Monarch Lake Loop - Snowshoe or Cross Country Ski

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Lake Granby Road to Monarch Lake Trailhead

Although the temperature gauge read -4 degrees below zero today as I passed through Tabernash (the Icebox capitol of the world), I was determined to do a nice backcountry snowshoe near Lake Granby. It took a little under an hour to travel from Winter Park to the end of the plowed section of the road on the Northwest side of Lake Granby where I parked my vehicle. After donning every piece of clothing I had with me I headed up the rest of the snowpacked road ~1.4 miles to the Monarch Lake trailhead. Luckily I realized my camelback was already frozen just a few yards from the car, so I went back and got a Nalgene bottle to hook on my pack to ensure I’d have hydration along the way.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Beware of Aggressive 1200# Meese :)

I was the only one at the trailhead and a little spooked by the signs warning of aggressive Moose in the area, as well as mountain lion tracks noted by a hiker who had been on the trail about a week ago. Fear be damned I headed up the trail towards “High Lonesome Ridge” – a nice undulating climb through the trees. The brief section of trail that crosses the lower section of Monarch Lake was numbingly cold due to a brisk wind, partly cloudy skies and lightly falling snowflakes, but the views of the icy stream that fed the lake were breathtaking. With my head on a swivel like our flexible owl friends, I kept an eye on my surroundings – watching for moose and mountain lions. This section of Arapahoe Pass trail was up a fairly steep slope from the lake, which didn’t seem like the territory for either critter, but I read all the warning signs posted below and pumped my adrenaline to be uber-aware. My snowshoes made a lot of racket in the squeaky cold snow, so I stopped every now and then for a photo and a brief moment of silence to see if I could hear any moose grunts in the trees.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Winter Wonderland

The bitter cold soon claimed the lives of my electronic devices one-by-one. First the GPS unit screen went blank, then the cell phone died when I was trying to tell another friend about the trail, then my camera texted me “send hot-chocolate” and the battery croaked. Luckily I had spares for all but the cell phone, which I mostly brought in case something happened to me out there.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Awesome Views!

The trail passes through lush Spanish moss forests and tall lodgepole pines until you reach the James Peak Wilderness boundary, where a meadow or two magically appear. The open space does not last very long and you are back in the beetle kill trees once again.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - One of many signs to guide the way

Eventually, (around 2 miles) you reach the turning point for your journey and start heading back from whence you came. Once you reach the Wilderness sign you start seeing National Forest signs for the other hiking options in the vicinity, as well as a note and arrows that tell you that you are still on the Monarch Lake Loop. A stern warning at the ranger cabin tells you to have some backcountry trail sense since they are not staffed for wilderness rescues.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Map of the route

The 4 mile loop around the lake includes stretches on the Arapaho Pass Trail #6, Arapaho Pass Spur Trail 6.1, and the Cascade Creek Trail #1. Monarch Lake is not always within view so pay attention to the signs as you travel along the route. The Continental Divide trail junction appears some distance up the trail (my GPS was dead so I don’t have mileage points) and several other junctions to Junco Lake, Crater Lake and Gourd Lake appear along the way. This looks like a great place for a base camp in the summer with opportunities for many days of hiking excursions.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - "Steam Donkey"

An old boiler (“Steam Donkey” on the map) from mining days gone by appears along the route on the south side of the lake off the Arapaho Pass trail. Although it was covered in a lot of snow it was the most complete system I’ve seen to date. It even had some wood in the lower section where they apparently fired her up.

The snow on the Arapaho Pass trail was soft, fluffy and plentiful and the terrain would have made x-c skiing a blast for an experienced skier. The trail is very narrow and winding, with an occasional downed tree to negotiate, so beware. The snow on the Cascade Creek side of the lake was very crunchy, sun-baked and bare in spots. I was glad I was on snowshoes when I reached this section. This part of the trail is definitely more like mountain lion territory. There are lots of big boulders on the slopes above and several game trails leading down to the water sources. The trees are not quite as dense on this side either.

Copyright 2009 Jan Gorski - Solitude at its best!

I highly recommend this hike to anyone interested in some solitude and great exercise. The ride along Lake Granby road and across the Granby Dam is quite scenic with views into Rocky Mountain National Park and entertaining snippets into the lives of the ice fisherman perched on the icy expanse below. The ~8 mile distance from US-34 takes a bit of time as the road is snowpacked and the speed limit is 25 mph. It looks like fly fisherman also take advantage of the easy route on the closed section (the last 1.4 miles) of the road to venture downslope for a bit of fishing in the icy river. Be sure to register at the kiosk near the ranger cabin – there is a nice map of the Monarch Lake loop trail inside the register box, which came in handy as a digital photo in my camera when I reached some of the trail junctions.

Fall Hike to Arapaho Lakes

Moffat Tunnel One Week Later...

It's amazing how much a place can change in the course of a week. If you look at my blog from last week you will see a very similar photo except the trees are still green and there is snow on the peaks. Winter tried to slide in last weekend, but Mother Nature straightened things out and we are back to the crisp days of fall and the kaleidoscope of color produced by the temperature changes and shorter days.

