Saturday, June 27, 2009
Photos ... as promised
On Monday and Tuesday, June 22 and 23, I went into the Rocky Mountains National Park to do some hiking. As promised, here are some photographs I took. Yes, I took all of the pictures on all of the following posts... every one. While they may look like post cards, believe me they are real photographs of the actual scenery I encountered Monday and Tuesday. I wasn't in Argentina, I was TAKING THESE PHOTOGRAPHS. Honest.
Don't just scroll through the tiny thumbnails on this blog. Take the time to click on the pictures, and enjoy the larger versions. This scenery is breathtaking in person. There are over a dozen new posts below with my pictures, so ENJOY. Please comment and let me know what you think, so I'll know that someone besides me is enjoying this beauty.
Hallett Peak
Hallett Peak is probably one of the most photographed mountaintops in the park, mainly because you can see it from the road so many places, and because it is so picturesque. It has some snow on it almost the entire year, and features a glacier just off it's north flank.
Hallett Peak is especially pretty from Bear Lake. My photo below shows one of the most popular "post card" scenes of the park. 
Hallett Peak is especially pretty from Bear Lake. My photo below shows one of the most popular "post card" scenes of the park. 
Don't forget: Click on the images to see the bigger versions.
This national park is chock full of nice scenery.
Glacier Gorge
Last year, I hiked around Bear Lake, and then hiked up the trail to Nymph Lake, Dream Lake, all the way to Emerald Lake at the foot of Hallett Peak. For me, that is an all-day hike into the wilderness, and very enjoyable. I took some fantastic photos last year, and posted them on my blog.
These four lakes are known as the "post card lakes" -- because practically every post card of a Rocky Mountains National Park lake shows a scene featuring one of those four lakes. [Click HERE to go to last year's blog entry with pictures of the post-card lakes.]
I toyed with the idea of spending a day hiking up to those lakes again this year. I stopped at the Bear Lake ranger station to check on the trail conditions, and overheard the ranger talking to a group of 20-something hikers, all decked out in their mail-order hiking gear.
"If you're looking for solitude, avoid the post-card lakes. I'd recommend Glacier Gorge, up to Mills Lake, or even further up -- to Jewel Lake. Those lakes can be prettier than the post-card lakes. The Glacier Gorge trail is twice as long as the trail to Emerald Lake, so there aren't as many people on it. It takes four hours for a round-trip to Jewel Lake and back." The young physically-fit hikers consulted with each other, then announced that they weren't interested in the longer hike to Jewel, they'd just stick with the more popular (and crowded) trail to Emerald.
Aha, I thought to myself. Solitude! Eureka.
I squeezed that four-hour Glacier Gorge hike into just over seven hours, taking it slow and easy, resting often, and taking tons of pictures.
The scenery up here is indeed way better than the scenery to the post-card lakes. This shot below is about halfway up the gorge.
The trail starts out at just below 9000 feet above sea level, which is where a lot of people start really feeling the effects of the altitude. It goes way, way up. The two photos below were taken on the approach to Mills Lake, darn close to the tree line which is around 11,000 feet in elevation.
The trail starts out at just below 9000 feet above sea level, which is where a lot of people start really feeling the effects of the altitude. It goes way, way up. The two photos below were taken on the approach to Mills Lake, darn close to the tree line which is around 11,000 feet in elevation.
Above I am standing in front of Mills Lake. The air is thin, and it's a long walk up. But definitely worth it.
Mills Lake -- Wonderful!
Mills Lake is indescribable. The ranger was correct. It really truly is prettier than any of the four post-card lakes! Being so far out in the wilderness, most professional photographers don't want to lug their equipment out here. My little Canon supershot, however, did just fine in my backpack, even without a tripod. You''ve simply GOT to click on these images for the detailed pictures.
After spending close to an hour just drinking in the peace, serenity solitude, and beauty, I headed further up the trail to Jewel Lake.
Jewel Lake
Jewel Lake is further up the gorge from Mills Lake -- almost at the top, just before you jump off onto the rocky alpine on the way to Longs Peak, which is the highest mountain peak in the park. Jewel Lake is a real gem -- pun intended.
The path between Mills Lake and Jewel Lake goes through some pretty wet alpine marsh. To avoid bogging down in the mud, the park service has provided walking boards. They are quite narrow, and take a lot of balance. Fortunately, people who make it this far up the trail can negotiate such narrow footings. The boards can't be more than about 10 inches wide.
The views up here are more spiritually refreshing as any celestial room I've ever been in.
The tops of the mountains on both sides of the gorge are still snow-covered. The meltwater runs down and makes cascades and waterfalls into the lakes.
Remember to click on the images for larger, prettier versions. Below is where I ate lunch. I then hiked another quarter mile towards Longs Peak just to see what the trail was like out on the rocky tundra before turning around and heading back down.
