Pawnee Pass

Distance: 9.1 miles RT
Elevation: 10,515 – 12,541 ft
Elevation gain: 2,130 ft cumulative


Looking down on Pawnee Lake from the west side of the pass
You won’t find Pawnee Pass in any local trail guide, which is a shame because it is a beautiful trail filled with lakes, scraggy peaks, and a glimpse down the steepest grade I have yet to see in Colorado. Its distance and location within the Indian Peak Wilderness Area make accessible to anyone with a moderate amount of fitness.


Long Lake
You can do Pawnee Pass from either side of course. This report features the trip from the east side, leaving from the Long Lake trailhead. For those familiar with that name, you know this trail is in the Brainard Lake National Recreation Area. Expect heavy use even during the week. We got a slightly late start and did not arrive until 8:30 and the parking lot was already full on a Tuesday. Because Long Lake is a mere 0.25 miles up a flat trail, this trailhead is filled with old timers, bless every one of them, who are out for jaunt in the great outdoors. We really did not expect that type of crowd during the week and were not happy when we had to park a quarter mile away at the nearest picnic area. Now, we are young whippersnappers, relatively speaking anyway, and can certainly walk the additional distance, I just knew when this hike was over, that additional quarter of a mile would feel like three. Fortunately, this prognostication was only partially true. It felt like half a mile.


Lake Isabelle
The first 1.2 miles of this hike border Long Lake. It is flat, well groomed but in the trees most of the time. There are only a few glimpses of the lake itself. Beyond the lake, the trail becomes rockier and begins to ascend in fits and starts as it heads towards Lake Isabelle. I realized upon reaching this lake that I had never been there, which considering its relatively short distance is amazing. At only 2 miles one way, Lake Isabelle is a gem that anyone can reach. I highly recommend the trip.


Trail heading up to the shelf
The trail to the pass breaks off shortly after reaching Lake Isabelle and begins to climb in earnest along an attractive creek. Through a series of gentle switchbacks it approaches a cleft in the rock that almost looked like a pass but is in fact a large, dramatic rock shelf. Upon reaching this shelf there are remarkable views into the gorge on the other side and Lake Isabelle behind. Intuitively, one would think that the trail would head up this gorge, but instead in winds its way up the large bulge of rock to the left of the shelf.


Looking into the gorge from the shelf
At the top of this bulge is an expansive flat area, which really does look like a pass. There are jagged peaks all around and it is hard not to stop, stare, and drool. This area, located at 12,000 ft is on one side of a large U-shaped bowl. The bowl is made up on the right by Shoshoni Peak (12,967 ft), Apache Peak (13,441 ft) straight ahead, and Navajo Peak (13,409 ft) off to the left. It was not until we dug out the trail map that we realized this was not the pass. It is so gorgeous, that we almost did not care.


Approaching the first flat area. The final ridge is off to the right.
Typically, we were worried about the building clouds and wondered how long it would take to reach the pass itself and whether we would have enough time. Some folks from Illinois met us in this area and said it was about another 45 minutes to the pass and so we decided to go for it.


On top of the rocky knoll looking down at Lake Isabelle
It is deceiving, but the trail to the pass crosses this broad expanse and then heads up the very steep right hand side of the U. The journey is not difficult by any means since it is graced with a series of rather frustrating switchbacks that seem to make the journey twice as long as needed. I confess that at this point I was feeling pressure by the weather and zoomed up this part of the trail faster than necessary.


Mt. Shoshoni
At the top is another broad expanse that is nestled between Shoshoni Peak and Pawnee Peak. It is only a short trip to the official sign that designates the pass. You will not want to stop here but head down the trail until it starts to descend the other side. This side of the pass looks like a 60-degree slope. I saw two backpackers and their dog descending the trail by scooting on their butts. That is steep folks. The left and right sides of this area is bordered by rock pinnacles that are dramatic in and of themselves, but combined with steep slope are truly breathtaking. At the bottom of this deep expanse is Pawnee Lake. We were almost there on our trip to Cascade Falls the month before, which was hard to imagine.


