El Dorado Canyon

El Dorado Canyon is a nice but popular State Park located just inside the front range between Denver and Boulder.  Nearby is the southern half of Boulder Mountain State Park and Flat Irons Vista both of which can make heading over to the area worth your time.  By being so close to Denver and Boulder near H-36 it is an excellent evening hike if you are in the mood for less driving (from Denver) and a laid back walk.  There are three trails in the park, one that goes up to the foundations of an old hotel and for an overlook of the continental divide (plagued by trees, but what view isn't?), one that runs by the north side of the stream, and a third that provides access to the western side of the park leading near the Walker Ranch and even further west Gross Reservoir area.  The western part of the park actually caught on fire back in '09 as explained in a

previous entry

.

The park consists of a impressively sheer faces leading down into a rather charming steam that cascades occasionally through out the eastern half of the park.  In the summer the place becomes a solid green sprinkled with purple flowers while in the winter the whole of the park enjoys the edge of mountain snows.  The snow in the winter can become quite deep and it does get the mountain blizzards that can make driving sketchy, but every time I have gone out in such weather I was only chap in the park besides the rangers.  More for than just the solitude, the park really shines photographically at this time as it hides much of the human impact, covers the problems with the sky, and can make for simply gorgeous textures on the mountain faces that will not last the first direct sunlight on them.  During the winter excellent ice forms throughout the stream and over in areas at times.  I would never test this ice to walking over it though.  Along the sides where there is less flow you might be able to get away with it but the stream remains active all year making center ice always questionable.  In the spring, particularly during storms the flow becomes impressive.

Photographically I have always found the park to be frustrating under normal weather.  Effective evening and morning light is difficult.  The stream bends back and forth so much that light becomes blocked quickly often leaving one side of the stream completely unlit (see the first photo).  Further I have never had good luck with clouds here either.  I don't know what it is about the spot, but it is almost always all or nothing useful. For those reasons, I prefer the park during winter storms for photography.

As one would imagine, the park can become very busy or even full on summer weekends while at all times during the week it is common to find at least one face obscured by climbers practicing on its convenient faces.  During winter all of that disappears, usually a handful of hikers will be out on the forested part of the trails leaving the stream and mountains free of distractions for photographing.

More photos of the area, refer to my:

flickr

Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake an incredible spot along I-70 south of Glenwood Springs that is perfect for an afternoon photo shoot. The whole of the experience is enjoyable and fits that rare category of being just the right amount of effort to be physically satisfying but not exhausting. The trail starts next to a stream and it is uphill continuously from there for 1.25 miles. Around you are tall trees in a deep narrow canyon, accompanying you for the duration is the stream that is fed by Hanging Lake and Spouting rock.

Once, with another photographer, I hit the trail an hour before sunrise just after a rather nasty little snow storm. To our somewhat sheepish horror, along the trail going in the same direction as us for about 1/2 mile were mountain lion tracks. We could see in the tracks where it came right up the stream at one point, presumably to get a drink.

While in the summer the trail is relatively easy footing that becomes rather less true in the winter. The trail becomes a well-worn rut in the deep snow that people smooth to a perfectly terrible sheen by sledding down in parts, making it rather maddening if you don’t have metal spikes on your shoes. The last little bit that curves around a tree sprouting up out of the rock, where they have rough steps and placed a crude and seemingly not quite substantial enough banister, can also be rather nervous in the winter if it has just snowed. The whole thing can turn into a nasty slick. Bring some snow-shoes with spikes for grip if you make a winter go!

Once you have made it up, you get a fantastic view of the canyon. The canyon faces south-east making morning light better than evening for photographing the lake, but even then the lighting is not fantastic. The lake itself is just past the view point and is rather unfortunately bridged by a wooden walkway to allow access to both sides of the shore. From the far side you can gain access to a rather tempting-looking downed tree that has a flat side facing up. I would avoid this unless you are truly the surest of foot. The water all times of year will be in the least brisk and that rather stable-looking tree is deceiving you. The further out you go on it the more you will find it is actually swaying back and forth from the flow of the falls making balance difficult.

Rather than falling into the lake at the wrong time of year and having a right bad time of it, make your way up to Spouting Rock behind the lake and further up the trail. You can go up from either side of Hanging Lake really, but the left is usually easier depending on the snow. In the summer either is fine. Up there you will find a stream that leads up to a small pool being fed by yet another waterfall. If you make your way behind these falls you will notice that below them out of the rock face is another much smaller water-fall that jets water. This formation can really shine in the winter when the upper part of the falls is frozen and just Spouting Rock is flowing.

There are no fees for the park and its proximity to I-70 makes it a popular spot to go. In my experience on early mornings you can enjoy the place by yourself until normal day hikers come and ruckus up the place.

For more photos of the area, refer to:

my flickr

Indian Peaks

Indian Peaks is an excellent location located just south of Rocky Mountain National Park. While the park lacks the large sweeping valleys, it contains much of the same high mountain beauty that you can find in the longer hikes of RMNP. The mountains loom over you once you get far enough giving you the same kind of feel you can find on your way up to Chasm lake, but almost more scenic. As you approach Blue Lake, you pass many smaller calm crystal clea

r ponds and great piles of boulders littered with strange spiders that bounce in their web. Throughout the trails are numerous wildflowers that gather around the many streams leading to the ponds. Morning light can make these locations glow, but only if you brave the numerous mosquitoes that sometimes fill the lower parts of the trail.

Indian Peaks unfortunately becomes rather inaccessible during the winter months. A gate closes with the first serious snow fall, which extends round hikes by approximately 3 miles. Coupled with the snow it makes hiking there in the winter tiring. Further complicating winter hiking is that the three times I have been there during the winter, I experienced white out blizzard conditions. Like all high mountain locations, weather can be unpredictable but such hikes can be particularly rewarding emotionally. The gate tends to open in late May and closes in September or October.

In the summer, The Blue Lake Trail or the Mitchell Lake trail are relaxing and rewarding afternoon hikes. Expect ice to vary amounts all year around. When I was there in late July standing snow was still present as well as glacial ice and floating ice in Blue Lake. With the ice and blue co

lor Blue Lake is the gem of the park. Various small water falls feed it surrounded by purple and pale yellow flowers and rather tame marmots and mountain grouse can be found near its edge.

During the summer months, park can be busy, especially on the weekends but no exclusively. Come early both for the better light and so you can even find a spot to park while avoiding the crowds. Parking is rather limited, so even when the park is full, once you are out on the trails it does not seem crowded. You are aware of other people, but it is not the point where you feel like a touron standing at the side of the road in RMNP watching elk. Most people stay near Long Lake to camp, fish, and picnic leaving the trails for people who will appreciate them. If you choose to go in the winter, you will likely need to pick up a day pass in a nearby town that is authorized to sell them. They do not sell passes at the park gate during the winter. I do not know if you need a pass in the winter, I have a universal state park pass so I never looked into it.

For more photos of the area, refer to:

my flickr