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Kennedy Mountain Campus 9/12-9/14
Kennedy Mountain Campus 9/12-9/14
This weekend I had the opportunity to spend two nights in the Red Feather Lakes area through First Ascent at the DU Kennedy Mountain Campus. The campus is only 2 hours north of Denver but the change in scenery is drastic. A variety of activities were offered, including hiking, rock climbing, and a via ferrata. The weekend long excursion was an amazing experience that allowed me to try new activities, experience the mountains, and take time to relax and take in the nature around me.
Being in such high elevation, the terrain is dry and rocky. With a sand-like surface of tan rock, the ground is patched with grass and shrubbery, and boulders of all sizes are scattered about. The air is thin at approximately 8,000 feet and deep breathes feel noticeably shallow. Much of the shrubbery is more specifically phylum tracheophyte, a type of vascular plant. This is a land plant with efficient water and nutrient transportation, allowing for it to easily adapt in a variety of climates including the high altitude of the Red Feather Lakes region. The vast majority of the trees are pines which are a type of coniferous plant, meaning they have needles and produce their seeds in pinecones. The needle-like leaves allow the pines to be water-efficient and able to thrive in the dry conditions of the area. Additionally, the strong branches of the pines can withstand the weight of the large amount of snow that accumulates during the cold winters.
Cliff Lake
Cliff Lake
After a short 2-mile hike, I arrived at Cliff Lake. I found it to be dried and the water much lower than usual. I saw this from the clear line on the rock walls surrounding the lake that showed the color change where the water would normally have been - this can be seen in the image above as the lower region of the rock is a lighter, tanner color than the upper part. The land where the water had been was dried, with cracks across it. The dirt crunched and molded to my shoes as I walked across it. Large boulders, that would have usually been underwater, scattered the area and made for the perfect place to rest and relax. A few friends and I all took a moment to ourselves at this point, laying on the flat boulders in silence. I could feel the sun beating down on my face, the sky so blue I could barely look up at it. It was quiet and all I could hear was my breath and the distant chatter of climbers on a rock wall nearby. This was the perfect reset and allowed me to take the time to be with my own thoughts.
Via Ferrata
Via Ferrata
I also had the incredible opportunity to do a via ferrata, a climbing route with a series of cables and rungs that allows the climber to do much steeper terrain than they otherwise could. This was my first time trying it and my experience was great. I was pushed to do difficult climbs and ended up getting to see beautiful views from the top of the mountain. As seen in the upper right image, some of the trees were already changing to their fall colors, with patches of yellow beginning to emerge. The sun was strong, but the air was brisk being so high up with a
breezing whistling through the mountain tops. As we climbed, we continued to see the Pines, known scientifically as Genus Pinus, that were so abundant off of the mountain face. Their durability furthermore allowed them to grow out of the rock face of the side of the mountain. The trees grew fewer, smaller, and sparser as we ascended. The climb was long, spanning roughly 2 hours to complete, with very difficult terrain at times. It was tiring but extremely rewarding to see the beautiful area from a bird's eye view.
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