Introduction
On the first Sunday of December 2008 my buddy Erich Fowler asked me to join him for a little hike up Square Top Mountain, which, at 13, 794 feet elevation, is Colorado's 111th highest peak! Erich probably chose this gem of a mountain, located near Georgetown in Summit County, because it is equidistant between two pairs of Colorado's most beloved fourteeners (Evans and Bierstadt, Grays and Torreys) and therefore it gets relatively little attention from tourists - especially in the winter. Also, its exposed, windswept ridges keep the snow pack low, resulting in minimal risk of avalanche. It was quite the day for hiking, with relentless winds reaching 60 - 70 mph at times, but also ample sunshine, clear blue skies, and splendid views of the mountains all around us. I saw my first snowshoe hare, warily bouncing across the snowy talus fields above us and eventually disappearing; we did not encounter the bighorn sheep reported to have settled here. We made it back to Erich's pickup just as the last of the afternoon light left the sky, very satisfied with one of the most beautiful hikes either of us has ever experienced in Colorado.
