Colorado

Camping Season Has Arrived! And We Need it More Than Ever.

June 18, 2020COMtnMom

Hooray for camping season! We’ve been sneaking away as frequently as possible to camp this year. For many, it’s turned into a solid alternative for a travel getaway… when COVID-19 has made so many travel plans uncertain, or just not an option right now. Hopefully even some outdoor newbies will discover a love of camping this year!

We thought about traveling two states away to take in some National Parks this summer, but decided to stick closer to home instead. There’s lots of beauty nearby to enjoy, so we’re focusing on micro-adventures here in Colorado. I’m so grateful that we live here.

High Altitude Camping

Last weekend we went up to 10,500 feet altitude on a nearby mountain and found a spot to park our camper ‘off grid’. The national camping sites in that area were still closed. But fortunately, there are lots of cool options to just pull over in a scenic nook and camp for free.

Our spot was literally 15 feet away from a stream. Listening to a rushing stream is sooo relaxing!

Of course, the dogs loved the spot, because they were able to stay nice and dirty. Water…. dirt….. roll… repeat.

And my son knew there’d be water on the scene, so he brought his cool remote control boat to play with, which was perfect.

We went for a hike, and found an awesome open meadow in the middle of the forest.

And even found our own private lake, with no access roads or trails. I love adventures like this… it makes such great memories for the kids! A little muddy. But totally worth it.

Invest In Some New Outdoor Gear

I’ve noticed one benefit of not traveling this year, is that we’re spending alot less money. I’ve been catching up on bills, and even investing in some fun outdoor gear (just ordered my first inflatable SUP today!). We also got the chance to try out some truly premium outdoor gear from Ace Hardware, and I’m excited for all the adventures we’ll have with these awesome upgrades. Did you know Ace carries lots of quality YETI goods?

Each season YETI adds some new colors to their lineup, and this Spring it’s this lovely coral hue. We’ve never had a hard sided YETI cooler before, and we are already really impressed with this Tundra 65 Cooler. I didn’t even use ice, I just used the re-freezable YETI ice packs (a 4 lb and a 1 lb was what I had on hand) and it kept our drinks cool for 2 days.

Plus, it’s gorgeous. And durable. What’s not to love about something that’s gorgeous and durable??

Also new this season, is the premium YETI TrailHead camping chair. They are sturdy and comfortable, and each comes with a high quality carrying bag in the form of a backpack. It’s surprisingly comfortable to wear, and makes them super easy to bring along on your adventure. I’ve already used ours several times just around town, at the lake and lazy river. Another fantastic addition to our outdoor gear that we’ll get years of enjoyment from.

Did you know your local Ace Hardware store is a terrific place to find the YETI brand? It’s a great option to order online from your local Ace store, then select either curbside pickup or delivery.

When The Boys Don’t Want to Come Home

As much as I adored our idyllic streamside campsite, I had to head home after only one night. My teen was getting braces put on her teeth bright and early the next morning. But the guys had an idea to just stay and camp another night. Because it was just 1 hour from home, they were able to bring us back into town.

That’s when we noticed the storm rolling in. While the camper still sat waiting, back on the mountain.

It will be an adventure, right?

So after bringing us back to our warm cozy beds, they headed back into the crazy (now snowing!) conditions to camp another night. Turns out when camping 2 nights in June in Colorado… you might be camping in 2 different seasons!

They woke up to this. 🙂