A Winter Afternoon Walk in Colorado

There is nothing quite like a winter afternoon hike in the mountains to remind oneself of the majesty and beauty of nature.

I love this type of solitude so much that I spent the last daylight hours of the year (at least in the U.S. Mountain Time Zone) at a place called Elk Meadow Park, which is about 25 miles (35 k) west of Denver.

I visit Elk Meadow (click here for a trail map) regularly throughout the year. It has its charms in every season, and particularly so in winter when the days are short and late afternoon walks can be cold and sometimes wet if it is snowing. The elevation at Elk Meadow is about 8,000 feet or 2,700 meters more or less and so a chilly day in Denver can be very cold at Elk Meadow

On my New Year's Eve walk, I was entirely by myself. I did not see another person on the trail, thus making the afternoon walk even more enjoyable.

However, when I say I was by myself I should correct this -- actually there was plenty of action in the park, but just not of the human kind! I saw deer, birds, one fox, and elk tracks. While it seems -- from the perspective of a human -- that the forest has gone to sleep for the winter, the reality is that the creatures that live in the forest are busy with their own daily routines.

As I walked along, snow crunching under my boots (and very good ones at that, recommended by my good friend Chris Lloyd, of Oxford, England, with whom I have walked in Elk Meadow many times), I thought about what a joy it is to live so close to such a wonderful setting. The walk in the woods quickly reminded me of the beauty of nature, as well as all that I was lucky enough to experience in 2009 in Europe and North and South America.

Denver and Colorado are very special places -- I think all who come here to study or live will agree. The vastness of the state and national parks, which are literally on our doorsteps, remind us of the wonders of the mountains and the opportunities to enjoy them.

As daylight changed to winter's darkness, I thought about my friends in other parts of the world who are enjoying the long days and warmth of summer. In particular, program alums in Buenos Aires, Lima, Santiago, Jakarta and elsewhere came to mind.

Our cold and short days will soon give way to more sunlight and warmth. But for now it's winter in Colorado, a beautiful and wonderful time in its own right.