Medicine Bow Peak: Strike Three

Weather deterred us once again from climbing iconic mountain in southern Wyoming

Wyoming's highest mountain is 13.804-foot Gannett Peak in the Wind River Range, and the 13,775-foot Grand Teton, the centerpiece of spectacular Grand Teton National Park is runnerup. At 12,013 feet, Medicine Bow Peak is not even in the same elevation league. Still, with a location in the scenic Snowy Range of south-central Wyoming, it has lured my husband, Ral, and me three times in th past few years. The first time, we left Boulder in the pitch-dark, began climbing early from the Lake Marie Trailhead but were only about half-way across the flat broad mountaintop before being spooked by lightning visible in every direction and retreated. The second time, we spent the night in Fort Collins and thought we had a head start, but again, the weather closed in when we were crossing the top, and again we turned around.

This past weekend, accompanied by our Boulder friends Andrea and Dana, we wanted to try for a third time. To be closer to the trailhead, we spent the night at the Old Corral Hotel in Centennial, Our plan was to ascend via the shortest, steepest route from Lewis Lake to reach the highest point -- roughly 1,200 feet of elevation gain in considerably less than 2 miles. Heavy clouds filled the sky, even in the morning, so it wasn't looking good. Our immediate destination was the junction with the trail to the summit -- just in case the clouds lifted and the sun emerged. They didn't.

Lakes Trail from Lewis Lake

From the trailhead at Lewis Lake (below), we passed lakes and tarns, lingering snowfields and spectacular wildflowers that filled meadows and seasonal marshes, poked up through willows and coniferous shrubs, and magically grew on tiny ledges on rock cliffs. I'm afraid my little camera can't do justice to the splendid displays.

The three-from-one conifer below is just a few hundred feet from the Lewis Lake trailhead.

The last of winter's deep snow still lingers on August 1, but its steady melting is what makes the flowers so dazzling.

Below, death camas, which also goes by wand lily and several other names.

Pale yellow Indian paintbrush, aster, elephantilla (that's the stalk) and one of the senisios or some other yellow composite.

Queen's crown is light pink in the Snowy Range but in the Colorado Rockies is usually dark red.

I can't identify the two small flowers below from this photo, and I didn't have my tundra book with me to look them up at the time. Still, I loved seeing the tough, low-growing blue and pink blossoms side by side, literally between a rock and a hard place.

After about 1 1/4 miles, we reached a three-way trail junction and had another decision to make. We had already discarded thoughts of the the steep ascent to the summit. A second option was to continue down to Mirror Lake and return the way we came, but if the skies opened, we'd be miles from the car. The third was to retrace our steps to Lewis Lake and drive to the Mirror Lake Trailhead and start up from there.

As we were discussing these options, up from the Mirror Lake side came a man carrying -- not skis, not a snowboard, but golf clubs. Surely, a mirage. The "mirage," named Ed Woods, travels a huge Rocky Mountain territory for Caterpillar. If you're on Facbook, you might be able to see Ed's golf images by clicking here.

Of course, we started chatting. And after we exchanged the usual pleasantries and questions of fellow hikers, Ed told us about what Caterpillar has been doing. As card-carrying, environ-conscious Boulderites, we were gratified to hear the company's heavy equipment is burning cleaner and more efficiently. While this doesn't make the enormous open-pit mines in Wyoming and elsewhere any easier on the eyes, at least the equipment is less polluting and using less fuel than in the past. Ed, his golf clubs and his companion headed up to the summit, while we turned back and drove around to the Mirror Lake Trailhead to check out the Lakes Trail.

Lakes Trail from Mirror Lake

The trail begins through the trees but soon Lookout Lake comes into view. Set against Medicine Bow Peak's steep eastern and rocky face where snow packed onto gullies even on the first day of August, it is a immensely scenic route.

The flowers were, if anything more abundant than on the first trail, but again, my modest camera in no way captures it. Below, avalanche lilies (aka, glacier lilies). This is a small cluster. We also saw large expanses carpeted in these lovely yellow blooms that come up in the wake of melting snow.

We saw very few blue columbines but many white ones, some with a yellowish cast, others a tad pink.

Parry's primrose, a gorgeous wildflower that loves moist areas, appeared in rivulets from recently melted snow and on moist slopes above the lake.

