This hike I did this morning is probably one of the best kept secrets in Buena Vista. See that peak with the arrow above it? That is the highest point in a small, pinion-covered mountain east of Buena Vista, that to the best of my knowledge and research is known as Midland Hill. I included this shot of the peak as I looked at the mountain at the Buena Vista traffic light. This is a moderate hike - by no means easy, but nothing compared to nearby 14ers and other difficult trails throughout the Sawatch Mountains to the west.

How To Get There: From Johnson Village, travel east on Highway 24 and make a left at the Collegiate Peaks Overlook. Take that road (Chaffee County 304) a few miles in. You'll notice the road will narrow - You're driving right on the old railroad grade! You'll see the trailhead marked merely as "6032" on the right as seen in the first photo in the gallery.

If you're interested, I made a modest link of other hikes in the Buena Vista region: Buena Vista Hikes. Have a good one!

All the best,
-Steve

	Pictures Along The Way The trailhead. Karen and I were on the trail by 7 a.m. and didn't see another human being through the entire hike. It was nice!
	I really recommend this hike for those of you who are photographers and lovers of the grand Collegiate Peaks range to the west. The sun, coming up from the east, graces its sunlight beautifully on the mountains. I included three photos of Mt. Princeton as we slowly climbed up the trail. Oh and by the way, if you really love Mt. Princeton, I encourage you to visit my web site dedicated to regularly updated photos of the mountain: www.MtPrinceton.org. :)
	Karen took a liking to the old tree along the trail. Note there is still large patches of snow near the summit on the north side. Some of the higher portions of the trail was covered , but fortunately, because I had been up here before, we walked towards the western side of the point to reconnect with the trail.

	The Views At The Summit According to my topographical map, this point sits at 9,555 feet in altitude. As you can see, the views of the valley are enthralling! (Myself and Karen in pictures.)
	Three views looking towards the Arkansas River Valley (east). TOP: Towards the northwest with Mt. Columbia way out there. MIDDLE: The best shot of the town of Buena Vista. BOTTOM: Mt. Antero and Mt. Princeton, with the prison in the foreground.
	I zoomed-in a bit to capture the view of Johnson Village with the Arkansas River running alongside it. Friends, I have some exciting news to share about this town soon. Stay tuned! :)
	The northerly view of the Buffalo Peaks.
	Two more views at the top. We have the valley for Highway 24 that leads up to Trout Creek Pass (top) and the land east of Midland Hill known by locals as the "Four Mile" area. We started at 7 a.m. at the trailhead, reached the summit at 8:30 a.m., and were back at the bottom by 9:30 a.m. It was a great morning to be outside!