James Peak Wilderness

I was very happy to see the aspen trees changing to their warm shade of yellow. I had been worried that the leaves would just turn brown and fall off after that early blast of snow.

Turn off from CO 72 to Rollins Pass Road

I returned to the East Portal trailhead for another hike for a number of reasons. Mostly because there are several trails I have never explored, but also because access is easy (CO Hwy 72 avoids bumper to bumper traffic on I-70), and I can drive my gas saving Prius to the trailhead instead of needing a gas hogging 4WD.

I had a difficult time finding much information about the trail to Arapaho Lakes. I poured through many guidebooks and searched the web. The only description I could find was on this website: http://protrails.com/trail-print.php?trailID=113 which I just noticed has actually been updated since I pulled down the information in August. The old version was written before the trail was re-routed, but this current version looks pretty accurate except for mileages. My GPS recorded the round trip distance as 8.5 miles where they state it is a 7.1 mile hike.

Frosty Lupine Leaves

The first part of the hike shares the same trail I took for last weeks hike to Heart Lake. The temperature was in the 40's and a layer of frost appeared on much of the vegetation and some of the wooden trail crossings. After about 1.3 miles you branch off and take the Forest Lakes trail to the right. This is where the climbing starts. If you are seeking solitude this is the trail for you, I had the forest to myself the entire way up. The first human beings I saw were about 1/4 mile from the lake and they were heading down. I'd definitely rate this as a strenuous hike which is probably why there were not many people on it. I think I saw a total of six people and one dog.

Spanish Moss Covered Trees

One section of forest was covered in Spanish Moss. I actually lucked out and had beams of sunlight streaming through and was able to capture a decent photo. Forest shots are one of the toughest subjects for me. I felt like I was constantly stopping to take photos the first few miles. The diversity of subjects was phenomenal! I was trying to hustle a bit to stay ahead of a huge group of boy scouts who had a lot to talk (and scream) about.

Fireweed and Lichen Rock

I'm glad I took the time to grab some of the colorful vegetation shots as the early morning conditions are typically the best for saturation and pleasing photographs. The 1.5 mile hike to the turn off for the Arapaho Lake trail is mostly in the trees but you do get a glimpse of the valley below. Here you can see not only the fall colors but the devastation that continues to spread through the Rocky Mountains from the pesty pine beetle.

Beetle Kill (Red is Dead) Trees

After what feels like a never-ending climb you finally reach the fork in the trail where the Forest Lakes and Arapaho Lakes trails diverge. I was hoping for an estimated mileage from this point but no such luck.

2.7 miles from the start of the trail to this junction

Although it is only about another 1.5 miles from this junction it is the toughest part of the hike. The narrow trail climbs straight uphill through heavily forested, damp terrain, with lots of downed trees to negotiate and various types of navigation skills required. The nice thing about this section is the beautiful Arapaho Creek which stimulates your senses with constantly running water and many scenic sections where you can stop and catch your breath.

Challenging Water Crossing

This is one of the few stream crossings that required a bit of balance and care. Luckily the water was not very deep so if you did miss a step you wouldn't get too terribly wet :)

After a lot of huffing and puffing you eventually reach timberline and start getting great views of the mountains and tundra. The waterfalls continue to weave through the meadows and alpine fields. You still have a bit more distance to walk but once you turn the corner and see the prize you realize it was definitely worth the effort.

Panorama of Arapaho Lake (4 photos)

For the second weekend in a row I had an entire alpine lake to myself. After taking a few dozen photos I sat on a rock and enjoyed some lunch. The wind starting picking up, the clouds started building and my visit was cut short by impending weather. Seems like I rarely get more than about 30 minutes at my destinations in the high country. Good thing I left when I did because the drizzle started about 1/2 mile from the car just as I was photographing the last flowers of the season - the blue gentian.

Blue Gentian

I'll be back to this area again to explore the Forest Lakes trail so stay tuned for another photo journal of the James Peak Wilderness area trails.

Happy Trails!

Jan

Signs of an Early Winter?

Last Wildflowers of the Year?

Fall officially begins on September 22nd but you would think that winter had already arrived in the Colorado high country! I had a feeling a hike after a solid day of rain in Denver would be a dicey proposition when they were predicting snow above 10,000'. Especially after the photos shown on the local news stations of snow covered peaks and slushy highways. But I've been really been wanting to hike up to Heart Lake and even though it is perched at 11,300' I just had to give it a shot.

Private Property at the Trailhead

It has probably been at least 20 years since I've hiked to Heart Lake. A great friend from my days at Martin Marietta who passed on at much too early of an age, used to lead us to fabulous hikes every weekend. Heart Lake really stuck in my mind as a phenomenal place, but I wasn't sure why, so I had to hike it again. Most of my hiking buddies like the shorter, less strenuous hikes, so this was a hike I decided I had to do on my own. Luckily the trailhead starting point has changed for the better. When I hiked it with Wayne and his wife Clairesse we had to climb over a fence and cross private property. Since then the James Peak Wilderness area has undergone a lot of trail work and a trail now goes around the property of the Union Pacific Railroad. When I hiked to Crater Lakes last fall I was fortunate to see a train coming through the tunnel and the many railroad enthusiasts that awaited its arrival. On this trip I saw not only one, but two trains headed toward the tunnel as I departed. The second train was an interesting collection of nothing but engines - probably 10-20 of them in a row! But alas, my legs were too tired to stop and take a photo!

