The days leading up to this snowshoe elopement near Leadville, CO, were windy, snowy, and very cold. As Brittany and Jac’s elopement day approached I hoped we would find a calm weather window, but as the sun came up the weather still seemed ominous. We dressed warmly with layers, choosing to stick to our plans with only a little apprehension, and hoped for the best! As the afternoon moved along, the clouds began to part and blue skies came into view over Mayflower Gulch. The wind had mostly calmed down and very few people were out on the trail, making it the perfect spot for a secluded ceremony. Looking back, Brittany and Jac chose the sole date within the week that the sun shone at all. Talk about perfect timing! This serene weather window allowed for a warm sunset with alpenglow to spill across the peaks at the end of their elopement. I could not believe our luck!
When discussing locations Brittany and Jac knew they wanted to hike in somewhere but were also concerned with accessibility for family due to the winter storm conditions. We discussed many areas before they decided to celebrate with family one day and then celebrate privately on their own on another. I thought this was an awesome way to include family while also enjoying a special day just to themselves. Choosing two days allowed them to offer a warm comfortable ceremony indoors for their family close to home, then take on an outdoor adventure, without a rushed timeline, in order to brave the elements at Mayflower Gulch together.
Mayflower Gulch Trail sits on the backside ridges of Quandary Mountain, an immensely popular fourteener near Breckenridge, CO. You will find the parking area and trailhead off of HWY 91 between the towns of Copper and Leadville. Mayflower Gulch is a protected area within Summit County and during the summer is a well traversed hiking area for wildflowers and viewing cabin relics from the 1800’s. It was once a mining town in the gold rush frenzy and sits closely to the still active Climax Mine.
That afternoon we hiked up through wooded trees. We planned an evening ceremony with a secluded celebration and enjoyed the constant crunch of the snow beneath our feet. The trail is relatively easy to moderate with a mild slope uphill the entire ascent of the hike into the valley. At approximately 1.5 miles in, the rugged peaks of Mayflower Gulch come into view and mining cabins from the Boston Mine Ghost Town spot the slopes. This is one of my absolute favorite hikes for numerous reasons, but my main one is finally stepping into the clearing that reveals the astounding views. It is literally breathtaking! Atlantic Peak and Fletcher Mountain are both jagged and steep, rising abruptly from the gulch below and create a beautiful bowl for hikers to step into. You are surrounded by fierce towering peaks in what feels like a secluded reverent valley. Mining remains of old log cabins and ore tailings are strewn across the gulch and tell some of the tales of harshness in an alpine environment. During the winter, the snow comes up to the windows of these mountain ruins. We stopped at the largest one, possibly an old boarding house for single miners in the once booming gold rush town, to catch our breath and regroup. Brittany and Jac exchanged winter ski jackets for winter wedding attire and we strapped on snowshoes. In the wintertime the trail essentially stops at the first cabin. There is low avalanche danger within the flats of the gulch but it is necessary to wear snowshoes to avoid post holing thigh deep into the powdery snow.
Brittany and Jac chose to exchange vows, give hand written cards to one another, hike through the gulch, and crack open beers as a toast to their marriage! As their elopement day came to an end, shade overtook the valley and the temperatures dropped steadily. We began to pack up when we saw a glimmer of pink light touch the top of Atlantic Peak. I encouraged them to embrace one another and the cold so we could capture the alpenglow before our hike down. If you’re lucky enough to catch alpenglow in this valley, you will be left with the most magical view of the gulch and its impressive peaks.
As alpenglow receded and the sky sunk into twilight, we slowly hiked back down to the cars. The hike helped us warm back up, and after making snow angels in some of the fresh pillows of snow lining the trail we said our goodbyes before all heading towards hot dinners in town. I’ve shared more of Brittany and Jac’s memories from their elopement day below (scroll past photo gallery) and I am thrilled to share a few photos from their adventure!
Post Elopement Reflection
What do you remember most from your elopement day?
How cold it was LOL! But also how lucky we got with our weather. You can’t control Mother Nature but you can make the best out of what you got and we did just that. Micah was so reassuring and we honestly could not have had a more perfect day. It was such a blast.
What made you decide/what inspired how your ceremony would look?
We went back and forth and ultimately decided on an intimate wedding with immediate family. I also knew no matter what we did I wanted photos in the mountains and I’m so glad we chose to take an adventure after celebrating with family. Not only was it another memorable day for us but the photos turned out amazinggg!
What was your absolute favorite moment or detail about your wedding/elopement day?
Micah suggested that even though we exchanged vows we should write cards to each other and it was a great suggestion. It was special for us to recommit to our vows but made the moment more intimate knowing it was just the two of us. And being surrounded by beautiful scenery it couldn't have been more perfect.
What was your favorite photo from the day - and what made it so special to you?
Oh wow, that's a tough one. There's too many to choose from which is a great problem to have! I love all of the ones that show how much fun we were having that day. It was a day we'll never forget and am so happy we decided to have time to ourselves plus found Micah! They are memories and photos we'll cherish for a lifetime.
If you could go back and change anything about your day, what would that be?
I wouldn't go back and change anything. Micah was great in helping us pick a location and really wanted it to be a memorable time for us and it was exactly that. We loved having Micah as our photographer as we are not super comfortable in front of the camera but she managed to make us comfortable and capture some great moments.
What advice do you have for couples who are in the midst of planning their own big day?
Plan ahead, do your research and also take some advice from the experts if you can't decide between locations or vendors, etc. And try not to worry about everything being perfect - it'll be a memorable time no matter what your day brings. Always easier said after the fact but it's true!
You're married! What advice do you have for couples after they say their own vows?
We like the idea of always remembering and honoring our vows. Maybe not word for word but in birthday cards or anniversary cards always bringing it back to our vows and why you're excited to be on the adventure called life with your partner.
Vendors
Hair/makeup: Chopping Block Salon // https://bcbsalon.com
Dress: Emma and Grace Bridal // https://emmaandgracebridal.com