by Marlene Borneman "Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and “the dead months” will give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest." Fiona Macleod, Where the Forest Murmurs The name Wild Basin dates back to the early days of Enos and Joe Mills. Wild Basin is the southeastern section of Rocky Mountain National Park and designated as wilderness. It holds the headwaters of the North St. Vrain River and is filled with many lakes, creeks, and waterfalls. It is also home to a number of the most remote and rugged high peaks in the park. Wild Basin is indeed wild! Sandbeach Trail January 4, 2024 - Little to no snow describes the beginning of the Sandbeach Lake trail early this year. In fact, there was no need for snowshoes or even microspikes until about 1.5 miles up the trail. Icy spots were manageable and in many places the trail was bare. The start of the trail is on the south facing slopes of a moraine exposing it to the sun. Nonetheless, I found the lack of snow very unusual for January. Meeker Park Junction Approximately 1.5 miles up the trail we reach the Meeker Park Junction. At this point we hiked west where the trail follows a north facing slope. Here the snow became significant in the trees; however, the trail was well packed requiring only microspikes to be worn. It was very pleasant hiking along this section traveling through a thick conifer forest and aspen groves. Soon, we cross Campers Creek on a short foot bridge. Hunters Creek at 3.2 miles At 3.2 miles we cross Hunters Creek over another foot bridge. Hunters Creek is a dazzling stream in any season. The winter snows and frigid temperatures transform this creek to a magical scene adorned with dramatic ice crystals and snow sculptures. In summer months its banks are decorated with spectacular wildflowers! At this point the trail becomes steeper and we begin the climb toward the Sandbeach Lake. Sandbeach Lake Sandbeach Lake sits at 10,283 feet. This destination is very popular in summer months as it hosts four individual campsites and one group site. The shoreline is just as its namesake implies. A beautiful serene setting surrounded by fine sand and large boulders complete with spectacular views. To the south St. Vrain and Meadow Mountains with massive Copeland Mountain capturing the scene. To the north there are views of Mount Meeker and Longs Peak. Be cautious about walking out on the lake even on the coldest of days as it is often not completely frozen. The author enjoying lunch at Sandbeach Lake
A Snickers bar is a favorite for lunch. Easy and light to carry with little trash to pack out. Winter months offer solitude in Wild Basin. Moose are often seen at the lake and wandering the trail. On this day we did not see any wildlife including no birds. This is rare as the Gray Jay aka “camp robber” is typically all over the place or rather all over your lunch! Sandbeach Lake: Sandbeach Lake elevation: 10,283 Round trip from Sandbeach Lake Trailhead: 8.4 miles Elevation gain: 1,943
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by Marlene Bornean (Editor's Note: This article compares winters from 2020 through 2023 with photos showing a variety of conditions and what you can encounter while hiking up to and summiting Flat Top Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. “Alpine Weather bounces between sunlight and storms, strong winds and balmy breezes, violent weather and surprising calm… resilient plants, insects, birds, and mammal, flourish in harmony with the land.” Joyce Gellhorn, Song of the Alpine Rocky Mountain National Park provides year round recreational opportunities. In winter months back-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and trekking on spikes are popular activities. With increasing winter visitation in Rocky the trails are often packed down enough spikes are the only equipment needed on popular trails. I prefer to ski the trails when the snow conditions are prime. My husband, Walt, and I are out in all weather and all conditions since Rocky is our backyard. One must be equipped and prepared in any season but particularity in winter months. Being familiar with the Ten Essentials as well as packing layers is the key to having a safe and fun winter experience. Knowing when to turn back is a “must” skill. November 3, 2021 was very cold with extreme winds on the Flattop trail. We hiked above treeline but did not make the summit due to the harsh conditions. A frigid day with an unforeseen surprise, spotting a covey of white-tailed Ptarmigans on the snow covered tundra. I heard them before seeing them. Their clucking, soft hoots caused me to stop and search for tiny black eyes and bills in the pure white snow. I saw one, then two, then over a dozen in the deep snow. White-tail ptarmigans are the only birds to live on the alpine tundra year round with white plumage in winter and gray-brown in summer. Breeding males have a red eye comb. In winter months they use snow drifts for shelter and sustained themselves on willow buds. White-tailed ptarmigans have a thick layer of feathers on their legs, feet and toes not only adding warmth but acting like snowshoes. The day reminded me of a quote by John Muir, “…the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, his is rich forever.” This is me (Marlene) at the summit of Flat Top Mountain. What a contrast in weather conditions compared to one year earlier! This is a comparatively warm windless day on the summit. Nearly one year earlier, on the same mountain, we experienced significant cold and challenging wind (see the very top photo of this article). And isn't that why we keep coming back? Our mountain experiences, even on the same summit, are never the same but always wonderful. December 2023. Another very cold winter day on the Flattop Mountain trail. However, we did not have much wind until we reached treeline. No sightings of ptarmigans but their tracks where everywhere! December 21, 2023. This day did not reveal ptarmigans, but another creature known to the alpine tundra: the fascinating pika. Even though they belong to the rabbit family they appear more like a guinea pig! Pikas live in colonies on talus slopes making their homes among the rocks. They do not hibernate. They simply tolerate the harsh winters. In summer months you may see them harvesting their favorite food, alpine avens. Pikas store avens and other plants in “hay” piles deep in their rocky homes. They feed on these “hay” piles all winter. Sharp squeaks are their way of communicating to other pikas and alerting to danger. On this day we observed a pika quietly sheltering against a large boulder from the fierce strong winds. Dusty grouse are often seen in the subalpine forest on the Flattop Mountain Trail. Grouse are rather large birds weighing up to three pounds. They have a pale gray band on a rounded tail. Dusky grouse enjoy the high country in winter and in spring move down slightly to lower meadows for nesting. December 2023. Marlene near a very cold Flat Top Mountain summit. Every winter season is different as is every day is in the high country of RMNP. So far, this 2023/2024 winter season has been lacking snow. Here the trail has a thin covering of packed snow. No need for snowshoes just spikes for traction. These two photos show arctic conditions and strong gale force winds sculpturing snow into fine art during the winters of 2021 and 2023.. This overlook makes for a great second breakfast or snack stop. It provides shelter before reaching treeline with a stunning view of Emerald Lake below, Mills Lake in the distance and the striking Longs Peak massif. During the winter of 2020, as soon as I stopped at Emerald Lake Overlook, a curious and rather bold pika came right up to my boot! Flat Top Mountain and Flat Top Mountain Trail
Flattop elevation: 12,324 Round Trip from Bear Lake: 8.8 miles Elevation gain: 2,874 The weekly spring snowstorms rolled in like waves crashing onto the beach and like a surfer watching to ride the crest, I watched the weather to catch the sunny days. It was getting into the latter part of May and while we had been getting a few warm days causing the snow to begin melting off the trails, just as quickly the springs snows were adding inches back on. On this day, the trail remained snow-packed in the shade of the trees, but the summer sun was having it's effect and some areas where the sun could reach were snow free. The trail gradually climbs 500ft for the first mile, then drops 250ft the next 1/2 mile, before rising 600ft for another 1/2 mile to Storm Pass. The last seven tenths of a mile climbs 750 before obtaining the summit of Estes Cone at 11,006ft. (Continues below) Watch the video: Subscribe to the Rocky Mountain Day Hikes YouTube Channel: Click Here (Maps from GPSMyHike. To download GPSMyHike onto you phone, Click Here)
"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson Twin Sisters Mountain: East Summit 11,428 feet West Summit 11,413 feet 7.5 miles round trip 2,253 feet elevation gain Go to the Twin Sister Trail Profile in the RMNP Trail Guide by Trail Correspondent, Marlene Borneman May 1 is tied to folklore as well as historical significance. In some countries it is a celebration of laborers similar to our Labor Day in September. I remember May baskets and dancing around the maypole celebrating the return of spring. My husband and I started the month of May by hiking to the summit of Twin Sisters Mountain. This mountain has two distinct summits giving its name. The established trail leads to the west summit, the lower by fifteen feet. The day was a warm fifty-six degrees with clear skies and only a few cars in the parking lot at 6:30 a.m. April and May are mud season months as snow is rapidly melting with warmer temperatures; spring conditions. We walk a short distance on the snowy/muddy road leading to the trailhead kiosk. We found the trail snow-packed with a soft crust so no need for snowshoes or micro-spikes, however trekking poles were helpful.