Moffat Tunnel, East Portal

This trailhead now offers many hiking choices in the James Peak Wilderness area which is adjacent to the Indian Peaks Wilderness. I plan to go back for several more hikes before the snow socks the trails in for the year. The Heart Lake trail follows the South Boulder Creek most of the way. It starts around 9211' and climbs to over 11,300'. Most guidebooks say it is about 8.4 miles round trip but my GPS (and my legs) recorded my hike at over 10.5 miles.

Trail Markers on the Tree

The trail is very well marked the first 2 miles or so but as you climb higher the forest becomes dense and trail options are confusing. Luckily they have placed trail markers on the trees to help you find your way and have tried to block social trails with obvious 'wrong way' signs. In the photo above you see not only one red circle but also a blue marker and a slash into the tree to mark the trail. Look up a bit - this trail is also used in the winter for snowshoeing and cross country skiing so the markers are up higher since the snow gets pretty darn deep up here. :)

Snowy Footbridge

It does get a bit confusing as you climb through the perrenial streams, downed trees and muddy/wet conditions. I was very pleased to see that several people were ahead of me this morning so I could follow their snowy footprints. The first 2 miles were mostly damp but the snow started appearing well below 10,000'.

Snow Packed Trail/Stream

By the time I reached 10,000' the trail was mostly snow and some of the uphill climbs were very slippery. I was very happy to have at least one hiking pole with me to help climb without falling. It was also very beneficial on the slick rock stream crossings. I wasn't looking forward to the downhill approach but luckily the sun and more people traffic made it more of a slushy/muddy mess then an icy slide down.

Lower Lake of Rogers Pass Lake

The first lake you reach is small but sits beneath a beautiful peak. A few more slushy maneuvers uphill and you reach Rogers Pass Lake. It is very large and hard to photograph up close so it is definitely worth the climb up toward the pass and Heart Lake to get a better photos of Rogers Pass Lake.

Rogers Pass Lake

Only two other crazy hikers were ahead of me after Rogers Pass Lake. They actually headed up to the pass - I bet it was a very scary ascent without ice axes and other self arrest gear. The short distance I had to go to get to Heart Lake was plenty for me. I had thought about bringing my winter boots but didn't, so every post-holed step into the deep snow made my feet colder and wetter. I was the only person that climbed to the lake at that hour (noon-ish) so I had to make my own trail through the snowpack. Cold as it was it was actually a pretty cool experience to have a lake to myself. I journeyed over to the only rock that looked like it might be flat enough to sit upon. Finding a good route there was half the battle as the willows and pine trees were weighted down in snow and footing amongst the hidden rocks was very questionable. Since I was hiking alone I was extremely careful about where I placed my feet.

View of Heart Lake

I shot a few photos of the lake once I reached the high point and was not able to capture a good close up of the lake due to it's size and shape. It is shaped like the human organ, not the typical shape we associate with hearts. It was a peaceful, tranquil place, nonetheless, and I spent over an hour contemplating my navel (I mean my Nikon), and just enjoying the serenity of having such a beautiful piece of God's creation to myself. The sun was warm enough to fend off the biting nip of the wind and I eventually meandered across the shoreline along the length of the lake watching every step I took into the mysterious depths of the snow below me. Although I could have stayed there a long time, I left once I knew the two people who were climbing Rogers Pass in front of me were not heading for the dangerous looking cliff of windblown snow guaranteed to avalanche with the first foot stepped upon it.

Close Up View of Rogers Pass Lake

The descent was dicey as the slope was pretty extreme and the snow made every step a real experience. I eventually got down to the trail made by those before me and stopped for a moment to enjoy the beauty of Rogers Pass Lake. Several fisherman were trying their luck at snagging a fish that wasn't frozen to death or in a semi-coma.

Muddy Trails

I was pleased to see the trails were more muddy and wet than icy. The Rocky Mountain sunshine was doing a great job of melting off the snow - the resulting mess was a kids delight. I gave up trying to keep my feet semi-dry and just plunged through it to the delight of my inner child. It was a long way down - I didn't have to struggle to breathe like the way up but every step was a strategic one to keep myself from slip sliding down the hill.

As I finished up the last few miles I was filled with gratitude for the friends who have shared the beauty of this country with me. Our lives are filled with stressful, time consuming activities but if we just stop for a moment or an hour or two we can find the peacefulness and beauty in the world around us by spending a little time in nature. I was in awe of the numerous people headed uphill with backpacks full of gear at 3pm. I couldn't imagine where they would find a dry, warm place to spend the night but I suspect that just being alone in this majestic wilderness was all they needed to cleanse their souls.

Enjoy the colors of the fall wherever you may live or explore!

Jan

PS - is anyone else struggling with the formatting issues of blogspot? Everytime I add a new photo it hoses up all the formatting associated with either the photo or the text. Adds tons of extra lines. Any ideas?