Devil’s Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

This was my second trip to Devil’s Den, so for a better write-up of the park and its history, see my post for the first trip.

We began the hike along the Pent Trail and Saugatuck Trail. I didn’t take detailed notes of where I took each photo, and for the most part they are not so distinctive, anyway.

Here I found a few large rocks with some nice texture:

Rocks, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Rocks

The preserve isn’t completely flat, but at most one would say that it has a few hills.

Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Devil’s Den Preserve

A low stone wall probably attests to farming activity two centuries ago:

Stone wall, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Stone wall

There are a number of streams in the park:

Stream, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Stream

I didn’t realize it at the time I shot this photograph, but the new leaf at upper left is boring a hole through a dead leaf:

New leaf boring hole through dead leaf, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

New Leaf Boring Hole through Dead Leaf

Some areas were verdant while others seemed to be slow in welcoming the Spring:

Contrast between brown and green foliage, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Contrast between Brown and Green Foliage

Pond:

Pond, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Pond

I had intended to take the Ambler Trail clockwise through Ambler Gorge and to Den Trail, but missed the turn onto the Ambler Trail. Here’s another stone wall:

Stone wall, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Stone wall

We still got to see Ambler Gorge, but just approached it by going counterclockwise on Ambler Trail from Den Trail:

Ambler Gorge, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Ambler Gorge

There were a couple of vistas from the Ambler Trail, looking toward the northwest. Here is one:

View from Ambler Trail Vista, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

View from Ambler Trail Vista

We then turned onto the Donahue Trail.

My friends at GardenWeb (now Houzz.com) tell me that these beautiful pleated leaves belong to American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana).

Hornbeam Leaves, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Hornbeam leaves

This fallen tree would be spooky at night:

Fallen tree, Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Fallen tree

We returned to the Den Trail and then headed back to the car. (We had a late start for this hike, and also I had clumsily jammed a toe that morning in our apartment, so I was only up for hiking a few miles.) Here’s a closing view:

Devil's Den Preserve, Fairfield County, Connecticut

Devil’s Den Preserve

Devil’s Den doesn’t offer spectacular vistas or steep climbs, but is still a beautiful place to visit.

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Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

On the first Sunday of Spring, we visited Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, which was designated as a national wildlife refuge in 1960, to protect it from the Port Authority’s plan to turn the land into an airport.

We first visited the Wildlife Observation Center on Long Hill Road, an area that featured a boardwalk and a bird blind. While most of the ground was clear, we did notice that there were a few spots still covered by snow or ice:

Icy ground, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Icy ground

A panoramic shot of a grassy field at the refuge:

Panorama of grassy field, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Panorama of grassy field

We followed the path about 1/2 mile to the “Friends Blind,” a large blind that had room enough for a dozen or more people, with many slits for observing the birds in the fields outside the blind. A large bird feeder was nearby, and a number of birds were flitting in, grabbing a seed, and immediately flying away. One was a hairy woodpecker, though I didn’t get a photograph. This tufted titmouse was more cooperative:

Tufted titmouse, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Tufted titmouse

After a few minutes inside the blind, we left and walked along the boardwalk, passing other snowy spots:

Snowy terrain beside boardwalk, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Snowy terrain beside boardwalk

We then returned to the car and drove north on Long Hill Rd. to the blue-blazed trail. This trail runs 2.4 miles from the north central of the park to the northeast corner of the park. There’s also a 1.6 mile orange trail from the south central of the park that ends on the eastern border of the park, but the blue trail and orange trails do not meet.

We ate lunch, and then began hiking on the trail. While the terrain was very flat, it was slow going, because the ground was snowy in places, and muddy in other places. In places, it seemed that the ground itself was thawing from having been frozen, and once or twice I stepped on what seemed to be solid ground, only to have it collapse an inch or so below me.

Blue trail, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Blue trail

We passed what appeared to be a very straight ditch about two feet deep, at the bottom of which ran a shallow stream. Batya thought that it was man-made, and I was tempted to agree, as it would be unusual to otherwise find such a straight ditch. Perhaps it had been an ancient irrigation ditch.

In addition to the snowy patches, muddy patches, ancient irrigation ditches, there were also a few streams that we had to cross. Here Batya demonstrates crossing a stream by balancing on a slender log:

Batya crossing narrow stream, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Batya crossing narrow stream

The sun casts long shadows on the snow:

Shadows on the snow, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Shadows on the snow

It was a little cool, but not very uncomfortable. We were dressed warmly enough. It was a typically early Spring day in New York, with winter on the way out but still traces of it lingering.

Blue sky, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Blue sky

We continued struggling with water/snow/ice on the trail. On one hand, you can say, “The park’s title has the word ‘swamp’ in it, so what did you expect?” On the other hand, I would think that they would design trails so that they could be used in every season. We finally arrived at one spot where it seemed that it would be very challenging to avoid getting our feet wet.

Wet portion of the blue trail, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Wet portion of the blue trail

We had passed a turnoff onto a yellow trail, which provided a 0.9 mile “long cut” around part of the blue trail. I suggested that we go back and try the yellow trail. We did so, and it was somewhat drier. The trail passed one spot that was very flooded, and we surprised a number of ducks that flew away without me getting any photos. The trail itself was dry, though.

