Catamount Trail in Green Mountain Falls

On June 19, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Hiking2 Comments

The weather was beautiful this weekend, so we decided to get up into the mountains and go for a hike. We drove to the quaint town of Green Mountain Falls to hike the Catamount Trail, which is a trail that we haven’t done before. You aren’t able to park on the road where the trail starts, so you have walk about a mile on a very steep road to reach the trailhead. Walking up the road was almost as hard as hiking on the trail itself.

The trail is considered to be moderate, but anytime you go hiking in the mountains, it is likely to be fairly difficult and this trail is no different. The entire trail is about three miles one way and the first two miles are steep switchbacks with a lot of rocky steps. At the start of the trail, there are a couple of wonderful waterfalls where you can stop and enjoy the beauty of nature. There is a reservoir at the end of the trail, but we didn’t make it all of the way to the end on this hike, but we will definitely return another time and complete the hike.

The scenery was absolutely stunning, especially as you near the summit where you are rewarded with incredible views of the valley below. There isn’t much to the town of Green Mountain Falls, it is really just a community of homes for people who want to live in the mountains and don’t mind having to drive a ways to do their shopping. It must be a relaxing way to live, but we’re not sure that we would want to be that isolated.

This was our first real hike of the season, so climbing the steep switchbacks took its toll on our legs and we decided to keep it to a two-hour hike and turned around after making it a little over the halfway point. For us, hiking is all about getting out into nature and getting some exercise, which made this a wonderful hike. Although it was our first time doing the Catamount Trail, it most certainly won’t be the last time we hike there.

The Versatile NeatPack (PROMO Code for Discount)

On June 15, 2017July 20, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Product Reviews, Reviews, Travel Tips5 Comments

Every now and then, we come across a product for traveling that we want to share our thoughts about. When it comes to having something to carry around everything you need while touring a city or even going on a short hike, the NeatPack by Neatpackbags has everything that we are looking for. We chose the Sling Bag, which has a handy spot for a cell phone on the shoulder strap and pockets to store a wide variety of items you might bring with you. There is ample space in the center for our camera equipment and there is a spot for a water bottle as well. The bag itself is lightweight and comfortable to carry, even when full of our various travel needs such as maps, first aid kit, and photography equipment.

To purchase, go to Amazon and use PROMO Code Living10 to receive a 10% discount at checkout.

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

On May 15, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Hiking3 Comments

The weather was absolutely beautiful this weekend so we took advantage of it to go on a short hike. This was our first time hiking the Red Rock Canyon Open Space, which is located between Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The scenery is very much like that of Garden of the Gods park and there are plenty of interesting rock formations to see as you stroll along the trails.

The trails are not particularly difficult and there are plenty of families and people with dogs, but the park is spread out enough that despite large crowds it is still a tranquil experience. As we walked along the trails, we came across a group of volunteers who were spending their Sunday repairing the trails and adding steps along a portion of one of the trails. We stopped to take their picture for them and took one of them ourselves and thanked them for their volunteerism and hard work.

It is hard to believe that we have lived in Colorado Springs for over twenty years and yet had not gone hiking on these trails before. We will definitely return on future occasions to explore more of the open land space and enjoy all of the natural beauty. We live in such a beautiful place and are lucky to be able to go hiking in just a few minutes and be surrounded by such natural wonders.