Once across, the route becomes steep and indistinct in places. It is here we encountered some ice, cautiously take baby steps to avoid slipping. After a couple of short switchbacks we re-join the original trail. Near treeline I see a familiar old snag “waving” us to a favorite resting spot; a smooth, large dead log. After enjoying a snack and water we return to the trail hiking through a subalpine fir forest. Subalpine refers to a transition zone between thick forest growth shifting to stunted small trees then to treeless alpine tundra. Fir trees are commonly seen at this altitude. They are sometimes called “friendly” firs as their needles are soft to the touch. Suddenly, we break out of the trees where the trail cuts across a rocky talus slope, snow covered in these spring conditions. A couple more switchbacks brought us to the saddle between the two “sisters.” Here a stone hut and a radio communication tower stand which are still used today for emergency purposes. We stay right of the stone hut then turn slightly left up a small gulley. Scrambling up the rock outcroppings we work our way up to the western summit. A fire lookout tower used to rest on the summit but now just a bit of history as it was taken out in 1977. A commanding 360 view lies before us: Longs Peak, Mummy Range, Continental Divide, Estes Valley, the plains to the east, to the south Mount Evans and Pikes Peak. The summit was all ours for a brief time, but soon we made room for other hikers to enjoy this spot of earth. We headed down for lunch near the stone hut gazing over to the eastern summit. We decided to forgo the east summit and retrace our steps back in the snow. The snow had softened so much we could easily “boot-ski” to timberline! The snow had also melted considerably at the end of the trail leaving thick, sloppy mud behind. Mud season 2021 had officially arrived! RMDH Trail Correspondent Marlene Borneman has climbed Colorado’s 54 14ers, the 126 USGS named peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park and 44 State High Points. She has been a member of the Colorado Mountain Club since 1979 and is a member of the Colorado Native Plant Society. Story and photos by Barb Boyer Buck Back on skis after 20 years! I broke my back 21 years ago. It was a fracture which resulted in spondylolisthesis and it brought on years of physical therapy, chiropractic treatments, loss of mobility, and pain. It was the time when orthopedic surgery was very much feared, and outcomes were relatively unpredictable. It was also the time when conservative treatment was recommended and surgery was avoided at all costs. I was told to give up skiing altogether, and especially snowboarding. "One wrong fall and you could be paralyzed," was the doctor's advice. Pretty scary stuff. But by 2018, I could barely walk, had to quit my job waiting tables (which supplemented my writing career) and I had pretty much given up most of the things that gave me pleasure, most notably outdoor recreation in the form of hiking and of course, skiing. I finally went to an orthopedic center to have an x-ray. After seeing the results, the surgeon scheduled me for an emergency 3-level spinal fusion the very next week. I can see why people avoid this surgery, recovery was long and extremely painful. To make a living, I crocheted and sold hats. It was incredibly boring, to say the least. But today, I am almost back to normal! So, I decided to try cross-country skiing again, something I had enjoyed for many years before my back injury. Dave Rusk, the publisher of Hike Rocky Magazine and an extremely patient man, agreed to accompany me and give me a refresher lesson. Here's a video of that day, which took place on March 1 of this year. We rented equipment from the Estes Park Mountain Shop, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how far cross-country skis had come! I definitely want to get the kind of skis I was using that day. In order to get the most out of my "lesson," I needed to start from scratch. The patience I had developed during my nearly three years of recovery helped with this. I approached xc skiing as if I had never done it before and thereby, I was able to take advantage of tips that Dave provided. First, I want to talk about the equipment. These days, you can opt for skis that have scaling on the bottom of them, where your boots clip in on the other side. This helps you when going up inclines - you can literally walk on the snow with them. Technically, they are called backcountry skis and you can "walk" up slopes and ski down them, which many people like to do at Hidden Valley. I'm not ready for that yet, by the way. Marlene Borneman explains about these type of skis in her piece, "Ski tracks in Rocky," published in the February, 2021, edition of HIKE ROCKY magazine. It's so much easier than waxing skis, or even putting on skins when you are doing a cross-country tour on sloped trails (most of the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park are sloped, by the way). The bindings on these new skis are so convenient. You can just toe-kick into them, and twist to take them off. I rented the entire package, which included poles and boots, too, for about $20. The place we chose for my first time back was Endovalley; the road to the picnic grounds is closed for the winter and can be used for skiing, snowshoeing, or when the snow melts off, walking. It extends past the Fall River Road fork and ends at the picnic grounds. The road is fairly level. I put on my skis just after the "road closed" gate and tried to recapture the feeling of skiing by taking a few tentative kick/glides. On the newer skis, it felt more stable.
If I stood straight, putting my full weight on the middle of the skis, they stopped sliding and I could "walk" on them. In order to ski, I needed to learn forward slightly, bend one knee and kick backward, with the other leg extending out. Alternating legs, eventually I started to feel a rhythm and began gliding. When I started to feel unsteady, I just straightened up again. This was a big difference from the skis I used to have; my cross country skis from the late 80s were much more narrow with very smooth bottoms. Stopping was always an adventure on those. The poles helped keep me steady, too - these need to fit into your hands while your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle. Skiing on the road was a bit difficult because it was icy in spots and melting while we were on it. As you learned in the above video, the only time I fell was when I tried to ski off the road to a picnic bench, missing a turn on the slight downhill slope. It was a wonderful adventure and even though I'll probably need to wait until next year to do it again, I'm looking forward to it! by Dave Rusk
The forecast was billed as clear and mild, but there was a high level of thin clouds screening the sun with a mild breeze. Walking out of the treeline, there was also a dark and somewhat ominous lenticular cloud hovering like a giant UFO off somewhere over Netherland, or maybe Ward. The tundra above treeline had been swept clear of any deep snow with the only snow accumulations occurring on the leeward side of willow shrubs. The Diamond of Longs came into view, obscured partially by Mt Lady Washington. We also could see our immediate destination, Granite Pass, to the north. We advanced to the Chasm Lake trail junction without difficulty, and continued the traverse to Granite Pass where we observed more lenticular clouds off to the north. We had anticipated an increase in wind once on the west side of Granite Pass, but it continued to stay mostly calm with occasional gusts, pretty pleasant for this first day of February. Threading through the Boulderfield now, we turned our gaze to the north of Longs Peak along the north ridge to our destination, Storm Peak. Appearing as mostly a knob on the ridge next to the dominating Longs Peak, the summit of Storm is at a very respectful 13,326'. Having traveled the 6 miles to get to the base of Storm Peak, the unknown question we had was what kind of snow would we find. It needed to be hard enough to make solid steps in. We had brought crampons if the conditions warranted them. While there was some soft stuff layered on the surface, there was also some more solid footing underneath, so we continued to work our way up. The sun made more of an appearance moving into the afternoon and when the wind wasn't blowing, it felt a little balmy. But when those wind gust did come up, picking up and blowing small snow particles into our face, we had to turn away and wait for the gust to blow off. About three quarters of the way up, the slope angle became too steep for my comfort zone and I perched myself on a rock outcrop, pulled out a thermos, and took a coffee break while Kip completed the ascent to the ridge giving him a commanding view into the Glacier Gorge, with frozen Black Lake below and endless peaks to the west and north. With shadows starting to grow long in the afternoon light, we descend through the Boulderfield. Story and photos by Barb Boyer Buck A hike to Emerald Lake, that was the intention. It had lightly snowed overnight and the sky was a cloudless, cobalt blue. Most importantly, there wasn’t any wind. If you don’t know about the wind in the eastern foothills of Colorado – most notably in the valleys– well, It’s brutal. When air is forced over the Continental Divide and combines with Chinook upslope winds, the result is a cacophony of directionless and fierce wind. It’s just as crazy-making as the sound of a symphony warming