Tips for Hiking in the Colorado Mountains

On March 29, 2021March 29, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado, Hiking, Travel TipsLeave a comment

One of the things that we enjoy about living in Colorado is our access to a wide variety of trails to go hiking. Especially during the summer when the wildflowers are blooming and getting into the mountains can be a great escape from the heat of the Front Range. We will often see tourist from out of the state on the trails and often they are not prepared for hiking in the altitude on what can be sometimes some rough terrain. People in Colorado will often refer to those people who come from states that don’t have mountains and are closer to sea level as “flatlanders”. Here are some tips for anyone who plans to go hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

Stay hydrated – Colorado actually has a very dry climate and when you combine that with the altitude, it is very easy to get dehydrated. We normally recommend to people visiting the state that they do a combination of water and sports drinks so that they can stay hydrated and replace electrolytes. At a minimum, you should have a water bottle with you when you are hiking, but if you are going to hike for more than an hour, you should probably consider investing in a CamelBak that has a large water pouch so that you know you’ll have enough water.

Know your limitations – Get information on the trail that you are going to hike before you go. You can get information from local stores that sell hiking equipment or use an app like All Trails to get information. Trail ratings are usually Easy, Moderate, or Hard, but be aware that if you are doing a trail with any kind of elevation gain, even a moderate trail can be quite difficult. There are some trails where you have scramble over boulders or walk next to steep cliffs, so inexperienced hikers can get injured or worse if they push themselves beyond their limits. And it is important to understand that sometimes going down is more difficult that going up, so keep that in mind while you are hiking.

Wear and carry sunscreen as well as bug spray – Even at the base of the mountains, you are usually at 6,000 feet (1,800 meters) and then the elevation increases as you hike. That means that you are closer to the sun, which means that even on an overcast day, there is the risk of getting sunburn. Also, there are ticks in the forests and a lot of trails go near streams, waterfalls, or end at lakes and reservoirs, which means that there can be mosquitos. Colorado doesn’t have a lot of bugs, but you should be prepared.

Tranquil Pond at the Top of the Mountain

Carry a first-aid kit, compass, and small flashlight – Mishaps can happen and you want to have at least some wipes and Band-Aids in case someone gets some scrapes and bruises. There have been plenty of times where the trails are not as well marked as one might expect and it is possible to lose your way off of the trail if you are not careful. Many people rely on their smart phones for a flashlight and compass, but if something happens to your phone it is better to have the real thing. Also, you are likely not to have cell service in the mountains, so a compass app won’t be able to find your location. If you are going on a shorter hike, the flashlight and compass are not necessarily needed, but you should always have the first-aid kit.

Wear appropriate footwear – You don’t have to buy hiking boots or shoes, but you need to at least wear shoes with soles that grip. Almost any trail is going to have loose stones and gravel that can be slippery to walk on and you will likely be walking on larger rocks and tree stumps. Nothing will ruin your hike quicker than slipping and falling on the trail. It is also important to wear shoes that are comfortable and have been broken in so that you don’t end up with blisters. We don’t recommend open toed shoes of any kind for hiking, even if they have good gripping soles. Snakes, prickly bushes, and other obstacles could easily get to your feet.

Pay attention to the weather – Storms can come quickly in the mountains and often you won’t see the clouds building due to the peaks that are surrounding you. Colorado gets more lightening strikes than most other states and your proximity to the clouds that produce them makes them even more dangerous. It doesn’t have to be raining for lightening to occur, so always be alert to any changing weather conditions. Even when the forecast doesn’t indicate storms, the weather in Colorado can be unpredictable and forecasts are often wrong.

Be alert for wildlife – Seeing animals when you are hiking can be a wonderful experience, but only if you see them before they see you. There are bears, elk, moose, deer, wild turkeys, and many other animals in the mountains of Colorado. When you are in bear country, it is wise to make noise while you are hiking or hike on trails that are hiked by a greater number of hikers. However, just because other people are on the trail ahead of you, don’t assume that means that you won’t see wildlife, their routes often take them across the trails and it could just be that they get there between groups of hikers.

Take breaks and look around – First of all, you are likely to get winded easily, so it is important not to over exert yourself. Secondly, the views from most trails are wonderful, whether seeing valleys, other mountain peaks, or just the beauty of an Aspen grove, there is much to see. You can often find yourself staring down at your feet, trying not to trip on the rocks that are on the trail, and missing the wonderful sights that are all around you. You went on a hike to get into nature, be sure not to miss seeing it.

Hiking is one of the most pleasurable experiences where you truly get to enjoy nature at its finest. With a little precaution, you can ensure that your hiking experience will be one that you will treasure forever. With so many trails in Colorado to choose from, pick the one that is right for you and take advantage of seeing some of the beauty that this wonderful state has to offer.

