We spent some time in Rocky Mountain National Park last summer. The second day we went for a hike up to cub lake. We parked the car at the trail head in valley and started walking. You could look up and see where we were going:
At first we were stayed on the valley floor. It really was beautiful, surrounded by the mountains, walking through a pleasant meadow. Then we came to more rocky terrain, and started to wind our way around some rock bluffs:
We started climbing more, the trees and brush thinned and the rocks thickened. We came across this huge split rock, an example that water always wins:
We went from a dirt path to a rock path; we went from gentle ups and the occasional down to a steady uphill climb; we went from joggers to no joggers (at least that we could see). We were in a lush forest and felt good to be alive. My wife gently urged me on when I would stop to take a picture:
Up and up we went. The fruit didn't like all the stops the fearless leaders were making and asked if they could go on ahead. Begone! Still the trail climbed up. "How much further?" we asked people coming the other way. "You're almost there!" they would reply. A young couple passes us as we slowly pick our way ever upward. The rocks give way to dirt again and another jogger comes down the mountain. At last the path flattens, but no lake. But with the flat comes a second wind, and off we go, until at last our destination, Cub Lake, is in sight:
The sheer joy of arriving mingles with the serene beauty of the lake as we simply sit and admire the view. And eat apples and granola bars. A, lunch al fresco!
When we leave Estes Park and RMNP, we leave going over the top of the world via Trail Ridge Road. This road spends an inordinate time at or above 12,000 feet, which aggravates my acrophobia to near fatal levels. I have to admit, when we'd crossed over and were descending on the other side of the continental divide my fear was much less, apparently by giving it to my wife. I'm glad we stopped along the way to breath the frigid air and take in the view, although at the time when my wife would pull off a perfectly good road and head towards the brink of the precipice I thought my heart would stop it was beating so hard. Fortunately it kept going so I was able to get this wonderful shot of the valley below:
We went on to Glenwood Springs that afternoon, but our next installment will be about Elk.
Nice photo of Estes Park!
Notice the brown area on the left side of the photo, that separates into two lobes after it crosses the road there. This area contains the alluvial remains of the Lawn Lake Flood of July 15, 1982. The Lawn Lake earthen dam burst early that morning, and some say a marmot's burrow was the original leak in the dike. The flood waters came surging down the Roaring River, scouring a deep channel that is quite visible today.
Fortunately for downstream campers and Estesian Parkers, the floodwaters spread out in the alluvial fan at Horseshoe Park in Kevin's picture. For the full story, see this link:
http://www.estesnet.com/Hydroplant/the_lawn_lake_flood.htm
My brother Paul and I passed through Estes Park a few days later. On the way up Big Thompson Canyon we were puzzled why the water was all brown and silty? When we got to Estes Park, we found out why.