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A Cup Of T Adventure, Golden, CO (2025)

01/06/2025

Third Flatiron - Boulder, Colorado ⛰️

I had the absolute pleasure of free soloing the 3rd Flatiron with some pretty awesome people and wanted to share some sick captures from our adventure 😍

It had been about 8 years since I'd soloed, so I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to get back out on the amazing rock that makes up the Boulder Flatties 🤗

The 3rd Flatiron route we took was called the East Face, which consisted of 8 pitches of 5.4 climbing, making it a fun, relatively easy climb on incredibly solid sandstone...type 2 fun indeed! 👏

Have you soloed the Flatirons? 👀

12/30/2024

Pettingell Peak - 13,465ft ⛰️

Although it might not seem like it, sometimes I need a laid-back weekend with my friends out of the mountains. And when I do allow myself that space to socialize and relax? I get restless 😅

Peaks in the Front Range allow me that last-minute Sunday spontaneity for when I do get to jones-ing the mountains, like this here 13er, Pettingell Peak! 😍

To access this "remote" 13er, you simply drive 45ish-min west from the Denver Metro Area and park yourself at the Herman Gulch trailhead. Be prepared to see a billion people (and smell a sh*t ton of dog p**p) along your first few miles, as the Herman Gulch hike is one of the most popular treks east of the Eisenhower tunnel 🥲

Once you get PAST the alpine lake is where the REAL solitude and hike begin 👏 the route-finding becomes tough, the trail is essentially nonexistent, and you won't run into a single soul between leaving the lake, getting up to the summit, and back!

I always enjoy getting a birds-eye view from the Front Range peaks because I've been up on so many, and it's fun to recognize all of my surroundings from so high up 🥰

Overall, this trek is a little over 9mi with ~3,400 ft of elevation gain - not too bad of a lil day hike! ✨️

Have you hiked Pettingell Peak? 👀

12/23/2024

Hey friends! ✨️

I wanted to take the time to do a quick introduction now that I've reached 3K followers. I've never really done one of these before for those of you that've been around for a while either (love you guys!!) so here goes nothing! 😌

My name is Thompson, and yes, that is my first name! Some of my friends call me T, though, which is where I came up with "A Cup of T" 😄

I was born and raised near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia until the age of 18, when I took the jump to move across country to my forever home, Colorado, in order to attend the University of Colorado Boulder (sko buffs!) 🦬

I graduated from college back in 2019 and have been moving around this beautiful state ever since - from the city of Denver to the mountains back to the foothills...but I'm hoping to return to residing in the mountains come Spring of 2025! 🙏

A few other things about me (if you can't already tell from my profile) are that I'm an avid hiker, 14er summiter, mountaineer, Muay Thai enthusiast, skiier, sport climber, traveller, and overall self-proclaimed adventure afficionado! 🙌

My career path is as a digital marketing specialist in the corporate world, but I have a deep, longing desire to become either a forest ranger or ski patrol 😅 I'm not built for the 9 - 5 life it seems

Feel free to introduce yourself in the comments below if we haven't "officially" met already! 💓

Thanks for following 🥰

And shoutout to for the photo!

#

09/18/2024

Buffalo Mountain Peak, Silverthorne, CO (12,781 ft) ⛰️

Happy Wanderful Wednesday 😍 (swipe to see mountain goats!)

I wanted to take the time to highlight Buffalo Mountain one more time... because look at those views 😉

This was my very first high-alpine hike that I ever did back in 2021, and it was such a challenge due my lack of experience...I didn't know how to route find, I started at noon, I ran out of water, got sunburnt as hell....but regardless - it was one of my most memorable, and favorite hikes to date 😅

Fast-forward to the present, and I literally halved my time thanks to all of my previous experiences in the high-country and my nurtured endurance 👏

We all have to start from somewhere - we don't just inherently possess the art for most things without any trial and error. Buffalo Mountain is ranked as "hard," with the trek consisting of 3,000 ft of elevation gain in 6.4 miles roundtrip. In 2021? This hike took me 6 hours. A few weeks ago? It took me a little under 3 🤣🤙

This is your sign this week to go out and give something your best shot! Take notes, learn from your mistakes, and try again ❤️