Across the valley, we saw a single snowboard track down the center of this lingering snowpatch. It's not clear on the image below, but it was visible to the naked eye.

A jumble of enormous quartzite boulders are landmarks along the most dramatic section of the 2.7-mile-long Lakes Trail.

The rugged scenery and the fabulous flowers chased away our initial disappointment. As my husband commented, if we had succeeded in climbing Medicine Bow Peak, we probably would never return and do these lake hikes. Now, maybe, just maybe, we will come back one more time. 

Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, 2468 Jackson Street, Laramie, WY 82070; 307-745-2300.

Austin-Lehman Adventures Supports National Parks

Glacier National Park, celebrating centennial in 2010, is first beneficiary

“Preserve a Park” is a new conservation and educational initiative by Austin-Lehman Adveventures, an award-winning tour opeator. It will benefit a different national park each year via financial contributions to an organization that supports that park, while featuring an educational experience for guests who book one of the company’s “Preserve a Park” trips.

The first beneficiary is Glacier National Park, celebrating its centennial in 2010. This year, ALA will donate $100 per guest from each Glacier trip to the Glacier National Park Fund, a not-for-profit that supports the ongoing and future preservation of Glacier National Park’s natural beauty and cultural heritage. Austin-Lehman Adventures is offering three six-day five-night trips to Glacier: August 1-6, August 8-13, and August 15-20; price per person is $2,498.

Coupled with adjacent Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, Glacier is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was the world's designated Peace Park. Glacier National Park was known to Native Americans as the “Backbone of the World.” Today, even though the namesake glaciers themselves are rapidly shrinking, the park preserves more than one million acres of stunning glacier-carved terrain that encompasses old growth forest, alpine lakes, rugged mountains and sweeping meadows of wildflowers. Highlights of park trips include biking, hiking and rafting both less traveled and most famous routes. These include the celebrated Going-to-the-Sun Road, one of North America’s most scenic roads and an 11-year building feat.
 
ALA has built an international reputation for small group active travel to destinations in North, Central and South America, Europe and southern Africa. The company specializes in adult and family multi-sport, hiking, biking vacations that emphasize history, culture, and geography’s natural beauty. Trips are limited to 12 guests (18 on family departures) and feature excellent regional dining, distinctive accommodations and all-inclusive rates and services.
 
I have visited Glacier National Park three times -- always in winter and always on cross-country skis. I've nibbled at the fringes of the huge park both from the west side of the park and from the Izaak Walton Inn on the south side, including traveling there to by train to Amtrak's last flag stop in West Essex, Montana. I've seen a bit of park that way and also not seen it at all, when the snow was swirling. Summer pictures are tantalizing, and I applaud the company for supporting the organization that supports the protection of Glacier and other parks in the future.

Foliage Season: Drive a Car, Ride a Bike or Take a Hike

The aspens are at or near peak -- but won't be for much longer

Wherever I've lived in fall foliage country, people have always tried to time their travels to catch peak color, whether in New England with maples that show red, orange and yellow, or the Rockies where aspen leaves take on the color of freshly painted highway lines that contrast again the dark conifers. In the last two weeks, I have driven to or through the high country three times, enjoying the through-the-windshield views of Colorado's autumn glory.

My trips along Interstate 70 were to research Western Slope subjects for various assignments, and I didn't have a chance to stop. Therefore, I was really eager to go for a high-country hike. Yesterday, despite gray skies and a forecast for afternoon rain, four of us headed west to hike the Ptarmigan Trail out of Silverthorne. Even when "civilization" was in sight (below), the aspen display was splendid.

The view across the Blue River Valley toward the Gore Range (below) reminded us, again, why we live here:


Some of the aspen were thick-trunked, while others, like those below, were straight and tall as lodgepoles. Seen from right below, their high branches silhouetted against a gray sky resembled lace:

Below is a short video of those leaves coming down when a breeze stirred the treetops.

Much of the trail (below) was "paved" with the gold of new-fallen leaves, and a canopy of gold was overhead. It felt magical.

Even in October, we spotted occasional end-of-season wildflowers (below).

Most of the leaves will drop soon, if not by next weekend, most likely by the weekend after that. We met a pleasant young couple and their dog (below) who were heading deeper into the backcountry to hunt grouse.

