From RMNP

Day 5: Woke up and got on the road at 5:30. I put off breakfast, so I could get a few hours of windshield time in before most other cars were on the road.

Stopped in Lincoln to see the University of Nebraska, specifically the football stadium (site of several FSU victories). Wanted to go inside, but they had it locked down tight and I was content to walk a lap then get back on the road.

Another day and another drive through part of the country I hadn’t been to before. I’m sure I would get pretty tired of seeing rolling fields of farm land if I lived there, it was still neat to drive through. However, it can not compare to seeing the Rockies from a distance (over 50 miles out). Driving through the narrow mountain passes was one of the coolest drives I have ever done. 

The traffic to get into the park was fairly backed up, but the Rangers moved us through quickly and my campsite was near the entrance to the park (fortunately I had a site reserved as only those with a campsite or timed entry permit were allowed down that road). 

I quickly set up camp then headed out for a short hike from my campground. I hadn’t planned to hike from there and did not have a route planned (a cardinal sin), but was able to get service about 10 minutes in and used the All Trails app to find a loop that was just shy of 4 miles.

Less than a mile in was a pretty mountain lake with a view of the Continental Divide in the background. I walked most of the way around the lake, then doubled back to pick up the trail I was supposed to take. I didn’t see anyone for about a mile and enjoyed hiking through the pine forest and over a small stream.

The first people I saw were on a horseback tour and I had to wait a few minutes until we got to a wide enough section for me to go around them. Bounded through the rest of the hike with the pent up energy of someone who spent nine hours of the day in a motor vehicle.

Made it back to camp a little before 5, and organized some of my gear before cooking a lovely camp meal of instant mashed potatoes covers with a red beans and lentil combo (shoutout to Costco for providing such a delicacy).

Read about LBJ for a little, then started getting ready for bed to try to catch up on sleep (time zones are rough adjustment when your body is programmed to wake up at a certain time no matter how much or little you’ve slept). But all things considered, I couldn’t pick a much better place to sleep.

Day 6: Pretty chilly night (low 40’s), but had enough gear to be comfortable. Woke up a few times, but got pretty good sleep for the most part.

I’m looking forward to when I’m a little more efficient at breaking down camp (should get a lot of practice). 

Drove over to Sprague Lake to start my hike to Sky Pond. Filled up some water, packed some lunch and snacks, then gave my mother a call to check-in and let her know I have yet to starve to death or get mauled by a bear. 

Got started around 8. The first part of the trail was fairly easy without a lot of elevation gain and fewer people. I didn’t see anyone else for about 40 minutes, but then started to see more and more.

Made it to an Alberta Falls about an hour in.  The trail was definitely getting steeper at this point and so were the crowds, particularly at the vistas and waterfall. For a lot of families, or older couples this was the terminus of their hike, and they were proud to have made it.

The trail continued to climb and the switchbacks were abundant. The crowds had thinned, and snow drifts started to appear on the sides of the trails. I felt close. Especially when I made it to The Loch, which was a large Alpine lake. I expected to finish at any moment as my mileage was near the halfway point, but the trail continued and I obediently followed.

The snow drifts had reached the trail at this point, and progress slowed a little. A little over two hours and nearly 6 miles in I reached a drift that was slick and slipped a little. A gentleman coming down was concerned at my lack of ice cleats and trekking poles as the rest of the path was similarly slick, and steeper. With the bull headedness of youth I trudged on and came upon an open expanse of snow that had to be crossed. I could see a few people ahead completing the journey and was not to be deterred (sorry Mom).

Progress slowed significantly at this point as the path was not as clear and the penalty for a misstep was more severe. I took my time and eventually found a steady rhythm and make it to Timberline Falls, which was still not the end. 

There were a couple groups congregated here sizing up the route forward. This was no longer a trail but a small climb up some rocks that paralleled the waterfall. It reminded me of some portions of Devil’s Ladder in Ireland, fortunately I had waterproof boots this time, making for an easier scramble.

And then, there was a beautiful lake. This had to be it. I smiled triumphantly only to see some hikers continuing to the other side of the lake. Maybe the view was better on that side? I followed their lead and began walking around the lake. The reward was Sky Pond.

The first lake (Lake of Glass) was a false summit. This was the end of the road (or trail). I took a seat across from a guide (Alex) who had led a father and daughter up. We chatted over lunch, then I began the descent. 

The beauty of a trail is never as great as the first time you see it, but I enjoyed the trek down nonetheless. I was ready to get down and start the drive to my campsite and took no time to stop off at all the places I stopped on the way up. Momentum is a powerful force (and gravity, frankly) and it carried me down from which I had climbed mere hours before. The ease of the last few miles were a welcome chance to reminisce on what is one if my all time favorite hikes, and one that will seldom be topped.

I took a few minutes to eat the rest of my lunch as I watched an older gentleman fly fish in Sprague Lake. I then began the 1.5 hour drive to the Timber Creek campground. The route was mostly on Highway 34 and it might be the most impressive drive I’ve ever taken. The views were spectacular as the road meandered up and over a few mountain passes, but the guardrails were almost nonexistent, so my gaze could not shift for very long. There were multiple turnoffs to take pictures, but the crowds were incredibly thick and my patience thin. I drove past all but the Alpine Visitor Center situated at well over 11,000 feet. It included a short trail that brought me to 12,000 feet, which was pretty neat, but it was a much more touristy crowd than the one at Sky Pond and the view was less stunning, so I headed back down. 

Made it to camp a little before 5 and had a bowl of Couscous with black beans. Nothing to write home about, but it required little clean up, making it a great meal in my book.

Even though RMNP is one of the most popular national parks, I had not anticipated it as much as other parks in the itinerary. But after spending almost two days here, it holds a special place in my heart and I would love to return again.