Wetlands, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Wetlands

I spotted a raccoon foraging for food on the far side of a stream, and switched to my telephoto lens, taking a number of shots that weren’t catching him at a good angle. We tried moving closer, and he heard us, fleeing to a nearby tree for protection. I finally caught a shot of his face, peeking out at us. After a while, he decided we were not a threat, and walked off:

Raccoon, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Raccoon

Immediately after meeting the raccoon, the yellow trail rejoined the blue trail at a crooked bridge over the aforementioned stream. We crossed the bridge, continuing on the blue trail:

Crooked bridge, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Crooked bridge

We passed one spot that was very snowy, and wondered what strange combination of factors had allowed the snow there to last so long:

Snowy spot on the blue trail, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Snowy spot on the blue trail

I like the composition of the following photo: the red branches, the blue sky and blue reflection in the water, the sand-colored grass:

Colorful wetlands, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Colorful wetlands

The above photo is one of four that I took at that location while scanning, so I also have a panoramic shot there. I like both the single shot above and the panoramic combination below:

Panorama of wetlands, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Panorama of wetlands

While the blue trail and orange trail don’t meet, I had thought that perhaps we could cover both by walking along the roads that connect them, forming a clockwise loop back to our car. (Blue trail, Woodland Rd., Meyersville Rd., orange trail, Long Hill Rd.) Unfortunately, we had a late start on our hike, and we had experienced slow going because of the wet/snowy/icy conditions. Therefore, as we approached the end of the blue trail, we realized that we would be unable to complete that loop. Therefore, we had a choice of either retracing our path on the blue trail, or else taking a shorter counterclockwise loop back to the car. (Blue trail, Woodland Rd.,, Miller Rd., Pleasantville Rd., Long Hill Rd.) Based on the slow going on the blue trail, we decided that it would be faster to finish the hike by taking the roads back to the car.

However, the blue trail wasn’t ready to let us go so easily. Just as we reached the end of the blue trail, we realized that there was essentially a flooded wetland to the right of the trail, another to the left of the trail, and about a foot of water covering the trail itself. While I contemplated whether there was any way around, or if it was better to retrace our path on the blue trail rather than doing the counterclockwise loop, Batya started wading through the flooded trail. Her boots had previously lost their water-proof quality, and she decided that since her feet were already wet, it didn’t matter to wade through the foot-deep water. At that point I had no choice but to follow. While my boots are waterproof, that doesn’t help when the water is deep enough so that the entire boot is submerged, with water pouring in over the top of the boot.

I quickly waded through the foot-deep water, and we soon afterward reached the parking lot at the eastern end of the blue trail. At that point I took off my boots and socks, drained the water out of the boots, and put them back on (without the socks).

We followed Woodland Rd. about 0.3 miles, walking past the Windmill Farm:

Windmill Farm, Morris County, New Jersey

Windmill Farm

We then turned left onto Miller Rd. for another 0.3 miles, and then left once again onto Pleasantville Rd., where we walked for about 1.5 miles. There were nice homes and small farms on all three of those roads. Pleasantville Rd. bordered the Wildlife Refuge for a while, and in one spot I saw a redtail hawk watching a field, no doubt looking for a tender rabbit:

Redtail hawk, Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Morris County, New Jersey

Redtail hawk

Then we turned left onto Long Hill Rd., and in 0.2 miles were back at the car.

Including the walk at the Wildlife Observation Center, the blue and yellow trails, and the roads, we probably had a hike of about 6.5 miles.

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Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

We finally had a nice-enough day that we felt like going outdoors, though we still didn’t feel like battling Manhattan traffic. Therefore, we went east to Long Island, to Connetquot River State Park Preserve, which I had visited on October 30, 2011.

It had snowed the previous Sunday, and also on Tuesday and Thursday. Luckily, the temperature had warmed up enough that the roads were clear, but there was still plenty of snow on the ground in the park.

On the drive there we saw large numbers of Canadian geese, and we saw a few in the park as well:

Canadian geese, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Canadian geese

The lady at the entrance booth took our $8 entry fee and then told us that the park was only open another 4 hours, until 4:00 p.m. New York state parks are completely inconsistent: some have no entrance/parking fee while others have steep fees; some are open until dusk while others close at 4:00 p.m., etc. We were also told that the trails were not plowed, which was not entirely true.

We began hiking on the unplowed green trail, with our boots sinking into the snow. I lamented the fact that I have not yet purchased snowshoes. Every year I think that would be a good idea to do for the future. There were signs that others had been there with snowshoes, and we also saw people with cross-country skis. There were plenty of boot tracks besides ours, as well. Unlike my previous visit, I did not see any horses on this outing . . . there were no Budweiser Clydesdale horse commercials being filmed.

Snowy green trail, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Snowy green trail

It was not that cold, and we were well-dressed and comfortable enough. Batya was happy to get out into the great outdoors:

Batya, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Batya at Connetquot River State Park Preserve

For a few minutes we had a sunny blue sky, and stopped for lunch. I took off my coat and used it as a seat, while Batya ate standing. However, the wind began picking up and the sky began clouding up once again. Lunch over, I dusted the snow off my coat and put it back on.

Cloudy sky, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Cloudy sky

Between the snow and the late start, we did not anticipate hiking the entire length of the park. Instead, we walked north only about halfway, to Bunces Bridge.

Bunces Bridge, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Bunces Bridge

The bridge offered a nice view of the Connetquot River:

Connetquot River from Bunces Bridge, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Connetquot River from Bunces Bridge

At this point, we turned south onto the blue trail. Whereas we had taken the green trail north to the west of the river, we were following the blue trail south to the east of the river. Here we discovered that some of the trails had been plowed, at least to a certain extent, which made for easier hiking than on the deeper snow on the green trail. Incidentally, I remember from my first visit to this park that the soil is sandy, especially in some places, and that while the park is very flat, the sand can make a long hike longer in places, with feet slipping in the sand. Thus, the snow may have slowed us down a bit, but bare ground in this park also makes for slower travel in some places.

Blue trail, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Blue trail

At one point Batya spotted a deer and called it to my attention as it bounded away. I saw the tail end of it, but did not get a photograph. On my previous trip to the park, I had seen large numbers of deer, but they were being shy on this day.

The blue trail returned to the main pond at the southern end of the park, which made for a couple of nice panoramas:

Main pond, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Main pond

Main pond, Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Main pond

It was only around 3:00 p.m. when we returned to the Main Pond. Not wanting to leave an hour before closing, we hiked north once again in the direction of the fisheries, returning to the car and driving away right at 4:00 p.m. I estimate that we hiked 4 or 5 miles over the snowy, flat terrain.