up. When I was the renewable energy manager for the Town of Estes Park, my team thought perhaps wind turbines would be able to harness this crazy wind, but no. The wind comes from too many directions, is too fast (70-90 mph is not uncommon) and is never consistent. It’s either windy or it’s not, at least from October through April. I was excited to take a hike in the fresh snow with no wind. But it was a late start – we probably didn’t reach the Emerald Lake Trailhead until close to 1 p.m. I brought my snowshoes just in case, but micro-spikes and poles worked just fine. From its trailhead, Emerald Lake is 1.8 miles, so we figured we’d get there around 3 and have plenty of time to get back down before dark. It was nearly a month after Winter Solstice and the days were getting a bit longer. But we were stopped quite literally in our tracks with almost every step. Snow doesn’t usually stay on the tress very long in RMNP (again, the wind) but that day, it covered every branch like fluffy icing, it sparkled in the full sun. The views along the way were spectacular and even with my cell phone, I was able to capture amazingly clear photos with great detail. This was a function of the afternoon lighting as well, which became increasingly rich as the day wore on. The Emerald Lake Trailhead is by far the most popular one in Rocky Mountain National Park, any time of the year. This day, a Tuesday in mid-January, was no exception. There were a lot less people than in the summer months, but the route was still fairly crowded. Here’s the etiquette for passing on the trail: those traveling up have the right-of-way. This is especially important when the trail is snow packed and/or icy. Further measures to take during these COVID times is to step aside, pull up your mask (if it’s down), and turn your back to the trail. Six feet of distance is just not possible on these popular trails. But I found myself stopping many more times than I technically needed to because of the stunning sights, especially of the Keyboard of the Winds formation on the “back” side of Longs Peak. The wind I was talking about earlier can make some unearthly sounds as it passes through this jagged ridge. The trail to Emerald Lake is packed full of amazing views and destinations – if you count Bear Lake (which is just a few steps from the trailhead) you see four lakes, amazing views of Longs Peak, many other stunning peaks, and beautiful geologic formations. The first destination along the trail is Nymph Lake. In the winter, when the lakes are frozen over “winter trails” are established at each lake which cross over the frozen waters. Be very careful when you do this – sometimes the ice is thin in places you cannot see. Make sure that every lake is completely frozen on all edges before you try to walk across it. Views of Hallet Peak, first seen over Bear Lake, were now joined with the spires of Flattop Mountain. A bit further up, and you reach Dream Lake with more stunning views of these features. Other things we noticed at Dream Lake were the limber pines (colloquially, twisted pines). These trees are actually shaped by the wind as they grow, and they are some of the oldest living organisms on earth. Some limber pines in RMNP date back over 1,000 years, according to a report by several federal forestry agencies, “Limber Pine Conservation in Rocky Mountain National Park,” published in 2013. At this point on our hike, the sun was setting – as it sank over the peaks shading Dream Lake, a final alpenglow lit the scene in a spectacular way. Emerald Lake was not to be, not that day. But it’s days like that which make me glad to be alive.
For me, rushing past the gifts of Nature, especially when they were laid out so beautifully for us to experience, is unforgivable. Emerald Lake isn’t going anywhere, and neither am I. By Dave Rusk It was 20 days past the Winter Solstice last week when we ventured up into the Glacier Gorge area. Even though it was still 60 days until the Spring Equinox, the snowpack at the trailhead was very thin and it seemed like it wouldn't take much warmth to melt it away. But on this day, the trail was still snow covered, the skies were blue, and there was hardly a wiff of wind. The morning temperature was still cold. We quickly moved up the trail to where the mostly snowed over Icy Brook dropping out of the Loch Vale and joins with Glacier Creek. The snow was deeper here where it is sun and wind protected. We climbed up out of the drainage heading toward Mills Lake. The lake was frozen solid and there was still a couple of inches of snow on the lake that had fallen a few days before. We trudged across the middle of the lake to the far end. Once at the south end of Mills Lake, we followed the short drainage that connects Mills Lake to the small Jewell Lake and crossed it. At the south end of that lake, there was an area where Glacier Creek flows into Jewel Lake where the snow did not stick, like maybe the warmth of the water melted the snow, but left these odd puff balls of large flakes. It was kind of an odd phenomenon that was hard to explain. After Jewel Lake, we returned to the trail and worked through the blowdown area from a Nov 2011 wind event and started to move into the upper part of Glacier Basin with Arrowhead appearing to the west and then finally McHenry's Peak. Once at Black Lake, also with a thin layer of of snow on it, we moved up the drainage that leads to the upper hanging valley. Part way up, now at about noon, with the sun at it's zenith for the day, we stopped for a bite to eat and take in the amazing view. The day had been warm and we were casual on our break. In the summer, there are lots of seeps, water that flows out of the cracks on down the rock face. These had turned into ice flows as the winter temperatures settled in. Up to this point, the trail to Black Lake was pretty well packed from snowshoers the previous day and shoe spikes was all that was needed for travel. But for moving into the upper basin, we decided to go with snowshoes. We climbed up into the Upper Basin that sits at the western base of Longs Peak. There was only one set of tracks and they were several days old, someone without snowshoes. Despite being mid day, the sun sat low on the horizon and I need to use my gloved hand to shade the camera lens. From the upper basin, McHenrys Peak and Arrowhead rise dramatically to the west and turning behind us, we could see all the way across to the Mummy Range in the north. Jet contrails were the only things breaking up the blue sky. We navigated our way through the boulder fields heading for Green Lake. There was snow coverage over the krumholtz shrubs, but grass, willows and rock cairns were poking through the thin layer of snow. The sun had now dropped behind Chiefs Head Mtn and temperature started to drop and the downslope wind picked up. But the Key Board of the Winds rock formation continued to bask in the afternoon light. Finally at Green Lake at the base of Pagoda Mtn, we stopped for some more food and water before heading back down. We had caught a beautiful day in the Park. Trails Correspondent Marlene Borneman reports in on her recent trip to the West Side Of Rocky Mountain National Park: West Side RMNP This past week my husband and I got to spend time on the west side of RMNP. Please do not misunderstand when I say we have held the west side of Rocky special in our hearts for many years. We enjoy every square inch of Rocky from corner to corner. However, as soon as Trail Ridge Road opens in the spring until it closes in the fall, we hike, climb and backpack as much as possible on the west side of the divide. There is something about fewer trails, remote lakes/peaks and the sheer ruggedness that is a strong pull. The west side of the divide receives more precipitation resulting in lush, captivating forest, powerful waterfalls, vast meadows and a variety of plant life. Summer 2020 was no exception. We did several cross-country hikes and backpacking trips to remote areas. I’m pleased we took the time and effort to make these trips happen and fully took in all that surrounded us. Who knew what was to happen in the coming weeks that would dramatically take that away? I read reports and have seen a few photos of the trailheads from the fire damage, but nothing prepares you for hiking/snowshoeing the trails that are affected by the Troublesome Creek fire! The blacken sticks on the hillsides, charred lichen on rocks, the private cabin in Summerland Park along the North Inlet Trail destroyed. I worry about the streams; will they be healthy? I feel much discomfort, but strangely also comfort in nature’s healing. I am thankful for what the fire did not take away. Much of the Never Summer Range is intact, Timber Lake Trail, Colorado River Trail, Holzwarth Ranch intact. I saw bright spots among the destruction; snow on the ground and frozen ice crystals that will nourish plant life, a green ponderosa pine sapling, , the sunset over Mount Craig and Grand Avenue with shops and restaurants open for business. Thank you Snowy Peaks Winery for sponsoring Notes From the Trail Visit : www.snowypeakswinery.com The weather prediction for Estes Park was for sun on this first day of winter, the shortest day of the year, but a blanket of clouds hung low on the mountain peaks as we began our trek up the Flattop Mtn trail from Bear Lake. The trail was mostly packed, but there was enough soft snow that we decided to put the snowshoes on early, we knew we would eventually. Morning sun filtered through the trees and the temperature was moderate.
