Lake Ann

Distance: 7.6 miles round trip (from 4x4 trailhead) 11.6 miles round trip otherwise
Elevation: 10,560 ft - 11,811 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,251 ft
Date Hiked: 23 June, 2012
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: On leash, Collegiate Wilderness Area
Tags: #hiking, #coloradooutdoors, #mountianlake, #gearguide
Nearby Hikes: Ptarmigan Lake

The aqua shaded waters of Lake Ann just below the Continental Divide in the Collegiate Wilderness

Lake Ann in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness located between Leadville and Buena Vista is a spectacular alpine lake surrounded by peaks, peaks, and more peaks. It is not the easiest place to get to but if you don't mind slogging an extra 2 miles each way, you can do it without a high clearance 4x4. I recommend begging a friend with a jeep to take you there, however so you can spend more time at the lake and less time eating dust on a boring dirt road.

The parking area

Looking back north from the parking area

Lake Ann has been on my do list for a long time but ever since I climbed Hope Pass as part of the Leadville's 100 Hopeless Crew, I have wanted to see the Collegiate Peaks area. It was stunning from the pass and no less stunning on the 12 mile dirt road we had to drive to get to the small ghost town of Winfield, where incidentally the runners turn around to run back up to Hope Pass. After seeing that climb from the bottom, I have even more respect for those guys! This road, Hwy 390, is well marked with a sign and is south of Twin Lakes on the way to Buena Vista. This first part of the drive is passable with a passenger car but is still rough and washboardy and will rearrange your internal organs if you go too fast.

The trailhead. The route to Huron Peak is to the left and the route to Lake Ann is behind the sign.

At 0.9 miles you pass into the Collegiate Wilderness

There is a large parking lot with port-o-lets at Winfield for those who can not drive any further. This is one of ways to climb Huron Peak (14,009 ft). To get to Lake Ann however, you need to hike or drive further up the road. Believe me when I say you don't want to take your Acura on this drive. The road undulates with deep ditches and crosses more than one stream. It is not a difficult 4x4 road, but it is tedious and will feel like it is going on forever. The trailhead is obvious, however with a dozen or more like minded 4x4 owners crammed into a small area. This is also the main trailhead for Huron Peak, so expect a crowded parking lot.

The route will take us up this valley

A typical trail segment for the first flat part of the route

At the southern end of the parking area is a large trail sign and gate. The trail up Huron Peak heads to the left while the trail to Lake Ann heads straight ahead. The trail is actually part of the Continental Divide Trail and CD signposts will be found periodically along the route. The day we did this hike it was soul-sucking hot even though the elevation starts out at 10,000 plus feet. So, even though the first 1.7 miles of the route is practically flat, we found ourselves dawdling as we lingered in any shady spot we could find. This initial segment weaves in and out of sun baked meadows or large stands of Fir and Spruce and the meadows were decidedly toasty.

The Three Apostles come into view in one of the open meadows

The trail junction between the Apostles Trail to the left and the Lake Ann Trail to the right

At 1.6 miles is the split between the Lake Ann/CD Trail to the right and the Apostles Trail to the left. A large sign marks this junction, so it is impossible to miss. The Apostles are the three large peaks that dominate the view as you head down the valley. I have never done the Apostles Trail, but need to add that to my list. Note that the lake is not below the Apostles, but an unnamed 13er that can be seen to the right.

The South Fork of Clear Creek crossing

You can tell by the lush understory of the second half of the trail that this area normally is cooler and wetter than the day we hiked it.

Once past the junction, the trail descends briefly to cross over the South Fork of Clear Creek on three somewhat bouncy logs. Not the easiest of crossings but doable. From this point on, the trail starts to climb steadily upwards and stays in the trees as it does so. Even with all the shade, we were still roasting. Finally, we stopped at a creek and dunked our heads and bandanas, which gave us some relief. Climbing upwards helped as well.

