We had the most amazing time snowshoeing, exploring Denver and Boulder, eating Thai food, catching up and just being together after nearly eight months apart.
I’ve known Michaela and Leah since elementary school (Pleasant Hill for my wonderful northwest suburbs of Chicago readers), and we’ve stayed close through college and multiple moves. Michaela moved to Denver last year and I was really anxious to see her in her new hometown.
I arrived in Denver on Friday night right around dinnertime. Since Leah was getting in late, Michaela, her boyfriend, Kyle, and I all hung out at their apartment until her flight arrived.
Michaela made such a delicious pizza for us to share and I cannot wait to recreate it at home.
Michaela is gluten-free for health reasons, and made the pizza on a rice-based gluten-free crust that I absolutely loved. It was chewy and flavorful and when topped with homemade pesto, feta cheese, turkey sausage and red onion, tasted fantastic! It reminded me of something Urban Flats, a tasty flatbread restaurant in Orlando, would serve.
Leah’s flight from Chicago was unfortunately delayed, but she arrived safe and sound and we picked her up at the airport after 11 p.m. and spent the remainder of the night at Michaela’s apartment talking until the early morning hours.
Snowshoeing
The next day, we awoke bright and early for quite an adventure.
We drove about and hour and a half away to a popular state park to snowshoe!
Thanks to Michaela for outfitting me in snow pants and a puffy coat! I definitely don’t have the proper cold-weather clothing anymore.
We rented snowshoes and poles for $15 and headed out to tackle several miles of hiking.
Call me crazy, but I totally pictured walking on tennis racquets when Michaela said we’d be snowshoeing. Fortunately snowshoes have come a long way and were really easy to walk in and did a great job of keeping me atop the thick snow.
Leah and I had a bit of a hard time adjusting to the altitude in the beginning. I swear my heart was pounding so, so fast just walking at a normal pace.
Man down!
It’s absolutely crazy to me what a difference the altitude makes. I always heard that high altitudes can really take your breath away, and I know I’m affected easily by pressure changes (it takes me longer than most to descend when scuba diving because I need to equalize so often), but this was really shocking.
We took it slow and enjoyed the unbelievable views and scenery.
Is that not postcard material, or what? Both Leah and I said walking through the snow-covered trees reminded us of the children’s book The Mitten. So picturesque!
The goal of our hike was to make it to two different lakes that were completely frozen over.
Lake number one:
Lake number two:
We did it!
Once we reached the lakes and turned around, the hike was considerably easier since it was all downhill. We also packed a bottle of wine and snacks and stopped for a break to make a toast and eat a bit before heading back.
Wine, cheese and grapes. We’re classy like that. 
I also ate a ton of nuts (I was craving salty food like mad!) and an apple.
After eating my apple, I made a big mistake. I threw my core to a nearby hungry-looking squirrel. Apparently you’re not supposed to feed wild animals in state parks, and boy did I learn my lesson.
That squirrel was INSANE. Longtime readers may know that I already have major issues with squirrels after quite the incident at UCF and this squirrel only further solidified my fears.
The squirrel had NO fear. It would not leave us alone and ran right up to us, grazing our boots and running IN BETWEEN our legs. It did not relent when we screamed like crazy and tried to scare it away and jumped toward us from tree branches. It was literally fearless and we were flipping out and scrambling to gather our food and wine and get the heck out of there.
I’m pretty sure we would win the $100,000 grand prize on American’s Funniest Home Videos had we caught that little escapade on video.
We hiked the remainder of the way back to the car and laughed about the psychotic squirrel and were on a hiker’s high. Downhill was so much easier and we probably hiked back in half the time it took us to hike to the lakes.
Such an amazing day!
I’ll be back soon with a recap of the rest of our time in Colorado. I miss Michaela, Leah and that beautiful state already!
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
That is everything I’ve always wanted to do out west. Looks like a blast! So picturesque!
Gorgeous! I joked while skiiing in CO that I was bred for humid, hot, sticky, polluted air, not fresh, thin, clean air because I had such a hard time adjusting!