Most of the trail along the lower eastern flank of Flattop Mtn was packed and as we looked east into the Estes Valley, we could see that it was sunny, and lacking snow. But where we were, at just over 10,000ft, there was about 1-3 ft of settled snow. A little further on and you can see the fire scar on Mt Wuh. The trail travels through subalpine spruce and even though we were close to treeline at this point, there are some big spruce trees in this part. This is also a difficult section of trail to route fine as the trail often gets covered over with blown snow off Flattop Mtn in an area known in the winter as the Flattop Drift. Keeping track of where to go can be difficult if no one has traveled through recently. It can also be a spot where you can follow the tracks of someone who doesn't know where the trail goes and you end up wandering around until you eventually happen upon the trail, or just make your own way. Once around on the north side of Flattop Mtn, before the trail descends into the Odessa Gorge, there are two smallish ponds, Two Rivers Lake and Lake Helene, that most people pass by in the summertime on their way to Odessa Lake, but become the common destinations in the winter. On a clear day, Notchtop Mtn rises dramatically and there are fabulous views from these two lakes. But on this day, unless the clouds began to lift off, most of Notchtop Mtn remained hidden from view. It was very windy at Lake Helene as is usually the case in the winter, and the lake was frozen over but free of snow. We braced ourselves against the wind and crossed over. We could tell we were right at the edge of the clouds, looking north Joe Mills Mtn kept appearing and then disappearing into the clouds. It would be like that all day. We continued past Lake Helene and started towards Ptarmigan Glacier and into the clouds. We really didn't have a specific destination at this point. It was a matter of how far could we safely go and leave enough time for the return before dark. Higher up, there is an unnamed tarn that sits roughly at the bottom of Ptarmigan Glacier. We crossed over and marveled at the designs of the frozen air bubbles. We had switched from snowshoes to spikes at this point and the travel up was slow, but it was easy to pick our way up the hillside. We were getting into some steeper terrain and in certain places there was a lot of debris on the snow that had come down from above. We crossed over a snowfield to a rock outcrop and decided we had reached our high point for the day. It had been our hope that as the day went on the clouds would begin to lift and give us that magical site of mountains emerging through the clouds. But the clouds just hung in there only giving us glimpses of the sunny day beyond. We made our way over to Two Rivers Lake before returning to the trail. It had been a great first day of winter! Yesterday was Winter Solstice. Over the last 48 hours or so, on the last day of Fall, we have been experiencing a winter wind storm with steady nonstop high winds and incredibly forceful gusts. The kind of wind that if you were a pica up in the tundra, you would want to be deep in your little cozy hole, far below the surface, surrounded by lots of dry flowers and grasses, curled up in a tight ball, fast sleep with visions of sugar-plums dancing in your head, while the wind ravaged those poor little tundra plants at the surface. It’s the kind of wind that sculptures bristlecone pine trees into marvelous twisted living art. The kind of wind that is so forceful it inspires awe. Having completed our shakedown trek to Sky Pond two weeks earlier, my brother and I felt ready to take on winter as it is on the east side of the Divide. So, late in the week last week we decided to head to Andrews Glacier, one of the eight named glaciers in Rocky Mountain National Park. Andrews Glacier sits between Taylor Peak to the south and Otis Peak to the north. Andrews Tarn is nestled at the base of the Andrews Glacier which, over the centuries, carved out a very high hanging valley that sits on the other side of The Sharkstooth Ridge from Sky Pond.
Still, it was warm enough that as we worked our way up, I would occasionally pull off my cap off my head to regulate my body temperature. Once I cooled down enough, the cap went back on. We continued up the Sky Pond trail until crossing on the footbridge that spans Andrews Creek, and then branched off the main trail and began heading into the Andrews Creek drainage.
The snow remained soft and we were aware that, in certain places, there was the potential for creating a small snow slide, so we stayed near the trees until we ascertained the small ridge that led up to the Tarn. That was the last stretch, and it proved to be a challenge. The wind was steady at this point and the snow, even on the crest of the ridge, was fairly deep and sugary. Every time Kip would attempt a big step up, the snow underneath slid and he would loose his footing. The day of breaking trail had taken a toll and making progress became frustrating. Having taken the easier task of following for most of the day, I offered to make an attempt to break the path up this final stretch. I jammed the toe of my snowshoes deep into the snow and pushed down trying to make a step, which worked most of the time. Slow progress with rests kept us moving up and we finally made it to The Tarn. Our hard efforts were rewarded with the strongest, most forceful winds of the day. The wind was ferocious. There would be no lingering for afternoon snacks here. I quickly moved into a position to snap a few photos that I hoped would turn out, then we carefully worked our way back down out of the blast. Once down into the treeline, we did not follow our tracks out, but choose instead to stay in the basin until we reached the Sky Pond trail, completing our loop. Our legs were tired, but we knew darkness was approaching quickly. We barely beat the darkness back to the parking lot and found that we were the last car in the lot. Cheers went up at what had turned into an adventurous day. It was 17 days before the Winter Solstice and the sun was getting low on the horizon. The temperature above 9,000ft had stayed below freezing, but on this day, the temperature hovered near the freezing mark and the sun felt warm, even spring like. 17 days after Winter Solstice would put us into early January and I would hope by then the temperature would feel considerably colder. (Click on the photos for a larger image) In other words, it was a pretty mild day, on top a string of mild days, for our first winter venture out for the season. My hiking partner and I were heading up the four and a half miles to Sky Pond. We found the trail covered with packed snow, but not icy, so we knew there had not been very many days above freezing, which would make the trail icy with the melting and freezing. Alberta Falls was pretty well frozen over with thick ice for the winter, though we could hear the water flowing below the ice, but snow had not yet covered over the falls. It had been a while since there had been any significant snowfall. Not far past the falls and a short step off the trail there's an overlook that looks off to the north. To the left, the crags of Flattop Mtn above Emerald Lake are barely visible. In the foreground, the Bear Lake Road switchbacks up, and off in the distance were the snowy Mummy Range. Normally, those would be the notable features to point out at this spot. But this year, sitting in the middle of all of that is Mt Wuh and the burn scar visible on its' western slope from the recent Troublesome fire. That part of the Park is currently closed to hikers. We continue on, following the windy trail around the east Glacier Knob until, finally around its east flank, the Loch Vale comes into spectacular view. Even though it was near mid-day, the low sun cast bands of sunlight across the scene. But in the far distance, the Taylor Peak massif basked in the midday sun.
It was quite a stellar day once we reach The Loch. The lake had completely frozen over and there were many tracks that headed across it, which we followed. There was about and inch of snow on top of the ice, which indicated that there had not been even a wiff of wind since whenever the last little bit of snow fell, very unusual. Timberline Falls was, of course, spectacularly frozen over and on the return, we watched as a couple of ice climbers make short work of a one pitch ascent of the right falls.
This was a shake down hike. We had gathered our winter gear and needed to figure out what we had forgotten for future trips. But we felt we scored a pretty good first winter day out with fantastic conditions.
