Under clear blue skies and warm Colorado sun, more than 30 hikers, some as young as 2 years old, came out for the first annual Red Rocks HIKE for Mental Health near Colorado Springs, CO, last weekend.

The hike was organized by 2013 Appalachian Trail thru hiker Casey “Aquaman” Owen and Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) representative Dixie Snyder.

Messages from the mountain

Dixie texted from the hike:

Dixie: 28 of us!

Leo: Awesome!

Dixie: I mis-counted – there were 31 including the 2-, 3-, & 4-yr old’s, plus the grill master. Sign us up for next year! Our people want to do it again! Amazing time!

Leo: Even better! So glad it was a great time.

Dixie: It was! Next year we all agreed that we’re going to wait till Casey gets back to do the hike again. So October, I’ll make sure to bring hot chocolate. Hopefully you can come out :))

Leo: I hope so too! You and Casey did a great job!

Dixie: Casey did a great job! This was a great, fun, easy-going experience that wouldn’t of happen without him & all of your support! Thank you!

Everyone wins on a HIKE for Mental Health

A dog walking his boy

But of course, all the thanks go to Dixie and Casey, the hikers and grillmasters, and everyone who supported them with donations.

The hike raised more than $650 for mental health research, trail presentation and the Colorado Springs chapter of NAMI. Woohoo!

If you live near the Springs and missed out this year, watch for the sign up on our 2015 hike schedule!

More great photos from the hike