Playing Dress Up on the Way to the Gem Lake Hike

Friday August 15, 2014
Glacier Basin Campground
Rocky Mountain National Park

 

 

Remember I said yesterday that Rocky Mountain National Park has several sections.  We saw the American Dippers in the south eastern part and today we are doing a hike in what they call the North End. I guess that’s because this section is north  of Estes Park.

 

 

On the way we stop by the 3^rd and last campground in the park that can take an RV as large as 35’. Aspenglen is a small campground and there are very few sites that we could use. The on line reservation system says there are 6 but we find only two that we would want. #37 and #40. We’ve been very happy with both Glacier Basin and Moraine Park. The latter has the advantage that with our booster we can get internet here which we did not have at Glacier Basin. The advantage of both Aspenglen and Glacier Basin is that they are much smaller than Moraine Park.

After cruising the campground we stop at the second of the 4 visitor centers, the Fall River visitor’s center. This is a beautiful building and even more so inside.

They have simply stunning life size bronze animal figures throughout the information exhibits.

Along with TONS of interesting and informative displays upstairs, they have another excellent topographic map in the lower level.

 

 

 

 

The map of this area and the Alpine Region to its west.  These maps are so wonderful for giving you the big picture of the park or the area you are in.

 

 

The stairway down is beautiful including the lights.

 

 

 

Also down here is what I call the dress up room. It’s designed for kids and has great displays about the people who have been part of this beautiful area over time.

I have loved to dress up all my life and my family can attest that I still do. Since I can fit in clothing for bigger kids, I have a fun time here with one little girl and her parents.

 

These pictures are for the real Ranger, Gaelyn.  The Ranger Wannabe is on the left and my little friend the Future Ranger is on the right.   This was the very first costume both she and I wanted to try on.   That’s her dad in the mirror.

 

 

 

My second favorite outfit was the buckskin dress. Boy was it heavy.  Wish I hadn’t had to put it on over my shirt and pants and belt. I look a bit thick around the middle.

But how about this trapper?  You know it’s true that trappers and traders often married into the local Chief’s family in order to solidify trading relationships.

 

 

 

 

And finally, the homesteading couple. I know they were supposed to have dour faces.  I have trouble doing that when I’m having fun

 

 

 

So much for playing around, we have to get hiking. I get the stamp for my passport book which is so full I’m having to put the stamps on paper and tape them into the book.  And then we’re off to the Lumpy Ridge Trail Head to do the Gem Lake hike.  What kind of a name is lumpy ridge??

 

 

I really would have liked to go to Bridal Veil falls after the super hike from yesterday. But you can see from the map that it would be 6.3 miles one way. I’m such a slow hiker that a nearly 13 hour mile trip hike  would require an overnight for me. LOL

David’s dressed in his rain gear for warmth and because showers can happen at any time here.   Notice all the wildflowers along the path.  It’s so beautiful.

 

 

 

 

This turns out to be the hike of rocks, reflections and mushrooms.

 

 

Well except for this cutie.  He’s the red squirrel.  I may have shown pictures of him before. He’s a loud fearless chatterer and I get a big kick out of him.

 

 

 

The hike starts out with rocks.

 

 

It continues with rocks.  We wonder how this one landed exactly as it did. Most of these stones were part of rock slides.  I try it out, it’s just my size and so I know where to go if it rains.

 

 

Rocks beside the trail, lining the trail and in the trail.

 

 

 

We get up high enough to see a bit in the distance and then up up up some more.  I’m pretty sure nearly every trail in this park is up and most of them are hundreds and sometimes a thousand or more feet up.  But actually it’s great that the up is first since that means the end of your hike is down.

 

 

 

 

 

We are high enough up to look out and see the city of Estes Park.  Not my favorite view.

 

 

But this is almost my favorite rock on the trail and not because of the view.

 

 

 

 

 

Our views become rocks, interesting looking rocks, towering rocks, looming rocks.  Rocks standing vertically.  Rocks sliding down hill.

 

 

 

 

 

The trail runs right along and between these rocks.

 

 

And here is my very favorite rock of the day.   What does it look like to you??

 

 

 

On a few occasions we walk through aspens and hear their leaves tinkling in the nearly constant wind.   At another point, in honor of Nancy Mills David picks raspberries along the trail.  But he didn’t save them for you Nancy, he ate them.  Some friend huh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

But mostly it’s all about rocks.  This is ROCKY Mountain National Park and they aren’t kidding.

 

The trail – rocks.

 

 

 

And then this last rocky section leads us to the star attraction – Gem Lake.  And boy is it a gem.

 

I’m just going to let you look at this gorgeous little mountain lake and its beautiful reflections.  There really is nothing more to say except the rocky hike was well worth it.

 

 

 

 

While we were here, the light changed several times as you can see in the pictures above and particularly in these two.  The rocks lining the lake were gorgeous in sunshine and shadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But eventually we have to head back down.  We’ve eaten up all our snacks!

 

 

Rather than show you our trip down.  I’ll just show you some of the things we saw other than rocks while we were hiking in both directions.

 

 

 

Mushrooms were everywhere.  I haven’t even tried to identify them but I couldn’t help but love their sizes and shapes and colors.  If Pam of Nomadic Newfies is reading I know she can probably identify every single one of them and I hope she will so I’ll number them for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had to take time to smell the Ponderosa Pines.  Mmmmmm vanilla…mmmmm butterscotch.   And to show just how BIG and beautiful they are here in the park.

 

 

Even in death the lodgepole pines are lovely.

 

 

David did find a rock rain shelter ALMOST his size.  I think it was really more my size but he had to try it out.

 

 

It was a great rocky hike to a gorgeous lake.  Just another of the beauties of this park.  I just don’t think there is a bad or even disappointing hike anywhere here.

 

And one last thing we saw.   Have you ever seen this???