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Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

We visited Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, which is located on Lloyd Neck, a peninsula into Long Island Sound. The following two posters present a history of the property, which became a state park in 1961.

Poster at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Poster at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve

.

Poster at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Poster at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve

The property included a number of historic buildings, including a dairy farm:

Gurnsey Dairy Farm at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Gurnsey Dairy Farm

The polo stable was designed by John Russell Pope in the manner of Christopher Wren. The exterior was restored in 2010, and continues to provide boarding services:

Polo Stable at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Polo stable

While there are allegedly miles of trails at the park, in four separate loops, we did not find them to be marked in any way, and with the snow cover it was all but impossible to find the trails. We therefore walked along the roads for the most part.

We came to the main house. None of the buildings appeared to be open to visitors.

Main House at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Main House

The map indicated that there was a trail down to the shore to the left of the main house, and we did follow a few others who were walking in that direction. A hill led down to a fresh pond, with Long Island Sound behind it:

Fresh Pond and Long Island Sound, at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Fresh pond and Long Island Sound

Batya and I carefully descended the snowy slope:

Hiking down toward the Fresh Pond, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Hiking down toward the Fresh Pond

We continued descending the hill, circling around the fresh pond and coming to the shore of Long Island Sound, where I snapped a few shots that I stitched together into a panorama:

Shore of Long Island Sound, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Shore of Long Island Sound

In theory we could have followed the shore to the left (west) onto a narrow point, but it was a cold and windy day, and before long we left the shore, climbing again into the trees, which provided some shelter from the wind. We found a giant tree stump (cut by a saw, the tree missing), and used that as a table for our lunches, eating standing:

Snowy day in the woods, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Snowy day in the woods

So we had at least a tiny hike, but this is not a park where one should expect to be able to “lose himself in the woods.” Long Island is obviously relatively flat, and much of this park has been cleared for buildings, roads, pasture, and stables. That leaves some wooded areas, but it’s no Harriman.

We returned to the road and walked down to the southern part of the park, which has incorporated the Henry Lloyd Manor House, built in 1711. I hadn’t realized that I was standing at the rear of the house, or else I would have circled around to have photographed the front.

Henry Lloyd Manor House, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Henry Lloyd Manor House, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve

We then returned to the parking lot, passing the dairy once again, where I photographed a few agricultural relics:

Agricultural relics at the dairy farm, Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, Suffolk County, New York

Agricultural relics at the dairy farm

It was nice to get out and walk in the snow.

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Shore Parkway Greenway (eastern section), Brooklyn to Queens, Kings County & Queens County, New York

We previously hiked the western section of the Shore Parkway Greenway and (what we thought) was half of the eastern section, from Brigham Street to the Canarsie Pier.

We decided to finish the remaining section of the Shore Parkway Greenway, from the Canarsie Pier to 84th Street in Queens. As it turned out, the remaining portion was a lesser distance than the Brigham Street-Canarsie Pier walk, and it was far inferior in terms of the view. In addition to having traffic on the inland side of us (which all of the Shore Parkway Greenway has), we very rarely had any view of water on the “shore” side. Instead, this section walked past two abandoned landfills, which presented themselves as high mounds of dirt with only a thin layer of grass over them, separated from the Greenway by chain link fencing.

These were the 110-acre Pennsylvania Avenue Landfill and the 297-acre Fountain Avenue Landfill, which in 1956 were opened by the NYC Department of Sanitation for receipt of residential and commercial waste. Both sites were deeded to the National Park Service in 1974 as part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, though the Pennsylvania Avenue Landfill continued receiving waste until 1980, and the Fountain Avenue Landfill continued receiving waste until 1983. The landfills were capped and have grass, and allegedly there were shrubs and trees planted, though I saw little sign of those. Every few years the City announces plans to rehabilitate the landfills (which is interesting if they are Federal property), but in any event nothing significant is ever accomplished.

Anyway, I will not sully my photoblog with photos of an abandoned landfill, and I only took a few photos that day that were worth posting.

Vegetation along the Shore Park Greenway

Vegetation along the Shore Park Greenway

 

Vegetation along the Shore Park Greenway

Vegetation along the Shore Park Greenway

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae):

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinguefolia):

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinguefolia)

Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinguefolia)

At one point we had a view of the World Trade Center:

World Trade Center from the Shore Park Greenway

World Trade Center from the Shore Park Greenway

At another point we actually did have a brief view of Rockaway Inlet:

Rockaway Inlet from the Shore Park Greenway

Rockaway Inlet from the Shore Park Greenway

After our short and disappointing walk to Queens, we returned the same way to the Canarsie Pier to end the walk.

The sections of the Shore Park Greenway that I previously investigated were the better portions. There is little to commend this third portion.

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado – September 12, 2014

Friday, 8:46 a.m.: It was cooler and overcast, and when I first looked out the window I noticed ice on the windshield of the rental car. When we left for breakfast, we noticed that there appeared to be frost on the trees in the surrounding mountains.

Murphy's Resort, Estes Park, Colorado

Murphy’s Resort

It took us a while to pack, and we knew we had to drive back to Denver for the Sabbath. Therefore, we didn’t have enough time for a hike. We did have time to drive through the park and investigate a few scenic views. From Estes Park, we drove into the National Park through the Fall River entrance, following Route 34 along Trail Ridge Road.

10:31 a.m.: We stopped and confirmed that there was a light frost in the trees and on the ground.

