After visiting the La Garita Natural Arch we decided to hike into the Penitente Canyon.
This was an easy 2 mile hike, although the trail was either very muddy or snowpacked and icy. At almost the 1 mile point we were rewarded with wonderful views of the San Luis Valley and its snowcapped peaks. The rocks here reminded us of Lumpy Ridge.
The canyon was used as a place of worship for the Brothers Penitente and you can the painted image of the Virgin Mary on one of the rock walls. This is a very popular area for bouldering and climbing.
Here are some pictures from the hike.
Here's hiking track/map.
View Penitente Canyon Hike in a larger map
Monday, March 15, 2010
La Garita Natural Arch
Another attraction in the San Luis Valley was a visit to La Garita Natural Arch.
Not really a hike, but a very steep scramble up to the arch. We were rewarded with some fantastic views!
Here are a few pictures.
Not really a hike, but a very steep scramble up to the arch. We were rewarded with some fantastic views!
Here are a few pictures.
Zapata Falls Hike
After our hike in Great Sand Dunes, we decided to do the nearby Zapata Falls hike.
We'd tried to do this hike a few years ago, but you have to wade in the stream coming down from the falls and we skipped it because the flow was too high and we didn't have our trekking poles with us.
It was easy this time though, as the falls and stream were completely frozen. The hike was only half a mile each way on a snowpacked trail.
Here are a few pictures from the hike (click on the slideshow to see larger images).
We'd tried to do this hike a few years ago, but you have to wade in the stream coming down from the falls and we skipped it because the flow was too high and we didn't have our trekking poles with us.
It was easy this time though, as the falls and stream were completely frozen. The hike was only half a mile each way on a snowpacked trail.
Here are a few pictures from the hike (click on the slideshow to see larger images).
Great Sand Dunes Hike
While Susan and I were down in the San Luis Valley for Cranefest, we took advantage of a gorgeous sunny day to hike again in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GRSA).
GRSA has the tallest dunes in North America, and we bagged one of the highest ones, at about 650 feet in elevation. There was some recent snow on the dunes, but it was melting rapidly in the 40+ degree sunny weather.
Here are some pictures from the hike (click on slide show to see the larger album).
GRSA has the tallest dunes in North America, and we bagged one of the highest ones, at about 650 feet in elevation. There was some recent snow on the dunes, but it was melting rapidly in the 40+ degree sunny weather.
Here are some pictures from the hike (click on slide show to see the larger album).
Sandhill Cranes near Monte Vista, CO
Susan and I just got back from the San Luis Valley area near Alamosa, CO. The main attraction for us was Cranefest, and the chance to see thousands of migrating sandhill cranes up close in the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge.
We did some hiking and will have more posts about this later.
Here's a selection of some of our photos (click through the embedded slideshow below to see larger versions).
We did some hiking and will have more posts about this later.
Here's a selection of some of our photos (click through the embedded slideshow below to see larger versions).
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Bridal Veil Falls
We decided to do another late-day hike, this time to Bridal Veil Falls, on the Cow Creek Trail, north of Lumpy Ridge. We really like the area north of Lumpy Ridge and have even hiked all the way around it (about 10 miles).
The first couple of miles the trail was variable, sometimes with no snow at all, and sometimes snow-packed and/or icy. The last third of the trail up to the Falls was mostly snow-packed and icy. We didn't use snowshoes, but Susan used her MicroSpikes with good success. Once we got to the Falls, I put mine on too, as it was very icy on the steeper sections in this area.
Bridal Veil Falls was of course frozen, with just a trickle of water running under the ice. The falls normally makes a lot of noise, but it was beautiful and quiet.
Perhaps the thing we enjoyed most on this hike was not seeing another human being on the trail the whole day! It was like we had the Park to ourselves.
This hike is described in Lisa Foster's excellent book, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Complete Hiking Guide, on page 145.
Below are previews/links to photos and a map (click either to see larger photos/map).
View Bridal Veil Falls Hike in a larger map
The first couple of miles the trail was variable, sometimes with no snow at all, and sometimes snow-packed and/or icy. The last third of the trail up to the Falls was mostly snow-packed and icy. We didn't use snowshoes, but Susan used her MicroSpikes with good success. Once we got to the Falls, I put mine on too, as it was very icy on the steeper sections in this area.
Bridal Veil Falls was of course frozen, with just a trickle of water running under the ice. The falls normally makes a lot of noise, but it was beautiful and quiet.
Perhaps the thing we enjoyed most on this hike was not seeing another human being on the trail the whole day! It was like we had the Park to ourselves.
This hike is described in Lisa Foster's excellent book, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Complete Hiking Guide, on page 145.
Below are previews/links to photos and a map (click either to see larger photos/map).
View Bridal Veil Falls Hike in a larger map
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Hiking to "The Pool" in RMNP
The weather was warm and partly sunny today (and almost 50F), so Susan and I decided to get in a little exercise today in Rocky. We decided the relatively easy hike to "The Pool" would fit the bill.
Normally this hike, starting at the Fern Lake Trailhead, is about 3.5 miles round trip. When we headed down the road to the trailhead, we found the last .6 miles of the road was closed, so we parked and walked to the start of the hike. We got kind of a late start, leaving the car at just before 2:30pm.
We were surprised out how much snow was on the trail and although we didn't have snowshoes, we both brought our MicroSpikes. The snow was slushy and packed so Susan put hers on, but I didn't.
It was still warm enough to hike in our shirtsleeves and still partly sunny. We arrived at the pool at about 3:30pm, took a few pictures, and ate a few almonds. Then we headed back.
Got back to the car at about 4:40pm.
Total distance was almost 5.2 miles. Other details including an elevation profile are available on a map I created at Google Maps from the GPS track log.
View Hike to the Pool in RMNP in a larger map
This hike is described in Lisa Foster's book on page 37.
Normally this hike, starting at the Fern Lake Trailhead, is about 3.5 miles round trip. When we headed down the road to the trailhead, we found the last .6 miles of the road was closed, so we parked and walked to the start of the hike. We got kind of a late start, leaving the car at just before 2:30pm.
We were surprised out how much snow was on the trail and although we didn't have snowshoes, we both brought our MicroSpikes. The snow was slushy and packed so Susan put hers on, but I didn't.
It was still warm enough to hike in our shirtsleeves and still partly sunny. We arrived at the pool at about 3:30pm, took a few pictures, and ate a few almonds. Then we headed back.
Got back to the car at about 4:40pm.
Total distance was almost 5.2 miles. Other details including an elevation profile are available on a map I created at Google Maps from the GPS track log.
View Hike to the Pool in RMNP in a larger map
This hike is described in Lisa Foster's book on page 37.
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