This looks like so much fun Julie! I love skiing, but haven’t ever tried snowshoeing. I’m sure it was a killer workout!
Also, my alma mater Vanderbilt is notorious for having crazy squirrels as well. They would jump out of trashcans, out of trees, out from behind bushes – basically you couldn’t walk across campus without being on the lookout. Definitely don’t miss that part of college!
I’m so glad you enjoyed my home state! I love it here! You had beautiful weather 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you did in Boulder! I was born and raised and still live there 🙂
Seriously this post was amazing! Haha, I laughed so hard when reading the squirrel part! “…this squirrel only further solidified my fears.” Too funny! Glad you had such a great time! The wine & fancy cheese/grapes look fabulous! 😉
That pizza sounds amazing! 🙂
Looks like such a fun weekend! I love Colorado, it is just beautiful there!
Ahhh this makes me miss Colorado so much! We used to go to Rocky Mountain National Park all the time and hike, and I’ve done this hike a few times (minus the snow!)
Emerald Lake is really pretty! Can’t wait to hear more about your trip! xoxo
Oh – I am so jealous. I love snowshoeing and cross country skiing… unfortunately, with almost no snow this year it doesn’t appear to be in the cards for me.
That gluten-free pizza looks delicious! Udi’s has a really good gluten-free pizza crust.
Wow, they have a lot of snow in CO! I planned to try snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing this year (since I live in MN and you would think snow would be a given), but we’ve hardly gotten any snow all year. The bonus is it is easier to run outside without worrying about falling!
I’m so jealous that you went snow-shoeing! It’s something I’ve never tried. I was determined to do it this winter- but it hasn’t snowed in DC!! I go out to Colorado every year, but it’s always in the summer.
That story about the squirrel is insane- and noted! I will make sure that I DO NOT feed them next time I’m out there!
Hi! I just have to tell you, I have been doing some of your at home circuit workouts for a few weeks when I felt like my runs weren’t long enough. I finally decided to browse and have discovered the most amazing thing – to put xanthum gum in smoothies?? hello!!! My son is gluten free and so we have it on hand and I was so curious why you put it in your smoothie…now I know! I love your blog, you are so cute…keep it up!!
thanks, stefanie! so glad you’re loving xanthan gum! it really does make them so thick!
Oh my gosh – you went to Emerald Lake in RMNP – that is a fun hike even in the summer – I have go on up to Nymph, Emerald and Dream – trying to picture it in the winter with snowshoes. Wow – the views must have been amazing! And no wonder you were huffing and puffing – you were way up since that trail starts all the way up at the Bear Lake parking head – I think starting elevation must be around 8,000 at least.
I think snowshoeing and cross country skiing are so much more fun than downhill skiing. It’s easier to me too! And, you get to enjoy the scenery more. I thought I was going to die downhill skiing the first time in CO. I’ve always skied on the east coast in lower altitudes. But, it killed me out west!
I was born in Boulder!!!!! How did you like it??? Colorado is SUCH a beautiful state. It looks amazing. So glad you had a blast! 😀
it was SUCH a beautiful place! i want to go back!
Where we live in Utah, we’re about 7,000 feet… coming from Seattle and starting to run here was so hard for me. I was just starting out running and training for a 5k. Lucky for me, the actual race was back in Seattle so I did all this “high altitude training” and then got to run at sea level which was so much easier!
We have yet to try snowshoeing out here but we own all the stuff – just need to get out there and do it!
Daniel and I are looking at going to Denver or Boulder for our 5 year anniversary (just a long weekend) – we’ve never been to either. This post makes me really really want to go!!!
I had a crazy squirrel incident too! I was feeding peanuts to squirrels in Texas one time, and the squirrels were so used to people – they would literally eat the peanuts right out of your hand. I thought it was awesome (I think I was 15), until my finger was mistaken for a peanut. It bit THROUGH my fingernail! Insane.
