How can I resist a walk in Garden of the Gods on such a lovely afternoon. Living only two miles away, the temptation is too great. A short loop hike with great views east and west on a gorgeous blue-sky day. Let’s explore along Ridge Trail Loop.
Let’s go . . .
Moving to a new home means lots to do. For me finding a chiropractor is top priority–it is a life-long issue. Moving to a new state means visiting DMV–for hours. Registering for upcoming elections, unpacking and stowing boxes, organizing everything everywhere, getting insurance squared away, finding fave food stores, cafes, and good local coffee, well, you get the idea. I’ve lived here just over two weeks, still busy settling in, but the mountains are calling! It is autumn in Colorado, world-famous for glorious golden quaking aspens. Only 40 minutes to Mueller State Park, just the other side of Pikes Peak. Let’s take a break from the mundane and revel in nature’s glorious fall show!
Deep breath, relax, enjoy . . .
Third time is a charm. Today we WILL get to the base of the falls on Holland Creek which connects Upper Holland Lake and the much larger 416-acre Holland Lake. The hike to the upper lake is about 12 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 3,600 feet. The hike to Holland Lake Falls is 3.3 miles round trip with a 750 foot elevation gain. Guess which one we are doing–remembering I’m wimpy.
I’ve walked this trail before but could never find access to the base of the falls. Today I will not be denied, and although it is mostly cloudy, rain is not forecast, the sun peaks through here and there, the smoke from fires north and west has subsided, and it is only in the upper 60s. What a day for a pleasant late morning hike. Sitting at the base of Carmine Peak in the Swan Mountains, welcome to Holland Lake!
Grab your gear, let’s go . . .
Up, up, up into the mountains above Lamar Valley, with summer flowers and grasses waist-high. Walking poles become test devises for holes we can’t see in the lush foliage. Careful, there are holes deep enough to be up to your thigh with only one leg. Falling is always possible, but trusty poles help. These tripping dangers are the result of bison weight in the mud last spring, Uinta ground squirrels’ burrowing systems connecting their large community, and nature’s backhoe and rototiller, the badger, that digs holes up to 30 feet long and a foot in diameter. We will take our time, watch our step, and revel in the beauty of the hillsides that call us on.
Sitting in the shade of the conifers, bit of marsh below, resting against a rock, we are cushioned by deep, soft needles. Decades of needles absorbing random noise. Horsetail plants thriving in the dampness of the marsh, tall grasses waving in the breeze. A nap is not out of order.
Slow down, stop talking, enjoy the wind, the rustling grasses, and bird song. Is that a stream we hear or the wind blowing though the conifers? A chipmunk scampering along a downed tree, a chickadee we hear but cannot see. Flickers and Clark’s nutcrackers high in the trees adding their voices to the day’s chorus.
Aspens trembling in the breeze adding their black on white texture to the landscape. Sticky Geraniums presenting a symphony of pink. Indian Paintbrush popping scarlet staccatos. A crescendo of scattered white and yellow flowers. Always the conifers standing guard and keeping time. Take a deep breath, soak it in . . .
Welcome to summer in the Rockies!
