Pancake Rocks Views

Here are the last of my photos from my hike to Pancake Rocks last summer, this time showing some of the gorgeous views to be seen from the trail.

I think any one of these would qualify for the Scenic Sunday meme!

Hiking Weather

I've been posting some photos from a hike to Pancake Rocks last summer The high ridge can get some nasty weather, and many trees have been hit by lightning.

 And even as I was coming down the trail, a storm was forming.

The key to hiking in high places like this is to start early and finish by noon if possible, since the thunderstorms usually form in the afternoon. I was safely in my car before much lightning and thunder was happening, and was off the ridge before any lightning at all was visible. In the summer, these storms can be an almost daily occurrence so safety must be your priority (although I did see people still heading up as the storm was clearly on its way). This is my Skywatch Friday entry for the week - come back in a couple of days for the last of my Pancake Rocks photos, some more views from the trail.

Pancake Rocks & Socks

Continuing with the hike I started last week, the trail I showed takes you (after 3.5 miles or 5.5 kilometers) to Pancake Rocks.

And Socks hiked the whole 7 miles with me! By popular demand, here's a photo of him at the Pancake Rocks area. (He's sitting with me at home as I write this post.)

After reaching the Pancake Rocks, it's time to head back! This blog entry is for both Scenic Sunday and Camera Critters.

Pancake Rocks Trail

From a hike last July, here are some photos of the trail to Pancake rocks on the western side of Pikes Peak. This trail goes up to approximately 11,000 feet elevation (3,350 meters), passing through evergreen forests and glades of aspen.

This is one of my favorite hikes, but it's a fairly long round-trip (over 6 miles) and over an hour's drive from the house, so I don't do it that often. But it makes for a couple of great Scenic Sunday posts when I do! Check back for more photos from this hike soon, including the famous rocks for which the trail is named. (And yes, little Socks hiked the whole way with me!)

Many thanks to Elettra for honoring me with the Reliable Blog award!
 

Pancake Rocks

Today I hiked up to Pancake Rocks, on the back side of Pikes Peak. This is one of my favorite hikes although I don't do it that often, since it's further from my house than several other hikes that I enjoy. It's about a six-mile round trip, with a good amount of elevation gain, about 1,500 feet, and some gorgeous views.

As you can see from the ice on the stream, it was a chilly morning.

The trail still had some snow in spots from last week. If the weather forecast is correct, it will have a lot more tomorrow!

Here's one of those stunning views - pictures don't do it justice.

Here are a couple of shots of the unusual rock formations at the top of the trail.

And finally, I found this old log at the top intriguing.