Lakes
A slippery slope, two horses, a tundra, and s’mores. What can I say? This was my favorite Colorado day
Featured photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/adn35RnNnFMT332J6
June 18th, 2023- Rocky Mountain Day 3
Snow swallowed the path. It was a steep drift, reclined on our trail with icy arrogance. A brownish trail of other hikers’ footprints was our only guidepost. It was mildly perilous. It made me nervous. I’m a clumsy hiker at best, so snow is never my friend. I imagined myself skidding down the embankment, arms flailing, before faceplanting into a tree. I grimaced. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight. I gritted my teeth and dug my hiking sticks in a little deeper. Not today, snow!
We were so focused on not slipping that it took several minutes to realize that the brown wandering footprints had disappeared. In fact, the snowdrift and the forest around us appeared untouched. We’d lost the trail! Gingerly, we used our own footprints as footholds as we went back the way we came. Eventually, we found our way again. Phew!
This trail became my favorite for the entire trip. With 1600 ft of elevation gain, it was a challenge, but the scenery made up for it. The trail loops around to five lakes and a waterfall, with miles of lush forest in between. Rocks and scenic overlooks are abundant. At one overlook, we encountered a family with a pack of rowdy boys climbing the huge boulders. As we snapped some photos, the mom scolded her sons, “Get down from that rock! This isn’t Mohican!” My ears did a double take. Mohican? I couldn’t resist the urge, so I asked where they were from. “Oh, a smaller town in Ohio, not too far from Cleveland. It’s called Wooster.”
(For our non-Ohio friends, Wooster is only 20 min from my hometown, and Mohican is a state park we frequent often!)
What a small world!
My favorite of the five lakes on the trail was Lake Haiyaha. Nestled in between steep peaks, the alpine lake was startlingly blue, Caribbean almost. Bordering it were heaps of boulders, stacked as though they’d been carelessly tossed by a giant’s hand. To reach the lakeshore, you have to jump, scramble, and climb these boulders. Ever the clumsy hiker, I managed to slip on a (completely ice-free) rock. I didn’t fall in the water, but my poor knee got pretty banged up!
The Loch was also pretty noteworthy. It perched even higher than Lake Haiyaha, forcing an extra climb out of tired legs. The last bit of hill before the lake felt like climbing an glacier. It was an enormous mound of ice, stretching up high before plunging into the lake. The Loch’s many visitors had packed the snow into a treacherous slide. It was so slippery, in fact, that we used our hiking shoes like skis and skated our way back down! Tyler was a pro, much to my delight. I took a video of him riding the snow, digging in with his hiking sticks to push himself forward. It was pretty great!
We’d scheduled a horseback ride that afternoon, so in the interest of time, we opted to skip the last mile of the trail. We waited for a shuttle bus instead, sharing snacks and much-needed water. As we waited, it became increasingly evident that the bus was a long time coming. Buses stopped at every other stop except ours. I kept checking my watch. If it didn’t show up soon, we’d have to hop back on the trail! Eventually, it did show up, but when it drove off, it drove in the wrong direction! To our chagrin, we realized the park volunteer had told us the wrong shuttle to get on. Now, there was nothing else to do but ride its entire route.
We did eventually make it to our stable and our horses. After getting the rundown from a handful of cowboys, our horses meandered to the trail. My horse was a black mare named Tequila. Tyler’s was a palomino gelding named Amigo, and he wasn’t very friendly! Poor Tyler had a time trying to wrangle the stubborn horse. When we asked our guide to snap a picture of us, Amigo took the opportunity to try to nip Tequila! It was a lovely ride, though. After a day of hiking, three hours in the saddle was a welcome rest. And the scenery was wonderful! We traversed sagebrush hills and aspen groves. We even crossed a few creeks!
Our adventure didn’t end at the stable. We took a scenic drive on Trail Ridge Road next, driving at an elevation of 12000 feet through alpine tundra. It was COLD up there! Fully above the tree line, the landscape was barren. Short grasses hardily pushed through stones and a harsh wind. Plowed snowdrifts taller than our car still lingered at the road’s edges. A pale sun brushed the tops of mountain peaks. It was magnificent in ways that words can’t describe. The frozen mountains held grandeur, a majesty rivaled only by their Creator. It was enough to render you speechless.
The entire drive to Grand Lake was beautifully scenic. Framed by a pink sky, we encountered a group of bull elk grazing along the road. Their antlers were tall, still covered in soft velvet. Their casual dinner caused a miniature traffic jam of photographers, so we didn’t stay long. We rounded out the night in a little cowboy-themed cabin in Grand Lake. Delighted to find the host had started a bonfire, we pulled out s’mores supplies from our snack stash (I always come prepared!) and cooked a sugary dinner. For any concerned nutrionists, don’t worry. We had popcorn too.
As the fire crackled, my best friend wrapped an arm around me and we snuggled close. I couldn’t help but smile. It had been a good day. What a time to be alive.
Hiking trails and places of interest:
Nymph Lake trail to Haiyaha Cutoff Trail to Glacier Gorge Trail
Glacier Creek Stables
Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake
Comments