Sunday, January 10, 2016
Hiking through the snow in Wedding Canyon.
Our original plan for New Year’s Day was for Diane and I to hike the Wedding Canyon Loop in the Colorado National Monument to celebrate our very first hike together exactly two years ago. However, I was sick all weekend and had to cancel those plans. Now that I am finally feeling better we rescheduled the hike for this afternoon. When we started the hike shortly before noon the sky was pretty overcast and dreary, but after a little while the clouds broke up and let some light through while we were in Wedding Canyon. It turned out to be a nice afternoon for a local hike.
Following the Wedding Canyon Trail to the mouth of Wedding Canyon. The sky was still pretty overcast at this point but the sun was breaking through a little and striking the sandstone cliffs in the distance. There was actually less snow on the ground than I was expecting.
Snow and sandstone as the sky begins to clear a little.
Following the snow-covered trail up Wedding Canyon.
Below the sandstone cliffs of The Island.
View from the upper end of the Wedding Canyon Trail shortly before reaching Independence Monument.
Under the tip of The Island before starting the return hike down the Monument Canyon Trail.
When we reached the half-way point below Independence Monument the clouds came back in force and blocked out the sun again so I didn’t end up taking any photos on our return hike down Monument Canyon. Below is a map and GPS track of this nice five-mile loop hike in the Colorado National Monument.