A Year in Review: 2020

2020 has been a giant dumpster fire. On that, I think we can all agree. Pretty much everything that’s happened this year has been unprecedented. I can only hope that better things are on the horizon for 2021.

With all the lockdowns and travel restrictions, I’ve been more grateful than ever to live in Colorado. I know so many people did not have access to the outdoors this year the way we have. We had a couple months at the beginning of the pandemic where we were only able to venture out locally, which fortunately for us includes a good network of urban trails in and around our neighborhood. We were allowed to head up to the mountains again in early June and haven’t stopped since. It’s been a source of peace and normalcy, an escape in an otherwise chaotic year.

We’ve hiked. We’ve camped. We’ve backpacked. And despite not officially participating in the 52 Hike Challenge in 2020, I ended the year with 56 hikes totaling approximately 381 miles (613 km) and 89,000 feet (27,125 m) of elevation gain. Since I enjoyed documenting all my 2019 hikes for the challenge, I’ve decided to do so again this year. So here we have it: one photo (or two, or three) and the stats from each 2020 excursion. All of these adventures were done safely and in accordance with local COVID guidelines.

Snowshoeing a section of the Colorado Trail | Kenosha Pass, Colorado | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 460 feet (140 m) elevation gain

Summiting Carpenter Peak | Roxborough State Park, Colorado | 8.6 miles (13.9 km) | 1475 feet (450 m) elevation gain

Hiking Sleepy Lion Trail to Button Rock Dam | Button Rock Preserve, Colorado | 5.1 miles (8.2 km) | 920 feet (280 m) elevation gain

Snowshoeing part way to Lake Haiyaha (weather and poor trail conditions forced us to turn around) | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Summiting Bear Peak | Boulder, Colorado | 8.5 miles (13.7 km) | 2810 feet (855 m) elevation gain

Snowshoeing Mayflower Gulch | White River National Forest, Colorado | 5 miles (8 km) | 1000 feet (306 m) elevation gain

Attending the International Snow Sculpture Championships + visiting Isak Heartstone | Breckenridge, Colorado

Snowshoeing to Lost Lake | Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado | 4.2 miles (6.8 km) | 870 feet (265 m) elevation gain

Snowshoeing Rattlesnake Gulch | Eldorado Canyon State Park, Colorado | 3.8 miles (6.1 km) | 1200 feet (365 m) elevation gain

Hiking the Fountain Valley Loop | Roxborough State Park, Colorado | 2.3 miles (3.7 km) | 325 feet (99 m) elevation gain

Snowshoeing, archery, and a relaxing overnight stay at Snow Mountain Ranch to celebrate our anniversary | Granby, Colorado

XC skiing Trail Ridge Road | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 7.6 miles (12.2 km) | 1160 feet (355 m) elevation gain

Snowshoeing to Lake Isabelle | Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado | 10.5 miles (16.9 km) | 900 feet (275 m) elevation gain

Hiking the Crystal-Catamount Reservoirs Loop | Green Mountain Falls, Colorado | 10 miles (16 km) | 2000 feet (615 m) elevation gain

Multiple short “hikes” close to home during COVID-19 lockdown | Cherry Creek State Park, Colorado | didn’t keep track of distance or elevation gain

Meadowlark-Plymouth Creek loop trail to Bill Couch Mountain summit | Deer Creek Canyon Park, Colorado | 6 miles (9.6 km) | 1315 feet (400 m) elevation gain

Hiking Shadow Pine Loop (Flying J Park) + Legault Mountain (Meyer Ranch Park) | Conifer, Colorado | 7.9 miles (12.7 km) | 1535 feet (470 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Boulder Lake | Eagles Nest Wilderness, Colorado | 5.6 miles (9 km) | 1500 feet (455 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Hell’s Hole | Mount Blue Sky Wilderness, Colorado | 9.3 miles (15 km) | 1915 feet (585 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Chicago Lakes | Mount Blue Sky Wilderness, Colorado | 9.8 miles (15.8 km) | 2000 feet (610 m) elevation gain

Summiting Chief Mountain | Arapaho National Forest, Colorado | 3.1 miles (5 km) | 1000 feet (305 m) elevation gain

Summer solstice hike to Beartracks Lake | Mount Blue Sky Wilderness, Colorado | 11 miles (17.7 km) | 2500 feet (760 m) elevation gain

Long weekend at Stillwater Campground | Arapaho National Recreation Area, Colorado