Below, a stellar's jay is on the rock, enjoying the view. I didn't mind sharing the scenery with him.
On the way back down, I snapped this photo of a broken pine tree on the shore of Mills Lake. It's a lot prettier in the bigger version.
The path between Mills Lake and Jewel Lake goes through some pretty wet alpine marsh. To avoid bogging down in the mud, the park service has provided walking boards. They are quite narrow, and take a lot of balance. Fortunately, people who make it this far up the trail can negotiate such narrow footings. The boards can't be more than about 10 inches wide.
The views up here are more spiritually refreshing as any celestial room I've ever been in.
The tops of the mountains on both sides of the gorge are still snow-covered. The meltwater runs down and makes cascades and waterfalls into the lakes.
Remember to click on the images for larger, prettier versions. Below is where I ate lunch. I then hiked another quarter mile towards Longs Peak just to see what the trail was like out on the rocky tundra before turning around and heading back down.
Below, a stellar's jay is on the rock, enjoying the view. I didn't mind sharing the scenery with him.
On the way back down, I snapped this photo of a broken pine tree on the shore of Mills Lake. It's a lot prettier in the bigger version.
Alberta Falls
These photos were snapped on my way back out of Glacier Gorge. The entire hike took me about seven hours, mainly because I ambled and mosey'd and just generally enjoyed myself -- stopping and resting quite a bit (high altitude), snapping photos, exploring animal trails, hydrating from my thermos and water bottles, and eating lunch at Jewel Lake. Below is a photo of the gorge on the way out. Click for a larger image to appreciate the rich colors of the rocks.
Alberta Falls has several cascades, the largest of which drops about 60 feet. With all the spring meltwater, the falls are roaring this time of year. While it looks closer, the falls are several hundred feet behind me here.
Click below for a larger image: a classic Rocky Mountains scene.
Alberta Falls has several cascades, the largest of which drops about 60 feet. With all the spring meltwater, the falls are roaring this time of year. While it looks closer, the falls are several hundred feet behind me here.
Click below for a larger image: a classic Rocky Mountains scene.
Bear Lake... and a storm
Bear Lake is one of the most photographed "postcard" lakes in the entire park. Yes, it is beautiful, but I've found several other lakes that I think are prettier. But I can't deny that Bear Lake certainly makes for gorgeous scenery. After getting back from Glacier Gorge, I decided to spend the remaining daylight hours hiking around Bear Lake. This late in the afternoon, most of the other hikers had long gone. 
Click on my photo below and see the bigger version. Yes, Bear Lake is definitely a lovely post-card lake. You could take a high-resolution version of this scene and make it into a poster. I'd bet that someone somewhere has done just that.
Click on my photo below and see the bigger version. Yes, Bear Lake is definitely a lovely post-card lake. You could take a high-resolution version of this scene and make it into a poster. I'd bet that someone somewhere has done just that.
After finishing the Bear Lake circle, just about dusk, I drove into Estes Park for dinner, and just before the sun set, this tremendous thunderstorm came up. The pink glow is from the sunset, off the picture to the right. Click on the image and look at the rain in the mountains along the left edge of the picture. Cool.
People! Sheesh...
Are there really people who have to be TOLD to do this? 
The secret is to hike to lakes that don't have any people at them!
It means you have to walk a little further to get to those lakes. But if you don't mind walking half a day, you can leave all the people (well, um, MOST of the people) behind and find a lake that you have to yourself.
Well, ... ALMOST to yourself. And the few people you DO meet way out in the wilderness are the kind of people who will let you enjoy the peace and quiet, -- like this artist who was painting along the edge of Bear Lake early Tuesday morning.
... and if there are, do we really want them living amongst us? Seems to me we should take that sign down!
Tuesday, June 23. I overheard one visitor ask a ranger how to take a photo of a beautiful lake without getting lots of people in the picture. The ranger replied that he didn't know. But I know.
The secret is to hike to lakes that don't have any people at them!
It means you have to walk a little further to get to those lakes. But if you don't mind walking half a day, you can leave all the people (well, um, MOST of the people) behind and find a lake that you have to yourself.
Well, ... ALMOST to yourself. And the few people you DO meet way out in the wilderness are the kind of people who will let you enjoy the peace and quiet, -- like this artist who was painting along the edge of Bear Lake early Tuesday morning.Beautiful Photos of Bierstadt Lake
I think it was Robert Frost who wrote about two paths that diverged in the woods, and he chosen the one less traveled. Well below you can see the path diverging, one straight and one to the far right. Guess which one I selected?
