Originally posted on GoLite’s “Meaning of Lite” Blog (2014):
Jon and Amy set a goal to summit 52 unique peaks in 2013. They dubbed it “Peak-a-Week” with the hope to see new places, break the habit of going to the same old hiking trails, and spend quality time together in the fresh air. Amy shares some highlights from their experience.
Amy: On a sunny day in December 2012, Jon and I climbed Mt Sherman (a lovely 14,000 foot peak) in central Colorado. After living in the state for almost decade, we continued to develop a real love for the mountains. However, on that winter day, we realized that we needed to get out more often and change up our usual routine of outdoor activity. So we set a goal to hike a peak-a-week in 2013.
We enjoyed finding and researching new peaks that we could easily get to from our home. At first we tried to find peaks with decent trails to the summit, but as the year progressed we really enjoyed some solitude in finding more obscure trails and summits.
Thanks to our trusty GPS, maps and compass, and some bush-whacking, we found many wonderful new spots. We braved the cold, snow, wind, rain, and other weather throughout the year. Some of our favorite days were in weather that would have turned us away in the past.
On November 30, 2013 we made our goal and climbed peak #52: Beaver Mountain. Some weeks we did multiple peaks and some weeks we were unable to get out…and we only got turned back on our attempt of Jasper Peak. In the end, we finished a month ahead of time with many new memories and some new favorite mountains.
We savored all of the peaks, but thought we’d share some highlights from five memorable summits.
1. Mount Audubon- We climbed this 13,000 foot peak on our 9th wedding anniversary from the Brainard Lake Trailhead. We both took the day off from work and hiked this popular Indian Peaks Wilderness beauty without the typical crowds. The views from the windy summit were fantastic and we loved seeing a number of marmots as we made our way down.
2. Lily Mountain- This was our first peak of the year and we soaked up the solitude on this New Year’s Day hike. This little peak has remarkable views of Rocky Mountain National Park. We didn’t stay on the summit for long, as it was windy and very chilly…but the beautiful summit was worth the cold.
3. Cerro Chato- In February 2013, we took our third trip to Costa Rica. We returned to Aernal on this trip and soaked in the hot springs at Tabacon. After a day in the springs, we needed to move, so we caught a ride with some other travelers to the trailhead for Cerro Chato. We made our way up the steep and muddy trail to the summit of our only non-Colorado peak of the year. At the top, we viewed the emerald pond in the inactive volanco’s crater and a stellar view of the much larger Aernal Volanco.
4. Joe Mills Mountain (and Mount Wuh bonus)- The Bear Lake Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park is a madhouse on the weekends in August, but we decided to brave the crowds for this gem of a peak. We were among the masses for only a short while, as Joe Mills Mountain was one of our many peaks that required some bush-whacking. We trudged through dense woods with our GPS and compass and made it to the top despite the dense brush. The views from this summit were remarkable and some of our favorites. We added in the neighboring peak, Mount Wuh, which had one of the best peak names of the year.
5. Saint Vrain Mountain- This was one of nine peaks we climbed in January 2013. The trail was covered by deep snow and it was a bit challenging even with snowshoes. This was a special peak, as it was one that Jon had planned to climb with a close friend who passed away in 2010. Jon and his friend, Chris, weren’t able to summit on their attempt due to bad conditions. We celebrated Chris on the summit and thought about how much he would have enjoyed the views of the Indian Peaks and Rocky Mountain National Park from this 12,000 ft beauty.
(Dates: January-December 2013)
journeyaj.com 
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