Hiking Colorado

As I drove to Estes Park I was thinking, about how I'd been considering this short trip the first of my summer trips I think my actual words were "Now it feels like summer is really here!"

I arrive in Denver in a thuderstorm, but the storm moved south and east as I drove north and west, so I didn't think it would affect my day too much. I stopped at the overlook at Estes Park. It was sunny but cool. As I got back into the car and drove into Estes Park the snow began to fall. The first road I took was Trail Ridge Road. I knew it was closed at Many Parks Curve, but decided to go that far up anyway. That's where the snow started in earnest and I got above the snowline! A little trip out of the car for photos prompted a search for my fleece hat! The thermometer said 50's - but it sure felt cold!

One the way back down I stopped for some elk pictures then returning back towards the park entrance I took the road up to Bear Lake. I wanted to do some hiking out here the next day, but some people at the pullin where I took the elk pics said it was very snowy up there, so I want to take a look for myself. It's not actually snowing on the lower part of Bear Lake Road, and the streams are flowing with snowmelt. That stream is probably nice and cool and refreshing in the hot summer, but not tempting today! As Bear Lake road climbs higher I start to see more snow again, though it's not actually snowing right now. The Map below shows the short hike round Bear Lake. It's only about 1/2 mile, but the elevation is 9500ft. It's also 6pm, and extremely cold when I get there. Though not actually snowing, the powdery snow is being whipped up in the wind like a blizzard.

.....of course, neither the cold, the wind, or the fact that the snow is up to the level of the handrail on the bridge is going to stop me hiking the 1/2 mile trail! So. I added another shirt and sweatshirt, hat, waterproof gear, and gloves, and off I go. The trail is definitely under snow! In places you can actually see the gravel trail briefly, but it's very brief, and very infrequent. For the most part I appear to be walking on 3 to 4 feet of packed snow, though I do occasionally punch through power snow up to my knees. Most of the time I can follow the trail through the trees by finding the packed snow. Towards the far end of the lake there are signs of spring: snow melt icicles running down a rock, and a place on the edge of the lake where the ice has thawed.

But for the most part, winter snow still rules. The lake is a snowbound expanse. At one stage the the trail disappeared, except for a single set of footprints which looked to me like they were out over the water. I backtracked a while, but could not find the trail, so cautiously followed the footprints until I could pick up the trail again high up on the bank. Back on terra firma, and the parking lot. Finally, some late evening sunshine. Enough to get me back to town in daylight anyway.

Sunday was a reasonable weather morning in Estes Park. I set off for Glacier Gorge with high hopes of getting the Lake Loch hike in this morning. However, a few hundred feet higher, and I'm back in the snow. So it looks like the Glacier Gorge hikes are not such a good idea again today. Descending, I decide to give Sprague Lake a try. The 1/2 mile trail round the lake is mainly snow free, but windy and cool. There are some interesting downed trees in the lake, but the breeze is really to strong for good reflection photos. Trees must fall a lot in the storms here. I saw many that had obviously fallen this season judging by the green branches. There are several nice areas to sit and take in the view round Sprague Lake, but the snow doesn't look like it adds comfort, and I'm glad I wasn't taking a rest on one bench where a tree had come down!

Plan B is the Fern Trail and Fern Lake. The trailhead (8155ft) is snow free, a good sign. Instead of snow, I see flowers starting to bloom and some interesting rocks and roots. It start to drizzle rain on and off, but only enough to be a nuisance, not soaking. There are several people on the lower trail, but once past the Arches rocks I see no-one until almost up to the Fern Creek Falls. As the elevation climbs it does get colder, windy, and the rain turns heavier with sleet and snow. Above the Arches rocks is the cliff face that they apparently fell from. Hopefully there are no more headed downhill today!

The Big Thompson River parallels the trail for most of it's length. As the elevation climbs again the rain turns to snow. Two hikers coming down the trail warn me that there is deep snow between Fern Creek Falls and Fern Lake. I'm cold and hungry anyway, so almost decide that I will only go as far as the falls. The sudden change of the trail to snow and slushy, wet, slick snow at that, convinced me I was stopping at the falls. Approaching the falls the snow gets deeper in places and slushier in places, the trail itself becomes a stream of melt water and I get my first wet feet. Now I know I won't go any further than the falls.

Across one last log bridge I hear then see the falls. It's very cold up there, and raining and dripping from the trees above, but I found a rock with a view of the falls and sat for a few minutes to eat lunch. After lunch I waded back through the slushy snow and and retraced my steps back to the car. On the way I passed a herd of Elk munching their way down the trail.

Monday Morning was MUCH brighter. In fact I dressed in shorts and T-shirt and ran out to the car, only to have to scrape 1/4 inch of ice from the car before starting out. I added sweats really quickly! First stop today was up on Trail Ridge Road, then back to Bear Lake Rd and the Alberta Falls trailhead. The trail was initially snow free, but soon turned to packed snow, and ice (it was still early and below freezing), then softer snow, which was easier to walk on in places, and easier to sink down into up to knee or thigh level a couple of times. The walk up to Alberta Falls is fairly quick, and very pretty. I was joined by some pretty blue birds while I rested.

After a short rest, and lots of indecision I finally decided I should return to Denver, rather than what I would have preferred to do, just hike the remainder of the trail out to Loch Vale. I returned to Estes Park, checked out of the hotel and decided on the scenic drive back to Denver via Nederland and Boulder Canyon, stopping at Boulder Falls on the way.

View photos in my Picasa album