There are two ways to get to Bierstadt Lake. The most obvious way (and the wrong way in my opinion) is the way followed by most who hike to this lake: the Bierstadt Lake Trail. This trailhead is well labelled, prominent on most maps, and starts at a parking lot on the Bear Lake road. On the map, this trail looks like a clear straightforward hike to the lake. The maps and signs tell you the lake is a 1.9 mile hike from the parking lot. Sounds like an easy hike, right? Wrong!
What the maps and signs fail to tell you is that the first 1.7 miles of that 1.9 miles is an extremely extremely steep rocky climb, and seems like it goes almost straight up! Exertion city. Being around the 10,000 foot elevation, this climb can only be called extremly strenuous.
Luckily I didn't go that way.
I have learned to stop at ranger stations, and ask the rangers for their recommendations. Four different rangers at four different spots in the park all told me the same thing: the best way to get to Bierstadt lake is to start at Bear Lake and take the Fern Lake Trail into the next valley over, then come back on the Hollowell Park trail to the lake.
The Fern Lake trail starts out going uphill too, and it is fairly steep (but nowhere near as steep as the Bierstadt Lake Trail). But after less than half a mile, it levels off. From this point on, the rest of the trip is downhill all the way, quite literally. Of course, by going this way you end up hiking six miles instead of 1.9 miles to the lake. But 5.6 of those 6 miles are either downhill or almost perfectly level. A nice relaxing walk indeed.
Bierstadt Lake is encircled by its own 1.5 mile loop trail, and it too is almost perfectly level, going through some dense forest. After making the circle around the lake, you can then go down the Bierstadt Trail (that most others took UP!), carefully climbing down 1.7 miles to the Bierstadt parking lot, where you can catch a park service shuttlebus to take you the 5 miles back up to the Bear Lake parking area where you left your car.
There are a couple of trail intersections you pass on the way out in the wilderness (Fern Lake, Hollowell, etc.), so you have to have a map to know which trail to take (and a compass too, if you don't have a perfect sense of direction).
What's more, I was VERY lucky in another way, too:
Being advertised as only 1.9 miles from the parking lot, Bierstadt Lake is popular with the general hiking population in spite of its strenuous climb. But this particular morning (Tuesday), the day started out dark with threatening storms, heavy black clouds, and chilly wind. Since this was my last day in the park before having to get busy with my conference, I decided to hike anyway. I purchased a $2 poncho at the visitor center, and figured I'd take shelter in a low spot if lightning started bouncing around.
Talk about fantastically-good luck! I arrived at Bear Lake and started up the Fern Lake trail about 11 in the morning, under dark clouds... but it wasn't raining -- yet. And it didn't rain! It never rained one drop! About noon the sun came out, at 1 pm the clouds cleared out, the sky turned brilliant blue, and by the time I got to Bierstadt Lake about 3, it was gorgeous! And the best part: the storm clouds had kept all the other hikers off the trail! I had the entire area to myself! I took some of the best photos I think I've taken yet. Click on these images for larger versions.
The photo below has got to be one of the best photos I think I've ever taken. But the post below has a few more really good ones, too! This lake is beautiful and I can see why it's so popular, even for those who hike the steep uphill climb!
The trail wound around the lake through a dense spruce forest. Gorgeous.
There are two ways to get to Bierstadt Lake. The most obvious way (and the wrong way in my opinion) is the way followed by most who hike to this lake: the Bierstadt Lake Trail. This trailhead is well labelled, prominent on most maps, and starts at a parking lot on the Bear Lake road. On the map, this trail looks like a clear straightforward hike to the lake. The maps and signs tell you the lake is a 1.9 mile hike from the parking lot. Sounds like an easy hike, right? Wrong!
What the maps and signs fail to tell you is that the first 1.7 miles of that 1.9 miles is an extremely extremely steep rocky climb, and seems like it goes almost straight up! Exertion city. Being around the 10,000 foot elevation, this climb can only be called extremly strenuous.
Luckily I didn't go that way.
I have learned to stop at ranger stations, and ask the rangers for their recommendations. Four different rangers at four different spots in the park all told me the same thing: the best way to get to Bierstadt lake is to start at Bear Lake and take the Fern Lake Trail into the next valley over, then come back on the Hollowell Park trail to the lake.
The Fern Lake trail starts out going uphill too, and it is fairly steep (but nowhere near as steep as the Bierstadt Lake Trail). But after less than half a mile, it levels off. From this point on, the rest of the trip is downhill all the way, quite literally. Of course, by going this way you end up hiking six miles instead of 1.9 miles to the lake. But 5.6 of those 6 miles are either downhill or almost perfectly level. A nice relaxing walk indeed.
