Highlight Hiker Blog
September 7, 2021
Colorado
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Day 2
Well well well…. it was a late morning due to the wind storm, but I was up with the sun and anxious to get moving. Of course, I let my sister sleep in because I’m sweet that way. Once she was up and we told one another our sleepness night stories, we packed it up and headed out. It was a perfect day for hiking: high altitude warmth from the sun and not a cloud to be seen in any direction.
Oddly enough, there were not many more people than clouds on our way up to Blue Lake. I could have counted the number of fellow explorers we saw on one hand, I think. Which, from what I read in my guide book, is pretty unusual.
I was giddy with anticipation. No idea what I was going to see, not entirely sure what to expect from the altitude but ready for ADVENTURE above the tree line.
It’s very tough for me to say which destination in Indian Peaks was my favorite, but there was a location past Lake Mitchell on the way to Blue Lake that, when I saw it, brought me to tears. I stood there like a old softie and sputtered on about how beautiful it was. I see the photo of that place and I still feel that way. It was positively flawless.
We first had to hike from our camp site to the trail head, and then when we got to the trail head we had to hike up to Mitchell Lake, and then after Mitchell Lake we had to hike up to Blue Lake. We saw a moose. We had a snack on what we claimed as “Luncheon Rock”. We saw chipmunks and pikas and marmots. We filtered water from a mountain stream (it was delicious). We dipped our toes in icy glacial waters. We sat together in awe and watched the mountain waterfall feed Blue Lake. We stared at Mount Toll and wondered if we could actually touch it from where we sat. I saw a lady rock. And we talked for a long time. Which is my favorite thing to do with my sister. I don’t really care where we go, as long as we get to talk to each other.
But you’re not here to listen to me talk about THAT, you’re here to see the pictures and read the captions! So, off with you!
Colorado
Indian Peaks Wilderness, Mitchell Lake to Blue Lake
Even the view from our campsite was glorious in the morning.
My poor tent was wind battered but still standing in the morning!!
Big Agnes is a trooper!
Along our walk to the trail head from the camp site. We stomped through the day visitor parking lot which had a spectacular welcome kiosk and clean privys.
WE WERE HERE
And we were headed here
WE ARE STILL HERE
A map of the entire Indian Peaks Wilderness
Brainard Lake with Mount Audubon visible in the distance
Reflections of the mountain in Brainard Lake
Big rocks and Brainard Lake
I really liked this view. I took a lot of pictures of it.
We hiked up the road to the trail head and this beautiful cascading waterfall was along the way.
You could hear it before you could see it. In a few days I would be so grateful to hear it as I came down Mount Audubon. I was exhausted and that sound signified that I was nearly done.
Not our trail head. I was curious to hike this trail but never had the opportunity to.
These views are still roadside. This is wide angle...
... this is closer up to see more detail of the mountain tops
AHA! Finally made it to the trail head. I was so excited I could barely contain myself.
This trail head had a very large parking lot and the trail head to Mount Audubon was on the other end of it. It had a ranger station, picnic tables, bike rack and privys.
I thought this was particularly funny.
I took a lot more photos here than I do at home.
Some of the locations I took multiple photos
But it was just beautiful! Every step was brimming in color and texture and glorious nature!
Such a spectacular setting deserves to be seen from many different angles.
If you look through the trees, you'll see a waterfall.
These bridges were everywhere because there were streams everywhere!
From the bridge looking one way...
... and then the other
Regulations sign
Boardwalks were everywhere to protect both the hiker and the environment
This is Lake Mitchell
To get to Lake Mitchell you have to take a short side trail
The view of Mount Audubon towering above the water is worth the short hike.
I didn't take off my shoes to dip my toes in the water, but I did feel it.... it was COLD.
I wanted to spend a lot more time here but it was time to press on.... and have lunch!
This stream fed into Lake Mitchell
I loved this bridge made of logs!
Looking upstream on the bridge
Looking downstream of the bridge
Looking at Mount Audubon from the bridge
That is NOT the trail. If I were on the Appalachian Trail it would have been the trail but in Colorado you spared.
Looking back at Lake Mitchell from the climb
It's pretty impressive how the trail was built to maximize enjoyment and views
There's Mount Audubon!
It was first day climbing into altitude over 10,000' and I was surprised how winded I was constantly. I was so slow climbing it felt like my muscles were carrying extra weight.
This is the view from "Luncheon Rock" where we took off our shoes and soaked up the sun on a massive boulder like a snake on a warming rock.
We only saw a few people pass us on up the trail as we had apples, cheese, crackers and salami.
This was my favorite section of this hike. The colors were amazing: yellow, green, orange and rusted red on the ground, purple, pink and green on the top of the mountain with crystal blue sky. It was like stepping into a painting!
This section also had the most rocky terrain, but it wasn't bad. I do remember, though, along this section I had a pain in my temple. I thought it was altitude related but it turned out I was just grinding me teeth.
Every corner had a new and beautiful view
Mount Audubon's peak sits at 13,229'
A long valley view from the trail
Here it is! This is the spot that was so gorgeous that I just balled my eyes out for a hot second. Yep.
I told my sister that the only thing that would have made it more perfect was if there had been a moose in the pond.
I was looking forward to returning to this spot on our way down. I would have been content sitting down there and staying forever.
But climb we must! And so after I had dried my tears, we continued on.
But lo and behold my dreams were answered...
.... for there was a moose in the distance at the next lake!
He was really far away...
.... but such a huge hulking bull moose that he was easily spotted from our distance. He was cooling off in the lake.
The chubby chipmunks were everywhere and they would peep at us, startled as we passed by, and then disappear into crevasses in the rock.
Our first sighting of Mount Toll!
Aren't they adorable?? They were everywhere!
We climbed above the alpine forest on our way to Blue Lake
I stopped here and filtered water from creek to drink. It was cold and delicious and took the edge off my thirst.
Mount Toll
Above the tree line, the terrain changes dramatically but subtly
What I loved about this hike was that there were no false summits. You knew exactly how much farther you had to go to get to where you were going.
Suddenly, Blue Lake appears and it is stunning.
South end of Blue Lake
The rocks were warm and the water was icy cold
If you look carefully, you can see the waterfall over there! You could hear the waterfall across the water. There were no trails to get to the waterfall otherwise I think we would have gone to it!
I kept looking over at these mountains because there was a rock I thought looked like a woman wrapped in a blanket looking over the lake.
You can't see it too well in the photos but it was there...
I took a close up so I could find it later and remember it.
There's another lady looking over the lake! That's my wonderful sister!
MARMOT!!! So cute and chunky!
On the way down I didn't cry when I came to my favorite place.
The moose was long gone, but the views were still present.
Even though we'd seen these views already, I couldn't believe I was there and seeing them!
The large flat rock...? That's "Luncheon Rock"!
Would you look at that! A Lady Moose! She was having some supper. She walked across the trail right in front of us and startled us the way we startled the chipmunks!
A stream against the setting sun
Meanwhile, back at Brainard Lake...
We spent the whole day climbing mountains
Best. Day. Ever.