We actually woke up feeling a lot better then expected. We got a nice continental breakfast and then took our coffees to the hot tub.
It was not so windy and we could tell already it was going to be a nice day. The sun was rising and warming everything up.
We got more of our junk out of the car and went ahead and got all geared up for a hike and packed lunch, snacks and victory beers. Then we checked out of the room and drove just barely out of town and back over to Lily Mountain.
This was my 3rd time up Lily Mtn. and it starts out pretty easy
We drank some coffee and fireball and checked out the sights.
But after a bit it gets pretty steep.
Well actually the trail is pretty clear but we took one wrong turn and ended up climbing around on a bunch of rocks we didn’t need to be climbing but it was pretty fun and the view was good.
We got back on track and climbed the mountain. It took us about 2 hours including the detour, snack and drink breaks and stopping for lots of pictures.
Just before we scurried up to the top it got darker our and clouds moved in.
The view from the top was still great.
Though it was really windy and colder so we didn’t stay long and then scurried back down just out of the elements.
To celebrate with our vicotry beers.
Actually that was still too windy so we went down even more before lighting the stove.
We drank our beers and made some tea and shells and cheese.
And it started snowing
The shells and cheese were terrible so we buried it and ate a protein bar instead. Then we just about ran down the mountain. I think it took about 30 minutes to go down. Once at the bottom we had to pee but there were lots of people and cars and stuff so we zipped down the road to Lily Lake and the bathrooms there.
Then I drove us south and Heath took a little nap. After about an hour we got to Nedderland, CO and went right to the Very Nice Brewing Company to get a few local brews.
They were pretty good but not as good as Rockcut from the day before.
We talked over our options, the plan was to drive another hour south to Idaho Springs, get a room at a mineral springs place, get dinner at another brewery nearby and then ski in the morning just a little south of there. We finished our drinks and headed to the van. On the way we saw a used gear store and went in to look at snow pants and stuff.
The owner started talking us up a bunch about the town Nederland and Kansas City and then he mentioned how he loves being 7 minutes from a ski slope. We had no idea we were so close to a resort, it had not turned up on my search and so we asked him a bunch about it and then drove up the mountain to check it out.
This place, Eldora was bigger and a bit more expensive then where we were planning on going but we would be done driving for the day, have more time to play and the slopes looked great. They would not let us buy a lift ticket or rent gear for the next day but we got everything ready and then headed back into town to look for a room. There was a hotel in the same parkinglot as the brewery so Heath went in to ask the rate and I got on my phone and looked a bunch at kayak and airbnb. I didn’t find anything better so we went back in to rent and they dropped the price $20 for us.
This place was a log cabin style with big rooms and a giant hot tub.
Also the view out our room was…
across a little creek and right at another brewery. It seemed meant to be.
We hot tubed and showered and hit up the grocery store and liquor store to get supplies for skiing the next day. Then we walked over to the brewery for dinner. We got a sampler of their brews while we looked over the menu.
We decided there was a ton of fun places in the area and to bounce around a bit so we split some sort of crazy sausage that had jackrabbit and elk in it. It was really good and came with some great mustard.
I was still really hungry ans we went across the street for some nachos.
I think we got another thing also but I can’t remember. Then I got really full and tired and we headed back to the room and got an early night so we could beat the crowd to the slopes.