Passport Edition - Hermit Park Open Space - August 28, 2016

Where: Hermit Park Open Space, Larimer County
Distance: ~4 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Highest Elevation: 9,355 ft
Destination: Kruger Rock

I bring you another Passport to Your Open Spaces - Larimer County hike.  This is a short 4 mile hike, but it does involve some elevation gain to the top of Kruger Rock at an elevation of 9,355 ft. So far I'd rank this hike as the most difficult of the passport hikes due to the elevation gain. You will also need to drive on a dirt road through the park to the trailhead and there is a small fee as well. When you get to the top of Kruger Rock, you will be blown away by the 360 degree view around you. This is also the second time I've done this hike. Jesse and I did this one last summer and camped in the campground here too. So second time around was mainly to get that passport sketch. :)

Approaching the entrance gate below, you'll then soon come to the visitor office where you can get a day pass if you don't already have a permit.

The signs weren't completely clear on where the trail started, but you'll drive through the park and up the dirt road, past the campground, until you get to the group pavilion area. There will be bathrooms here as well.

And here is the start of the trail.

Already we have some aspen turning.

You can see Kruger Rock in the distance from the start of the trail. It looks pretty high up, but soon you'll be standing on top of that.

The trail gradually climbs for a bit. You'll start to see some open views.

We're getting closer to the rock and the climbs will start to get steeper...

Here is a good place to stop and take in a nice view of Long's Peak in the distance.

Well the climb wasn't too bad; we're at the post. Can you see it in the distance?

One of the nicest views at this particular post.

Keep climbing and there's a short rock scramble to reach the very top of the rock.

 That's not THE rock, but a cool looking one gazing from the summit.

And now we're at the top! Here are a few shots from all around.

A fellow hiker offered to take this photo of me, though a bit blurry. This is what it's like to be on top of the rock you saw at the start of the trail for perspective.

I took a photo of the passport here too.

Now it's back down the way you came. 

When you reach the start of the trail again, take a right onto the road before crossing over to the pavilion and visit the Line Shack across the street for the easy passport.

I also recommend pencil over crayon for the passports. As you can see, these came out a bit nicer than my Fossil Creek Reservoir ones.

Heading back home I checked out the Colorado Cherry Company. Pick up a slice of pie or a whole pie for a nice treat after your hike. :)

And lastly, trip stats. I'm not sure why my gps only says 3.66 total miles, but it is 4 total. Time is accurate at 2 hours. As always, the way down on the altitude time profile is always a lot quicker.

Chasm Lake - RMNP - September 4, 2016

Where: Chasm Lake, Colorado
Distance: 8.5 Miles
Elevation Gain: ~2,500ft
Difficulty: Moderate/Strenuous
Sites: Pika, Chipmunks, Columbines
Crowds: High

This was my first solo Colorado hike. So I picked a trail that I knew would be busy and also one that I've been wanting to do before the hiking season for 2016 comes to it's close. Chasm Lake is a .7 mile detour off the trail that leads to the 14,000 footer Long's Peak. The infamous Long's Peak is another beast that will hopefully make an appearance in a post next summer, but it will be a prominent and jagged feature in many of the photos in this post. Getting straight to the point, Chasm Lake is captured in the below panorama. The bare rock face devoid of plant growth fit in well with the weather for the day. Onwards from the destination to the journey....

Destination: Dark and Stormy Chasm Lake

 I awoke for an early start, catching a glimmer of the sun rising off of Hwy 7.

Arriving at the trailhead around 7 am I find that the lot is full as expected. There is plenty of room on the side of the road to park, you'll just want to prepare yourself for the possible additional half mile walk to the lot one way. Because those hiking to the top of Long's Peak usually leave as early as 2 am  to beat the thunderstorms and are still making their way down at 7. There is a restroom and picnic tables at the trailhead as well.

A brief glance at the map.

Starting elevation.

Take note.

The trail starts out on a gradual incline through a wooded forest.

Passing a campground.

Someone left a Yankee cap...my home state. :) It was gone on the way down so hopefully it found it's owner.

After gaining some elevation you'll start to get some teaser peeks of open views.

The first view you'll get is of Twin Sisters.

Found some berries. (unknown type)

Reaching the junction for the ranger station, you'll turn left and start heading up a steeper incline.

Here you can see that Long's Peak is shrouded in rain clouds. I wonder to myself how many people are in the cloud and glad I didn't plan a Long's Peak summit today. It drizzled for a bit when I first arrived in the parking lot before beginning my hike, but now that I'm approaching this rain cloud directly, is when it starts to really pour. 

I don't have any photos going up from here for the next mile to where you reach the next sign for the junction with Chasm Lake and the Boulder Field. My camera stayed huddled under my rain jacket for the ascent. I started to see more people descending in the rain and I wondered if it was a good idea to continue. My intuition sensed that it was probably a passing rain. If there is thunder or lightening of course descent should be immediate, but there wasn't any. It was still early morning. So I continued onwards, but I still worried about the lack of people ascending with me and the greater number descending. 

Once you've reached this sign, the hard part is over. And the rain did let up. Woo! From here you'll go around the curve and see the best parts of the hike with beautiful Columbine Falls and Peacock Pool. 

Looking back you can see where you've just come from...it's a thin line of trail to the left gracing the side of the mountain. It's looks treacherous from afar, but it really isn't bad.

Some fragile plant life here, you'll want to be careful to stay on trail as the sign in the area will indicate.

When you see the final sign for Chasm Lake, you are very close. The final push is a short 200 ft rock scramble to the lake.

It was around this area that pikas could be heard all around. Keep an ear open here.

And....here you've reached it. My gps gave an elevation of 11,809 ft.

The clouds went in and out passing fluidly by. I've never seen so much ROCK in my life. It was amazing.

Another hiker mentioned how they went up to the keyhole, but it was hailing and came here instead. Overall there weren't too many people around here. You'll pass a lot going up and down so it's not a solitude hike, but it's not awfully crowded either. After a short break it was time to head on back. As I left Chasm Lake and looked behind me I saw that there was finally a sunny patch above Long's Peak, the first of the hike.

I noticed some Columbines on my way back and snapped a few photos of what might be the last of the season.

Almost back around the curve...

And I still can't believe how the sky has turned. 

A nice clear view.

The way up took 4 hours for me, quite a long time, but the way down flew by in 2 hours. If you're fit and acclimated you can hike up a bit faster than I did... I think I still have some flatlander left in me so I took my time with lots of breaks 

I stopped and snapped this aspen leaf on a rock covered in lichen.

And the stats from Gaia GPS.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this hike. And I'll leave you off with a quote from author Ken Ilgunas:

"What would I do to have the life of the hiker?! It was more than just a form of escape. On a hike, the days pass with the wind, the sun, the stars; movement is powered by a belly of food and water, not a noxious tankful of fossil fuels. On a hike, you're less a job title and more a human being. Our commute, our shift, our shows: How quickly does the routine--masquerading as life--block from our view the grand vistas of possibility. A periodic hike not only stretches the limbs but also reminds us: Wow, there's a big old world out there.
"This is the best experience I've had in a long time," said Liam.
"I know," I said. "Me, too.""