Ground frost, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Ground frost

11:01 a.m.: We continued driving west on Trail Ridge Road, gaining altitude. We finally drove above the treeline (and the clouds), finding a clear and sunny day waiting for us. We stopped at Rainbow Curve, at 10,829′ elevation, to enjoy the view and the greatly improved weather:

View from Rainbow Curve, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

View from Rainbow Curve

 

View from Rainbow Curve, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

View from Rainbow Curve

11:17 a.m.: We continued our drive west, stopping next at the Forest Canyon Overlook at 11,716′ elevation, where we walked about 0.1 miles from the road to enjoy the view of Forest Canyon:

View from Forest Canyon Overlook, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

View from Forest Canyon Overlook

 

View from Forest Canyon Overlook, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

View from Forest Canyon Overlook

A lone elk was about 100 yards away:

Elk, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Elk

12:17 p.m.: We continued our drive west, stopping at Rock Cut, which featured the 0.5 mile Toll Memorial Trail. The trail led past “mushroom rocks.” A sign explained that “the dark-colored schist was originally sand, silt, and clay at the bottom of a long-departed sea. Molten magma from deep in the earth invaded the schist and gradually cooled into the lighter-colored granite. Mushroom shapes were formed when the granite stems eroded quicker than the schist caps.”

Mushroom rocks at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mushroom rocks at Rock Cut

We continued to the end of the half-mile trail, where other rocks presented a short scramble to enjoy a nice view.

Rock formation at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rock formation at Rock Cut

A memorial sign indicated that there was a mountain index on top of the rock. Obviously, the Toll Memorial Trail was a memorial to a man named Toll, who had been Superintendent of three national parks during his life:

Dedication plaque for mountain index at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Dedication plaque for mountain index at Rock Cut

Scrambling to the top of the rocks, I photographed the mountain index:

Mountain index at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mountain index at Rock Cut

The view was beautiful:

Panorama at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Panorama at Rock Cut

 

Panorama at Rock Cut, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Panorama at Rock Cut

1:01 p.m.: We continued our drive west, with the road topping 12,000′ (slightly higher than we had hiked the day before). The road then began dropping, and our next stop was at Milner Pass over the Continental Divide, at 10,759′.

Sign at Milner Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Sign at Milner Pass

Adjacent to Milner Pass was the small but pretty Poudre Lake.

Poudre Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Poudre Lake

We continued driving west, leaving the park, and then circling to the south of it and back east to Denver. We enjoyed another Sabbath in Denver, then on Sunday flew back to New York.

So in a week of hiking in Colorado, I experienced:

Sunday: Flatirons, Boulder, 4.5 miles, 1500′ gain, 1500′ loss
Monday: Green Mountain, Boulder, 8.5 miles, 2400′ gain, 2400′ loss
Tuesday: Bear Peak, Boulder, 8 miles, 2400′ gain, 2400′ loss
Wednesday: Odessa Lake, 10.5 miles, 1200′ gain, 2400′ loss
Thursday:  Chasm Lake, 9 miles, 2400′ gain, 2400′ loss
TOTAL:  40.5 miles, 9900′ gain, 11,100′ loss

That was fewer miles than my totals from Glacier of two years earlier, but more elevation gain and loss. It was a fun trip!

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado – September 11, 2014

Thursday, 8:27 a.m.: Leaving our room, we discovered that Murphy’s Resort features nice scenery. This view looks toward the east, away from Rocky Mountain National Park. We had an end unit, where the rented silver Chevy Cruze is parked.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Murphy’s Resort

The day before, we drove into the park through the Beaver Meadows entrance, which requires a park entrance fee. This day, we drove into the park at the Longs Peak entrance, and I was surprised that there was no park entrance fee booth. However, this entrance road did not connect to the rest of the park’s road system, but instead only goes to the Longs Peak ranger station and trailhead. Still, the Longs Peak trail is popular, and it appears that visitors can access it without paying a fee.

10:18 a.m.: We arrived at the Longs Peak ranger station and began hiking almost immediately. I noticed that the flag was at half-mast to mark the 13th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. When I was a few minutes into the hike I realized that I should have tried to compose a photograph showing the flag over the ranger station.

Longs Peak ranger station, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Longs Peak Ranger Station

The hike began at 9400′, moving to the northwest through thick forest that was pleasant but not especially photogenic. After 0.5 miles, the trail reached a branch at 9700′, where hikers could if desired continue north on the Eugenia Mine Trail, toward a mine at 9908′. Instead, we continued on the Longs Peak trail, which turned west-southwest.

About a mile into the hike, we passed the Goblins Forest campsite, which must be a spooky place at night.

11:32 a.m.: We saw the first of several cute chipmunks.

Chipmunk, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chipmunk

11:36 a.m.: The trail was constantly climbing, and here included a few short switchbacks.

Longs Peak trail and switchback, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Longs Peak trail and switchback

12:19 p.m.: About 2 miles into the hike, at 10,600′ in elevation (having gained 1,200′), we stopped for lunch just below the trail crossing of Alpine Creek. While no birds attacked us, a chipmunk watched us from the grass.

Chipmunk in the grass, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chipmunk in the grass

Alpine creek:

Alpine Creek cascades through the forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Alpine Creek cascades through the forest

Lunch finished, we resumed our hike. Here Batya crosses Alpine Creek:

Batya crossing Alpine Creek, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Batya crossing Alpine Creek

While we would be branching off the Longs Peak Trail to go to Chasm Lake (at 11,800′), the Longs Peak Trail continues up to the top of Longs Peak, at 14,259′ the highest point in Rocky Mountain National Park. Lightning is a constant hazard up there, and hikers are advised to be well off the peak before noon. Since the distance from the Ranger Station to the peak is 7.5 miles and 4,854′ in elevation, hikers heading to the peak either have to start their hike from the Ranger Station at 3:00 a.m. (and hike very quickly) or they have to hike most of the way the day before and then camp below the peak at the Boulderfield campsite. I doubt I’ll ever make that climb to the top of Longs Peak.

Lightning warning sign on Longs Peak Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Lightning warning sign on Longs Peak Trail

12:35 p.m.: Another adorable chipmunk poses for a photo:

Chipmunk, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chipmunk

12:44 p.m.: The trail continued climbing in elevation, and the trees became shorter in stature and fewer in number, opening up beautiful mountain vistas.

