Seeing Sanitas

We all needed a break from moving and packing related activities, and decided to do a popular local hike that we had yet to do. So, after a leisurely morning, all 4 of us hopped in the car and drove 10 minutes to the trailhead for Mount Sanitas. (Yes, it's pretty awesome to have hikes that close!)

We set out with our usual routine: Peggy, Chloe and I going at a nice, easy pace, and Chamberlain running up and down the trail as if he were trying to put out a fire on his tail. Thankfully for him, the sun was not to be seen as a cloudy day was upon us; otherwise, we would have had one cooked beagle after only 30 minutes. The cloudy day kept things cool for us humans, too, but it also prevented us from catching the views the hike is known to provide.

Even though the trail is just 3.3 miles in length roundtrip, the trail is rated as moderate-to-difficult, largely because of 3 steep boulder-and-rock-strewn trail sections. In the span between the trailhead and summit (6863 ft.), we hiked about 1.75 miles and gained about 1300 feet of elevation.

We reached the summit just in time as Chloe's two and Chamberlain's four legs were loosing their oomph. Despite the cloud cover, we were able to get some views of the plains immediately East and North of Boulder; but any view West into the backrange was blocked.

During the descent, we came upon a sight seldom seen in this area: a person wearing a Flyers hat. We struck up a conversation with the guy wearing it, and found out he had previously lived in Yardley, PA!

We made it back to the car about 3 hours later, with some in our party more noticeably tired than some others. But it was a good tired, and one we hope to experience again soon and more often as a family.







(Pictures, top to bottom: Chloe on the way up to Mount Sanitas, with Boulder in the background; Chloe and Chamberlain taking a rest as we approach the summit; a northeast view of Chloe and I at the summit; Wonder Woman and her sidekick preventing certain doom for unwitting hikers; a sign detailing the history of the area [click to enlarge and read]; Chamberlain surveying his domain.)