O’Leary Peak – Finally!

It’s about time! The Sunday I hiked this was absolutely perfect – the high was in the mid-70s, sunny, and not horribly windy. I got to the trailhead and wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do it – the parking lot is pretty small, and at 10am it was completely full. I was a bit disappointed, as I had tried all three days of the previous Memorial Day weekend without any available spots/parking. I started to back out of the parking lot until I saw a couple of ladies hop into their car and leave the area – SUCCESS! With a spot secured, I grab my pack and began up the trail (which, actually, was just a forest access road the entire way up – it’s in great condition and incredibly easy to follow). The first mile or two was a breeze, as it was largely flat. The nearby Maroon Fire didnt affect the air quality at all, which I was incredibly thankful for. However, once I began the ascent up, it started to become a bit tricky. The incline and overall hike/physical exertion I would rate as moderate – however, if you’re like me and are prone to overheating quickly, it’s a whole new arena. There isn’t much shade to be found throughout the trail, and with little wind, I actually had to take a few breaks just to cool down. However, as usual, it was worth it once I got to the top. After picking out a few ladybugs that had hitchhiked in my hair, I found a spot by the lookout tower hidden in the rocks. Be warned – it’s a fairly small area up there, and I felt cramped with around 6 other people. Plus, it’s buggy. I definitely ate quite a few bugs along with my trail mix. After taking a million pictures, (sadly the Maroon Fire did affect some visibility!) I began the hike down – which had the most GORGEOUS views of the peaks. Since downhill is always my least favorite park of hiking, this 5 miles felt like 20. The total time spent hiking up/down and at the tower was around 4.5 hours, and there was a decent amount of people – I’d say I came across around 20-25. This peak is certainly on my go-back list on a much more overcast day, and without any active fires nearby 🙂