Bierstadt Lake is encircled by its own 1.5 mile loop trail, and it too is almost perfectly level, going through some dense forest. After making the circle around the lake, you can then go down the Bierstadt Trail (that most others took UP!), carefully climbing down 1.7 miles to the Bierstadt parking lot, where you can catch a park service shuttlebus to take you the 5 miles back up to the Bear Lake parking area where you left your car.
There are a couple of trail intersections you pass on the way out in the wilderness (Fern Lake, Hollowell, etc.), so you have to have a map to know which trail to take (and a compass too, if you don't have a perfect sense of direction).
What's more, I was VERY lucky in another way, too:
Being advertised as only 1.9 miles from the parking lot, Bierstadt Lake is popular with the general hiking population in spite of its strenuous climb. But this particular morning (Tuesday), the day started out dark with threatening storms, heavy black clouds, and chilly wind. Since this was my last day in the park before having to get busy with my conference, I decided to hike anyway. I purchased a $2 poncho at the visitor center, and figured I'd take shelter in a low spot if lightning started bouncing around.
Talk about fantastically-good luck! I arrived at Bear Lake and started up the Fern Lake trail about 11 in the morning, under dark clouds... but it wasn't raining -- yet. And it didn't rain! It never rained one drop! About noon the sun came out, at 1 pm the clouds cleared out, the sky turned brilliant blue, and by the time I got to Bierstadt Lake about 3, it was gorgeous! And the best part: the storm clouds had kept all the other hikers off the trail! I had the entire area to myself! I took some of the best photos I think I've taken yet. Click on these images for larger versions.
The photo below has got to be one of the best photos I think I've ever taken. But the post below has a few more really good ones, too! This lake is beautiful and I can see why it's so popular, even for those who hike the steep uphill climb!
The trail wound around the lake through a dense spruce forest. Gorgeous.
Since the hike started out uphill for half a mile, then downhill for six, I timed myself. I walk at exactly 1/2 mile per hour when going uphill. (It took me one hour to go the first half mile.) And I walk at 3 miles per hour when going downhill or on level ground, not including time to stop and take some pictures.
More Pictures of Bierstadt Lake
I consider that the following four photographs are some of the prettiest I've taken. Click on them for a larger version. I specifically made the first one a large image file to show some details.
You can see a thunderhead building way off in the distance here. This is looking northeast.
Below is looking southwest into the sun.
This is also taken looking southwest from a slightly different spot on the lake shore. Click on the image and imagine yourself at this spot, sitting on a flat rock, eating lunch while enjoying this view. I was.
And below is looking southeast from the opposite side of the lake. I hiked all the way around the lake. It was worth the effort many times over. Like I said, I believe these are some of the best photos I've taken. 
Below is looking southwest into the sun.
This is also taken looking southwest from a slightly different spot on the lake shore. Click on the image and imagine yourself at this spot, sitting on a flat rock, eating lunch while enjoying this view. I was.
And below is looking southeast from the opposite side of the lake. I hiked all the way around the lake. It was worth the effort many times over. Like I said, I believe these are some of the best photos I've taken. 
Descending from Bierstadt Lake
From the lake, the Bierstadt Trail descends very, very steeply for 1.7 miles! It is a rough and rocky trail. I feel sorry for those people who don't talk to the rangers, and who end up hiking UP this part of the trail. It is not a trail for the weak-kneed or those with ankle problems. I even fell myself, wham, flat on my behind, jarring my back, and jamming my right arm up into its socket so hard I couldn't move it for 5 minutes... I thought for a few minutes my shoulder might be broken from the impact, but after a few minutes rest I could move it again, and the pain subsided greatly within 10 minutes. By the time I got back to the car, I could hardly tell I'd hurt it. This trail is one of the steepest and rocky-est I've hiked in this park -- for the whole 1.7 miles. I was ding-dang glad I was going DOWNhill.
The entire trip down has unbelievable views.
You can see just how steep this trip is. The parking lot is way down in the bottom of the valley. It's a long way down. There is no way I could have hiked this trail going up.
The little hammock below is where I was able to catch a couple of photos of ruby-throated hummingbirds which are fairly rare to photograph. I've put those photos in a post below... check them out!
Classic Rocky Mountains scenery! I've been walking downhill for half an hour and still have a long way to go.
This side of the mountain is fairly open meadow, but there is an occasional tree now and then (above and below).
The entire trip down has unbelievable views.
You can see just how steep this trip is. The parking lot is way down in the bottom of the valley. It's a long way down. There is no way I could have hiked this trail going up.
The little hammock below is where I was able to catch a couple of photos of ruby-throated hummingbirds which are fairly rare to photograph. I've put those photos in a post below... check them out!
Classic Rocky Mountains scenery! I've been walking downhill for half an hour and still have a long way to go.
This side of the mountain is fairly open meadow, but there is an occasional tree now and then (above and below).
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