My hubby and I went hiking last summer in that exact same area in RMNP! Part of the trail was covered in snow and we only had trekking poles to use so it was tough! I’d love to try snowshoes though- very fun! I soooo want to go back- I’m a Texas girl all the way but wouldn’t mind spending part of my year in Colorado! Your hiking snacks for this trail definitely made the Cliff Bars and tuna packs that we took look lame!
I just moved to Denver a few months ago and I live right by the thai place you went to! I’m glad you liked colorful Colorado 🙂
So neat that you get to experience some winter this year! Even though I’m in VA, we barely got ANY snow, but thats okay with me. Sometimes I feel like all you need is a taste of real winter and you’re set.
As someone with a gluten intolerance, I’d love to know the name of the company that makes that rice based pizza crust. So many gluten free crusts are not all they’re cracked up to be (corn-based? cornbread pizza=gross). Once I find a good crust, I’m so excited to start experimenting with pizza flavors again.
Thanks and hope you have a safe trip home!
I live just outside of Boulder. My husband, daughter and I went snowshoeing in RMNP this weekend too. We were a little worried because there was like zero snow until you’re pretty far into the park. Altitude does take some getting used to. I always forget when we have people come visit that it takes them a while to get used to it.
I AM SO JEALOUS!!! I have never been to Colorado, and for whatever reason I want to up and move there. I tell my boyfriend ALL the time about wanting to move there!
I have a friend who recently uprooted and moved to Denver and she raves about it! I’m hoping to get out there soon and visit…and maybe just never come back! hehehe!
Oh how I love your pictures! I was hoping to take a trip to Colorado this winter but that didn’t happen so I’m glad I can view the beauty through your pictures. I absolutely love Colorado. I’m a bit jealous of your snowshoeing journey! I went snowshoeing here in North Carolina a few weeks ago but we were forced to do it on ski slopes. The trails you went on are a million times better than a ski slope!
Your squirrel story reminds me of the last time my husband and I went canoeing… We stopped at a small island for a lunchtime picnic and I made the mistake of trying to befriend tiny, cute, seemingly innocent chipmunk. I tossed the chipmunk the unfinished crusts from my sandwich and we couldn’t even enjoy our dessert because the chipmunk started trying to “nip” at our feet since we had kicked off our shoes. Yikes!
I got a kick out of reading this! I LOVE boulder and going there is going down for me so running and hiking there feel like a dream! I know exactly how you feel though elevation is a killer! Colorado’s where it’s at!!
I’m from Colorado and I’m glad you had such a good time! Estes is so gorgeous. I’ve never been snowshoeing but it looks like so much fun! I hate cold so I’m not big on winter sports.
Snowshoeing looks like so much fun! My aunt mentioned that she got some snowshoes for Christmas this year and I’ve been dying to go visit her (in Michigan) and try it out. Although I’m planning on moving to Colorado someday (maybe hopefully) so I’m sure I’ll do it all the time then 🙂
What was the other lake you visited? I live in MN, but I spent one January in Estes Park taking classes and hiking/snowshoeing/squirrel-fleeing in Rocky Mtn Natl Park. So invigorating!!
I went snowshoeing in Yellowstone a few years ago, and totally had to stop due to the altitude. I just remember being so hot and laying down in the snow. It felt so good that I wanted to stay there all day.
Hi Julie! I’ve been a huge fan of your blog for over a year now and I read every day! I live in Colorado and I’ve never been snowshoeing and I’m wondering where you went and where you rented the equipment from? I want to try to make it out there this weekend after seeing all of your fun photos! I sent the blog post to all of my friends and we’re all eager to go now. Any info is helpful and thanks for writing such an inspirational blog!
oh gosh, i can’t remember the name of the place where we rented our gear. it was about a 15-minute drive from where we began hiking at rocky mountain state park. i know the trail we followed went to many different lakes, including mirror lake and emerald lake…
I think i’ve figured it out! Thanks for the info!
Julie:
Did your friend make that crust or did she purchase it? If she made it do you think she would be willing to share the recipe? I am also gluten-free for health reasons and that crust looks really yummy and much better then the pre-made crust I’ve been purchasing.
Thanks!