Rocky Mountain NP 2006
July 22nd through August 5th
Trip Reports
If you want to get right to the hiking trip reports and pictures, the links are on the left in the order we hiked them.
Vacation Overview
This was our 6th visit to RMNP. We stayed at Swiftcurrent Lodge, in Estes Park, for 13 nights. Joining us were the Huftel's: Sandy's sister Susan, her husband Terry, and their son Nick. This was their third time to vacation with us at RMNP, and it was our first vacation without Ben. He's not into hiking or the outdoors, and so he decided to earn a little money house sitting for the Huftel's, caring for their pets and vegetable garden. The weather was very cooperative, affecting only one of our hikes. During my pre-vacation car check-up, I determined our old Quest minivan was getting beyond its over-the-road days. Several costly repairs were needed, and I decided to apply those dollars to a new car. I found a nice 1998 Toyota Camry a couple of weeks before the vacation which worked out nicely for the trip.
Day 1 - Saturday, July 22nd - On the Road
We got under way at about 10:00am Saturday morning. Our route was I-35 south from the Twin Cities to Des Moines, then west on I-80 to Cheyenne, then south on I-25 to Loveland, and finally west on U.S. 34 to Estes Park. We made on pit stop in the afternoon, and then stopped for gas and a bit to eat in Lincoln at 5:00pm. We finished up the first day in North Platte at about 8:15pm.
Day 2 - Sunday, July 23rd - Arrival
We got started around 7:00am out of North Platte. Our first stop was in Sydney for breakfast at Perkins. Then we continued on to Estes Park arriving at Swiftcurrent a little before 1:00pm. We spent the afternoon grocery shopping, and getting unpacked and settling into our cabin. The Huftel's arrived about 5:00pm.
Day 3 - Monday, July 24th - Twin Sisters
For our first hike, we wanted something moderately challenging, that everyone could complete. We left the TH at 6:50am. It was cloudy at the start, but the sky cleared up during our ascent. When we reached the saddle between the peaks at 9:00am, it was mostly sunny. Everyone but Susan climbed the true east summit, and signed the summit log. On the way down, the sky began to cloud up again, keeping us cool. We finished up around noon.
Day 4 - Tuesday, July 25th - Blue Lake
We started our second hike from the Glacier Gorge TH at 5:50am. Sandy, Ali, Nick, and I, all hiked to Blue Lake. Susan had sore feet due to blisters, so she wasn't certain how far she'd go. Terry hiked with her, and they made it to Black Lake, and then continued up the trail along the inlet stream where it levels off below the other lakes. The four of us reached Black Lake by 8:30am, and Blue Lake a little after 9:00am.
Day 5 - Wednesday, July 26th - Mt. Ida
Ali, Sandy, Nick, and I were dropped off at the Timber Lake TH. At 6:50am, we left the TH on our way to Timber Lake, and from there on to the summit of Mt. Ida. Meanwhile, Susan and Terry returned to the Milner Pass TH, and hiked directly to Mt. Ida's summit. The weather was very nice throughout the hike. The four of us reached the lake at 9:00am, and then the summit at 11:00am. Susan and Terry were waiting there for us, having arrived about 30 minutes earlier after a leisurely pace to the summit. We all returned to the Milner Pass TH together at 1:30pm.
Day 6 - Thursday, July 27th - Sandbeach Lake
Nick joined Ali, Sandy, and I for a hike to Sandbeach Lake. It was a clear morning, and we reached the lake in under 2 hours. We spent our visit enjoying the views, and watching climbers along the Narrows and Homestretch of Longs. Susan and Terry spent their morning scrambling on boulders near the upper Old Ute Trail along Trail Ridge Road, and observing climbers on Mt. Ida and Hallett.