Fascinating Birds Can Be Found Everyplace

On March 26, 2021March 26, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge4 Comments

We’ve been fortunate enough to get into nature in many different places and there are certainly some colorful and interesting birds in the jungles of South America as well as the forests of North America. Birds, however, can be found almost everyplace. Although birds like pigeons and black birds are the most common, it doesn’t mean that you won’t find some more unique ones wherever you live. Like many people, we have a birdfeeder in our back yard to attract different varieties of birds and we enjoy watching them throughout the year.

Bird in the Mountain Village of Telluride

We aren’t necessarily bird watchers, but we do keep our eyes out for birds whenever we are out and about, especially hiking. During our trip to Ecuador, we had two specific opportunities to go in search of birds. The first was our trip the top of the canopy of the Amazon Jungle where we saw macaws and several other colorful birds. On the following day, we took a boat out to a “clay lick” where different varieties of parrots flocked to enjoy the minerals that are found in the clay.

Bird Along the Trail to the Top of Gellért Hill in Budapest

As we mentioned, though, you don’t have to be in the jungle or forest to see interesting birds. We have seen birds in the trees of Budapest, found them in parks of the city, and sometimes in the trees of our hotel. We have so many hawks where we live in Colorado that we consider them to be as common as the black birds and pigeons that we see wherever we travel. We aren’t sure what the most unique bird that we have seen would be, but we certainly enjoy all of the various varieties. It isn’t always easy to capture a photograph of them as they often fly away just as you pull out your camera to catch their image. What is the most unique bird you have seen and were you able to capture it in a photograph?

Hoatzin (Stinky Turkey) in a Tree above the River in the Amazon

How to Make a Memorable Trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia

On March 18, 2021March 18, 2021 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn South AmericaLeave a comment

Traveling to the city of Cochabamba in Bolivia provides you with many different opportunities to explore the heart of this fascinating country. There are many different sites that should be seen when visiting Cochabamba, so planning in advance is worth the effort. We truly enjoyed our time there and we hired a guide to take us to see some of the locations that are outside of the city. Getting around in Bolivia is not always easy as the roads are often in a constant state of repair and the heavy rains often create landslides that take out portions of the roads. Although you don’t have to do everything on this list to enjoy your time in Cochabamba, we’d certainly recommend at least getting out and doing at least one that is not located in the city itself.

The Ruins of Incallatja – One of the tours that took while we were in Cochabamba, Bolivia, was to the ruins at Incallajta. They are some of the most well-preserved ruins in Bolivia and it really gives you a sense of how great the Incan civilization was. Sadly, not a lot is known for sure about the site and it seems that it is not often visited by tourists. The main temple building is massive and is probably an indication as to how important the site was to the Incan empire. In addition to being a ceremonial site, it was also the easternmost defensive fortification for the Inca, with a large wall to protect them from the rival tribes in the Amazon.

Polacio Portales – We would definitely recommend taking a tour of the Palacio Portales. Not only is the building architecturally interesting, but the gardens, which were modeled after those at Versailles, are quite beautiful as well. Built by the wealthy millionaire Simon Patino, the palace was completed in 1927. Patino’s fortune was built by owning the majority of the tin industry in Bolivia, which earned the nicknames of “The Tin Baron” and “The Andean Rockefeller”. At one point, he was considered to be one of the five wealthiest people in the world.

Just Before Our First Hike in the Amazon Jungle

Carrasco National Park – One of the most interesting places that we visited during our time in Bolivia was to the Carrasco National Park. It is in the Amazon Rainforest and is most famous for having a cave with Guacharo birds. These birds are virtually blind and are nocturnal feeders that eat the fruit of the oil palm trees. They are also known as “blind birds” or “oil birds” because of their unique eating habits as they are the only nocturnal fruit eating birds in the world that fly. Needless to say, there are a lot of other animals that can be found in the park and hiking through the park provides a variety of unique experiences. In addition to hiking in the park, we also stayed in an ecolodge as well as ziplined through the canopy.

Steps Leading Up to Cristo de la Concordia

Cristo de la Concordia – One of the first things that we did upon our arrival in Cochabamba was to visit the Cristo de la Concordia, which is a statue of Jesus Christ. The statue sits on top of San Pedro Hill and is accessible by a cable car or you can walk the 2,000 steps to the statue if you prefer. The statue is quite interesting, but since San Pedro Hill is almost 900 feet (265 meters) above the city of Cochabamba, the views are worth the visit as well.

Pico Tunari – Although we didn’t do this hike during our visit, our guide Remy shared the information with us and it would definitely be on our list when we visit again. Hiking to the summit of Pico Tunari, the highest point in Cochabamba, is certainly something that will provide striking views of the area. Bolivia has one of the most stable mountain outdoor weather in the world, making it a great place for mountain trekking.

Visiting Cochabamba provides the opportunity to see so many amazing places. Just walking around the city is wonderful, the people are extremely friendly, and the food is quite delicious. We stayed at a very nice hotel during our visit and enjoyed waking up to several families of parrots in the trees on the grounds. From Cochabamba, we traveled to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, to continue our exploration of the country.