Climbing above the clouds, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Climbing above the clouds

12:46 p.m.: A panorama of the Longs Peak trail, above the treeline:

Longs Peak Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Longs Peak Trail

1:01 p.m.: By now we were 2.5 miles into the hike, at around 11,000′ in elevation. We were hiking very slowly, perhaps slowed by the high elevation.

Here’s another panorama. Hopefully most of the blog’s readers will have a wide-screen monitor!

Longs Peak Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Longs Peak Trail

1:13 p.m.: Here’s yet another panorama. I was impressed with the amount of red in this photo, as I would have expected only gray and brown rocky soil.

I should mention the weather. It was cool in Estes Park in the morning, in the 40s, I believe, but by the time we reached the trailhead it had warmed up to the 50s. Hiking through the forest was pleasant enough, but above the treeline there were no trees to block the wind. The temperature also dropped and around 1:30 p.m. it began raining lightly, with hail. The day before, we had experienced a bit of hail at Bear Lake. Today, we had even more hail, and I pulled the hood of my rain jacket over my head to protect my ears from being pelted by the hailstones.

Longs Peak Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Longs Peak Trail

1:53 p.m.:  After 3.5 miles of hiking, at 11,525′ of elevation (having gained 2,125′), we reached the intersection of the Longs Peak Trail and the Chasm Lake Trail. The Longs Peak Trail would turn northwest for 1 mile toward Granite Pass, then turn southwest 1.4 mile along the Keyhole Route and then continue south the final 1.6 mile to the top of Longs Peak.

But our objective was Chasm Lake, and therefore we were only 0.7 miles from our destination, which was to the southwest. My National Geographic map cutely shows men’s and women’s restrooms at this spot, but there was only a single (unisex) privy. This had slatted walls which provided privacy, but there was no roof to the facility. There was supposed to be toilet paper, but it had apparently all been used. Luckily, I had a supply in my backpack. The toilet seat was also broken, though there was a functional cover over the toilet. A sign asked people to close the cover when they were finished, as otherwise marmots would climb into the toilet vault. Eww. I was glad there were no marmots in the vault at the time of our visit. — I would not recommend the privy to visitors: if possible, use the real restrooms at the Ranger Station, or below the tree line find a nice wooded area.

2:19 p.m.: The Chasm Lake Trail was only 0.7 miles long, with the beginning portion flat, at around 11,600′. It afforded nice views of Peacock Pool, below the trail at 11,320′.

Peacock Pool, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Peacock Pool

2:24 p.m.: This is Columbine Falls, a waterfall (fed by runoff from Chasm Lake) that feeds Peacock Pool.

Columbine Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Columbine Falls

2:30 p.m.: Speaking of “Columbine,” we happened across an example of the state’s flower, the Colorado Blue Columbine (aquilegia caerulea):

Colorado Blue Columbine (aquilegia caerulea), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Colorado Blue Columbine (aquilegia caerulea)

2:31 p.m.: A view looking south at both Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls:

Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls

2:32 p.m.: We were too late to see the flowers, but this thistle (possibly a yellow thistle, Cirsium horridulum), was still an impressive sight.

Thistle at Peacock Pool, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Thistle at Peacock Pool

2:34 p.m.: A last view of Peacock Pool, before we continued climbing the Chasm Lake trail.

Peacock Pool, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Peacock Pool

2:38 p.m.: The Chasm Lake trail crossed the small stream flowing from Chasm Lake to Columbine Falls:

Chasm Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chasm Lake Trail

It was an interesting sensation being above the clouds:

Chasm Lake Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chasm Lake Trail

We soon reached a sign below a steeper slope with a height of about 150′. While I didn’t take a photo of the sign, I think it said that only climbers should proceed past that point. That seemed odd, as a hike to Chasm Lake is included in at least one book of day hikes in the park. Batya did not want to make that climb, but said that it would be fine for me to continue on my own to reach the lake.

2:51 p.m.: It only took me a few minutes to make it up the slope, rarely having to use my hands. At the top, I took this photo looking back toward Peacock Pool. Batya appears as a tiny red dot leaning against a boulder at the center right, and one can also see a local patrol cabin and a bit of the Peacock Pool.

Chasm Lake Patrol Cabin, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chasm Lake Patrol Cabin

However, having reached the top of the slope, I still did not see Chasm Lake, only another line of large rocks that required a scramble to pass. The slope may have required hands in a few places, but these rocks were definitely a scramble.

Whereas in the east I am accustomed to trails being marked by blazes, that was not my experience during my week in Colorado. The trails were generally very distinct, well-worn bare paths in an otherwise grassy area, with signposts at intersections. Even above the treeline, we could tell that we were on the path because it was generally more bare than surrounding areas. In a few spots on the Longs Peak Trail we saw cairns, which I believed were placed to help guide the way for hikers during months when there was snow on the ground. But here just below Chasm Lake, I did not see any cairns, and I did not know the best way to continue to see Chasm Lake.

I finally tried moving laterally left and climbing one or two rows of the large rocks, and saw a pair of climbers who were heading in my direction. I asked them and they thought that the best access to Chasm Lake would be if I had moved laterally right before climbing the rows of rocks. I backtracked, coming within sight of Batya, and waving down to her. I was moving very cautiously, as the rain had made the rocks slick. I also carefully chose my path so that if I slipped, I would not fall more than a foot or two. Finally, after being tempted to give up a couple of times, I saw my objective.

3:18 p.m.: Chasm Lake, below Mills Glacier and the east face of Longs Peak.

Chasm Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Chasm Lake

I did not linger, but only snapped a few photos and began retreating. I did not even feel like climbing the remaining rocks to get to the water’s edge. If it had been earlier in the day, and if the weather had been nicer, perhaps I would have done so.

I scrambled over the rocks again, seeing Batya again and waving at her, though I had to continue to move laterally before I reached the spot where I had ascended the 150′ slope. I quickly made it down and back to her.

