Eagle Cliff Mountain Colorado

On our last day in Colorado, we took yet another trip to Estes Park, and this time we visited the YMCA of the Rockies, an incredible YMCA that sits on the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. We traveled again with Josh, Carri, and their son, and at the YMCA, one of my long time friends from my old job at GCM, John Drage, greeted us and he and I had a brief reunion. We had about 2.5 hours to hike around before we left for the airport with the Drakes. (Love the Drakes!)

John, knowing we had limited time, and knowing he would not be able to join us, pointed out Eagle Cliff as great nearby summit to take in one last look at Rocky Mountain splendor. We took off immediately. We started at about 7000 feet along a stream, and ended at 8300 feet in elevation over a one mile stretch. I don't think I would have been able to do it if I didn't have a week of high altitude conditioning in. Josh and Carri scampered straight up (with 2 year old on back and soon to be born second child).  We made it to the summit in record time, and again, it was absolutely beautiful. We took some time to soak it in and ate a lunch that Jamie and Carri prepared earlier that morning. We turned around and made our way back down Eagle Cliff just in time to be greeted again by John.

I'm immensely grateful that I was able to spend this last day in Colorado with many friends. John had tried to get me to visit Colorado and attend a summer leadership training program GCM organized for college students, but I never made it out there until this summer. It was wonderful to be reunited with an old friend, and to be physically challenged as Josh, Carri, Jamie, and I pushed our way up to the summit and back in record time.

May we each make the most of every day, and be attentive to the adventures and the fellow adventurers that come across our paths.