Everyone has their own definition for the word “Colorado adventure elopement.” For many people, that means heading out into the wilderness and exploring alpine lakes, waterfalls, and maybe even seeing a few marmots along the way. For Tara and Nick, they wanted their Colorado elopement a little more rugged: a sunrise hike followed by afternoon zip-lining and rock climbing.

We met Tara and Nick at the trailhead in complete darkness. Together, we set off on a strenuous hike under the stars, with nothing but our headlamps to light the way. We even managed to capture the NEOWISE comet on our way up! As we neared the summit, the sky was beginning to change colors. Nick said that the colors reminded him of Trix Yogurt and we spent the next 10 minutes discussing our favorite nostalgic snacks (who else used to freeze their Go-Gurt?).

For most of the hike, we were sweating from heading straight up the side of a mountain. But as we reached the top, the winds picked up and we were hit with a small rainstorm. We all bundled up and continued the climb, arriving at the 12,000 ft summit just before the sun made it to the crest of the mountains to the East. Tara and Nick laid out a blanket and cuddled together to watch the sunrise. Before getting into their wedding clothes, Tara and Nick opened letters written for them by family members, while a chipmunk watched from much closer than you’d expect!

Once the sun finally started to warm us up, we finished the hike and arrived at the ceremony spot. Tara and Nick got dressed separately then had their first look to start their ceremony. Tara read her vows first, then presented Nick with his wedding band, which was engraved with song lyrics. Next, it was Nick’s turn to read his vows, then present Tara with her wedding band. Turns out, Nick had chosen the exact same lyrics for Tara’s engraving! After they shared their first kiss, they climbed up on top of a huge rock for their first dance. The chipmunks made another appearance, this time taking a little too much of a liking to Tara’s bouquet!

And then it was time to begin the long journey back to the trailhead. We made our way down, passing some of the most beautiful meadows we’ve seen. The ground was near completely covered in brightly colored wildflowers. Note that no wildflowers were trampled in the making of these photos! As Tara and Nick led the way down the mountain, they were met with a chorus of congratulations from other hikers who were greatly impressed by their choice in wedding venue, and hiking attire. Once we reached the trailhead, we all ate lunch and prepared ourselves for an even bigger adventure.

”Via Ferrata” is Italian for “Iron Path.” In basic terms, a via ferrata is a climbing route that is made up of metal hand and footholds installed directly into the side of a rock. These climbing routes have been used for centuries as a way for people to explore mountainous regions. It’s so interesting to think about people gearing up to climb a mountain for fun in the 1800s! But in WWI, via ferratas had a more utilitarian purpose. When the war front moved to the Italian Dolomites, troops used iron ladders and ropes to traverse the mountainous terrain.

Today, Colorado has a few of its own via ferrata climbing routes, the most famous being in Telluride. Tara and Nick knew from the start that they wanted to end their elopement adventure with a via ferrata and a zip line and ended up picking one outside of Buena Vista. When getting fitted with our climbing gear, we somehow managed to make Tara’s long tulle train tuck perfectly into her harness. It was so much fun to watch Tara hanging on the edge of a rock with her wedding dress blowing in the wind! Single file, we climbed along the edge of a tall cliff, crossed narrow bridges, and zip lined through the forest. We all quickly realized how exhausted our bodies were from the early morning and long hike, but we pushed through and had an incredible time. It was an experience that none of us will ever forget!

This elopement took place on Ute Land.

Photographs

Colorado Elopements

Destination Elopements