Adventures in Hiking (& other stuff): RMNP

Todays hike was in the Wild Basin area of RMNP. There are many lakes in this area. Most require a 8+ mile hike. I've been to most of the 'lower' lakes, but I've decided some of the other 'higher' lakes are in order. These almost always will require a 15+ mile hike. Today, I decided to see the lakes that are above Pear Lake. It is about a 6.5 mile hike just to get to Pear Lake. There are about seven lakes/ponds beyond Pear Lake. Two have names; Cony and Hutcheson, the rest are unnamed. There are one or two ponds on the way to Pear Lake. I found one to be dry, but the other was in good shape.

Dry Pond

Pond #1 - maybe two acres in size

In the early 1900s Pear Lake was dammed in order to supply water for downstream use. At some point, the dam was removed and the lake restored to its natural state; although it still has a ring around it where vegetation has not yet taken firm hold.

Pear Lake - looking to the north shore

Pear Lake's south shore

I began to climb the east ridgeline of Pear Lake in search of more lakes/ponds. I soon found a small pond.

Pond #2, maybe an acre in size

As I continued to climb, I came across another small pond. This one was not on the map.

Pond #3 - very small

According to the map there was a relatively large, unnamed, lake about a half mile away. As I headed up the hill in the deep forest, I started a fairly steep decline. This I thought was a good sign that I was coming up on a lake. Sure enough, I soon turned the corner and found the unnamed lake. Once in a while, I come across a feature that I just have to stop and say, 'WOW'. This lake was one of those times. The pictures don't even begin to do the scene justice.

Unnamed Lake -lunch spot. Looking to the north shore

Unnamed Lake - East shore.

The east shore of the lake is nothing but a jumble of boulders that have fallen from the mountain behind them. When standing there, it looks like the whole side of the mountain fell down all at once.

Unnamed Lake - looking to north sore with St Vrain Mountain in the background

The trail continues up the valley/canyon to Hutchinson and Cony Lakes. The path looked very doable.

Faint Trail to Hutchenson & Cony Lakes

Up the valley to the next set of lakes

However, I had met both my allotted time and my half-way distance points, so it was time to turn around and head home. To see the upper lakes, I thinks some day, I will either backpack in and stay at Pear Lake or get to the trailhead very early and plan to come home at dark.

All these lakes sit underneath several 12000'+ and 13000'+ mountains that always just leave me amazed eat the work glaciers can do.