We also encountered a team from the Colorado Mountain Club inventorying the condition and usage of the Ptarmigan Trail as one of more than 50 areas for possible addition to existing wilderness areas. The area we hiked through would be annexed into the Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness.

The trail ends on the summit of 12,948-foot Ptarmigan Peak, but we didn't go that far. After about 2 1/2 miles and nearly a 1,200-foot elevation gain, the clouds thickened and a downright cold wind picked up. So we turned around and retraced our steps, reaching the car just as it started to drizzle. Truncated or not, a good hike was had by all.

Quiet Policy Changes at Colorado's Shrine Mountain Inn

We discover the need for more BYOs at popular backcountry hut

With my husband and/or friends, I have been to Shrine Mountain Inns four times in the last two years -- three times in summer for peak wildflower season (Indian paintbrush and other blooms, top right), once in late winter. I love the trio of easy-access log huts anytime. With flush toilets, showers, and hot and cold running water, Walter's, Jay's and Chuck's represent real backcountry luxury.

In winter, when it is necessary to ski or snowshoe in with a heavy pack loaded with cold-weather gear, food and drink, the route is mercifully short (about 2.7 miles from the Vail Pass parking area) and straightforward, and is an area with minimal avalanche hazard. In summer, it is possible drive up the Shrine Pass Road, pass through the private property gate to the Shrine Mountain Inns and pull practically to the door. That means it's no sweat at all to take a cooler loaded with eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and whatever meat or other goodies you might want to grill, a couple of bottles or wine, and other "civilized" food and drink.

Six of us -- three who had been to Shrine Mountain Inns before and we thought we knew the drill-- drove in yesterday. We were all looking forward to the tranquility of the backcountry, an overnight at Walter's (center, right) and some hiking amid the splendor of midsummer wildflowers. We brought relatively sumptuous foods and wine. but we didn't bring sleeping bags or bedding, because up until a few months ago, quilts were supplied.

Sherry, the long-time hut keeper, had a stash of sleeping bags -- for rent at $10 each, including a cotton liner. I suppose if any of us had read the info page on the website carefully, we would have brought our own, as we routinely do for other huts in the 10th Mountain Division Hut System, which handles bookings for the privately owned Shrine Mountain Inns.

Sherry wasn't sure whether the quilts would be back for the winter season, so if we go up again then, we'll be sure to inquire when we book. If the policy hasn't changed, next time our sleeping bags will come with us. In summer, so will real wine glasses and decent kitchen knives. Hut kitchens are equipped with a miscellany of yard sale-style cooking implements, dishes, mugs and glasses, which is part of their charm. Still, next time, especially in summer when we can drive right up, I will also bring at least one paring knife and one chef's knife. And if we have wine, I'll bring wine glasses. Since we took the trouble to bring reasonably good wine, it would have been better with wine glasses instead of jelly glasses, water tumblers and coffee mugs.

These, of course, are minor blips on a wonderful 24 hours. We arrived in the early after, hiked the Shrine Mountain Trail with its wondrous wildflowers, put in many hours working on one of the most vexing jigsaw puzzles any of us had ever seen (bottom, right), lingered over a relaxing dinner and after a leisurely breakfast the next morning, packed up to leave -- refreshed relaxed and happy. It is amazing how much of an escape 24 hours not too far away from can provide -- even under gray skies.

We drove back down to I-70, got off in Frisco to a convenient trailhead and hiked the North Tenmile Creek Trail from the outskirts of town into the Eagles Nest Wilderness. More wildflowers. We capped the short getaway with margaritas and a late lunch on the deck of a restaurant called the Boatyard in Frisco. The drinks hit the spot, the food was fine and it was a suitable re-entry from the high-country hut.

Nearby Mountains Cooler Than the Front Range

Higher elevations = cooler air = relief from daily temps above 90 degrees

Temperatures in the Denver -Boulder area have hit the mid-90s every day for what seems like weeks and weeks -- though unlike the Northeast, where I grew up, the humidity doesn't match the temperature. Even in the height of summer, pockets of snow remain at high elevations, and cool air makes hiking a joy when you start early to beat the high, searing sun on the ascent. Here are some recent getaways within a two-hour drive of Boulder to which we have escaped in the last few weeks:

