Hiking (Sand) 1:21:00 [2] 2.1 mi (38:34 / mi) +198m 29:50 / mi
slept:8.25
Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO. From the Medano Creek parking area, Peggy and I made our way up to High Dune (~8,600 ft) and back. We curved our way up counter-clockwise trying to find the fewest ups and downs. We started after noon and expected it to be hot but a nice breeze kept us cool most of the way. Occasionally as sand filled our shoes my toes felt it (surface temperature can get to 140F). The climbs weren't bad except for a few steep parts where soft sand would slide back half a step for every one forward. Quick steps could help from losing too much. It took 54 minutes to the top with a few stops. Going down we bounded in huge steep steps onto soft sands on a route back. We were careful to avoid Ted Good's experience from 2 years back where he suddenly hit hard packed sand on the way down and wrenched his back. The sandy Medano Creek cooled our hot toes at the end.
