On a whim, I decided to hike to the summit of Wheeler Peak TWICE in two days! The previous day's hike was to the summit by way of the Lake Williams Trail. This hike was to the summit by way of the Bull Of The Woods Trail.
The Bull Of The Woods Trail is a longer trail, but less strenuous. The distance makes this hike challenging more than the elevation change. It's not too steep, but more of a long, gradual climb.
On this hike, I ran into some bad weather. Lightning and thunder clouds moved in while I was a couple of miles from the summit, forcing me to stop and wait it out for about an hour. While I was waiting, the temperature dropped dramatically and it started to hail! I was also visited by a family of wild mountain goats that were not afraid to approach within 1-2 feet of me. At once point, while I was eating a protein bar, I got a little concerned one of he goats was going to charge and headbutt me for my snack!
When the weather improved a bit, I made a mad dash for the summit. It was still storming nearby, but at least I got to the top. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to hang out very long because the weather started to deteriorate rapidly. Within minutes of leaving the peak, lightning and thunder began again. It was a little scary, forcing me to run down the trail as fast as I could in an effort to avoid a strike. It was a harrowing experience and one I knew better to avoid.