On the flat area at 12,000 ft looking at north to the final ridge
Pawee Peak (12,943 ft) is a short 0.5 miles away but alas at this point we decided the weather was getting too rough and we needed to descend. As it was we were hailed on when we returned to Lake Isabelle. I am bummed about missing that opportunity, but that is Colorado.


Looking back down the ridge with its many switchbacks
So erstwhile adventurers, put Pawnee Pass on your list. If the weather interferes, there are numerous milestones that are worthwhile destinations. That initial shelf, which is a short distance above Lake Isabelle, is going to be the destination of my next group alfresco dining. You could hold a graduation party up there and the views of Lake Isabelle are stunning. Nuf said…GO.


Looking north on Pawnee Pass. Pawnee Peak is just out of site to the right.


Looking southeast from the pass

Mayflower Gulch to Gold Hill

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,996 ft -11,980 ft
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Date Hiked: 27 July, 2008
Bathroom at the Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash

The ruins of the Boston Mine stand out against the jagged contours of peaks surrounding Mayflower Gulch.

Mayflower Gulch near Copper Mountain is one of the most stunning hikes in Summit County and is one of my favorite spots to photograph wildflowers. We usually go up at least once every summer to check it out. It never seems to disappoint. 2008 was no exception. The fields were filled with many different species, the clouds were building, providing much needed shade to photograph the colorful ones, and the weather was sublime.

The trail to the back of Mayflower Gulch is a road that quickly disappears into the trees and heads steadily but not outrageously upwards.

Flowers grace the base of one of the cabins of the Boston Mine.

You get to the Mayflower Gulch trailhead by turning off of I-70 at the Copper Mountain and heading towards Leadville. There is a large parking lot on the left around 7 miles up the road. Because of the berm, you may not see it until you pass it. While packed in the winter, there is usually parking available in the summer.

There are many mining remnants in Mayflower Gulch

Looking down on the Boston Mine from part way up the road to Gold Hill.

The trail follows a rocky road (that you can drive if you want) for two miles. Occasional views and mining ruins along the way entertain the hiker but most likely you will be watching your footing and avoiding the streams that pour down during the melt off.

The cabins of the Boston Mine seen from the road to Gold Hill

The real fun begins when you exit the trees and enter into Mayflower Gulch's bowl. The picturesque jagged peaks and old cabins of the Boston Mine great the hiker at this point. I am often torn between lounging here to admire the view, continuing up the back bowl to the other ruins, or turning right and heading up the hill to Gold Hill. On this trip, we did it all until the threatening weather finally made us turn for home.

The further up Gold Hill you go, the farther back into the Gulch you can see.

In the summer, the slopes of Mayflower Gulch are verdant green and covered in wildflowers.

The route to the back bowl is quite obvious, simply follow the road.  From two thirds of the way to the end, there are several choices.  You can follow the road itself, bushwhack up the hill to the left, or climb the trail to the right that deadend into an old mine shaft.  All present stunning views back down the valley. Note the mileage listed on this post does not include the diversion to the back bowl. [Note: in 2010, the route to the mining ruin in the far back bowl was closed off for safety reasons].

View from Gold Hill looking south

View from Gold Hill looking southwest towards the Climax Mine retaining pond

Taking a right turn at the cabins and heading up the road to Gold Hill is also a fantastic way to explore the area. In the winter this is a bushwhack but in the summer you can follow a dirt road to the top. Most years there will be a slight scramble over the remaining snow cornice. 2008 was no exception.

View from Gold Hill looking southeast

Looking west across the broad ridge of Gold Hill

Many of the most beautiful wildflowers grow along the broad slope that borders the road to Gold Hill. I like to shove my telephoto lens into the grasses and play with bringing into focus various layers of the flowers. There are so many, it is hard to choose.

The mountain to the west

Once you get to the top of Gold Hill, you might just forget the flowers since the views from the ridge of Gold Hill are extraordinary. The green meadows to the south remind me of the Sound of Music. If you listen carefully, you can hear the opening strains of that musical and I swear Julie Andrews is about to come twirling out into the open.  You are going to want to linger here, so bring lunch and enjoy the phenomenal scenery.  Slightly southwest, you can see the giant retaining pond of the Climax Mine. While not a pretty wilderness sight, its colors do make a nice contrast to all verdant greens.

