited to short-term opportunities such as seasonal work, special events or projects, and in this case…school!  I can put up with a lot more when I know there is a definite end date. 

The next most awesome thing is that I literally get to choose if I want to work each day.  A lady calls me and ASKS me if I want to work and I can answer yes or no.  This is what I make believe I do with every job.  It is definitely easier to achieve that mindset when it is my reality.  Becasue I came here with the intention of working, I've accepted everyday, but then my family made last minute plans to visit.  No problem, I just said no those days.  Perfect!

Third, everyday is different.  I have thus far agreed to do K-12^th grades.  That is a wide spectrum of crazy.  Different places and different faces everyday.  This greatly contributes to my enthusiasm and ability to stick it out no matter how insane it gets in those classrooms. 

A rare moment of calm with third graders, who always make me earn it.

Don’t get me wrong, this job can be rough…some days.  My experience has been that the younger they are, the more of my energy they require.  Most days I leave feeling exhausted.  But as I mentioned, it is just a single serving of each group.  Just one day at a time.  Very manageable.  And other days, especially at the high school, I sit around and read all day.  Or on the best days, when subbing for a gym teacher, I get to play basketball all day! 

So, subbing is perfect.  It is temporary, my daily choice, and provides variety.  The pay is good enough.  And it is in lovely Leadville.  Not necessarily the best place to spend mud season, but it MIGHT be a short one as Leadville has just experienced one of the mildest winters on record.  I, however, just escaped the mud for a week for the lower, warmer and dryer towns south of here.  That is right.  After just one month of working, it is spring break.  I had no choice but to leave and enjoy a week of living in the van and running and biking on sick, dry, singletrack in the desert-esque towns of Buena Vista and Salida.  

Dry trails for spring break.  (Salida, Colorado)

Ask me again in two months, but as of now, I shall add substitute teaching to the list of Camp Fancy-Free’s pre-approved jobs.

Summer Wrap-Up

Although I know there is plenty more summer weather to come, I have transitioned into the next phase and have left my carefree summer ways behind…yeah right.  Anyway to (semi-)briefly recap the summer: 

On July 1^st I woke up to the sound of snow plows.  I was sleeping on top of Loveland Pass, the coldest place along the way, after escaping Denver, which was experiencing uncharacteristic humidity at the time.  It wasn’t powder, but it was fresh and I snowboarded on it, as nearby Arapahoe Basin (ski area I happened to have a pass to) was still open.  I managed to get in a few runs before it got too soft and then passed through Leadville for the night to begin my planned loop. 

Fresh snow on July 1st on Loveland Pass

My only real objective for the summer was to do the famous Four Passes Loop in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, which is in the mountains between Aspen and Crested Butte, Colorado.  Realizing (at the beginning of July) I still needed to give the high country a few weeks to dry out, I planned to keep myself occupied with lower lying trails and exploring the towns of Crested Butte and Aspen. 

And I did just that.  I ran on a lot of trails.  The first few weeks included hundreds of soggy stream crossings.  My friend and former co-worker Ben (who was also circling Colorado) met me in Crested Butte and joined me for a week and half.  After a couple more scenic and soggy runs and beautiful camping spots, we made our way to Aspen, which required us to drive down out of the high country into the fiery gates of hell for part of a day, reminding us how perfect summer up there is.  In the Aspen area we hit a bunch of popular trails including one leading to the ridiculously, amazing Conundrum hot springs.

Trailhead to Conundrum Hot Springs (near Aspen)

After Ben took off, I headed to the trailhead for the Four Passes Loop, where I parked for a few nights before starting the loop.  The loop is 25ish miles.  I decided to backpack the loop instead of running it in one day.  Although easily doable in one day, I thought I should take two days to go slow and take it all in.  I was happy with that decision and the decision to bring a camera, which I hardly ever do.  Definitely worth the extra weight this time.

Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness on the Four Passes Loop (near Aspen)

Next, I spent about a week in the actual town of Aspen.  Aspen was pretty happening after spending weeks out in woods.  I had a good time there.  Two friends, Lilian and Stephen, both of whom I know from working with at the Rainbow Lodge in Northern California, were living in Aspen.  It was great to see both of them and nice to have places to stay in the crazy metropolis of Aspen.  I also found a future live/work spot (where Stephen was living/working), right in downtown Aspen.  After I had enough of all that, I made my way back to the most authentic of mountain towns…Leadville.   

Leadville

Leadville is a special place.  It was the first placed I lived after leaving the Midwest (about 6 years ago).  I have lived in half a dozen other places and visited hundreds and have never found anything even remotely comparable to Leadville. 

In Leadville, I stay with my friend Wizard.  Aside from cooking and cleaning for Wizard, I spent most of time running on Leadville’s fun and windy eastside singletrack, laying low, and formulating my next move.  While spending a lot of time sitting on Wizard’s porch (that we built while I was there), I realized why I am so picky about weather.  Leadville spoiled me forever.  At 10,200’, the summers are perfection.  I have not found anywhere better…and I have been looking.  Dry and sunny with highs in the mid-seventies…everyday.  Then it completely cools off every night.  Very comfortable.

Wizard and Joe on this deck (that we built one afternoon.  We were both surprised it actually turned out okay.)

During my stay in Leadville, the town was a flutter with elite athletes (and spandex) as I was in there the three weeks leading up to the Leadville 100 mile mountain bike and 100 mile trail running race.  It is definitely inspiring to be around so many people who are there to compete at that level. 

Leadville during the 100 mile mountain bike race.

Home

I then made my way to Denver via the Frasier Valley (where I spent last winter) and spent a few days running and exploring the surrounding high country.  After a final morning run on Berthoud Pass, I flew to Chicago.  This was my first trip home in over a year and a half.  I kept pushing it back, because I knew I would be going for my high school friend, Rocio’s, wedding at the end of August.  The whole trip was awesome.  I had tons of fun with my family, finally got to see Katy and Doug’s house, spent time with my Grandmother, Kali came to visit me from Ohio, and Rocio’s wedding was a great time and something of high school reunion for me.  The whole trip was really fun and really busy.   And the weather was super mild.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to visit half the people I was planning to, so I’ve decided (almost definitely) to spend the month of December there.     

Rocio at Burger King, right after her wedding ceremony.
(Picture by her husband, Abel)

Back to…Camp!

Just prior to leaving for Chicago, I applied for and got a fall seasonal job in Northern California.  Upon my return to Colorado I had one week to make it out here.  After retrieving Mama in Denver, I quickly made my way back into the hills.

On September 1, I again woke up on Loveland Pass, ready for the next phase.  No snow this time, but nice and blustery up there.  After breakfast with Wizard in Summit County and hitting all the sweet thrift stores in the Vail corridor, I slept on the Colorado/Utah border, before a huge push across Utah and Nevada the next day.  I took a new-for-me route across Nevada (RT. 50 instead of Interstate-80) and made it to Carson City that same night.  The next day I stocked up in Carson City and then made my way up to the incredible Tahoe Basin, where I spent three days running and swimming before moving into my current diggs.

Fallen Leaf Lake

I’m am currently back at the lovely Standford Sierra compound on Fallen Leaf Lake near South Lake Tahoe, California.  Since spending the spring of 2010 here, I knew it was only a matter of time before I made my way back to this special place.  It is an incredibly easy place to be, as work/home/play is all right here.  The hardest part is there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything we have access to.  So, until next time, I’ll be here, trying to do it all.