I'll be right there with you 😘

09/13/2024

Lynchburg, VA ⛰️

I had the chance to send 'er back east for a long weekend and tried to make the absolute most of it (which is tough with so much to do with such little time!) 🙏

From the views, to the family, to the friends - thank you to the few of you who always welcome me with open arms and hearts 🥰

This weekend was for the roots ❤️

09/11/2024

Unique 14er summits #24 and #25 - Castle and Condundrum Peaks 🥳

Words can't describe how stunning this past Saturday was when I set out to tag my first 14ers in the Elk Range 🥰

I headed out for the Castle Creek TH late Friday afternoon after work, arrived and parked ~0.25 mi up the 4WD road right as the sun was going down, car camped under a beautiful full moon, and started up the trail around 530am. I ended up hitchhiking to save some steam (thanks Scott and Stacey!) which brought me to 11,000 ft at the Pearl Pass Rd junction. From there, I set off for Castle Peak which took ~ 2 hrs, as I was taking my sweet time enjoying the views 😍. Then I headed over to Condundrum Peak, which took about 30ish min, where I finally ran into after a failed summit start together 😅. I also saw while on Conundrum...shoutout to IG!

Overall, this hike took me about 4 hours with some breaks included. The morning views, the comradery, and the summits themselves made for an absolutely stellar day in my book! The highlight of my trip, though (I must say), was seeing my first black bear on my way into camp Friday night!! 🐻

Cheers to two more successful summits, kicking off my start to a new mountain range, and for putting the social in social media 😏

Have an incredible week! 😘

09/09/2024

Unique 14er summit #23 - Mount Harvard 14,424 ft (3rd tallest mountain in Colorado) 🥳

I can't express enough how beautiful this summit trek was...from the wildflowers in the Horn Fork Basin to the views on top of the peak - this hike was absolutely stunning 😍

I had summited Mount Columbia back in early June, which was a post-holing sufferfest (😅), and I had been wanting to return to snag Harvard ever since. Man, am I glad I waited! It was highly entertaining waltzing through the forest in the Basin where I not so fondly recall yelling out expletives as I pulled myself out of many, many deep post-holes...talk about night and day! 🤣

I clocked this trek at a little under 14 miles ~ 4,700 ft in elevation gain. It took me about 3.5 hours to reach the summit, where I snacked and took in the views for somewhere around an hour, before I sped back down to my car, which took ~ 2 hours...I was moving! 😂

The Horn Fork Basin hosts plenty of wonderful backcountry campsites along the trail if that's your thing, as well as a stunning alpine lake (Bear Lake) at the base of Mount Harvard 😄

Have you hiked Mount Harvard? 👀

09/06/2024

Buffalo Mountain, Silverthorne, Colorado, USA ⛰️

I had the absolute pleasure of re-summiting Buffalo Mountain in Summit County this past weekend...and it did not disappoint! 🙌

Buffalo Mountain is held close to my heart for a few reasons...it was my first high-alpine hike back in 2021, it was the first place I ever saw mountain goats in the wild, but (most importantly) it sparked a fire in my soul for getting out and summiting the Centennial peaks here in colorful Colorado 🥰

As I was coming down from the summit, I saw an adolescent mountain goat over to my right, before hearing a huffing sound to my left, and noticing a squad of at least 13 goats (nearly all of them being mamas with their babies). I stepped to the side and gave them plenty of room, but I wanted to share one of my favorite captures from that moment 😍

Cheers to re-summitting mountains, witnessing the wildlife that calls them home, and for becoming a better mountaineer 🥳

09/04/2024

Beautiful skies, green grass, and a happy heart ❤️

***not an ad*** (just loved it that much) 😂

My mom came out to Colorado for her yearly visit last month, and I had the privilege of taking her "glamping" thanks to , providing a beautifully kept up with Airstream for our enjoyment 😍

I knew there was no shot of getting my mom in a tent (😅), so when I saw Sun Outdoors in Granby, CO, an impressive resort-style compound found right outside of Granby/Grand Lake, had the option for an Airstream rental? I knew it was something I couldn't pass up 🥰

