I'm taking my soon to be 6yr old up Evans this summer for his first 'teener (or hike really). I think it is 3 mi RT or so but a lot of it is paved and he won't need to carry anything. If he can't make it I'm just going to carry him back to my truck and drive to the top.
There might be easier hikes, but not with a paved road, and not so close to home.
Suggestions for first summit with kids
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Re: Suggestions for first summit with kids
Mt Evans from the parking lot. Its a half mile and a couple hundred feet. There may be snow until July and some mountain goats.
The first hill on either side of Loveland Pass. More climbing than Evans.
The first hill on either side of Loveland Pass. More climbing than Evans.
- JTOlson26
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Re: Suggestions for first summit with kids
Depending on where you are located, take them to the Crags (outside of Divide) and let them have some fun there. That is where my dad started me as a 5 year old when we moved to Colorado in '95 and i was immediately hooked. Within a month we were doing Quandary, so your kids might surprise you! The Crags offers a pretty gently sloped hike for the first bit and then a bit of steeper stuff towards the end, but i would guess no more than 800 feet total elevation gain. Best of luck!
- greenhorn1
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Re: Suggestions for first summit with kids
We hiked this trail/mtn in September with our 6 year old son and really enjoyed it! There is a TR we posted of the hike on this site if your interested in finding out more.zclobes wrote:Hmmm.. I'm liking the Jones Mt idea. I'm very familiar with the Cottonwood, and the location would be very convenient from our intended camping spot.
I wasn't quite clear though... what is the distance and ascent to get either on the ridge, or the peak of Jones Mt?
I tried the Mosquito pass a couple of years ago from the west side, and my Grand Cherokee wouldn't make it. Not sure if the east side of that pass is any better. I'm afraid that even if it was passable, I might have a couple of sobbing bundles of joy in the backseat, making the trek a moot point..
Zack
Choose only one master - Nature. Rembrandt