Day 7 - Friday, July 28th - Mt. Chiquita
Susan dropped the rest of us off at the Lawn Lake TH, and then continued on to Chapin Pass TH. We hiked to Ypsilon Lake, and then continued west, on a lesser trail. We incorrectly followed a fading trail which led us to Spectacle Lakes. From there, Nick and Terry split off over Donner Ridge, and found their own way onto Ypslion around 12:30-1:00pm. The three of us backtracked around the ridge, continued on to summit Mt. Chiquita at 2:00pm. Susan had reached Ypsilon a few hours before Nick and Terry. We reunited on the trail below Chiquita, and finished up at 4:00pm at Chapin Pass TH.
Day 8 - Saturday, July 29th - Bierstadt Lake
Ali, Sandy, and I started from the Cub Lake TH at 7:00am, and hiked to Bierstadt Lake via Mill Creek Basin. After a break at the lake, we continued down to the Park-and-Ride to catch the shuttle back to the car. The Huftel's spent their morning on Trail Ridge Road, and did more boulder scrambling by the Old Ute Trail.
Day 9 - Sunday, July 30th - Odessa Loop
Today, the six of us hiked the Odessa Loop starting from the Fern Lake TH at 5:30am. The weather was very nice again, clouding up just a bit during our descent from Lake Helene to Bear Lake. We finished up at Bear Lake just before 11:00am. From there, we took the shuttle back to the car.
Day 10 - Monday, July 31st - Sky Pond
All of us were of to Sky Pond from the Glacier Gorge TH a bit before 5:30am. It was a cloudy morning with a few sprinkles. The sky cleared as we continued, and it was partly cloudy when we reached Timberline Falls. The clouds remained, and kept us cool on the way back down. We finished up at 11:00am.
Day 11 - Tuesday, August 1st - Eagle Cliff - Longs Peak
Sandy, Ali, Nick, and Terry were off to Longs Peak, leaving the TH at 5:00am. I went to Beaver Meadows and took pictures around 6:30am. It was very cloudy and grey. By 7:30am, they had turned back due to the weather. Meanwhile, I returned to the cabin, and Susan and I climbed Eagle Cliff. We finished around 10:30am, shortly before the foursome returned.
Day 12 - Wednesday, August 2nd - Crystal Lakes - Hagues Peak
Today the Huftel's explored along Trail Ridge Road while Ali, Sandy, and I headed to the Lawn Lake area. We left the TH at about 5:15am, and we reached the lake at 7:45am. The weather was very nice, and once again clouded up during our return keeping the afternoon cool. Ali We continued above Lawn Lake. Ali went to Crystal Lakes, Sandy explored the ridge above Crystal lakes, and I climbed Hagues Peak. Sandy and Ali made it back by 1:30pm, and I follwed at 2:45pm.
Day 13 - Thursday, August 3rd - Chasm Lake - Longs Peak
Today Sandy, Nick, and Terry headed for Longs Peak leaving the TH a few minutes before 5:00am. Ali, Susan, and I started out from the same TH at 5:50am headed for Chasm Lake. It turned out to be a very nice day, with clouds cooling the return trip. We made it to Chasm Lake just before 9:00am. At about 9:45am, Susan made contact with Terry on the summit via their walkie-talkies. After a short chat and some pictures, we headed back, finishing up a bit after noon. Sandy, Nick, and Terry were done a couple of hours later.
Day 14 - Friday, August 4th - Snowbank Lake
This was our final hike of the vacation. We got started on the trail at 6:00am. The Huftel's were already on their way home, having left for home a couple of hours earlier. The weather was very nice again. We made good time, reaching Snowbank Lake around 9:30am. It was breezy and cool at the lake, but not uncomfortably so. It was a very nice finish to 2 weeks of hiking. We were back to the TH at 1:15pm. After relaxing a bit, we did a bit of packing for a quicker exit in the morning.
Day 15 - Saturday, August 5th - Departure
On past trips to RMNP, we had visited the park one last time in the morning before heading home. Typically we would stay overnight in Iowa a few hours from home. This time we decided to leave first thing in the morning about the same time we'd head for the trail. We got on the road at 5:30am. We stopped in Cheyenne for breakfast at Perkins, and then continued along the same route we'd followed out. Stopping only a couple of times for gase, we made it home around 9:30pm.