Autumn Arrives: Summits of Mt. Rosa & Mt. Herman; Loops on 701 & 381

I have not kept up with my attempt to revive this blog, but it's been a busy trail running season these last two months!

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A loop just short of 9 miles in Red Rock Canyon highlighted some of Colorado's best autumn colors.

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Near the end of September, I set out with Mocha to do St. Mary's Falls one morning. I had extra water and food with me, so when she was still excitedly pulling uphill at the Falls junction, I decided to see how far we could go!

She energetically pulled all the way to the summit of Mt. Rosa! The autumn colors were amazing from the top, and we were lucky to be on top at the same time as a hiker who took our photo.

This summit felt special to me, because it was atop Mt. Rosa that someone took my favorite photo of myself with Pippin. It felt like a full circle to make it to the top with Mocha this time, and to have someone at the top to capture the moment.

The downhill felt smooth, and Mocha maintained great energy in today's cooler weather. We descended 672 to Frosty's Park and took Pipeline down to Captain Jack's, making this a full loop of about 18 miles.

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In early October, a morning inversion turned a normal Section 16 run into a fun adventure above the clouds.

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On a warm morning, Mocha and I set out from the Red Rock overnight parking in Monument, up 715 trail towards the Mt. Herman summit.

This warm weekend day meant a busy trail, and soon Mocha and I were running behind someone with an Aussie shepherd, which she took as a sign to keep up! 😀 We had a brief chat and the hiker split to do a lower loop while we pushed on for the actual Mt. Herman summit outcrop.

Although this day totaled only 9 miles, the steep climb in the final mile to the summit made the effort seem like a real mountain day.

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Mocha and I enjoyed a quick morning jaunt one day around Garden of the Gods with Bailey and Fireball.

Mocha is getting better at being around other dogs while running on the trails!

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Since Mocha and I both enjoyed our time on the 701 Loop so much, I decided to do that loop again for my next long run.

We took the 701 connector shortcut, making this time on the Loop a little shorter than last time, but with all the same great mountain views.

The big winds atop the little sandy overlook made me glad I wasn't summit-chasing today, but hinted at winter slowly pushing in.

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A short adventure around the Daniel's Pass area led to some ruins that I'd never seen before.

After some internet sleuthing, I found out these ruins were part of an old settlement called the Green Settlement, or Greenwood Park. In the 1880s, several families claimed homesteads in the area, and most of what remains today is several old stone chimneys.

The newer trail called Greenwood Path leads to the ruins of the settlement.

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In late October, for my next long adventure, I planned a lollipop loop from Daniel's Pass, ascending the steep Mt. Apocalypto climb to St. Mary's Falls trail, and then climbing all the way to the 381 junction. 

From the 381 forest service road, we'd travel south, first climbing a little more before descending to Gold Camp Road.

Then, Mocha would see for the first time, my favorite part of many runs I've done over the past years. This segment of Gold Camp Road passes by the Mt. Rosa reflecting pond, followed by Devil's Slide and all the Old Gods of the mountain.

Mocha indulging in my favorite view of Mt. Rosa.

Mt. Rosa behind the reflecting pond.

Running past Devil's Slide and the Old Gods of the mountain. 

Fall colors on the North Cheyenne Cañon return.

This run was just over 19 miles, making it officially Mocha's longest effort to date. Despite the length, this run felt fast and smooth overall, and I was super proud of how Mocha handled the day. It was a great joy to show her some of my favorite mountain spots.

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For a shorter loop the following week, next we did a lollipop from La Veta trailhead around Mays Peak.

The Ladders trail, Penrose, and Captain Jack's served as our uphill, with a nice smooth descent down High Drive and Gold Camp Road.

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As the weather has cooled off a little in the last week or so, Mocha and I are settling into a winter-type pattern, with more in-town runs.

A moody day at Red Rock Canyon brought out the soft pink tones in the rocks.

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For our most recent long effort, Mocha and I did a big loop through Palmer Park and Austin Bluffs Open Space, getting almost 15 miles of mixed trail surfaces.

And tonight, a cold front is expected, edging the mountains closer to full winter.

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What an amazing autumn so far, as Mocha continues to become more accustomed to the trails and more comfortable with leading me.