The mining ruin at the back bowl.  This area is now closed to the public.

White Crowned Sparrow (Zontrichia leucohyrus) nests in the central mountains of Colorado. It feeds on the ground scratching backwards with both feet simultaneously.

Some of you may have already seen my winter Mayflower Gulch post. Summer or winter, Mayflower Gulch is a destination not to be missed.  As a few parting shots I'll include a few obligatory flower pictures to get you motivated.

A close up of Indian Paintbrush

Purple Larkspur

Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), Bistwort (Bistora bistortoides), unknown yellow aster, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)

Dusky/Whipple Penstemon

There are over 250 species of Penstemons. They are all tubular flowers with a three-lobed lower lip. This species is usually dark purple but I have also seen it be white. It grows in open areas and tundra. This specimen was next to a rail bed in sandy soil but I have been seeing them all summer in open meadows.

Leadville Weekend Part Two: Hagerman Tunnel and Hagerman Lake

Distance: 5.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,940ft - 11,530 ft
Elevation gain: 590 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No

Hagerman Lake

Hagerman Tunnel near Leadville is easy hike with stupendous views, intriguing Colorado history, and a glimpse into an ice-encrusted abyss. The abyss, the tunnel itself, is a 2,161 ft cut into the Continental Divide.  It was the highest tunnel in its day, and when you wander through the mass of granite debris blown out by the army of Italian workers and stand before its gaping maw, you can appreciate the technical feat involved.

The rail bed along the first mile

A bonus on this hike is the drive to the trailhead along the south side of Turquoise Lake, which has its own appeal. While you can’t rent boats on the lake, many people bring their own and cruise the blue waters in search of the scaley ones.

There were about five water crossings in the first mile.

Towards the western end of the lake, the road diverges and a gravel road splits off to the left. There is a nice brown sign that says Hagerman Pass, so this turn off is not difficult to miss. At this point you are already journeying back in time along the original rail bed. The road is a washboard but passable by non-4wd vehicles. About 3.8 miles up this road, there is a large parking lot on the right and a boarded up tunnel straight ahead. This is your milestone to head to the right up a much rougher road. On this trip, we had a Toyota 4 Runner and a Honda Civic. There were a few tense moments in the Civic but it made it one more mile up the road to another large parking lot. This is the beginning of the trail.

The scenery around Douglass City. You can see a smaller cabin in the distance.

The first mile of the trail follows the flat rail bed of the old narrow gauge railroad. Wildflowers abounded on the edges and slopes and occasional views of the Sawatch Mountains make it a pleasant if slightly monotonous diversion. Around 1.2 miles, you come to a steep decent that is the location of a long eroded train trestle. This first trestle was 1,100 ft long and 84 ft high. Take a moment to gaze down into canyon but don’t follow the trail downward. Instead, back track a few yards and you will see another trail heading up hill and back towards the way you just came. Don’t be deceived by the map that comes with your trail guide what shows this road heading off more to the left. This is the right trail and it will veer back to the left in a quarter of a mile where it crosses the rail bed again.

Opal Lake seen from the upper rail bed

This short trail is far rockier than the smooth rail bed and ascends steadily. After crossing the rail bed, it will arrive at the site of Douglass City, the camp that held the aforementioned Italians. The ruins of this city exist in a sequence of meadows strewn with granite rock and surrounded by high cliffs. We counted at least ten log cabins in this area.

Final approach to the tunnel

In the short distance between the tunnel and Douglass City, there is Opal Lake, a nice tarn to the left of the trail. It looked serene but the swarms of mosquitoes that greeted us made it significantly less so. If fact, we wanted to eat lunch at the tunnel but had to keep moving to avoid being sucked dry. The copious amount of Deet we were wearing was no deterrent to these rejects from a Japanese monster movie.

Hagerman Tunnel. The flat surface at the bottom is a thick layer of ice

So is Hagerman Tunnel a worthy destination? It is a rough-hewn hole in the mountain with a glacier for a floor. It drifts mysteriously to the right and out of view. It is horribly tempting to enter the tunnel but it is very dangerous to do so. Who knows how many crevasses exist in that glacier and how easily you could disappear into one. It is very unique and intriguing, so yes, it is a worthy destination. The views and wildflowers are added bonuses.

