With a pun that great, you’re probably expecting this post to be hilarious. Well, drop those expectations right now. The sooner, the better. What we do here is serious business.

Anyhow, the morning began with an unsuccessful run of us trying to sight Bald Eagles north of Almont, Colorado. Or, rather, Skyler tried to find Eagles, and I sat in the warm car and tried to figure out why Socrates was such a tool. At least you tried, Crito. After a quick run back to campus to switch cars, we were soon en route to the Dillon Pinnacles, in the Curecanti National Recreation Area.

What are the Pinnacles? Well, some 40 million years ago a great volcano spewed ash and waste across what is now the West Elk Wilderness. I mean, like, enough ash to bury a major metropolitan area. Over time, the forces of weathering and erosion withered this waste away with wild abandon, leaving a variety of monuments for our amazement. For example…

The former volcano scatterings make for some spectacular hiking in and around West Elk, including on this 2 mile trail.

“Hold it. What? A 4 mile round trip? Are you guys kidding?”

Okay, yeah, it was a little less than our standard outings. But, to be fair, the trail was covered in ice, and it was cold enough that when we returned to the car there were cartoon-style snot-sicles hanging from our faces. So yes, 4 miles. Sadly, little of the area’s famed fauna made an appearance, and none of it for long enough to be photographed. Nature was much more forgiving, though. The late start meant that we were on spot to catch the sunset over Blue Mesa reservoir, and that’s just what we did.

Altogether, it was a day well spent.

Later this week we will be releasing a lengthier post about hiking, and how to lose 30 pounds in 30 days! Soon your friends will marvel at how much lighter you look. “A whole 30 pounds?” They’ll say, “Zoinks!” In fact, they may say that you look just like the Overcast Adventurers.

~Ty and Sky

(Photos courtesy of Skyler Stanley, words courtesy of Tyler Brant)