Some of the mom-approved amenities that we had at our site, besides an Airstream with all of the hookups provided, were a fire pit, grill, and table/chairs. The resort itself had a pool, a few hot tubs, a lake for fishing, a lake for paddling, 2 restaurants, an arcade with a bowling alley, a community store, and MORE 🥳

Add on some breath-taking mountain views, rolling green hills, and a rainbow after a thunderstorm, and you have a mom-approved "campsite" 🤣

Have you stayed at Sun Outddors Rocky Mountains? 👀

09/02/2024

American Lakes - State Forest State Park, Walden, Colorado ⛰️

I had the lovely opportunity to trek up with some amazing pals to Michigan and Snow Lakes, located in the northern part of the state...and all I can say is WOW 😍

What a pleasure it was to get out to a new part of Colorado and experience its beauty on a mellow, moderate hike for once 😅

Our hike started at the American Lakes trailhead (found off Cameron Pass) and consisted of a little under 9 miles of hiking total, with ~ 1,600 ft of elevation gain...not too shabby! 😏

The more lush of the two alpine lakes was American Lake, while the rockier one was Snow Lake - both stunning in of itself 🥰

I really enjoyed getting away from the I-70 rat race (😂) and exploring a new part of the state, which consisted of less crowds, stunning vistas, and a great place to spend a Saturday with some friends ❤️

Have you visited State Forest State Park in Northern Colorado? 👀

07/08/2024

Maroon Bells - Aspen, Colorado, USA 🏔

Maybe it's because Aspen is one of the most expensive, elitist towns in Colorado (😅), but it's taken me 9 years of living in this breath-taking state to see these beauties firsthand...regardless - the Bells now have my full attention 🥹

Located just 10 miles west of Aspen (or 16 mi from Snowmass) in the heart of the Elk Range mountains, these jagged, 14,000 ft peaks are noted as the most photographed peaks in America...and you can sure see why! 😍

Due to their popularity, the Bells require a reservation through the National Forest Service in order to get up close and personal with them, so that the scenic beauty isn't overwhelmed by hoards of people, meaning you can have a more personal, enjoyable experience 🫶

I managed to snag a last-minute permit for 5pm the day prior to going, which actually worked out wonderfully, as I was able to hike the ~1.7 mi up to Crater Lake and take in the beauty of the Bells (for about an hour!) completely and utterly, 100% ALONE 👏

As we move into July, I wanted to take the time to remind everyone of the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace (link in my bio ❤️)

Have you ever experienced the Maroon Bells? 😄

07/06/2024

Mount Columbia - 14,073 ft 🏔

I finally achieved my first 14er ascent of the 2024 season and my 19th unique 14er summit...100% solo! 🥹

It takes a special kind of dedication to summit a 14er in spring-like conditions (swipe to my 8th pic 😅), as there's a guaranteed sufferfest of post-holing, a lot more route-finding than in the summer/fall, and a promised, imminent threat for flash thunderstorms daily after noon 🥲

With that being said...what a treat it was to have the summit AND trail to myself all day besides the hard-working crew of who were making the Horn Fork Basin part of the trail immaculate...thank you for caring for our trails! 💓

The first 2 miles were a cakewalk, next came 2 miles of post-holing, where I questioned what I was doing and why 😂, then I managed to get to treeline, and it was all uphill from there - literally...over 2,500 ft of elevation gain to be had in roughly the last 2 miles 🥴

I snagged quite possibly the last dispersed camping site off of CO 365 early Saturday afternoon, camped Saturday night, then set off alone at 4:30am for the trailhead a few miles down the road, and got my start a little after 5am. I summited right around 10:30am, hung out at the summit for about an hour, and got back to my car right around 2pm - talk about a trek!! 🤣

If there's any beta I can provide, it would be to wait at least a week or 2 to snag either Harvard or Columbia, so that the avalanche slush below treeline can have an opportunity to melt, and so that you can have a MUCH easier experience than I did 🙌

Cheers to another successful summit, the start of another 14er season, and for achieving the goals we set out for ourselves - no matter what 💗

Happy hiking 😘

A Cup Of T Adventure

01/06/2025

12/30/2024

12/23/2024

09/18/2024

09/13/2024

09/11/2024

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