For the return trip, don’t go back through Douglass City but head north along the rail bed. This will pass pleasant Hagerman Lake. On this trip there were a crowd of backpackers lounging and fishing in its brown colored waters. We saw these folks when we were starting and there were more dogs than people and each dog had a pack in which he carried his own food. I need to get my dog a pack so she can carry our extra water!

Elephant Heads (Pedicularis groenlandica), which grow in moist meadows at moderate to high elevation. Also included are many-colored Paintbrush and a patchwork quilt of other species.

Close up of an Elephant Head

If you are in Leadville, put this hike on your list. It won’t help you train for Mt. Massive but it will be a pleasant diversion just bring the Deet and be emotionally prepared to keep moving.

Bear Lake to Odessa Lake to Moraine Park Shuttle

Distance: 9.2 mile shuttle
Elevation: 9,475 ft at Bear Lake, 10,675 ft at Lake Helene, 10,020 ft at Odessa Lake, 9,530 ft at Fern Lake, 8,800 ft at Fern Falls, 8,150 ft at Moraine Park.
Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Not allowed (National Park)
Date Hiked: 28 June, 2008

Odessa Lake from the overlook

This classic shuttle hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is part breathtaking adventure and part death march. It starts at Bear Lake, goes up to Lake Helene, then down to Odessa Lake, Fern Lake, Fern Falls, the Pool, and then finally Moraine Park. The trip to Bear Lake and the return from Moraine Park is via the park’s shuttle bus, so you don’t have to worry about bringing extra cars.

The trip starts at Bear Lake

This route has all of the elevation gain up front. There is a 1,200 ft of elevation gain in the first 2.5 miles, with the steepest section being in the first 0.5 mile. At this point the trail splits off with the left heading towards Flat Top Mountain (a worthy hike), and the right heading towards Odessa Lake. This part of the trail is mostly in the trees. One of the folks on this particular trip mentioned he loved walking in the trees and seeing all the dappled sunlight. I am glad he was enjoying himself because I was falling asleep and wondering how far till the views. I am a spoiled Coloradoan for sure. I want to be dazzled by tundra and peaks.

You know you are close to the gorge when you reach this small lake on the right.  Across from the lake you can see a rock field and Notch Top Mountain. 

You know you are getting close to the views when the trail breaks out of the trees in to a wide meadow. To the left you can look up and see the two distinctive rock piles on the Flat Top Mountain route. On this trip, this meadow was still blanketed in several feet of snow.

Specular views abound on the overlook reached via the social trail located off to the right of the main trail. 

Shortly past this point is a small lake off to the right. This is a nice spot for a water break. At this stage I was beginning to perk up because I knew the views were just ahead and what views they are. Odessa and Fern Lakes lay within Tourmaline Gorge, a majestic valley filled with peaks (Flat Top, Notch Top, and the Little Matterhorn), lakes (Helene, Odessa, Fern), and waterfalls (Grace, Fern, and Marguerite). In my opinion, this gorge is one of the the most dramatic places in the park. If all you did were to hike to this point, the trip would be worth it.

Lake Helene

Just before Lake Helene (on the left) is a social trail that feeds off to the right. This trail ascends to a small rock pile upon which is a broad shelf suitable for an alfresco dinner party for you and 10 of your closest friends. This lookout provides a 270-degree vista both up and down the gorge. Odessa Lake sits far below like an oasis among the pines. Grace falls is clearly visible part way up the slope of Notch Top. Upon Ptarmigan point, the snows still clung in a delicate cornice.

Grace Falls

If you can tear yourself away from the view on this lookout, do take the short trail to Lake Helene to the left of the main trail. You will find at the stream crossing a peak into the lake that seems flush with the eye. The trail does continue around the east side of the lake, which affords a close up of Grace Falls, almost wispy in the distance.

Trail down to Odessa Lake

At this point the trails descends sharply down through rock and skree, hugging the west side of the gorge. Around a third of the way down, there is a snow bank that remains late into the season. It was particularly thick on this trip and it we had to go off trail thirty feet or so to cut across it at a shallower angle. These sorts of snow banks are no fun when slippery from the sunlight. A pole eases the crossing. The trail does eventually return to the trees on the final approach to Odessa Lake.

