Columbine Lake (12,685') via Upper Ophir Pass Road: 7.25 miles, 2,212'

The mountains are calling, the moxies must go!!!! Set your radios on channel 4.1

Calling all Moxies: We enjoyed perfect weather and another GREAT hike up to Columbine lake. It was a beautiful day. The mountainside ground cover is starting to show signs of fall. We did lose a couple people on the narrow scary ridge to the saddle. The only remaining evidence was their hiking sticks.

Do you know who these sticks belonged to?

We experienced a treacherous snow field and we were sad that we didn't have our ice axes, ropes and crampons. But, being Moxies, we proceeded anyway.

Our friends really enjoyed the snowfield.

Nice shot of Penny. She was a great leader. Mary, Barbara and Linda follow close behind. Glenda is in the rear trying not to slide down the snow bank.

Jane Marie encourages Glenda and says "today you are going to mark this trail off your list".

Fall is starting to show its colors.

Hillsides turning yellow and orange.

In true Moxie manner, we hiked up the hillside on the animal trails verses taking the standard trail.

Mary, Barbara, Jane Marie, Bella and Linda at our first snack stop. You can see the saddle we're heading to on our route to Columbine lake in the distance.

Mary taking in the views and getting some shots.

Jane Marie our other great leader heading up the trail to the ridge.

Looking up above the rocky trail to the saddle.

Moxies heading up to the saddle.

Linda and Glenda see the hiking sticks of the missing moxies. They know this is a scary narrow ridge and that they have to be extremely careful. Glenda remarks "one wrong step and we fall all the way to the bottom".