Mt. Garfield is Looking Good and Ready for You to Hike

Everyone at the studio is asking about Mt. Garfield. Weather is nice, and they are ready to hike. What condition is it in after all the wet weather?

I hiked Mt. Garfield last Sunday morning, along with about 30 of my closest friends. Actually, I went alone, but the place was packed. It was almost like a parade. People tend to avoid the hike when there's snow on the ground, and nobody likes to hike in the mud. After a handful of sunny days, the hike was perfect.

Right from the get-go, you can see the aftermath of the recent rainfall. There are some pretty good troughs, and it's obvious some tried hiking the trail in the mud. That's a big no-no.

When on the single track trail cutting across the 2nd plateau and the upper portion of Mt. Garfield, look down. You'll see deep hoof prints where wild horses cut across the face of the mountain.

The only negative you'll encounter involves the tunnel taking you under I-70. A visit to Mt. Garfield will cost you at least $2.00 at the car wash. There's a pretty good pool of filthy water at the low point of the tunnel leading to the parking area. That, fortunately, is the only negative about the trip.

One more thing: even though I hiked early in the morning in mid-April, I ended up getting a nice sunburn. I inherited my dad's skin, and as a result, burn in an instant. Take a little sunscreen, and don't forget water. A co-worker hiked it the other day, and lieu of water, packed a few beers. That's a no-no, too.

Mt. Garfield is ready to go. Hit it! Everybody's asking me where to go to get in the first hike of the season. This is the perfect place to start. You'll need about three hours and a couple of bottles of water. It's the best deal in town.