Beautiful and within driving distance, Colorado is a popular destination for many Kansans. On July 24, seniors Josh Hodge, Garrett Frank, Carl Hoppe and recently graduated Caleb Francis loaded up a car and began the eight hour drive to scenic state.

The four went to climb Mount of the Holy Cross, a 14,000 foot region of the Rocky Mountain Range that has long been the subject of photographers and painters.   They planned the trip at the beginning of last year.

“I personally trained all day, all night, 24 hours a day for the last month before it.” Hodge said of his preparation.

His companion had other thoughts.

“We didn’t need to train,” Frank said. “We’re all just oxes.”

The boys concurred that the highlight of the trip was reaching the mountain’s pinnacle.

“The top was super gratifying because it was really hard to get there, and the view was gorgeous.”  Frank said, “You could see forever in every direction.”

Hodge aptly described the summit as “gnarly, but really scary,” “We were so high up there… I almost peed my pants twice.”

While they weren’t trekking, the four stayed in a cabin at picturesque Lake Patricia.

         Going sans parental authority allowed the students more freedom, but Frank admitted it also came with more responsibility.

    “We had to pay for everything and know where to go and all that,” he said.

     Next year, the quartet plans to go back to Colorado to hike a different mountain.

  “We had an absolutely stupendous time.” Hodge said.