Carr Peak with Fritz and Gretel

 

I finally did it. Today was my last chance to bag Carr for the month. I planned to start in the afternoon when cloud cover was greatest. That plan worked well, especially after that first mile.

That first mile was warm. My tracker said it was 84F when I started. Heat was radiating off the rocks and the dogs were panting. They dipped into Sawmill Springs but got thirsty again just past the first mile, and I was even worried that I hadn't brought enough water as the dogs drank half a quart at the first water break.  I made the aspen grove my turn-around point if the dogs were showing signs of heat exhaustion by then.

This was Fritz's first peak and he started out running all over the place, forcing me to stop a few times for the dogs to come back. He is normally by my side. I even doubted bringing him along for this reason, because this causes me to stop and wait.  He's not normally like this.

But after the first mile the dogs settled into their pace. I met two couples and both times I called Fritz back to me and he came right away. He let me leash him so that the hikers could pass without worries and he neither barked nor lunged at anyone. He is slowly trusting people!

The mountains were green from recent rains, but there weren't too many flowers. Yellow was the dominant color, but there was also fleabane, firecracker penstemon, and Russian thistle that attracted butterflies.  Wild onion and ladybugs were at the peak. 

There was no water at the falls when we got to the Aspen Grove, but the cooler temperatures and the breeze quickly cooled us off nicely. There was also a leftover gallon jug in the shrubs at the peak that was enough to energize the dogs. We rested a bit on the peak to enjoy the breeze. The dogs also had a lunch.

The cloud cover at 2pm was at its heaviest. But these weren't storm clouds.  These were clouds that diffused the heat. I could see dust blowing up from Mexico and this dust persisted all day. The winds gusted up to 20mph.

We met no one on the return hike. It was now after 4pm and I was glad to have no one around.  I was always watching for other hikers and dogs.  I worried about my dogs encountering other dogs on the trail.

We got back to the truck in 3:49 hours. I wasn't any slower hiking this peak than my last few bags up Carr.

Both dogs were tired, though. I stopped at Fry's for some raw meat for them, which they ate, but they ate with exhaustion.

I walked Gretchen around the hood for another 1.5 miles when we got home.  She was happy to see me again.  She was alone for six hours.

Clouds over the peaks looked more stormy now, but even they dispersed. A near full moon shone high when I finished my walking for the day.