Crossing the snowbank with Notch Top Mountain in the background

The trail to the Odessa lake splits off from the main trail and backtracks sharply back down the gorge. The short trip to the lake is a scenic wonder in and of itself. It follows a bustling stream embraced by Chiming Bells with the Notch Top Mountain providing a majestic backdrop. The southern shore of Odessa Lake contains a wide, sandy “beach”, which is perfect for a group lunch. The view here is unparalleled. The far northern shore of Odessa Lake is marshy and glitters verdantly in the sunlight. When I am Odessa Lake, I am filled with calm and am always thankful this little piece of heaven is in my back yard and most importantly is far from the hordes of visitors that invade the Glacier Gorge section of the park every summer. At this point in the journey, we had covered 4.1 official miles. I say official because the jaunt to the overlook, the walk around Lake Helene, and a stroll around part of Lake Odessa is not covered in the overall mileage in this pre-GPS description.

The creek into Odessa Lake

It is only another 0.6 miles from Odessa to Fern Lake. The trip is mostly through the trees but it is here in the shade of boulders that the wildflowers seem to grow. On this trip the most common were Columbine, Tansy Aster, and Indian Paintbrush. The best part of Fern Lake is the approach through a large boulder field. Fern Lake, while attractive to anglers, is less dramatic than Odessa Lake primarily because it sits lower in the gorge and most of the peaks are partially obscured by trees. An attractive backcountry ranger cabin is here but alas they don’t serve ice cream from the porch. On this trip I would have paid handsomely for some ice cream for it was very hot and very buggy. I am not used to bugs in the Rockies but this years late snows have seemed to have made them particularly numerous and voracious.

Odessa Lake viewed from the "beach"

For me, the journey from Fern Lake to Moraine Park is a death march. The trail is rocky, steep, buried in trees, and monotonous. It is 1.1 miles beyond the lake before you reach Fern Falls. For sanities sake, you’ll want to linger here a bit. Fern Falls is decent waterfall. It is tall and broad and is the primary destination for folks heading up the Fern Lake Trail from Moraine Park.

Fern Lake

Another mile beyond the falls brings you to The Pool, which is a welcome break from the grind. It is a small gorge filled with churning water. Several large rocks surround it, suitable for baking in the sun on a cooler day. On this trip I had to stop myself from jumping head long into the ice-cold tumult.

Twin Flower (Linnea borealis) grows in cold woods and bogs. It blooms from June to August. At this point on the trail we were approaching Fern Falls and things were getting more moist

The last slog back to the Fern Lake trailhead is 1.7 miles. The terrain is very different here than higher up the gorge. Ferns abound, the creek is broad and wide next to the trail and there are some interesting boulders to walk through. Still, by this point, most adventurers are foot sore. The last time I did this trip, we were caught in a raging downpour. I would have gladly accepted such a dunking on this trip because it was indeed hot. I think Denver had reached a lofty 102 that day and the elevation of Moraine Park was not cutting the heat by much.

Fern Falls

The cars at the Fern Lake trailhead were a welcome sight and we took a moment to sit on one of the benches to rest and prepare for the least fun part of the hike. It is another 0.7 miles up the dirt road to the shuttle point and after a long day, this segment can seem more arduous than any difficult 14er. Fortunately, I was with a large group and we were discussing our post-hike food options, which put pep in my step and made the trip less trying that it otherwise would have been alone.

The Pool

In all honesty, I prefer to hike down to Odessa and back up to Bear Lake when I hike alone in this part of the park, but most people prefer the shuttle because you get to see it all, and you don’t have to back track up hill. I have never done this shuttle going the other way, starting at Moraine Park and ending at Bear Lake. It certainly would be a better training hike that way, gaining 2,600 feet of elevation by the time you reach Lake Helene. One of these days I will do that. If you don’t mind trees, this shuttle hike will be glorious from start to finish. If you are finicky like me, then it will be a mixed bag. Everyone should do it at least once however. It is a quintessential Rocky Mountain National Park experience.