Ypsilon Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, July 4, 2008

Blue Lake, Indian Peaks Wilderness, July 10, 2008


Lake Isabel, Indian Peaks Wildnerness, July 14, 2008

Wilder Gulch, Vail Pass, July 19, 2008

Lake Dillon, between Frisco and Silverthorne, July 20, 2008

Bear Lake-Lake Odessa-Fern Lake Loop, Rocky Mountain National Park,

July 22, 2008

Fall(en Leaf) Hike to Surprise Lake

Autumn hike to Surprise Lake in the northern part of the Eagles Nest Wilderness

Our last few Front Range hikes have held the promise of gloriously golden aspens "next weekend." Because the aspen groves are bigger and more spectacular west of the Divide, we drove to the trailhead at near the Cataract Creek Campground above Green Mountain Reservoir. We remembered aspens from previous summer hikes and had our fingers crossed. Well, between the last weekend in September and the first in October several inches of snow fell in the high country, and while the trail was mostly clear, the branches were mostly cleared of leaves too. Last weekend turned out to be a tad too early and this past weekend was definitely too late for spectacular Colorado fall color of yellow.

Still, that was a minor, if nagging, complaint on a beautiful fall day with comfortable temperatures and no wind. From the fee station and wilderness trail register, the Surprise Lake Trail drops down a short way and crosses Cascade Creek. While mountain bikes are prohibited, horses are permitted on this trail, so the bridge has to be sturdy enough to support their weight.

Cascade Creek, which in spring and early summer can be a rough torrent is, in fall, is a gentle watercourse that floqa into the Blue River Valley, Green Mountain Reservoir and eventually the Colorado River.

We entered the Eagles Nest Wilderness a short way into the hike.

The steepest part of the trail comes at the beginning as it passes through open meadows and stands of aspen. Some tenacious brown leaves hung off a few trees, but basically, the leaves were underfoot.

Farther along, conifers line the route, and we encountered some lingering snow at the edge of the trail...
...and among the rocks.

A couple of miles from the trailhead, the Surprise Lake Trail comes to a T when it meets the Gore Range Trail. We turned right and continued up to Surprise Lake.

Snow was already beginning to pack onto the north-facing terrain on the higher peaks, but lily pads still floated on unfrozen surface of Surprise Lake.

A gray jay, more commonly known as a camp robber, came around looking for handouts when we stopped for a bite to eat.

We turned back and retraced our steps to the trailhead. If we had wanted a longer hike, we could have continued up the Gore Range Trail and made a loop to return to the trailhead. As it was, we hiked about six miles with an elevation gain of roughly 2,000 feet -- depending on whose electronic tracking device we consulted.

It rained most of today at Boulder's 5,400-foot elevation, which probably meant snow on the trail we just hiked. Golden aspens or not, we're happy to have done so.

A Berry Nice Hike

Fall is in the Colorado air (and on the Colorado ground) -- but are the aspens OK?

The other day, President Barack Obama signed an official proclamation designating September 2009 as National Wilderness Month. My husband, our friends Reed and Dave and I celebrated it with a hike into the James Peak Wilderness. When we left Boulder shortly after 8:00 a.m. with the intention of hiking to Rogers Pass, the sun shone in a clear blue sky. When we arrived at the East Portal Trailhead (below), the sky was still blue, and the sun was still bright.

We hiked up the trail that is familiar in winter and in summer. It leads to Rogers Pass, but there are also side trails to Arapahoe, Forest and Crater Lakes. We've never seen so many raspberries on bushes in open areas. Are the bears all working the garbage cans closer to town rather than the raspberry bushes? I stopped to pick and eat every time I spotted red. My companions nibbled a few, but I went after as many as I could.

Picking and eating those sweet, fresh-off-the-bush berries proved so distracting that it took me a while to notice that the sky was quickly clouding over. It was only later, when it started getting cool and threatened to sprinkle, that I stopped to put on a long-sleeved shirt.

It's 5 miles or so from the trailhead to the pass, but we weren't interested in getting wet, so a few miles in, we turned around. The descent was quick, the rain held off and once we were out of the conifers, I started really looking at the grasses and bushes, which definitely showed their true fall colors.

From afar, the aspens were beginning to turn to gold.

Closeups revealed spots of dark brown and black.

Several years ago, the aspens along the Front Range went from green to black to fallen to the ground without ever showing their classic autumn beauty. Here's hoping it doesn't happen again in during National Wilderness Month '09.