On my trip through the state in 2002, I had made a drive out to explore the Elbert County highpoint, armed with Mitchler & Covill's Hiking Colorado's Summits book. It seemed easy enough in the book- just drive up to the area on a country road, and check it off the list. I did that, but when I got there, I saw higher land to the north, clearly higher than the road. To be fair to John and Dave, I understand their predicament, as this highpoint is on private land and that the road crosses the contour anyway. Probably just skirting a delicate issue and not promoting wholesale trespassing. I did not have any topo maps with me. While there, I debated going out into the field but without the maps, I sensed I might be running a fool's errand by exploring every dinky rise I could see in the field and those hidden in the sporadic forest. I left the area but pretty much decided not to count the county as done until I came back and gave it proper treatment.

For this trip I was with my wife Beth, as we were spending four days in the Colorado Springs - Denver area. We had spent the previous day in and around Colorado Springs, including a drive out to nab the easy Lincoln County highpoint. We started today early, getting on the road by 7 a.m., with plans to head up to Denver and Boulder and do some exploring up there. Leaving our hotel in Colorado Springs, we went north along CO-83 about 15 miles through the pretty Black Forest up to the Douglas county line. We turned right and went east about 8 miles through some wealthy ranch and horse properties, arriving to the highpoint area at just before 8 a.m. Although the weather was warm (actually, record "heat" for Colorado, with highs in the 70s, for March), there was still snow on the ground in places, especially in those areas shielded in the forest. We parked along the highspot in the road, pretty much where I was in 2002. This time I had the map. The rise in the field is the highpoint after all. The field was fenced but one section was completely open, with the barbed wire strands having been cut totally away (I noticed this in one other area, too). Beth and I made a short, quick walk out into the field, crossing the rise, then ambling out to a group of rocks amid a handful of trees. A curious deer saw us and actually came up toward us. We snapped a few photos then walked back out to the car. The deer even followed us as we egressed! Snow-capped Pikes Peak stood out above the trees for a wonderful view in this clear, dry weather. Our total time in the area was about 10 minutes and about 500 feet of walking. We ignored the four other tiny regions as they clearly were not as high as where we were.

From here we went up to Boulder. Later in the day we nabbed the Broomfield city/county highpoint as we headed to our hotel in Castle Rock.