Now, bring on the snowstorms!! We're ready!! by Marlene Borneman I revel in the subalpine and alpine environments in Rocky Mountain National Park. So with the perfect autumn weather this past week my husband and I headed out for Frozen Lake. I note this is a cross-country hike. I would recommend be familiar with Leave No Trace ethics, be prepared with the ten essentials, have experienced hiking in uneven terrain, boulder/scree slopes, slabs, route finding and lastly do not hike off trail alone. Trailhead: Glacier Gorge Round trip miles: 12 Destination elevation: 11,580 feet Trailhead elevation: 9,180 feet Elevation gain: 2,400 feet I headed south passing Alberta Falls, Mills Lake, Jewel Lake and about at mile five arrived at Black Lake. Right before Black Lake came into view I enjoyed a snack at Ribbon Falls. Then, I headed east up a use trail along the outlet stream with shimmering willows in the sunlight. I was careful not to slip on the slab rocks guiding the stream. I soon topped out to a glorious view that made me dizzy… (from left going right) Longs Peak, Pagoda, Spearhead, Chiefs Head, McHenrys and Arrowhead. There are many cairns going in different directions. But I avoided the krummholz and headed around a small tarn; then, I skirted the north side of Spearhead following sparsely-spaced cairns. The terrain was steep, so again I paid close attention to my footing. I found a use trail at the base of Spearhead and followed it on loose rock to the west side. I then found myself on a little easier ground heading southwest crossing large slabs to Frozen Lake. The days are getting shorter and a sunrise start for the dayhiker is much later now. As I met my hiking partner in Grand Lake, there was a definite autumn wind that was rustling the gold aspen leaves around town. A mild cool front had moved into the area the night before and there was more than a little winter nip in the air on this morning. Our destination on this crisp, blue sky day was Lake Verna, and then perhaps to some of the lakes beyond, as the shorter daylight of late September would allow. This is an excellent trail with a lot of diverse terrain and numerous destinations at different lengths. As with many trails in the Park, this one starts wide and smooth, the short hike to Adams Falls is very popular with many of the visitors to Grand Lake. After taking the short detour off the main trail to check out the falls, the valley opens wide into the East Meadow where the East Inlet Creek meanders through before eventually flowing into the east end of Grand Lake. We listened to the echoing sound of a bull elk bugling somewhere in the meadow, but he was no where to be seen. At this time of year, the wide creek is moving so slow that the breeze coming from Grand Lake put a ripple on the stream that made it look like it was flowing backwards, I had to give it a double look to figure out what I was seeing. Farther up the hill, we could see fall aspen leaves and pretty soon the trail led us right into the aspen grove. This is the first of several uphill stretches on the trail. This one leads to a second possible destination 3 miles from the trailhead, some broad rock outcrops that overlooks Grand Lake at the end of the wide, glaciated U-shaped valley. These rock outcrops provide a nice place for a snack break or even a picnic if you wish to make this your destination. One of the things that is noticeable from here are the many dead lodgepole pines from the Pine Beetle epidemic. It is hard for me to imagine that the most significant damage occurred over 15 years ago. But I also noticed a healthy stand of trees coming up in their place. For more information, click here, here, and here. One of the interesting parts of this trail are the pockets of large spruce forests that seem more out of the Pacific Northwest than the rocky mountains. As we walked through these beautiful sections, we were struck by a large number of very recent blow down trees, and these were big trees. A few weeks earlier in September, Rocky Mountain National Park received an unusually early snow storm. Apparently, there were significant high winds in Grand County associated with that storm. Fortunately for us, the Park trail crews had been very busy, and much of the trail was clear. A second stretch of uphill lands us at Lone Pine Lake, now 5.5 miles from the trailhead and another good destination or a break spot. The ducks swimming around seemed unconcerned by how late in the season it was or how cold it was getting at night. It was warm and calm when we arrived there. The trail travels around the southeast shoreline of the lake before dipping briefly back into another deep and beautiful spruce forest. The trail then switchbacks up through the forest before popping out into more familiar rocky mountain terrain. At this point, most of the elevation has been gained and before too long, the long Lake Verna suddenly comes into into view, 6.9 miles in. Verna was apparently a sweetheart of a member of the US Geological Survey (according to the book, High Country Names, 1977). Looking up to the eastern ridge line, you can see the Boulder-Grand Pass to the left. The maintained trail ends at the beginning of the lake, but a smaller unimproved trail continues tight along the northern shoreline and on up into the valley. Two more large lakes, Spirit Lake and Fourth Lake can be found following this narrow trail, though we also encountered some new blow down to navigate around. On our hike, we watched a couple of Bald Eagles soaring over Fourth Lake. There was also an immature Bald Eagle that flew right overhead. On this day, with the shorter days upon us, this was as far as we made it. But I have journeyed up to Fifth Lake on another hike, a beautiful but smaller alpine lake that sits right at treeline at the base of Isolation Peak. The late day sunlight on our return gave a new look to the territory we had already seen earlier. Dropping back into the East Meadow at dusk, we watch a young bull moose strolling across the meadow, taking a snack break when he crossed the stream. My wide angle lens didn't do much to bring that moose closer, but what a magnificent scene! Having covered most of the distance back, we paused to watch the nearly full Harvest moon rise at sunset over Mt Craig. A beautiful hike on a beautiful day! Trailhead: Wild Basin Trailhead Elevation: 8,500' Destination Elevation: 10,025' Elevation Gain: 1,525' Roundtrip Miles: 9.8 Recently, the Cameron Peak fire was blown into the northwest section of the Park. The devastation from that fire will be noticeable for many years to come. By taking a hike up to Ouzel Lake, we can imagine how things will look in that section of the Park in another 40 years. This last August marked the 42nd anniversary of the Ouzel Fire which started as a lightening strike in the southeast corner of the Park. Last week, on an afternoon when the fall colors were starting to come into their own, I ventured up the 4.9 miles to Ouzel Lake. It was a late day hike. I didn't leave the Wild Basin trailhead until almost 3:30 in the afternoon. I knew that by the time I walked the 4.9 miles to Ouzel Lake, it would be 6 or 6:30 and it would be dark by the time I returned to the lot, so I checked the batteries for my head lamp and threw that in the pack. The afternoon had clouded up and I encountered some rain on the drive south from Estes Park toward Wild Basin. But there was just occasional drizzle as I started my hike, not enough to get anything damp. Many of the aspen tree were still green, but those that had turned colors looked spectacular! As I hiked on, I wasn't too sure if the rain would pick back up, or would clear up. There wasn't a lot of water flowing down the Calypso Cascades when I crossed the bridges there and, knowing the water flow would be light, I went by the Ouzel Falls without much of a look there. My attention was mostly toward stopping to capture the fall colors as I quickly moved up the trail. I was glad to see the clouds breaking up once I hiked past Ouzel Falls. Sun was starting to get low on the western horizon when I reached the Bluebird Lake trail cutoff at just over 3 miles. The trail junction is in deep, dark forest being surrounded by tall spruce. But the trail quickly switchbacks up to the more open ridge that follows Ouzel Creek. This is where the hiker can best experience the 40 year natural restoration from the Ouzel Fire. I remember hiking this section of trail the summer after the fire in '79 and noticing how terrible things looked. It was a mostly barren landscape then. 40 years later, I could see the area was still a very long way from being fully recovered, but there was a healthy mix of aspen and spruce that were well on there way. Along this section of the trail, there were a few scattered dead trees that rose up over the new growth, ghostly remnants of the fire that sometimes gave the appearance of flames. One burned out log had fallen across the trail and I hoped the trail crews would leave it lay instead of cutting it up. I felt like it was an old soldier with the scars of battle showing. The fire opened the once forested ground to sunlight and part of the evolving ecological revegetation cycle allows for new plants and wildflowers to thrive. The late day sun made for good photography with long shadows and backlit leaves. But I knew I wouldn't have too much daylight left by the time I got to the lake. Fortunately, I was near the trail cutoff. There was just a little bit of daylight on the hillside as I approached the lake. Barely enough light to get some photographs if I hurried. I loved the orange tinged grass that highlighted the edge of the eastern shoreline The grassy shoreline was muddy and in places showed a little too much trampling from people walking around. I tried to step carefully so as to not contribute to the trampling. It took me two and a half hours to get to the lake, stopping for photographs along the way. I packed my camera into my day pack and left the lake at 6:30. It only took me an hour and a half to get back to the car. What a great hike! Photos and story by Marlene M. Borneman “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower”---Albert Camus Every year I make the trek over the Continental Divide, 42 miles of which snakes through Rocky Mountain National park. There are several trails used to accomplish this mission but on Sunday of Labor Day weekend I chose to hike with three friends from Bear Lake to the Green Mountain Trailhead via the Tonahutu Trail, 15 miles one way. My husband was designated to pick us up at the destination trailhead. On a brisk, clear morning wearing headlamps, we started up Flattop Mountain Trail that connects with the Tonahutu. I started scouting for Blue Grouse, also called Dusky Grouse. These chicken-like birds live in subalpine areas this time of year. We were blessed with seeing several grouse foraging for seeds. The trail switchbacks in the subalpine forest gaining altitude above timberline to the alpine ecosystem. The trail becomes more rocky and steeper. The summit of Flattop, 12,324 feet, is always perfect for a second breakfast. Sweeping views of the Never Summer Range to the west were striking, but also melancholic as no winter snow was left, due to drought conditions.