Summiting Mount Ida | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 9.8 miles (15.8 km) | 2520 feet (769 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Strawberry Lake | Arapaho National Recreation Area, Colorado | 3.7 miles (6 km) | 980 feet (300 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Timberline Lake | San Isabel National Forest, Colorado | 5.5 miles (8.9 km) | 905 feet (275 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Hope Pass | Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado | 9.4 miles (15.1 km) | 3175 feet (970 m) elevation gain

Summiting Mount Audubon | Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado | 8 miles (12.9 km) | 2670 feet (815 m) elevation gain

Overnight backpacking trip in Blue Lakes Basin | Mount Sneffels Wilderness, Colorado | 8.4 miles (13.5 km) | 2400 feet (730 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Columbine Lake | San Juan National Forest, Colorado | 7.5 miles (12.1 km) | 2400 feet (730 m) elevation gain

Overnight backpacking trip in Ice Lake Basin | San Juan National Forest, Colorado | 8.5 miles (13.7 km) | 2500 feet (760 m) elevation gain

Weekend camping trip at State Forest State Park, Colorado

Hiking to American Lakes and Thunder Pass | State Forest State Park, Colorado | 10.1 miles (16.3 km) | 1920 feet (585 m) elevation gain

Evening hike to Lake Agnes | State Forest State Park, Colorado | 1.6 miles (2.6 km) | 450 feet (135 m) elevation gain

Climbing Lily Mountain | Estes Park, Colorado | 4 miles (6.4 km) | 1150 feet (350 m) elevation gain

Overnight backpacking trip to Lion Lakes | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 15.4 miles (24.8 km) | 3300 feet (1005 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Rogers Pass and Heart Lakes | James Peak Wilderness, Colorado | 8.6 miles (13.8 km) | 2300 feet (700 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Loch Vale with my cousins | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 6 miles (9.6 km) | 1050 feet (320 m) elevation gain

4 day/3 night backpacking trip on the Four Pass Loop | Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado | 28 miles (45 km) | 7500 feet (2285 m) elevation gain

Fall colors drive over Boreas Pass, including a quick hike up to Black Powder Pass | Summit County, Colorado | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 700 feet (215 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Shelf Lake | Guanella Pass, Colorado | 7 miles (11.3 km) | 2000 feet (610 m) elevation gain

Hiking the Missouri Lakes/Fancy Pass Loop | Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado | 9.5 miles (15.3 km) | 2820 feet (860 m) elevation gain

Hiking the Tanglewood Trail | Mount Blue Sky Wilderness, Colorado | 8.7 miles (14 km) | 2695 feet (821 m) elevation gain

Summiting Bison Peak | Lost Creek Wilderness, Colorado | 11.8 miles (19 km) | 3750 feet (1143 m) elevation gain

Halloween hike at Pine Valley Ranch | Conifer, Colorado | 3.4 miles (5.5 km) | 720 feet (220 m) elevation gain

Climbing Twin Sisters Peak | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 7.4 miles (11.9 km) | 2400 feet (730 m) elevation gain

Hiking to Mohawk Lakes | White River National Forest, Colorado | 9.7 miles (15.6 km) | 2160 feet (660 m) elevation gain

Hiking the Walker Ranch Loop | Eldorado Canyon State Park, Colorado | 7.9 miles (12.7 km) | 1640 feet (500 m) elevation gain

First (partial) snowshoe outing of the season | Loch Lomond, Colorado | 6.1 miles (9.8 km) | 1295 feet (395 m) elevation gain

Thanksgiving Day hike to Delicate Arch | Arches National Park, Utah | 3 miles (4.8 km) | 500 feet (150 m) elevation gain

Multiple short hikes in The Needles district | Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 9.7 miles (15.6 km) | 1375 feet (420 m) elevation gain

Multiple short hikes in Island in the Sky district | Canyonlands National Park, Utah | 9.1 miles (14.6 km) | 650 feet (200 m) elevation gain

Summiting Deer Mountain | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 6.2 miles (10 km) | 1400 feet (425 m) elevation gain

Morning-after-a-snowstorm hike to Chair Rocks | 10.1 miles (16.3 km) | 900 feet (275 m) elevation gain

Summiting Mount Morrison | Matthews/Winters Park, Colorado | 4 miles (6.4 km) | 2022 feet (616 m) elevation gain

Day-after-Christmas hike to Sky Pond | Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | 9.8 miles (15.8 km) | 1750 feet (533 m) elevation gain