My wife and I hiked up to the top of the highest mountain in Colorado today.  At 14,438 feet high, getting to the top of Mount Elbert, was no joke.  Coming down was tough on the legs too.  This hike up the mountain, was one of the hardest things I have done, in quite some time.

We got up very early, so we could be at the trailhead for the climb, at first light.  It is always wise to climb the mountains in Colorado early in the day, so as to avoid getting caught out by afternoon thunderstorms.  There were dozens of other hikers there, when we arrived. Everyone was eagerly anticipating the day ahead.

I have to say that the climb is tough.  There is a well marked trail, but parts of it are quite steep and rocky.  When you add in the altitude effects for us flatlanders, the climbing can quite literally take your breath away. 

The trip to the was just under five miles long, and included over 4,500 feet of elevation gain.  It took us almost five hours to reach the summit. When we did get there however, the views were amazing.

You would think that coming down would be a lot easier than going up, but it wasn’t.  The rocky terrain and loose gravel, meant that every step above the tree line, was treacherous.  You couldn’t relax for a minute, and this meant a lot of stress on our bodies.  We just felt tense the whole time; very tiring.

Our trip up the mountain was tough and I am not so sure my wife will attempt another.  We had a great time however, and dinner this evening was well earned. We ate well.