The Rocky Mountains in Colorado has been my home for as long as I could remember. The mountains became my playground, the trees provided shade from the hot summer days, the endless lakes provided swimming pools, and the winding hiking paths helped me discover who I was, more than real-world situations. To me, Colorado is more than just an iconic flag, and the mountains are more than just winter sports. The Rocky Mountains were my home until I came to college and I miss them so much.

1. Their Appearance:

They are beautiful. I mean have you seen them? Their gray, craggily, snow capped peaks can almost touch the sun. Their steep valleys covered with wildflowers and waterfalls create almost a dream-like landscape.

2. The Rocky Mountain High:

Rocky Mountain High is a very real thing, but many individuals take in a wrong context. The Rocky Mountain High comes when you are hiking at 12,500 or even 14,000 feet in elevations. Sure it’s very hard to breathe, but then you make it to the top of the peak and you feel invincible. You look down around into a valley or you look to more peaks, but you feel like you are on top of the world. Now that’s the Rocky Mountain High.

3. Skiing and Snowboarding:

There is a reason for tourists in Colorado especially during the winter. The Rocky Mountains provide some of the best skiing and snowboarding havens in the United States. Picture this: You are tucked among the mountains, just you, your snowboard, your closest friends, fresh powder and steep slopes. It’s paradise for these winter sports fanatics.

4. Rock Climbing and Bouldering:

Sometimes I imagine to the outside world, Coloradans seem like the most insane, adrenaline junkies in the world, because we love to climb on large rocks sometimes without using ropes or harnesses. The Rocky Mountains provide endless rock climbing and bouldering, and it’s not unusual to be driving and see a car pulled over and individual climbing the rock face next to the road.

5. Hiking:

The Rocky Mountains provide some of the most beautiful hiking I have been able to experience. The tall green trees are on your left and on your right the steep mountains continue to rise as you walk further. Every hike is an adventure because there are so many trails it would take years to explore all of them. I miss getting lost among the trees and the mountains.

6. The Rocky Mountains are a haven for photography:

The Rocking Mountains give a dark, grey frame for the bright white clouds and the expansive blue sky. The wildflowers especially the Columbines are better photo subjects that most people. The wildlife, especially marmots no longer fear the tourists and come out to great your lens giving you that once in a lifetime picture.

7. The Wildlife:

I miss the marmots whose whistles could be heard echoing off the canyons. The pica’s who would run in and out of their tiny homes. I miss watching the mountain goats jump from cliff to cliff as I drive through the mountains. I miss the adrenaline rush; I would receive when I saw a mountain lion track in the dirt. The graceful deer that would visit the porch of my family’s cabin that loved to jump gracefully over the ditch if someone came too close.

8. The Mountain Lakes:

These mountain lakes provided many wonderful memories. Whether it was the summer fishing trips with my dad or the ice cold plunges my friends and I made off of rocks into the crisp blue surface. Watching the fish create ripples around the shore of the lakes, inspired the awe of a child in me even as an adult.

9: Camping:

Imagine you unzip your tent door and you are greeted with vast mountains and pine trees. I miss the camping so much especially because I could walk out my back door and camp in a breathtaking landscape.

10. Mountain Biking:

Flying down the side of the mountain, the wind rushing past your face, the dirt flying behind you, provides my favorite adrenaline rush. These steep mountains give us some insane hills to ride down, just don’t crash because the probability of you falling of a cliff is higher than you might suspect.

11. Jeeping:

It saddens me to know that Microsoft Word doesn’t believe jeeping is a word. Jeeping is the act of driving a four-wheel drive vehicle through steep and winding roads in the mountains. The thrill of looking over the side of the road to be greeted by a large drop into a valley full of trees and wildflower is indescribable. Most of my jeeping friends will know to avoid Black Bear Pass at all costs.

12. Making Fun of Tourists:

The Rocky Mountains are extremely high in elevation and some tourists definitely forget about this aspect when they visit. I am far from being in shape, but I will admit to running circles around tourists as they are breathing heavily while hiking. I am glad the mountains are a tourist destination but sometimes you have to give the tourists a run for their money.

13: Mountain Towns:

Old mining towns cover the mountains of the Rockies. They are historical, tiny, underrated oases tucked up against the mountains. They are quaint, friendly and they will have the best food in the entire world. My personal favorite is Ouray, with its natural hot springs, jeeping, ice climbing and endless hiking; it is my little piece of heaven that I ran to on long weekends and birthday trips.

14. Mountain People:

I met some of the coolest people in my entire life within the Rocky Mountains. These infamous mountain people with their long beards, Chacos with socks, flannel shirts, Patagonia jackets, dogs in tow and crash pads waiting in their Subaru will provide the best conversation to be had on the side of a mountain. They treated you like an old friend even though they just met you. The Rocky Mountains are more than adrenaline-fueled activities, more than just a tourist destination, to me they are home. I miss these mountains just as much as I miss my room, my bed and my dog. They were safe haven on the bad days; they were friends who would embrace me once I reached the tree line and their mountains gave me endless possibilities to wander. I miss you, Rocky Mountains.