The waterfall is in the rocks just ahead

Huron Peak as the trail begins to break out of the trees

At 3.2 miles, the route crosses the creek again at a small waterfall. This crossing might be more difficult in heavy runoff years, but in 2012 was hardly an issue. Shortly after the waterfall the route climbs very steeply up a ridge until it finally breaks out of the trees and begins a series of switchbacks up a tundra face with ever increasing views of the valley below. At 3.7 miles is a fork in the trail. Take the left to the lake which is just ahead and slightly downwards or continue right to reach the Continental Divide, another 800 ft higher.

The trail starts to switchback just head. The views are stunning at this point.

The trail to the left leads to the lake. The trail to the right heads up to the Continental Divide.

Lake Ann itself is a serene destination with its aqua shaded waters and grasses growing along its edges. It was finally cool and all I wanted to do was lounge with my back to a rock and feed. It was a slow, hot, slog up to the lake and I was seriously hungry.

Lake Ann

Grasses growing along the edge of the lake. Someday the lake will be gone and all that will be left is a meadow.

I confess that my favorite part of trip was not the lake itself, but the views back down the valley. Huron Peak is this perfectly cone-shaped mountain and it dominates the view, but the distant views of Mt. Blaurock and Mt. Ervin, both 13ers, was as stunning as the view from a top Hope Pass. The Collegiate Wilderness does live up to its fame as a scenic wonderland. I would love to visit in the fall!

While early in the season, a few wildflowers were beginning to pop along the shore.

The lake from another angle.

If you can get to the trailhead, a trip to Lake Ann a quintessential Colorado experience. The heat we experienced is in fact very unusual and I would normally plan on chillier conditions and a downright chill at the lake. The trip seemed much harder that it normally would be given the distance and elevation gain and I do blame the heat for that. We are just not used to it. On the day we hiked, it was still close to 80 degrees at 6 PM in the evening and must have gotten into the 90s during the day. Denver by contrast was having record heat in the 100s. So don't let my grumblings deter you. Lake Ann is wonderful hike!

My favorite view...looking back down the valley.

A shot of the author to satisfy her parents who never get to see her in these posts.

A parting view of the Three Apostles and the unnamed peak to the right that is our destination. Later in the evening, the light was less harsh, but the temps back down in the valley were still uncomfortable.

Devil's Backbone

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,100 ft - 5,450 ft
Elevation Gain: 350 ft
Dogs:  On leash only
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 20 April, 2012

Gazing down at the Devil's Backbone hogback formation from across the valley.

Devil's Backbone is a unique open space near the town of Loveland Colorado.  The backbone is a really a hogback in geological parlance, which just means a sharply tilted chunk of rock protruding out of the surrounding landscape.  Colorado is awash in hogbacks and the Devil's backbone is a particularly attractive one.  

The trailhead has bathrooms, signage and a large parking lot.  

The first part of the trail is wide and welcoming.  You won't get lost in this park. 

Deposited during the time of T-Rex, the rock that is now vertical was actually the shore of an inland sea that covered a portion of what is now the Great Plains of the U.S. The wonders of geology have taken the flat layers and tilted them upwards so that they rise over 200 feet above the surrounding meadows.

First view of the formation.  Surely a giant mythological creature is going to rear out of the ground at any second. 

A zoom shot of the formation

There are many ways to enjoy the Devil's Backbone Open Space.  The Wild Loop (2.6 miles total) is a short hike that will take you close to the formations on one side and further out into the open meadow on the other.  We chose to continue past the end of this loop and across the valley.  From there, the trail heads up to the top of an escarpment where it weaves northward seemingly forever until it meets the Rim Rock Open Space.  That distance is really only suitable for mountain bikers.  Hikers will end up returning much earlier.  There are two loops in the mid-section of the open space, the Hunter Loop and the Laughing Horse Loop.  The area is not well marked and we actually thought we had made it to the Laughing Horse section because there was at least one unmarked loop as you head up the escarpment.

Looking out into the meadow from the Wild Loop Trail.  Just out of frame to the right  is a long series  of very expensive homes. 

There is a short spur trail off the upper Wild Loop that takes you to a view point looking west.  This spot is on a small rise between the formations. 

