Lumpy Ridge and Gem Lake

After our successful cinnamon roll mission, we decided to celebrate with a short hike. Most of Rocky Mountain National Park lies within a single, cohesive unit. One small portion, north of Estes Park, sits by itself in a small bubble of government land.

Towering above the parking area were what appeared to be massive stacks of boulders. Even though they were mountains too, they were different from the rest of the park in nearly every way. The soil and trees reminded me of the Trinity Alps. It was clear that Lumpy Ridge didn't recieve the same amount of precipitation as the rest of the park. As I climbed on the trail through the boulders, the direct sunlight was hot and uncomfortable. Wasn't I freezing on a windy mountaintop just this morning? I thought to myself. I wished to have a sliver of that feeling return to my overheated body.

We climbed higher through clusters of golden Aspen. I explained to Matt why I loved this particular tree's fall hue: since they often are mixed into evergreen forests, it turns the whole world into Packer colors. Go Pack Go!

Soon, we arrived at a lookout perched on top of massive boulders. The entire valley that held Estes Park, Lake Estes, and the surrounding hillsides opened up to us. Matt and I sat down on a rock for a few moments to take in the view. I want to bottle up moments like these and save them forever. We hold hands and gawk at the fantastic scenery. My heart is never happier than it is in the mountains with my honey by my side.

The lowest part of the valley was rich with a golden yellow color. As my eye moved up from the valley floor, a gradient of slightly darker hues continued until it abruptly stopped with either naked trees or evergreens. Even higher up, no trees remained at all.

We continued on, climbing on stone stairs that only increased in height. My sore quads, yesterday's downhill power, voiced their discomfort as I lifted my leg higher than it wished to go. I'm not sure what element of my training regimen makes downhill more difficult for me, but it always leaves me more sore. Perhaps a tweak in my downhill hiking form is all that is necessary. Regardless, it didn't help make my legs any less achy now.

Soon we arrived at our afternoon's destination: Gem Lake. Matt and I had been expecting a valley or high alpine lake. Instead, in a small bowl surrounded by tall rocky cliffs, a modest lake appeared. It almost looked man-made. Where was the inlet for this thing?

Sun reflected off the water and nearby rocks, making part of the lake almost too bright to look at. We hunkered down in the shade for a snack and debated a swim. Shyness prevailed when we discovered we weren't alone enjoying this pretty lake. Not everybody appreciates our nekkid swimming habit.

Even though we returned by way of the same trail, everything was different. The sinking sun lit up the boulders and trees with a specacular orange light. Hiking at dawn and dusk are my favorite thing, I thought to myself, I really should make a point to do it more often. The next few mornings' schedules would force me to do just that. I could hardly wait.

Until then, here are some Rocky Mountain Elk. They have the coolest looking butts, don't they?