Table Mountain, late November hike...

North Table Mountain is a cool place to hike in May, especially after a heavy snowfall (click here to look at it - Table Mountain, light hike one Saturday in May). It transforms into a winter wonderland in January, offering a serene landscape beneath the cold embrace of snow (click here to check it out - Table Mountain or Oh, deer...). But it is also a beautiful place to explore on warm November day so let's try it, shall we?

 

You know, the only season I'd advise against a visit is summer. The sun is hot and burns everything better than any fire... but other times of the year are good.

What I like the most about this place is how close it's to Denver. In just 30-40 minutes you can escape the busy city. You can spend some time enjoying crisp mountain air and... return back home in no time ;)

So... on a sunny November Saturday I found myself here ascending the main road. A brief yet rewarding journey to the tabletop ;)

The plateau is huge and formed by ancient volcanic rocks. How old you ask? Hm... good question... radioactive dating estimates it with an accuracy of 2... million... years ;) Right, they think these rocks are 62-64 million years old... Disappointing, huh? I hoped for some better results... but... we have what we have.

And it wasn't the age that attracted me here, but views. The views are astonishing here... Gazing upon Denver's skyscrapers from some distance is a treat. Always thought this one is one of the best locations to do it.

Mountain ridges and hills are cool looking too.

Just look at how many cacti you can find here! Actually it wasn't surprising, I hiked here in May after all and saw them all blooming ;)

If you decide on hiking the long loop here, pay attention to the cyclists. Those are plenty on the trail and sometimes they ride fast too ;)

Table Mountain's rocks are a magnet for climbers. I think this is one of the closest locations where you can try yourself and the walls here are crowded. But mostly from the southern side of the plateau. But also around the northern edge, where climbers have some nice rocks to work on.

Birds of prey are always find something to capture here too. They are often soar up in the air looking for some lunch or dinner...

After a little over three hours and covering 6.5 miles, fatigue set in, and thoughts turned to lunch. A smothered burrito, freshly made at Santiago's, a renowned family-owned chain of Mexican restaurants, proved to be the perfect reward for a day of exploration.

ChatGPT was nice enough and helped me with some wording for today's story ;)

Pictures were taken on November 25, 2017.