Soon, we approached the intersection of the Tonahutu Trail and North Inlet Trail. We headed down the Tonahutu to the north and west over Ptarmigan Pass. Sightings of marmots, ptarmigans, and watching for elk and bighorn sheep absorbed us. Sweeping views appeared on a long switchback before dropping down. This section is wet and mossy as the beginnings of Tonahutu Creek; earlier in the season it is packed with wildflowers. I stopped to check on the vegetation and found a few star gentians still in bloom along with the tall and robust dense-flowered dock. Ah, the noise of Granite Falls can be heard before you see it. The water spilling over giant boulders with an invigorating spray makes for a picturesque spot for a break. There are many stream crossings on this portion of the trail and we stopped to soak our feet. I also wanted to photograph the seed heads of flowers which I find as attractive as the flowers in bloom. About two miles from our destination we came to Big Meadows from which the Tonahutu Creek snakes down all the way to Grand Lake and beyond. Tonahutu is an Arapaho word meaning “Big Meadow." There were no moose sightings that day, but they are often spotted here. The junction for Green Mountain Trail head came into view, we were only 1.9 miles to the awaiting car. But wait, what? Right then we got a text that the Park will be closing Trail Ridge Road at 3:00p.m due to heavy smoke from the Cameron Fire to the north. This was to be our route on the drive back to Estes Park! I checked the time - 2:45p.m. - and we hiked out a little unsettled thinking about the four-hour ride back, which usually takes 45-minutes when Trail Ridge Road is open (it has since reopened). We happily agreed to relish our day, including the long ride home. BE PREPARED you never know what will happen in the mountains. OPTIONS If you still feel ambitious after hiking over from Bear Lake instead of heading to the Green Mountain Trail Head, you can continue south along Big Meadows on the well maintained Tonahutu trail to Grand Lake. Here the Tonahutu Creek snakes down all the way to Grand Lake and beyond. This adds another 4.5 miles. This section is very showy in autumn with golden grasses, shrubs in red colors, lodgepole pine forests, gold aspens, and the chance of wildlife sightings. Encounter a little history by passing the Harbison Ditch as it no doubt helped irrigate the Harbison sisters homestead in 1895. Another option I have taken for a mellow day hike, not involving crossing the Continental Divide, is to hike this section as a 5.8-mile one-way hike with a car shuttle starting at Green Mountain Trail Head ending at either the Kaweeneche Visitor Center or Grand Lake. Or approximately 12 miles round trip. The entire way hiking is in rhythm with Tonahutu creek. The possibilities in Rocky are endless. NOTE: Last week I hiked Tonaahutu Creek./Big Meadows trail to Grand lake from Green Mountain Trailhead and back. Earlier in the week there was an “wind event” resulting in MANY down trees across the trail. The downfall increases the difficulty of hiking this section. Be sure to appreciate trail crews as they are working on clearing these trails. Trailhead: Bear Lake Trailhead Elevation: 9,475' Destination Elevation: 13,208' Elevation Gain: 3,733' Roundtrip Miles: 16 This hike was done several weeks ago, on September 2. Before the area received several days of hot, dry winds that blew up the Cameron Peak fire and eventually closed Trail Ridge Road due to heavy smoke conditions. And before the dramatic change in the weather that dropped temperatures by nearly 50 degrees overnight and kept Trail Ridge Road closed for many more days with as much as 16" of snow. Conditions can change very quickly in the mountains. I left the Bear Lake parking in the dark with other hikers wearing headlamps to see their way on the trail. My destination on this day was Powell Peak via the Flattop Mtn trail and across the tundra, rounding the backside of the many peaks that make up The Front Range. Because of the extended amount of time cruising above treeline, it was important that there was a zero percent chance of thunderstorms in the forcast. I started up the Flattop Mtn trail like a race horse out of the starting gate, but then settled into a steady pace as I rose in elevation with the sun.
I worked my way around the western flank of Hallett Peak until I could see Longs Peak and Taylor Peak, two prominent landmarks. I needed to go around Taylor Peak to get to Powell Peak, so I headed for a low spot to the right of Taylor and kept that spot in my sights while I navigated the terrain. After passing Otis Peak, a visible trail appeared that led to the top of Andrews Glacier. I took a peek down to The Loch Vale before continuing on my tundra traverse.
Once I reached the high point on the shoulder of Taylor Peak, I found I was still not far enough around to see my direction to Powell Peak yet. But I was able to see across the valley to the southwest at the dramatic range, with Andrews Peak to the the left and Ptarmigan Mtn to the right, and I could also see the two lakes, Nakoni and Nanita, that sit below them. The actual summit of Powell Peak is hard to make out. It is not as prominent as many of the other surrounding peaks are, especially from the back side. And because of the rising elevations, some things are hidden. I kept an eye on a really prominent peak which at first I thought was neighboring McHenrys Peak. But later I realized that Powell Peak was hiding McHenrys Peak and what I was looking at all along was Chiefs Head Peak. It wasn't until I was on the actual summit of Powell Peak that I realized my error. Right in front of me, sticking up like a sore thumb, was the backside of McHenrys Peak between Longs Peak and Chiefs Head Peak behind it. The topography can be confusing, and very dramatic when trekking across the tundra. At 13,208 ft, Powell Peak is slightly lower than McHenrys Peak by only 19ft, but higher than the more prominent Taylor Peak by 55ft. But the distance to get to Powell Peak is considerable, and I began to make my way back. It took me six hours to reach the summit of Powell Peak from the Bear Lake Parking lot, but only four and a half hours on the return. Trailhead: Rock Cut Parking Area Trailhead Elevation: 12,090' Destination Elevation: 12,304' Elevation Gain: 214' Total Roundtrip Miles: 1 mile This summer, I have enjoyed some spectacular hiking into the backcountry areas of Park. Last week, I changed things up a bit and visited a variety of shorter hikes. I began my day by taking a walk on the tundra. I entered the Park at sunrise, the first rays of the sun lighting up the clouds that were forming. By the time I reached Many Parks Curve, the sunrise was putting on quite a show. Note: click on each photo for a larger image. The Tundra Communities trail begins at the Rock Cut pullout on Trail Ridge Road, at an elevation of 12,090', according to a sign posted on one of the restrooms at the parking lot. The 1/2 mile trail is paved and there are not any steps on the trail. The first part of the trail ramps up a ways before leveling off. Of course, there are mountain peak views in every direction. On this day in late August, the sky was fairly overcast. But the sun found a break in the clouds and shone down on the Never Summer Range to the west. Looking to the northwest, the smoke from the Cameron Peak fire was laying low and filling the valleys below. Along the trail, there are interesting rock formations of dark colored schist that originated at the bottom of a sea. The lighter colored granite pushed in as magma. The granite erodes more quickly than the schist and forms forming mushroom shaped rocks. The trail offers the hiker plenty of informative interpretive signs where one can stop and rest while taking in the view. The best time to see the tundra in full bloom is mid summer. But the tundra is rich in autumn colors right now and it's not as crowded with other hikers. The trail dead ends at a high point of rock formations. If you scramble up the rocks, you will find a memorial plaque Roger Toll, the first superintendent for this Park. You can read more on the Park history here and on Trail Ridge Road here. Story and photos (except the last one) by Barb Boyer Buck Before I go into details of the Cow Creek Trailhead hiking opportunities, there are several things to keep in mind. First, parking is extremely limited and fills up quickly. Roadside parking, or parking in a homeowner's driveway is strictly forbidden. Respectful usage of this trailhead is a must as there are sensitive ecosystems, private land, active researchers, and lots of wildlife also inhabiting the Cow Creek Valley. The McGraw Ranch Road, which is your only access to this trailhead, is a dirt road with mild washboards and can be easily accessed from Devil's Gulch Road, on the north side of Estes Park. If you want to hike this trail, my advice would be to go very early in the morning, or late afternoon. Please remember in the summer months, afternoons often bring thunderstorms and several portions of this hike crosses wide-open meadows. It is not advisable to hike during a thunderstorm, lightening strikes are a very real possibility. If you find yourself wanting to hike this trail at any other time of the day, the best thing to do is have someone drop you off at the trailhead; however, cell phone reception is pretty much non-existent in the area. If you decide on this option, have a plan to meet at a specific time with the understanding that idling cars waiting to pick up delayed hikers are also not permitted. Instruct your driver to check back occasionally if you are not there when you expected to be.
