Hiking stats at a glance:

~14.8 miles

~4,000 ft elevation gain

2 High Peaks – Mount Colvin 4,081 ft and Blake Peak 3,970 ft

~9 hrs (Parking lot to Parking lot)

Unfortunately my GPS watch decided to run out of batteries before the end of the day and it did not save any of the information that was tracked before it shut off. Therefore, mileage and elevation gains listed are approximate.

As my first official hike in 2019 I felt that I had to do it proper justice and make a new blog post about it. It has been a long time since I have decided to write about any of my hikes but I think its time to bring it back in 2019!

The hike started as the sun was just coming out to warm up the cold but relatively mild morning. Before leaving the parking lot I was also fortunate to meet Manoj Vora, another solo hiker I would have the pleasure of hiking with throughout the day. It was nice to have the company and good conversation all day!

The walk up the road was very uneventful. It was all well packed and icy in spots but I felt comfortable bare booting it. It likely would of been a pleasant ski in at the time. We kept walking until we reached the turn off on our left for Elk Pass and Colvin.

As we continued down the trail we simply followed the signs for Elk Pass and Colvin. The trail was well packed and only micro spikes were required for most of the hike up. The snow did begin to get a bit heavier as I gained elevation and I did eventually make the switch to snowshoes to make my progress a bit more efficient.

It is always fun to see this particular sign buried deep. Seems to be a yearly occurrence!

Looking up the trail as I approached the summit of Mt. Colvin.

The initial view from near the summit of Mt. Colvin are absolutely beautiful.

The views from the summit itself are perhaps some of the best in the High Peaks.

After taking in the views on Mt Colvin we began making our way down into the col towards Blake. As I have said in previous blog posts, Blake is my least favorite of the 46 High Peaks. Its just one of those peaks I just can’t seem to appreciate as much as maybe I should.

Sign marking the final approach to the summit of Blake.

Unfortunately Blake is a completely wooded peak that does  not offer terribly good views. The hike to Blake from Colvin is also relatively challenging but at the same time kind of boring (in my personal opinion) which can make it a bit soul crushing if you are already tired.

However, despite all that it is very satisfying when you work your way back to the summit of Mt Colvin and get to enjoy the magnificent views for a second time.

Looking back at the way we had hiked as the sun began hanging low in the sky.

Looking back down the trail as we descended from Mt Colvin.

The descent back down Mt Colvin and ultimately the lake road was uneventful and we made really quick time butt sliding as much as possible back down the trail. We made it back to the trailhead just as the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. It was a pleasure to spend my first day in a while in the High Peaks hiking with my new friend Manoj Vora and I look forward to getting back out soon to enjoy another winter peak.