Mount Falcon - A Portal to the Rockies

Mount Falcon

If the trail over Mount Falcon is a portal to the Rockies, then attaining the summit on a sweltering summer day is a gateway to heaven. Ascending the 2,000 foot east face of the mountain is just as grueling as climbing any Colorado 14er.

Tormented by sharp yucca plants and prickly cactus, the back-breaking ascent is an insect-infested, rattlesnake-ridden netherworld. The hellacious hike through a scorching desert environment is distinguished by steep switchbacks and meager shade.

Upon reaching the summit, a sudden Utopia can only be described as too good to be true. The broad summit is composed of rolling meadows interspersed with lodgepole pine forests that provide a refreshing cover.

Butterflies float through flower-filled fields while cottontails browse on tender shoots of fresh grass. Beneath a powder-blue sky, the sound of songbirds is a joyful chorus. The tranquility at the top is a revelation. It's an idyllic reward offered to those who can successfully navigate the harsh habitat below.

A portal to the Rockies

A sudden Utopia

Rolling meadows

The forest provides shade

Butterflies float through fields

Flower-filled meadow

The tranquility is a revelation

You must navigate the harsh habitat below

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