Hike to Green Lake

Gunnison KOA
Gunnison, CO
July 15, 2016

If you are interested in a short hike with lots of punch, try the hike to Green Lake.  It is a 5.5 mile round trip in-out hike with an elevation gain of 1,365.  The trailhead is located on Kebler Pass Road.  Once you pass Irwin Lake/Campground there is a parking lot at the solar panel shed.   If you have a 4X4 vehicle you can continue driving .9 of a mile on the service road through private property.  Joe and I chose the latter option.  

Our hike began on the service road. 

The climb was steady as we snaked around the base of Ruby Range. 

Corydalis grow in thick bunches up to 5 feet tall.  The pink and white flowers smell sweet like lilacs.

We came to a sharp bend in the road and stopped to take  a break.  

 From here we made a steady climb on a more narrow trail.  


 Looking left we could see the road we had traversed (left top quadrant).

 It wasn't too long and the trail looked like this...

...then slippery and steep like this... 

...then scree...

...and finally like this. 

So far, this is my favorite hike here.  It certainly was not skimpy on spectacular vistas, the wildflowers were plentiful, and the destination was well worth the climb.  

One side of Green Lake was lined with wildflowers.  I walked a narrow path along the water.  Looking towards the lake...

 and away from the lake...

The water was crystal clear and very cold.  I love my new waterproof Merrell hiking boots !







 Two sides of the lake was scree.  A very steep side that I did not choose to conquer this day,










 but the opposing side was flat and easy to traverse...

...with hidden gems.

 The back side was steep and defined by snow.

 How cool to see ski tracks.

 So many colors in the rainbow and I believe I saw them all in the variety of wildflowers...

 My favorite for the day, Canary Violet.  A first sighting of this beauty. 

It was a glorious day.  A hike Joe and I highly recommend. 

 Until next time, happy days and...







happy...



HAPPY TRAILS!

Wildflower information from Wild About Wildflowers by Katherine Darrow

Hike the Peak

Gunnison KOA
Gunnison, CO
July 11, 2016

At the top of our list of things to do while in this area was hiking to the summit of Mt. Crested Butte.  I was thrilled to learn that we could take the Silver Queen lift to the entrance of the summit trail hike. 



So now, I get to check two things off the bucket list...our first chair lift ride and the summit of Mt. Crested Butte. 

Scott and Chris, avid skiers in Park City, UT, showed us the way.

The ride up and down was a hoot, but I didn't get many pictures.  There was a definite chill in the wind on both rides.  


















If you choose not to take the lift, you can walk the first six miles on a service road to get to this point.  

The 3.5 mile round trip hike was described as a family hike and yes, we did see several children who must have been mountain goats in an earlier life. 

The trail is well marked and easy at first except for the steep climb.  


Signs all along the way describing the wildflowers and wildlife made for convenient stops to breath deep and continue on. 

 After a steep climb we came to a fork in the trail...

we turned right toward the peak.  A nice descent into a small valley was easy.   We enjoyed watching  marmots  play. 

The next sign pointed us in the right direction...

from here the scrambling...umm...I mean fun began !

From here the trail became a lot steeper and rockier.  The rocks were stable for the most part, but deep crevices made it hard to find good footing.
The up wasn't so bad and coming down was mostly on my rump !  




What an incredible view... truly a 360 degree panorama.

Right from the get-go I was in alpine heaven.  There is something magical about the wildflowers and wildlife that thrive at these altitudes.  Even with its harsh, cold, windy weather and step rocky slopes, plants and animals find a way to grow.  The growing season for plants is only 50 to 60 days. 


Mountain Dryad also known as alpine rose...

Moss Campion are anchored by a deep taproot.  Each plant can live over 100 years...amazing!

 Alpine Sunflowers are easy to recognize being the largest yellow flowers found in the alpine habitat.  Stems are short with oversized flowers that always face the rising sun.

 It's not easy to pick a favorite, but I have to say Sky Pilot sure caught my eye.  The nectar robbing activity of ants can seriously diminish seed pollination so the plant has adapted by making its own stinky, sticky ant repellent.  Bees will still pollinate, but ants keep their distance.

Until next time, happy days and...

HAPPY TRAILS !

 Wildflower information from Wild About Wildflowers by Katherine Darrow