Tanya and I decided to spend a night in Glenwood Springs. Of course, we had to get a hike in while we were out there. We were looking for something that wasn’t too terribly hard and came across the Storm King Mountain Trail. The hike ended up being approximately 4.5 miles by my GPS. It was a somber and sad hike. The trail leads to memorials for the firefighters killed in the South Canyon Fire.
An emotional hike
We were lucky with the weather to avoid local showers. Even with good weather, it was not possible to shake the sadness of knowing how these people died right where you were hiking. The various placards describing the fire and how it overtook these firefighters creates vivid images of the day’s events. You are literally walking through the area where it all took place clambering up a trail where these people were attempting to escape for their lives. To add to the sadness, you look at the pictures and see so many young men and women with so much of their lives ahead of them.
Like other memorials, this hike reminds you of the fragility of our lives. If you’re in the area, I’d recommend you take the time to hike this trail. While there are some steep inclines, it’s worth the effort.
Storm King Mountain Trail GPX
Max elevation: 6892 ft
Min elevation: 5667 ft
Total climbing: 1483 ft
Total descent: -1924 ft