When you reach the junction of the Hunter Loop, the section heading straight travels along the hill side with views of the Mc-Mansions that have been built in the area.  Having walked a short distance in that direction we decided to turn around and take the section heading further up the escarpment.

Sand or Star Lillies (Leucocrinum montamum)  have been common this year. They grow in sandy soil  and Sagebrush communities.

Trail sign showing our location at the end of the Wild Loop.  You can see the open space continues on for quite a distance. 

Once we gained the top of the escarpment, we could see that the trail just continued on through the Sagebrush.  The route was rocky and numerous mountain bikers passed us.  We walked a little further and then decided to turn around.  Since it was already late afternoon this was a good choice.  It was a long drive back down to the Denver Metro Area.

Leaving the Wild Loop and heading across the valley to the escarpment in the distance

A steeper, rockier trail segment

My hiking companion told me that the trails were very different since the last time she had been there.  The route keeps you away from the rock formations with the exception of one spur to a hole in the rock.  This spur was closed when we were there to protect nesting raptors, so don't expect to channel a Cretaceous dinosaur by hugging the rocks themselves.  You can look, but you can't touch!

A view of the formation from across the valley

The straight part of the Hunter Loop heads towards these houses.  We chose to turn around and head up the hill to the top of the escarpment, which is dramatically visible in the distance.  

The trip across the valley was a way to add mileage to this short excursion and did provide some nice views of the surrounding area as well as the backbone itself.  There is no shade in this area, so go in the spring or fall when temperatures are reasonable.

Our turn around point.  The trail continues on forever....

If you like hogbacks, check out the Hogback Trail just north of Boulder and Matthew Winters Park near Golden.

Raven

The Common Raven (Corvus corax) swooped by as I got too close to its nesting tree. 

Oh the poor Common Raven (Corvus corax)!  It is big and black and binges on road kill.  To the species that created the white leisure suit, the speedo,  and the need to wear one's pants sagging below one's gluteus maximus, the Raven is sadly devoid of bling.  It is however, highly intelligent, which is more than I can say for the designers of the afore mentioned fashion disasters.  I must be a good little fashionista however, because the Raven, while common in Colorado, just does not draw my eye.  I see this bird quite a lot, and hear its raucous cry even more, but my mind glazes over at the mere thought that it is only a mere Raven.

The typical profile of a Raven...perched in a tree, its large beak dominating its face. 

The Norse god Odin would be ticked off -- in the way that only gods with lightening bolts can be -- if he knew of my professed ennui towards his favorite birds.  His pets Huginn and Muninn traveled the world spying on us humans.  Odin was not the only god to love Ravens.  They are featured prominently in many cultures as tricksters, lost souls, and the ghoulish familiars of evil-minded spirits.  Geesh, and this is just a bird!

The Raven is very acrobatic with large and visually obvious flight feathers. 

Non-mythological Ravens have been known to frolic in the snow like children, chatter incessantly on light poles like teenagers, and finally settle down with the right girl for life.  They can mimic human speech but their cawing, screeching, and shrieking sounds more like the political banter on Fox News and CNN.  There are times I yearn for the mute button.  An indiscriminate eater, they will consume garbage, road kill, insects, small rodents, berries, and nuts.  The world is one big buffet to the Raven, which is why we have not managed to wipe it out just yet.

I captured the images of this Raven along a creek.  It was defending its territory every time a cyclist rode by, which probably means it was part of a nesting pair.

Hanging Lake

Distance: 3 miles round trip
Elevation: 6,143 ft - 7,251 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,108 ft
Dogs: On leash
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes

Bridal Veil Falls form the backdrop of mysterious Hanging Lake

Hanging Lake is a mysterious destination tucked into a crenelation of Glenwood Canyon near the town of Glenwood Springs.  It is mysterious for the aqua and teal color of its waters and for the tropical feel of the two water falls that form its backdrop.  It is also mysterious because it is not easy to get to.  For anyone who has driven through Glenwood Canyon, you know about the two elevated highways that weave around and across the Colorado River. Because of this, there is only one way to the trailhead, and that is from the east bound span.  After your hike, it is necessary to travel ALL THE WAY back to Glenwood Springs to head east again if that is the direction you need to go.  A similar frustrating round-a-bout is necessary if you are traveling west.  You have to travel to Glenwood Springs and then turn around and travel back east to the trailhead.  This destination is so cool, however, that you really won't care that much.

