"A blog is to a writer what a canvas is to an artist." ~ Colleen Redman

An Altitude Attitude

12000ft1.jpg Colleen to Joe: The thing I love about the tallest mountains is that they just stand there. No one can build anything on them.
Being above the tree line at 12,000 feet above sea level on top of Independence Pass in Colorado is the highest I’ve ever been. I would have thought I was on top of the world if it wasn’t for the fact that from there I could see other taller snow topped mountains. Fortunately, the rumors we had heard that the pass was closed due to snow weren’t true because driving it turned out to be the high point of our journey thus far, but because of the altitude, I could barely get out a complete sentence to express my amazement without gulping for air.
The pass is a switch backed scenic climb, dangerously narrow in places, that drops down into an Aspen forest and then into the city of Aspen. As far as peak travel experiences go, it’s right up there with driving the Ring of Kerry in Ireland. And once on the top, the view is as breathtaking as looking down into the Grand Canyon. “You don’t have to leave the country to be in a different country!” I exclaimed to Joe (pictured here) as scenes from the book “Heidi” replayed in my mind and the urge to sing “Climb Every Mountain” came upon me.

October 1st, 2005 Colleen Redman Posted in Travelogue

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