Saturday August 4 2018 to Monday August 6 2018 Colorado hiking trip.  Slept in the truck both nights at trailheads/dispersed camping areas with restrooms!  Saturday evening was very rainy, so we just had a Subway sandwich for dinner in Salida.  Lots of bumpy dirt roads to the trailhead for the night.

Weather was not good Sunday morning, so after more bumpy 4wd roads towards our primary objective, we bailed!  Headed over to Hancock, an old mining area southwest of Mount Princeton.  Started our hike to the Hancock Lakes and Chalk Creek Pass in the rain, but the weather cleared nicely around 10:30am.  About a 6 mile hike to the Pass, mostly on a gnarly 4wd road.  Lunch was back at the truck, then another easy 3+ mile hike along an old railroad grade for the defunct Alpine Tunnel Railroad.  Still had rotting cross ties along the trail.

Cocktail hour sitting in the shade of the truck at a nice fishing access parking area.  First we've had outside the truck in a long time since it seems to rain every afternoon.  Then on to Buena Vista for a real dinner at the House Rock Kitchen patio.  Great "bowls" of many different items including salads, veggies, condiments, rice, beans, etc, along with smoked brisket and salmon.  Drove to the Clear Creek dispersed camping area for a quiet night.  The stars and Milky Way were amazing.

Monday was a gorgeous day!  Drove up to Independence Pass and did a nice ridge walk to Igloo Peak 13,060 feet.  About 5.5 miles.  Views were non-stop.  One "spicy" section scrambling across a steep boulder field of big rocks.  Otherwise, a very nice trail.  Then the long drive back to ABQ, stopping in Buena Vista for ice cream along the way!