August 2009 Trip to Keystone, Colorado

We all woke up early and headed to the airport. Our flight to Denver was uneventful. Nina talked the whole way there. Shane read back issues of Wired. Everyone liked getting snacks on the plane. Grandma Connie and Papa Morris picked us up at the airport and drove us to Keystone.

Shane on the flight to Colorado Nina on the flight to Colorado Maya at keystone

Our first hike was the Aqueduct trail hike. It was a pretty easy hike, but we did have to be careful to avoid stepping in the horse poop. We especially liked walking across the beams and looking at the Aspen trees.

Aqueduct trail hike Connie, Chuck, Shane, Nina, Maya, Morris on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike, view of Sts Johns condo Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Nina, Connie, and Chuck on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Morris, Maya, and Shane on Aqueduct trail hike flowers on Aqueduct trail hike Morris, Chuck, Maya, Nina, Shane, and Connie on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Maya, Morris, and Shane on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Chuck and Nina on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Shane on Aqueduct trail hike Nina and Maya on Aqueduct trail hike Chuck and Nina on Aqueduct trail hike getting a rock out of Nina's shoe Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Sts John condo viewed from Aqueduct trail hike Connie on Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Aqueduct trail hike Connie, Chuck, Nina, Morris, Maya, and Shane on Aqueduct trail hike

We opted for a more challenging hike on our second day at Keystone. Connie and Morris had previously done the hike starting at the Mayflower parking lot, hiking to the old mine area, and taking the same trail back. But the map showed a 5.5 mile loop so we decided to try it. This hike offered beautiful views and we even got to touch some snow. When we got to the top of the ridge, we lost the trail. After wandering around a bit we eventually spotted some cairns and got back on the trail. But we lost it again and ended up on the highway, and not back at the Mayflower parking lot. Nina walked almost the whole way all by herself, although she did insist on stopping for lots of snacks. Lorrie carried her the last bit to the parking lot.

Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina, Shane, Chuck, Morris, Maya, and Connie on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina o Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Maya and Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chipmunk on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck, Nina, and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck, Shane, and Maya on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Lorrie, Shan, Maya, Chuck, and Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Shane, Maya, Chuck, and Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck and Morris on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie, Maya, Shane, Morris, and Chuck on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Morris and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Morris and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina, Connie, Chuck, Morris, Shane, and Maya on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck, Morrie, Maya, and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie, Chuck, Maya, Morris, and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina touching snow on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Chuck, Connie, Morris, Maya, Nina and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Morris and Chuck check the map on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike - does anyone know where we are? Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Connie, Shane, Morris, Nina, Chuck, and Maya on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Maya on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Shane, Maya, and Connie on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina building a cairn on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike - this is the view shown in the trail book Connie, Nina, Chuck, and Morris on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina, Chuck, and Shane on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike Nina, Maya, Chuck, Shane, and Morris find the highway on Mayflower to Clinton Gulch Loop hike

After our 6-mile hike on day 2, we opted for a shorter hike on day 3. We decided to hike to the Sts. John mine. The trail up to the mine was fairly steep and rocky. We enjoyed the view at the top and looking at the old mine. Shane and Maya found some interesting rocks.

Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Shane on Sts. John mine hike Nina on Sts. John mine hike Maya on Sts. John mine hike Chuck, Morris, and Maya on Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Nina and Maya on Sts. John mine hike Lorrie on Sts. John mine hike Connie on Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Shane with fools gold rock on Sts. John mine hike Maya with rock on Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Chuck, Connie, Nina, Maya, Shane and Morris on Sts. John mine hike mining equipment on Sts. John mine hike Shane on Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike mushroom on Sts. John mine hike Maya, Shane, and Nina snacking on Sts. John mine hike... mmm.... raisins Sts. John mine hike Sts. John mine hike Maya, Chuck, and Nina on Sts. John mine hike Shane, Chuck and Nina on Sts. John mine hike

Our plan for day 4 was to hike up to the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. However, a tanker truck crash closed the road so we couldn't get there. Instead, we took the Keystone gondola up to the top of the ski area and walked around up there. When we got back we rented some canoes on Dillon Lake (but we didn't bring our camera because we didn't want it to get wet). After dinner (at a Japanese restaurant with a "funny chef") we went on the gondola again and watched the sunset from the top of the mountain.

Maya on Keystone gondola Nina and Connie on Keystone gondola Keystone, near the top of the gondola Nina at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Nina at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Lorrie, Maya, Chuck, Nina, and Shane at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Morris, Maya, Connie, Nina, and Shane at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Keystone, near the top of the gondola Maya, Shane, Connie and Nina looking at magic carpet at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Keystone, near the top of the gondola mountain bikers at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Lorrie, Chuck, Shane, Maya, and Nina at Keystone, near the top of the gondola Keystone tubing hill Keystone gondola Caution drive slowly snow mobile warning at keystone Shane, Nina and Maya sitting on a log on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Shane, Nina and Maya sitting on a log on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Connie on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Chuck and Morris on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Nina and Connie on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Chuck on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Maya and Nina snacking on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Connie and Morris on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Lorrie on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes on hike around top of Keystone expert ski slopes Nina on Keystone gondola Shane on keystone gondola Shane, Nina, Connie, and Morris on bridge looking for trout at Keystone Maya, Shane and Nina opening the door at Keystone condo Nina in Keystone condo living room Nina using chopsticks at Japanese restaurant Nina, Maya, and Shane on deck of Keystone fondue restaurant Lorrie, Shane, Nina, Maya, and Chuck on deck of Keystone fondue restaurant Morris and Connie on deck of Keystone fondue restaurant View from deck of Keystone fondue restaurant Shane near Keystone gondola Maya, Nina and Connie on keystone gondola Sunset at Keystone near top of gondola Shane, Chuck, and Maya at sunset at Keystone near top of gondola Lorrie, Chuck, Nina, Maya, and Shane at sunset at Keystone near top of gondola Nina and Chuck at sunset at Keystone near top of gondola Sunset at Keystone near top of gondola

On our last full day at Keystone we went to a musical performance of The Ant and the Grasshopper and played on the playground. We also went shopping for Keystone shirts.

Nina and Shane at the Ant and the Grasshopper show Nina with the Aunt and the Grasshopper cast after the show Shane playing on keystone playground