Anyway, this weekend we found ourselves down in the middle of Colorado at Great Sand Dunes National Park! This unique/weird place has been calling my name since we first moved here last summer, and I am so glad we finally made it! I had no idea how this sand arrived in Colorado until we got there. Since I enjoy a little history/geology (nerd alert), I'll just tell you briefly. A massive pile of sand in the San Luis Valley, situated between the Sangre de Cristo and San Juan Mountains, the Sand Dunes were formed when Lake Alamosa dried up and left a huge sand sheet behind. With the mountains on both sides of the valley, the winds are well, kind of insane and really intense, and blow down through mountain passes and then back up towards the mountains, creating this cycle that makes the dunes grow really tall.
So, we decided to hike High Dune, which isn't the highest dune, but it was still really hard! The climb was 1.2 miles up, with 650 feet elevation gain. I know that doesn't sound like much at all, but when you lose half a step for every step you take because you're sliding down the dune, you end up climbing a lot farther than 1.2 miles! Not to mention the fact that the wind is beating sand into your eyeballs, as well as your ears and your mouth, and the sun is beating down on you! Not easy at all! But still fun nonetheless. Our favorite moment was when we reached the peak of High Dune: a grandpa (props to him) and his grandson came up not long behind us, and the grandpa was carrying a sled for his grandson to ride down the dunes on (very common). The guy had the best quote ever: "Well, I schlepped it up here for ya, BY GOD YOU'RE GONNA RIDE IT!" We left the peak laughing pretty hard. :)
Other highlights of our little adventure:
Hiking to Zapata Falls, a little mountain waterfall tucked away behind a big wall of rock
Burning our breakfast burritos to a crisp because we are amateurs at campfire cooking
Camping in Lake Pueblo State Park (beautiful!)
Climbing down a big and extremely unstable ravine to go swimming in the lake
Not being able to sleep because the wind was blowing our tent flap around like crazy
Hiking at Garden of the Gods
Going to the Air Force Academy, but then deciding to leave shortly thereafter because we were too tired to care at the moment
Overall, a great trip and a wonderful time together! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!
Peace, love, & burnt burritos. And sand.
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