wilderness lessons on leadership & life
About Gregg
Hello, I'm Gregg Burch. I've just finished writing God's Faint Path, a book that we are publishing over the blog. I hope you'll join us for the journey. More about me, contact me...
Manmaker 2012
Genie and I hosted our three pastors and ten laymen at a men's leadership retreat for City Church Eastside-Atlanta out at our cabin, Eagle Peak, Colorado. In early May, the weather at 9000 feet is iffy. We were blessed with wonderful weather, warm and sunny through the weekend.Then, on Sunday, right after everyone left, it started snowing. By the next morning, we had over 8 inches of fresh snow.
We are a church plant that cut the tether last fall from our mother church. Now, we are envisioning becoming a church-planting church. While we were here, we shared dialog and learning, fellowship, food and fun. From hiking mountains to fly-fishing to Manmaker challenges, people were stretched to their limits. A grand time was had by all. Enjoy the photos.
Eagle Peak view from Gold Hill
View of Eagle Peak from the next ridge. Note Longs Peak in the background
Beaver Pond in Left Hand Canyon
About 3 years ago, beavers built a pond right next to the road. We stopped on the way up from Boulder.
Log Fort
My son, my caretaker, and I built this fort for our granddaughters, and other kids who visit.
Cabin circa 1890
Old mining cabin just off our property. We are surrounded by gold mine pits
Mine Shaft
We found this mine shaft just above a huge mound of rocks that had been excavated. Saw a bobcat nearby last winter. Great den for black bears
Hessie Trailhead
After our first day's work, we went fishing and hiking up in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Some of us fished Boulder Creek up to the waterfall, while others hiked to Lost Lake and the snowfields beyond
Hessie Trailhead
Headed to Lost Lake
Peering into the Void
Bryan at the Falls
Lost Lake Shelf
Lost Lake is just past the low notch
Exploring the falls
Little do they know, i slipped at this same spot and fell a couple of years ago, lost my fly rod over the falls.
Calm waters of Lost Lake
With the Indian Peaks and the Continental Divide in the far distance
From the Lost Lake Chutes
The guys post-holed through knee-deep snow up into the Avalanche chutes above Lost Lake. My son used to snow board out of bounds from Eldora, and come across these chutes. One time he triggered an avalanche here.
Feats of Strength
After the hike, still time for a Manmaker challenge
Manmaker Challenge
Pushups after a long hike, post-holing through the snow above the lake, and coming down
Try this!
If I'd known they were gonna throw the logs around, I woulda got out the chainsaw, and have them stack them into a lodge.
Campfire View
The fire pit around from the house is where we did devotionals and told stories. Here is the view.
Full Moon over Boulder
Viewed from the deck.
Full Moon
Laughter, loud talk, cigar smoke mingled on the deck late into the night with the full moon rising
Twin Sisters in RMNP
Looking at Twin Sisters in Rocky Mountain National Park from our Campfire circle, inspired the last Manmaker Challenge: summiting Twin Sisters after gaining 2428 feet of vertical elevation to reach 11,428 ft.
Fishing Lily Lake, RMNP
We went up to Lily Lake, which is right across the road from the Twin Sisters Trailhead. Both give spectacular views of Longs Peak, Mt. Meeker and the interior of Rocky Mountain National Park. Fly fishermen stay at Lily Lake and cast for Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Enos Mills
When you believe that God reveals Himself in His creation, this statement contains much spiritual truth.
Historic Cabin
Just a short distance from Lily Lake
Jason casting before Longs Peak
Longs Peak is one of three fourteeners on the Front Range, and the only one in Rocky Mountain National Park. From Lily Lake, you are seeing Estes Cone and Longs.
Longs Peak View
Lily Lake foreground
Lily Mountain
Jason and Trent casting along the shore
Golden Mantel Ground Squirrel
Also called a Copperhead
Copperhead begging
Came out whenever someone sat down at the picnic table. Been spoiled by table scraps?
Death and New Life
As Aspen groves green up in the warm spring sun, dying tips of pines in the foreground remind me of the pine beetle epidemic infesting our mountains.
Aspens & Mountains
Longs Peak to the right, and Mount Meeker to the left
Estes Cone Silhouette
Sun lights up the clouds
Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Cruising along the beach. Males are deep red underneath with a green back.
Reid catches one
See the flash of red on the Greenback Cuttie
Female Greenback Cutthroat Trout
Surfing a wave at the beach. Her coloring is not nearly as vivid as the male
Catch and Release
Greenback Cutthroats are a threatened species that only lives in the Front Range of Colorado. Fising in these waters is all barbless hooks and catch and release.
Multi-tasking
Fishing while looking at his phone
Twin Sisters
Add a description…While we were fishing, others were attempting Twin Sisters. The summit is at 11,248, only reached after gaining 2248 in vertical elevation from the 9000 ft trailhead.
Back from the trail
Jack looks back at Twin Sisters
Having just climbed Twin Sisters in 1'40" and run back down in 45", Jack looks back at the peak with Longs Peak in the background
Sun today, snow tomorrow
Bloom poking through the snow
Beaver Pond in the snow
Add a description…One day after sitting around Lily lake in tee shorts and shorts, we got 8" of snow at the cabin
Spring Storm
Got home from a visit to our family in Ft. Collins to find a snowstorm raging at the cabin
7" of snow May 6
With another couple inches falling after dark. Driving out in the morning was an adventure.
Wine & Cookies by the Fire
Watching the snow fall after an epic Manmaker 2012 weekend, Genie and I eat cookies while drinking Pinot by the fire
Eagle Peak in the Snow
After a beautiful week of spring flowers, winter visits once again