The rain had become a little heavier and steadier, and it also seemed cooler. We were both dressed in several layers. I had a short-sleeved shirt, with a long-sleeved shirt over that, then my fleece jacket, and then my rain jacket. Batya had a similar number of layers. However, we did not have gloves or earmuffs.

We began our descent, knowing that we were 4.5 miles from the trailhead. When we descended below the treeline, the trees provided a break from the wind, though the temperatures were still lower and dropping. We also discovered that while on the ascent we only encountered rain above the treeline, the ground was now wet all the way back to the Ranger Station. So even though we were now descending and had gravity on our side, we hiked slowly, being careful not to slip on the wet ground.

Batya was a bit concerned about making it back to the car before it got dark (sundown was around 7:15 p.m.), but I had two or three flashlights and was not as concerned. We did in fact make it back to the car right around sundown. When we reached the car, we discovered that the air temperature had dropped to 37°F. We were glad that we had the multiple layers of clothes, and turned the car’s heat on full for the ride back to the hotel.

We agreed this was a beautiful hike of 9 miles and 2400′ of elevation gain and loss, though it would have been nicer without the rain, hail, and dropping temperatures.

Coming next: Our last day of sightseeing in Rocky Mountain National Park

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado – September 10, 2014

On Wednesday morning, we packed and checked out of the Boulder hotel, then drove west an hour, toward Rocky Mountain National Park. I had asked Batya if she wanted to camp there, but she preferred to stay in a hotel. Therefore, I had made reservations with Murphy’s Resort in Estes Park. Check-in wasn’t until the afternoon, so we just drove through Estes Park and continued directly to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Even though it was a weekday (and after the prime tourist season, as schools were back in session), we saw signs warning us that the parking lot at Bear Lake was full. Therefore, we parked at the “Park and Ride” lot and caught the shuttle to the Bear Lake stop. By the time we reached the Bear Lake trailhead at 9475′ elevation, it was almost a quarter to noon.

11:46 a.m.: It was raining slightly as we began our hike north on the trail, and then a very light hail began. This only lasted a minute or so, though. Bear Lake is adjacent to the west end of the parking lot, so it only took us a minute to reach the lake. However, we did not linger there, as we anticipated a hike of around 8.5 miles and were off to a late start.

Batya at Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Batya at Bear Lake

12:15 p.m.: For 0.6 miles the trail moved north/northeast, climbing to 9800′ elevation. Then the trail reached an intersection, and we turned west, hiking through forest. We soon began to enjoy nice views of the surrounding mountains:

Forest and mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Forest and mountains

12:55 p.m.: We crossed a talus slope, hiking toward mountains with snow fields.

Mountains with snowfields, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mountains with snowfields

A few residents of the talus came out to play, including an adorable pika:

American pika (Ochotona princeps), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

American pika (Ochotona princeps)

. . . and a cute yellow-bellied marmot:

Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris)

 

Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris)

1:17 p.m.: We began to enjoy nice views of Notchtop Mountain, which will feature in a number of photographs in this blog entry.

Notchtop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Notchtop Mountain

At the same time we passed a small unnamed pond to the north of the trail (not shown on the map), and decided to stop for lunch.

Unnamed pond, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Unnamed pond

While we were eating, I noticed birds flying in a distant tree, near the pond. I am accustomed to birds being shy and flying away from me, and first attempted to take photos of them on their distant perch in the tree. But I soon learned this was not necessary, as the birds flew closer, and closer, and closer.

They were gray jays, which have many other names and nicknames, including “camp robber.” They started out as beggars, practically salivating for a handout.

Gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Gray jay (Perisoreus canadensis)

Experts ask people not to feed wild animals, because: a) human food may not be healthy for wild animals (just as chocolate is dangerous for dogs); b) a wild animal can become over-reliant on handouts and then be unable to successfully forage for food in the winter off-season when people don’t come to the park; c) if a person tries hand-feeding an animal, the animal might accidentally bite the hand holding the food; d) dangerous animals such as bears should not learn to associate humans with food, because then instead of avoiding humans they might begin to frequent places of human habitation while foraging for food. I definitely would never offer food to a bear, or hand feed a squirrel or chipmunk. As far as whether I may toss a few crumbs to a chipmunk or a bird, I have no comment.

Gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis)

At one point I looked left toward Batya while holding a sandwich in my right hand. I felt something brush against my right hand, and when I turned to look I saw a gray jay land a few feet away with a piece of bread in its mouth. The robber had taken a bite out of my sandwich! Batya was very amused.

1:56 p.m.: We continued on, still enjoying views of the mountains:

Mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mountains

2:07 p.m.: Notchtop Mountain at right:

Notchtop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Notchtop Mountain

2:11 p.m.: A view of a very steep talus/scree slope:

Mountain with steep talus slope, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mountain with steep talus slope

2:12 p.m,: I pose beside the trail:

Charlie on the Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Charlie on the Trail

2:14 p.m.: A stitched panorama:

Notchtop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Notchtop Mountain

2:17 p.m.: And an even wider stitched panorama:

Notchtop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Notchtop Mountain

2:18 p.m.: After hiking west for around 4.0 miles, we were up to 10,600′ elevation. The trail then made a hairpin turn to the north, skirting the left side of Joe Mills Mountain. Odessa Lake came into view:

Odessa Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Odessa Lake

2:21 p.m.: Batya poses with Notchtop Mountain behind her:

Batya and Notchtop Mountain, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Batya and Notchtop Mountain

After about 0.6 miles of traveling north, we reached the 0.1-mile long side trail that leads to Odessa Lake.

