A New Year’s Day Wander to Bear Peak

New Year’s Day Wander 2019 to Bear Peak

The New Year wakes to a fresh blanket of snow frozen by the single digits overnight.  Skies still foggy, as if not quite awake, create a sense of calm and quiet over the Front Range.  Katie and I meet and dance around trying to fend off the stinging cold.  Frozen snow crunches beneath our microspikes as we make our way to the start of the hike.  A faint path through the snow has been started by hikers who braved the cold before us. 

The lip of the trailhead offers a view of the Flat Irons draped in fog and ice.  The Front Range and Denver are still asleep under a bed of fog and snow.  A quiet and undisturbed scene, invites us to stop and take in the moment.  The Flat Irons covered in a foggy snow is a special experience and I immediately regret my decision to leave my big camera at home. 

Numbing Cold 

Ice and snow transform this popular area into an otherworldly landscape.  The fog and ice mute the usually busy scenery.  As we make our way along the trail, we try to generate heat to stay warm.  Giggles of joy erupt at being outside on this first day of the new year in such cold weather.  Fingers and toes burn against the cold creeping through my layers.  Despite cold fingers, I slip my glove off to take pictures with my phone. 

The numbing cold pushes against my desire to capture this experience with my camera.  Every picture requires me to take my glove off, adding to the pain of exposed, cold skin.  Raynaud’s is the nemesis of Scleroderma and requires me to take extra precautions to keep my fingers and toes warm.  I rarely win the battle against cold fingers and toes and today I accept the cost of taking pictures in such conditions.

Fern Canyon

After some consultation we decide to hike up the steep, direct Fern Canyon.  This trail is famous for a straight up the mountain path.  It is a strenuous hike that winds through the forest, climbs past the third Flat Iron and tops out at a boulder scramble to reach the official peak.  

Fern Canyon, filled with its namesake, is thick with a canopy of trees that fend off most of the warmth of the sun that is slowly burning through the morning fog.  A saddle at the third Flat Iron offers views along the spine of the range between Bear Peak and Green Mountain.  Blue skies emerge from the fog and a single ray of sunlight finds its way to my face. 

The Beauty of Snow

Trees and shrubs covered in frozen snow stand out against a blue sky. Single needles and branches draw the eye and lens to explore.  The freeze defines each needle, spindly branch and trunk.  This type of snowy freeze is special in how it forms around each detail, instead of covering over all the details.  Snow drapes over rocks and dirt, creating a blanket under each tree and shrub.  It conjures visions of a childhood flocked Christmas tree surrounded by a skirt to cover the base. 

A Refreshing New Year

The splendor of these mountains offers gifts better than any gift under a childhood Christmas tree.  Air, fresh and cold burns the old, stale air out of the lungs.  Red faces scrubbed by the cold and the intermittent sun show a constant grin.  Our souls fill with beauty, bodies strain under heavy packs and the steepness of the climb and our minds clear of daily stress.  In this moment we are free and soaking in every ounce of peace and beauty.  

Bear Peak

A short climb along the last ridge brings us to the final scramble to the peak.  Rocks, slippery with melting snow require additional care.  A small group of hikers huddle at the top, bracing against the cold.  Views stretch out for miles.  Iconic Longs Peak stands in the distance, shimmering in the afternoon sunlight.  We identify peaks in the distance and quickly eat a snack while trying to stay warm. 

I pull out my phone to take pictures and discover it has succumbed to the cold.  A sure sign that it is time to get moving down towards the warmth of our cars.  We had planned to connect to the Bear Canyon trail to make this a loop hike, but in our haste to get moving, miss the turn and take a circuitous route back to the saddle.  We drop back into the trees of Fern Canyon and quickly make our way back to the trailhead and our warm cars. 

What an invigorating start to the New Year!

WanderJill