The rest area with its bathroom

Starting out on the bike trail

The trailhead is accessed from the Hanging Lake Rest Area with its picnic tables and restroom.  The trailhead is 0.25 miles up the Glenwood Canyon bike path, which travels the entire length of the canyon (12.5 miles).  The trailhead if obvious.  There is a bike ride and large trailhead sigh, which warns hikers of the strenuous nature of the trail.  It is 1.2 miles from here to the lake.

Moon  next to one of the towers of Glenwood Canyon.  Note the layers of sedimentary rock in the lower  right.  Glenwood Canyon was formed by the Colorado River cutting through layers of Pennsylvanian and Mississippian Sandstone. 

The Colorado River.  I really want to ride the 12.5 mile bike that that travels through the canyon.   Last year (2011) it was closed due to high water.  

The trail to Hanging Lake IS steep, but is certainly no worse than Boulder's Royal Arch or Saddle Rock trails.  Almost anyone with some level of fitness and a full day to spend can make it to the lake.  Dawdling is for Texans however.  Coloradans should bag the scenic nature of the trail, grab a defibrillator, and hustle up the trail as fast as possible.  You can gaze at pleasant Dead Horse Creek and looming rock walls on the way down.  Maximum burn and cardiovascular distress should be your goal on the way up.  Since I was on my way back from Arches National Park and did not bother to bring any water with me, this was my plan.  I definitely smoked the numerous families and occasional grand ma mas that littered the trail like beer cans after the Sturgis Bike Rally.  Hanging Lake may be mysterious but it is certainly not undiscovered.

The early part of the trail is exposed and traverses a large tallus pile. 

The trail follows pleasant Dead Horse Creek.  Several bridges take the hiker back and forth across it.  

Most of the trail is rock steps with a few bridges that traverse the creek.  After 1.1 miles, a tall, precipitous staircase takes the hiker the last 50 vertical feet to the lake.  If you are not freaking out over the drop off, take a second to admire the view of the canyon walls.  The geology of Glenwood Canyon is a wonder of Colorado.  I for one was gasping and grasping at the handrail, having forgotten this short but nerve-wracking pitch.  The ascent takes seconds, blessed be, and then you are at the lake.

Much of the trail is in the trees

A small shelter hugs one wall of the canyon

A nice Trex deck with equally pleasant benches lines the lake so you can gaze at the pond scum that lines the border.  What eery denizens live in these wildly colorful waters?  Stay at the lake after dark and you may find out the hard way!

A more manicured trail segment

There is a large log that bisects the lake and in my short time there I saw more than one crazy tourist try to walk out on it.  While certainly damaging to the psyche, a fall into Hanging Lake is more likely to affect the local critters so please be kind to the green slime that really doesn't want to be bathed in human excretions.

The view of the Dead Horse Canyon from the stairs

Heading up the narrow, rough cut steps

I did see people climbing up above the waterfalls, so there is a route up there, but I was in a rush, so I did not try to find it  It was actually cold the day I did this hike, and breeze became colder after blowing across the water.  So don't let the tropical ambiance fool you.  This destination can be nippy so plan accordingly.

"Pond Scum" adds to the colorful nature of Hanging Lake

The right side of the lake is dirt.  Note the Trex deck along the far edge.

The shelf holding the lake against the walls is formed by Travertine, a limestone deposit that is known to form shelves near hot springs (think Yellow Stone National Park or Havasupai Falls).  It is extremely fragile, which is why the deck was built and tourists are asked not to enter the water.

Heading back down the steep staircase.  Those handrails come in handy.  

A couple of Golden Mountain Ground Squirrels in the parking lot.  

Hanging Lake is one of the 100 classic hikes of Colorado.  In 2011 it was made a Natural Natural Landmark.  Don't pass this up if you are in the area.