Omayra Acevedo, Peak to Peak. You know that urge you get that feels like a need? I had that feeling a week ago. I had the sudden longing to escape. To go somewhere - anywhere, explore and perhaps even get lost. It was as if there was a gravitational pull between the unknown and my soul. I messaged a friend and 45 minutes later we were on our way. With a great smile she asked, “Where are we going?” My response? “I have no idea.”

We began our adventure on the frontage road off of I70 near Idaho Springs. We drove it all the way to Georgetown. We made a pit stop then proceeded through Guanella Pass, where there were surprisingly very few cars on the road. On the pass, we came upon a doe and her fawn. My spirits were lifting and we were just getting started. Twenty-two miles later, we found ourselves in the town of Grant. 

It was to be a day full of escapades so naturally, we headed further into the mountains. We made a turn southwest for 28.3 miles towards the town of Fairplay. Not a whole lot going on in this quaint mountain town full of character, but the scenery was enough to keep us entertained. The breeze gifted us with the smell of fresh forest pine, clouds frolicked across the vibrant blue sky creating flawless reflections on the mountain sides; I could feel myself getting rocky mountain high. We continued on Main Street for 5.5 miles out of Fairplay and through the town of Alma. Which is the highest incorporated town in the USA, with permanent residents. Alma took us through Hoosier Pass right into the town of Breckenridge. 

We drove through Breckenridge for roughly 16.9 miles until we came to Keystone, Colorado. Between our giggles and excitement, we took an unexpected turn. Before we knew it, we had driven about 5.4 miles on Montezuma Road and drove through the town of Montezuma. I didn’t know it at the time, but Montezuma is considered a Colorado Ghost Town. According to the Colorado census, there are under 100 residents calling it home year-round. My favorite part about Montezuma that day? The stop sign: “STOP: Hammertime.”

Once we realized we were famished and already out of substantial food, we turned around and headed back towards the town of Keystone for lunch. In case you weren’t aware, Montezuma is 10,312 feet above sea level and offers no exit. You can, however, take a detour around Webster Pass and a couple of other scenic routes in the middle of the Colorado Rockies. Sign me up! We stuffed our faces on the tailgate of the truck and reflected on the day thus far. Where to next? It didn’t matter. The important thing was fueling our bodies and relishing in whatever the day brought our way.

After eating, we hopped on our third pass of the day: Loveland Pass. It was the perfect ending to the perfect day. We could see the snow melting from the mountain tops, the earth was birthing our beautiful wild flowers and a sense of peace washed over me. Sad to say but this was the end of our journey…for now. We stopped quite a few times to have snacks, take photos and stretch our legs. The day couldn’t have been more perfect. Feeling or getting lost isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If nothing else, it’s a great way to escape for a few hours and forget the challenges we are faced with every day. The unknown was calling and I answered.

(Originally published in the July 2, 2020, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)