Traveling in Colorado

Colorado is located right in the heart of America, famous for being home to the Rocky mountains, colorful deserts and its friendly metropolitan capital Denver. So far I’ve only touched the western part of Colorado visiting the small city of Grand Junction. From there I did two separate hiking trips exploring the vast deserts and nearby mountains. Most people consider eastern Colorado to be most important part of the state. In the east is where you’ll find most of population built in several cities sprawled along the base of the glaciated Rockies. As far as my domestic travels go I consider the greater area of Denver and Miami to be the most significant places in the country I have yet to visit at this point.

Denver

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True to its name, the “Mile High” city is exactly a mile in the sky at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The city’s easy access to some of America’s most scenic mountains and best adventures makes Denver a popular destination.

Pyramid Peak

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At 14,026 feet (4,275 meters), Pyramid Peak is actually one of the shortest of the state’s 14’ers. The steep and exposed summit however actually makes this mountain Colorado’s third most difficult peak because of the danger. This was certainly a mini adventure for me, and after climbing it I’ve been inspired to later try out some more of state’s peaks over 14,000 feet.

Mt. Elbert

Click here to see my winter climb of Mt. Elbert.

At 14,439 feet (4,401 meters) Mt. Elbert is only a few hundred feet, or 100 meters taller than nearly 50 other 14,000 foot peaks in the state. That extra few hundred feet however is enough to make Mt. Elbert the highest peak of Colorado, and also the entire Rocky mountain range. Though it dominates the Rockies in altitude, Elbert is also known for its gentle slopes and is actually one of the easiest mountains in the state.

Grand Junction

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Grand Junction is a small city located in Colorado’s western deserts, famous for its artsy downtown and local desert activities. From here you can enjoy a fun stay in a charming town while going out for horseback riding, white water rafting and other activities. A protected area just a few miles away from Grand Junction is home to dozens of wild horses. Also nearby is Colorado National Monument which has some spectacular canyons and a great view of the city itself.