The site of the old McGraw Ranch still has buildings, including one that has been standing since 1871, the original homestead cabin of Harry Farrar. Others were built between 1884-1887, and most of the guest cabins were built between 1935-1936 by Frank and John McGraw (for more history of the ranch's early days, see part one of The Cow Creek Trail, published last week).
Researchers from Northern Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Colorado, along with the United States Geological Survey, now use the surrounding land as an outdoor laboratory. Onsite housing, laboratories, meeting rooms, and dining areas for these individuals are provided by the ranch buildings. The renovation of the buildings started in 1999, the culmination of a partnership between the NTHP and several private citizens to restore the McGraw Ranch buildings to their heyday as a guest ranch, between 1936-1955. The research center opened in 2003, becoming an important site to gather significant data in RMNP; Rocky Mountain National Park is designated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural (UNESCO) international biosphere reserve. From butterflies (there are 142 species confirmed in RMNP) to climate change, these studies provide important, scientifically-gathered information for the entire world. I started my hike at dawn, just before 6 a.m., at the research center. Very soon, the trail has an intersection on the right with the North Boundary Trail which branches up and east. The beginning of the way to Bridal Veil Falls was lit with the sun at my back, glorious coloring the late-summer vegetation and a whitetail deer, grazing along the edge of the trail.
The first part of the hike is a beautiful meadow that climbs a bit before it wanders back to Cow Creek. For most of the hike, you can hear its rushing or trickling waters, something I enjoy very much. It's so relaxing. I needed a bit of calming down because I was anxious about taking this hike by myself, the first one with a distance of more 2 miles I've taken on my own since my back surgery. And there was no one else on the trail that early in the morning. Every rustle in the trees had me looking - this is bear country after all! It's also a hunting ground for mountain lions, although it's very rare to see these creatures anywhere near humans. A bit further down the road comes another trail crossing, this time giving you the option to turn left to hook up with the Lumpy Ridge Trail to visit Balanced Rock and Gem Lake.
Just beyond this spot, there are some steep rocks before the trail picks up again. I didn't dare do this on my own so I guess neither horses nor I would get any further. It was frustrating because ED. (more about ED. next week) told me I was essentially there, but I couldn't chance it. Just a few weeks ago, a woman took a tumbling fall, sustaining serious injuries, above Bridal Veil falls (see more info here: https://www.rockymountaindayhikes.com/rmnp-updates.html) So, I ate some fruit, drank some water and started back. I saw several more people on the trail and I was grateful to be coming back. The sun was higher now, and it was starting to get hot. When I passed through the meadows again, the butterflies were flitting all around me, enjoying the late-August sunshine. It took me about five hours to do six miles roundtrip but remember, I stopped to take many pictures along the way. It was worth it and I needed it. It was the first morning without any smoke haze after two days of good rain. The air was clear, the sky was blue and the morning light was perfect. Happy hiking, everyone! Trailhead: Finch Lake Trailhead Elevation: 8,476' Destination Elevation: Finch Lk-9,925', Pear Lk-10,594', Cony Lk-11,512' Total Roundtrip Miles: Finch Lk-10, Pear Lk-12.4, Cony Lk-18.4 In the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park, as part of the Wild Basin trail system, there are a series of lakes that begin at the Finch Lake trailhead and can give the dayhiker some options on a trail that is not too crowded, but the destinations are all longer hikes.
The trail actually loses some elevation on the last strech to Finch Lake. There are a couple of good rock spots along the eastern shoreline to enjoy this peaceful lake. Finch Lake is a comfortable distance for many dayhikers, and well worth the effort. But for another 2.5 miles, you can also bag Pear Lake. The trail skirts around the north side of Finch Lake, then drops a bit more to a footbridge crossing Cony Creek. There's not too much elevation gain between the two lakes and the trail is pleasant.
This trial is not an official trail of the Park. It is not maintained and there will be some downfall to climb over, for example. If the dayhiker is going to travel here, you will want to plan on a much longer day. After passing the lower of the three Hutcheson Lakes, the trail can be difficult to keep track of, so it's necessary to have an awareness of your surroundings. Having a topographical map and knowing how to read it is also a good idea. This is a pristine alpine environment, so travel carefully. Follow the small trail to reach the Middle Hutcheson Lake. The three Hutcheson Lakes each sit on a self with the lower lake still below treeline, the middle lake in the subalpine and the upper lake right at treeline. Carefully navigate over rock outcrops that look over Middle Hutcheson Lake to reach into the upper basin and Upper Hutcheson Lake. The upper Cony Basin begins to come into full view as the dayhiker approaches Upper Hutcheson Lake. Cony Pass that leads over to the Bluebird Lake basin to the north, can be seen in the distance. Ogalalla Peak can also be seen now. On our day, we decided to travel up to the base of Coney Pass. The pass is steep with lots of loose scree. We reach our high point standing below Ogalalla Peak. The summit, 13,138', is part of the Continental Divide and is a high point marking the south boarder line of the National Park. We then turn our attention east looking at where we have come, and now our return route. We can see Cony Lake below us. Nearby is the prominent Elk Tooth with Meadow Mountain in the far distance. Both of these peaks define the southeast boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. by Barb Boyer Buck Imagine it's 150 years ago (I do this all the time). Imagine you have made the long trek via horseback to the beautiful mountain valley of Estes Park. At that time, Colorado was a territory of the US and the land was declared "public" by the Homestead Act. Every piece of the valley that is not already developed is open for homesteading. All you have to do is pick out your 160-acre parcel, "improve" the property, and pay a small registration fee. Put yourself in that scene. What is your personal perspective? Are you a child, part of a family looking for a new home? Are you sick of the towns where you live and want some peace and quiet in the Colorado mountains? Do you fancy yourself a wilderness man or woman, fiercely independent and resourceful? You're itching to live off the land and figure things out for yourself. Whatever your perspective, I'm sure you'll agree. The homesteading narrative is romantic and adventurous. Let's say you’re a big game hunting guide and you marvel at the wide-open fields below you as you crest that final hill over Estes Park. It's the late summer of 1871, and the basin looks mostly dry, with only the snake of the Big Thompson River slicing through it (there was no lake back then). You notice the prime spots along the river were already claimed. Now, suppose you ride north in the valley, where the mountains meet the meadows and the elk are plentiful. Finally, you see it. The Cow Creek Valley. The creeks in this valley have been slicing a sliver out of the surrounding Rocky Mountains for millions of years. Upon investigation, you find the valley is more than wide enough to establish a viable homestead and the entire drainage is covered in lush foliage. Imagine you stop to take a drink from the stream. (Don't do that today unless you treat the water!) These are not the exact circumstances that led Henry Farrar to eventually homestead the area in 1871, but it's probably close. These are the kind of things I like to think of when I talk about hikes in historic sites within Rocky Mountain National Park but when I was a kid, I hated history. I struggled in class to remember dates, names, events. I only fell in love with history while I earned a BA in Anthropology. Suddenly, I found context in past events. I studied possible motivations for historical figures. I found similarities between myself and everyone who came before me. I can imagine myself into the mindset of someone in Estes Park, 150 years ago. In the case of the Cow Creek Valley, I can imagine the stirring excitement of the situation, being given just enough help through the Homestead Act to get myself started in something entirely my own. In reality, Estes Park had long been the hunting grounds for native Americans, a summer stop on their nomadic routes. Just because a place had never been permanently settled, doesn't mean anyone should claim it. It had been a public, shared, space for ten thousand years before the homesteaders arrived. Several buildings near the original homestead near Cow Creek were finished in 1887 after the property was developed with its sale in 1884. The barn, the lodge, the bunkhouse, and two additional cabins started this valley along another journey. It provided water for cows and the family that lived there. I imagine an idyllic scene, exactly how you'd imagine what a Little-House-on-the-Prairie homestead would be like here, in its perfect riparian ecosystem. Bounteous and cozy. I'm an environmentalist, so I understand the damage human development has affected on our ecosystem, but the feeling of adventure, possibility, and excitement is intoxicating. John and Irene McGraw, grandparents of the surviving McGraw lineage, bought the ranch outright in 1909. John set it up so there could never be any debt on it. There was no way any of his kin was going to gamble with the family home by using it as leverage in other concerns. This pioneer tradition of establishing family ranches can be found in nearly every rural town, including those close to a National Park. Frank and his brother John, sons of the senior McGraws, turned the place into a dude ranch in 1936 by building additional cabins, eager to get in on the action so many in the area had at the time by taking in lodgers.