3:04 p.m.: Batya poses beside the outlet stream of Odessa Lake. (This outlet from Odessa Lake runs northeast to Fern Lake, and then the outlet from Fern Lake runs northeast to Fern Falls. The outlet from Fern Lake is called Fern Creek, and National Geographic’s map suggests that this upstream segment between Odessa Lake and Fern Lake is also called Fern Creek.):

Batya at Fern Creek, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Batya at Fern Creek

3:13 p.m.: We reached Odessa Lake, a very pretty location:

Odessa Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Odessa Lake

 

Odessa Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Odessa Lake

 

Charlie & Batya at Odessa Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Charlie & Batya at Odessa Lake

3:36 p.m.: We would have preferred staying longer at Odessa Lake, but still had many miles of hiking left. We thus backtracked on the 0.1 mile side trail. Here I pose on a short bridge:

Charlie crossing Fern Creek, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Charlie crossing Fern Creek

3:44 p.m.: Batya was having a great time with the beautiful scenery:

Batya on the trail, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Batya on the trail

Returning to the main trail, we continued to the north for the next 0.9 miles, as the trail began a descent, detouring to the east and then north again to pass Fern Lake.

4:03 p.m.: Fern Lake was also very pretty, though we did not linger here:

Fern Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Fern Lake

After passing Fern Lake, the trail turned to the northeast, with a couple of switchbacks allowing for a greater drop in elevation.

4:58 p.m.: About 1.2 miles north of Fern Lake, we reached Fern Falls, a 60′ waterfall on Fern Creek, at 8800′ elevation.

Fern Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Fern Falls

5:39 p.m.: After another 0.6 miles, we reached The Pool, at 8600′ elevation:

The Pool, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The Pool

5:54 p.m.: After another 0.6 miles, we passed through Arch Rocks, two huge boulders:

Arch Rocks, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Arch Rocks

I had believed the hike was about 8.5 miles, and had told Batya that. However, on the hike I began adding up the miles shown on my National Geographic map, and it showed a total of 9.8 miles from the Bear Lake trailhead to the Fern Lake trailhead, where we planned to catch another park shuttle bus that would take us back to the “Park and Ride” lot. Batya took the news in stride.

6:33 p.m.: Almost at the Fern Lake trailhead:

Near Fern Lake trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Near Fern Lake trailhead

We arrived at the Fern Lake trailhead, which the National Geographic map identifies as a shuttle stop. However, a sign there showed that we had to walk an additional 0.7 miles along a road to reach the shuttle stop. So now our hike was stretched once again, to 10.5 miles. Along the way, we gained 1200′ in elevation, and then descended 2400′ (since the Fern Lake trailhead area was 1200′ lower in elevation than Bear Lake). [Park Service maps do show a lower mileage that is closer to 8.5 miles, so whom should one believe, the Park Service map or National Geographic’s map?]

6:58 p.m.: We finally reached the shuttle bus stop. Before beginning the hike, we had confirmed that the shuttles ran through 7:30 p.m., so we could rely on them to get back to our rental car. While waiting for the shuttle bus, we enjoyed watching a mule deer grazing nearby:

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

The shuttle bus arrived and we boarded. The bus driver said that there had never been a bus stop at the Fern Lake trailhead, so it’s not that the National Geographic map was simply outdated, rather, it was incorrect.

7:04 p.m.: At one stop, the bus driver pointed out a family of elk, including papa elk . . .

Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni)

. . . and mamas and baby elk:

Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni)

Murphy’s Resort asked people to check in by 8:00 p.m. or let them know, so we gave them a call just in case we wouldn’t make that time. But the shuttle bus got us back to our rental car and we were able to leave the park and arrive in Estes Park at 7:50 p.m., checking into our room without delay.

Next: A hike above the tree line

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Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado – September 9, 2014

Tuesday: On Batya’s last day at the seminar in Chautauqua, I decided to hike in the southern part of the adjacent Boulder Mountain Park.

I drove to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (N.C.A.R.) and parked in their spacious parking lot.

9:17 a.m.: I then hiked about 0.6 miles west on the N.C.A.R. trail, which leads into Boulder Mountain Park.

View from N.C.A.R. trail, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado

View from N.C.A.R. trail

9:35 a.m.: Upon entering the park, I turned south onto the Mesa trail.

Flatirons from Mesa Trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Flatirons from Mesa Trail

10:03 a.m.: After 0.7 miles, I reached an intersection with the Bear Canyon trail, and turned west along that route. The scenery here was not ideal, as a power line ran beside the canyon, interfering with some views. Still, I managed to take a few pleasing shots within the canyon.

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail

 

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail

 

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail

 

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Scenery on the Bear Canyon trail

11:26 a.m.: After 2 miles on the Bear Canyon trail, I reached the intersection with the Bear Peak West Ridge trail, and continued on that trail, as it began west, then turned southeast.

Wildflowers on the Bear Peak West Ridge trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Wildflowers on the Bear Peak West Ridge trail

12:12 p.m.: My objective for the day was Bear Peak, at 8461′. There was an intermittent drizzle as I climbed toward the peak.

Bear Peak, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Bear Peak

12:18 p.m.: As the trail neared the summit, it passed through a small area where trees had burned in a fire in the summer of 2012:

Burned trees on Bear Peak West Ridge trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Burned trees on Bear Peak West Ridge trail

12:30 p.m.: I noticed many birds moving through the burned pines and stopped to watch them. They were hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus), and while they did not allow me to approach closely, my telephoto lens allowed me to capture them from a distance.

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus)

 

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus)

 

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Hairy woodpeckers (Picoides villosus)

12:49 p.m.: As on the previous two days, the trails afforded me a view of Boulder:

Boulder from the Bear Peak West Ridge trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Boulder from the Bear Peak West Ridge trail

I believe that this thistle flower is bull thistle (cirsium vulgare):

Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

1:41 p.m.: After stopping for lunch, I resumed my hike. As I neared the end of the 1.9 mile Bear Peak West Ridge trail, the trail changed from soil to jagged broken rock as it climbed to the summit of Bear Peak.

Broken rock on Bear Peak, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Broken rock on Bear Peak

The scenery was nice . . .

View from Bear Peak, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from Bear Peak

I reached the point near the summit where the Bear Peak West Ridge trail intersects with the Fern Canyon trail. The actual high point of Bear Peak required a scramble over larger rocks for about 20′, gaining perhaps 10′. I started to do it, but fog was rolling in ominously, and in the event the rain returned, I didn’t want to be stuck scrambling over slippery rock.

