#sky pond

[khal-eventing]

I'm ready for another adventure 🏔️

[americasgreatoutdoors]

Starting in June, the fields of Colorado blue columbine decorate high elevations at Rocky Mountain National Park. 

A hike to Sky Pond begins from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead and rewards adventurers with striking views of jagged cliff faces that rise dramatically from the fields of wildflowers. 

To enter the park between May 28 and October 11 requires two things: a Timed Entry Permit or a reservation with a service, plus a Park Pass or Entrance Fee. 

Photo courtesy of Matthew Terral. Photo description: Jagged cliffs rise above Sky Pond, reflecting the rocks and the sky with the foreground decorated in columbine wildflowers.

[lionfloss]

Sky Pond with The Sharkstooth and Taylor Peak. Look at the people at the right side of the lake to get a scale. Rocky Mountain National Park

[sp5483]

Man, what I wouldn’t give for a little alpine lake action these days. Reminiscing about our last trip to Rocky Mountain.

[afoxheadedred]

i finally got my film from colorado developed 

[teki-lxrin]

sky pond hike

[goomz-goes-west]

Goomz was ready to go this morning! He didn’t even want to eat breakfast. He just wanted to get up into the park. (As if I would let him skip breakfast.) 

The trail to Sky Pond starts at Bear Lake Trailhead. It goes up past Alberta Falls, into an exposed section of rock followed by some serious switchbacks that are not kind to anyone who’s spent the past few years at sea level like I have. There’s also a pretty creek and fall, and some amazing views, so we took our time for a few reasons.

A few fishers and some other hikers had beat us to The Loch, but we found ourselves a nice section of rock where we could stretch out in the morning sun.

Last time I tried to hike to Sky Pond, it was still early in the season and there was too much snow on the trail. I had to stop before Timberline Falls. Since then, I’ve done a lot more with whitewater and bouldering, so I was confident about the climb up the side of the falls. Still, I made Goomz stay in my backpack up to the Lake of Glass. From there, we scrambled over granite boulders and patches of beautiful alpine terrain until we reached Sky Pond.

Goomz loved The Sharkstooth, especially when I pointed out the rock climbers three-quarters of the way up. We took a walk halfway around the lake until I thought it might rain, in which case we absolutely wanted to be back below Timberline Falls. The rain ended up being a little further off, so we spent some time at Alberta Falls before we returned to the trailhead.

Then we drove back to the motel. Pizza time - feta cheese, mushrooms, roasted red peppers. Summers are crazy in Estes Park. Summer weekends can get downright impossible. We looked at some “day off” trails, but ended up deciding on two that could be really busy: Moraine Park and Sprague Lake. 

[bubonictonic]

~Fishing temple~