The McGraw family was the backbone of the operation and was living onsite, but everyone had to move to a hotel in Estes Park to make room for the Landon family and his campaign. Secret service personnel were housed in the bunkhouse, the Landon family lived in the lodge. The McGraws would return to the ranch every day to cook for everyone and take them on horse rides. One of the most popular rides was to Bridal Veil Falls. Eventually, this well-trodden path became the Cow Creek Trail.
After Landon's visit, the McGraw Ranch was on the map and the family, eventually including Frank's wife and five daughters, were essential to its success during its 52 years of operation as a guest ranch. In 1988, The McGraw Ranch was sold to the National Park Service and became part of Rocky Mountain National Park. Go to Part Two of The Cow Creek Trail next week when I will describe trail specifics, more historical anecdotes, and explain what the McGraw Ranch buildings are being used for today. Trailhead: Lawn Lake Trailhead Elevation: 8,540' Destination Elevation: 10,559' Total Elevation Gain: 2,180' Total Roundtrip Miles: 9.4 The trail to Ypsilon Lake is a quiet trail traveling up to a fine alpine lake. This can be a casual dayhike if not in a rush. However, with careful route finding, there can be adventure opportunity by trekking beyond the lake. The hike begins at the Lawn Lake trailhead at the west end of Horseshoe Park. The initial trail rises off the broad valley floor on the northern side with occasional views of Endovalley and Sundance Peak.
The trail then rises quickly again and maintains a steady uphill pace as it meanders through lodgepole pine. Eventually, there's a welcoming view of Ypsilon Mountain through the trees. From here, the trail drops to the lake. When the trail reaches Ypsilon Lake, the views are to the east. There is a non-established 'fisherman's trail' that skirts along the south shore of the lake and a little careful navigation along the eastern shore brings one around to views of Mt Chiquita. The surrounding terrain blocks the view of Ypsilon Mt from the lake. At the inlet to Ypsilon Lake, there a small footbridge and a path that leads to a beautiful waterfall, a must see if traveling to the lake. My hiking partner and I decided to further. Again, with careful navigation up steep terrain, an unmaintained trail leads up to the spectacular Spectacle Lakes, surrounded by rocky terrain, at the very foot of Ypsilon Mountain, now on full display. After having a break, and considering working our way to the upper lake, with still plenty of summer sun, we opted for a different route. The Spectacle Lakes are embraced by two long named ridges that come off the summit of Ypsilon Mtn like two arms, popular in the alpine climbing world, the Donner Ridge on the south and the Blitzen Ridge to the north. After careful examination, we picked a route on the far east end of Blitzen Ridge to traverse into the Fay Lakes region.
We were treated by a very brief visit by this little critter, either an ermine or a long-tailed weasel. It was hard to get a good look at it because it moved around so quick, and then disappeared. There are numerous small waterfalls between the upper and middle Fay Lakes. Blitzen Ridge of Ypsilon Mtn is in the background. We navigated quickly down to the Middle Fay Lake and then picked up a faint trail marked by rock cairns back to Ypsilon Lake. Trailhead: Chapin Pass (on Old Fall River Road) Trailhead Elevation: 11,020' Destination Elevation: 13,514' Total Elevation Gain: 3,134' Total Roundtrip Miles: 8.5 Scenic mountain peaks are the hallmark of Rocky Mountain National Park. But reaching the summit of many peaks can be challenging if not impossible for the dayhiker. However, with a little uphill effort, the Chapin, Chiquita, & Ypsilon trail off of the Old Fall River Road affords three summits within easy reach. As we begin our early morning hike, a Clark's Nutcracker calls up the sun. We ascend into the alpine with the trail leading us into the morning sunlight. We are stopped by a White-tailed Ptarmigan standing watch along the trail, then suddenly notice five little chicks crossing the trail. While we watch them wander off, we look back and see Lava Cliffs off of Trail Ridge Road in the distance. It would be easy to walk right by the side trial that leads up Mount Chapin. From the summit of this lowest of the three peaks (12,454'), we could see Horseshoe Park and Deer Mountain to the east. We backtrack back down to the main trail and continue up Mount Chiquita. Looking across to Mt Chapin, we can see tiny hikers on the summit. The trail up Mount Chiquita can be a little difficult to keep track of, but there are rock cairns marking the way up. This is a steep and sustained part of the hike requiring numerous stops to catch our breath and take in the surroundings. We look down on Lake Chiquita from the summit of Mount Chiquita (13,069') and take a much needed snack break while enjoying the 360 degree views. To the novice geologist, these exposed rocks on the summit appear to be sedimentary layers, perhaps from an old ocean bottom, that was uplifted over the millennium. We enjoy the patches of alpine wildflowers bringing color to the otherwise sparse landscape while we climb up the last of the three peak series, Ypsilon Mountain (13,514'). It felt like a lot of effort to drop elevation off of Mt Chiquita and then climb back up Ypsilon Mtn. But gazing down on the Spectacle Lakes made the effort worth it. After our return decent off of Ypsilon Mtn, we skirt below Mt Chiquita. There may have been a trail crossing here, but we didn't see it and we carefully made our way back, rock hopping where we could, before reconnecting with the trail. Journeying back on the trail across the tundra, and feeling satisfied with our accomplishment, we marveled at the surrounding rocky mountain vistas. After finishing our drive up Old Fall River Road, we stop off at the Lava Cliffs pull over on Trail Ridge Road and gazed upon the three peaks we had just climbed. What a fantastic way to spend our morning!
The trail passes by and in front of numerous mountain peaks and you can use numerous rest stops with a map figuring out what all the names of the peaks are. At about the halfway mark, the trail begins its drop into the Tonahutu Creek drainage and back into the trees.
"Little and Big Dutch Creeks remind us of eight Germans who formed a clique in Lulu City, as did groups of Irishmen and Swedes. Each nationality had a nickname, the Germans being known as Dutch. One night the Dutchmen, home from a spree at Grand Lake, started a free-for-all in Lulu. When the smoke cleared away, the townspeople found much damage, including a broken arm on a respectable woman. Blaming the Dutchmen, the majority of citizens ordered them out of town. The Germans climbed to the west, settling two miles above on Big Dutch Creek." ~ High Country Names, 1972 The hike to Lake of the Clouds is rich in beautiful scenery as well as history. It is located in the Never Summer Range on the west edge of the Park.
In the early part of the summer season, a large and steep snowfield covers over the rocky trail. Though a thin layer of soft snow may make crossing this snowfield appear safe, there's still hard ice underneath and it is quite easy to take a fast, hard slide into the boulders below. Crampons are the safest way to travel here. Lake of the Clouds is large and sits at the base of Howard Mtn and Mt Cirrus The glaciated moraine that holds the lake is covered with alpine wildflowers, such as Alpine Avens and Sky Pilots. A small snowmelt pond with views to the east and Mt Ida. There's some very interesting geology in the basin, with very decorative rocks and boulders. Looking south across the Lead Mtn basin to Howard Mtn and Lake of the Clouds. The trail off of The Grand Ditch that leads back to the trailhead. |
"The wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges, and tell a good story when we get back home." ~ Gary Snyder
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“Hiking -I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains - not hike! Do you know the origin of the word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.” ~ John Muir |