Foggy view from Bear Peak, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Foggy view from Bear Peak

I began my descent on the Fern Canyon trail, moving northeast. I discovered that the broken rock was present here, as well, and perhaps for an even longer distance than it had been present on the Bear Peak West Ridge trail.

Broken rock on Bear Peak, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Broken rock on Bear Peak

The Fern Canyon trail ran for 1.5 miles, completing a loop and returning me to the Mesa trail.

4:20 p.m.: This hike was right around 8 miles, with an elevation gain from N.C.A.R. (at 6109′) to Bear Peak (at 8461′) of 2352′, excluding any additional dips in the trails. The hike was not especially difficult, and it only took me 7 hours because I frequently stopped for photographs and to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

I returned to Chautauqua to pick up Batya, who had successfully passed the examination at the end of her course, therefore becoming certified in Advanced Wilderness Life Support. We then returned to the hotel for our last evening in Boulder.

Next: Our first hike in Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado – September 8, 2014

Monday: My second day of hiking in Boulder began earlier, as Batya’s course began at 8:30 a.m. on the second day.

8:43 a.m.: Within minutes of dropping her at Chautauqua, I hiked up the Baseline trail across the meadow.

Flatirons across the meadow, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Flatirons across the meadow

 

Flatirons, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Flatirons

9:15 a.m.: After about 0.6 miles, I continued onto the Amphitheater trail, and began gaining elevation while passing by interesting rock formations. I spotted a hummingbird hovering on the trail in front of me for a second, but before I could even think about my camera it was gone. I do better with photographing rocks and slow-moving animals.

Rock formations on Amphitheater trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Rock formations on Amphitheater trail

 

Tiny rock shelter on amphitheater trail, Boulder, Colorado

Tiny rock shelter on Amphitheater trail

9:56 a.m.: After another 0.4 miles and a break, I turned onto the Saddle Rock trail. I heard a buzzing in my ear, and when I turned I saw an unidentifiable blur move away from me. I wondered if that was another hummingbird encounter.

While Chautauqua is at about 5700′ of elevation, I was now approaching 7000′, and the scenery was improving.

View from Saddle Rock trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from Saddle Rock trail

The trail continued to climb:

Saddle Rock trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Saddle Rock trail

10:19 a.m.: A sign posted at the beginning of the Saddle Rock trail had warned hikers that because of damage from the 2013 floods, a ladder had been installed at one point.  I know that some people don’t like ladders, though I imagine that the problem is more psychological than physical. When I reached the ladder, I was a bit surprised, because instead of being vertical it was placed at about a 45 degree angle. Furthermore, while the floods had damaged the trail at that point, it seemed that a hiker could have scrambled up the eroded area easily enough even without the ladder.

Ladder at washed-out area on Saddle Rock trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Ladder at washed-out area on Saddle Rock trail

10:23 a.m.: Around 7000′, I had a nice view of Boulder, comparable to what I had seen and photographed the day before on the 1st/2nd Flatiron trail.

View from Saddle Rock trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from Saddle Rock trail

A caterpillar shared the trail with me:

Caterpillar, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Caterpillar

10:43 a.m.: This scramble seemed comparable or worse than the area where the floods had washed out a section of the trail, and yet it was perfectly manageable without the need for a ladder:

Scramble on Saddle Rock trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Scramble on Saddle Rock trail

11:03 a.m.: After another 0.7 miles, I reached the end of the Saddle Rock trail, which intersected the E.M Greenman trail. I turned left on the Greenman trail.

View from junction of Saddle Rock and E.M. Greenman trails, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from junction of Saddle Rock and E.M. Greenman trails

An old sign reads “E.O. Greenman / Twin Springs.” There was some dampness in the area, though I don’t know that I saw springs. Who was Greenman, and was his name E.M. Greenman (as the maps say) or E.O. Greenman, as this old sign says?

Ancient sign 'E.O. Greenmans Twin Springs,' Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Ancient sign ‘E.O. Greenmans Twin Springs’

Fireweed grew next to a talus slope:

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)

11:17 a.m.: The trail at times presented a nice vista:

View from Greenman trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from Greenman trail

 

View from Greenman trail, Boulder, Colorado

View from Greenman trail

An old trail marker for the Greenman trail:

Ancient Marker for Greenman Trail, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Ancient marker for Greenman trail

12:08 p.m.: After 1.1 miles on the Greenman trail, I reached my destination: the peak of Green Mountain at 8144′, around 2400′ higher than my starting point. There was an easy scramble at the peak that provided nice views, and I also found a brass disk that the University of Colorado Hiking Club had placed in May 1929 . It provided a graphical representation of the principal peaks visible from that spot, together with a list of their names and elevations:

Mountain identification disk at peak of Green Mountain, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Mountain identification disk at peak of Green Mountain

After enjoying a leisurely lunch at the peak, I continued down the other side for about 0.1 mile (I believe on the Green Mountain West Ridge trail), before turning right onto the Ranger trail.

I continued to follow the Ranger trail for 1.4 miles.

1:41 p.m.: There were interesting plants to see, such as blanketflower . . .

Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata)

 2:27 p.m.: . . . and cactus:

Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia), Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Prickly pear cactus (Opuntia)

2:52 p.m. My hike then took me one mile through Gregory Canyon on the trail of that name:

View from Gregory Canyon, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

View from Gregory Canyon

I enjoyed seeing more flowers there.

Wildflowers, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Wildflowers

 

Wildflowers, Boulder Mountain Park, Boulder, Colorado

Wildflowers

After Gregory Canyon, I followed sign posts back to the Baseline trail, and made it back to Chautauqua with plenty of time to spare before Batya’s course ended for the day. This hike covered about 8.5 miles, with about a 2400′ elevation gain. It was a fun day.

Next: My third and final hike (of this trip) in Boulder Mountain Park.

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