We fixed skillets for breakfast and took the time to enjoy an extra cup of coffee before heading out to hike. Our destination for the day was the trail from the Lawn Lake Trailhead to Ypsilon Lake. This would be our hardest hike in the park thus far. The trip up to the mountain lake was 9 miles round-trip, and the trail climbed nearly 2,200 feet.
We set off under sunny skies with pleasant, cool weather. The trail wasted no time climbing. A tightly woven series of switchbacks climbed a couple hundred feet above the valley below. A large meadow was visible to the south, and several snow-capped mountains loomed in the distance.
The switchbacks eventually ended and the trail paralleled the Roaring River for a few minutes. The hiking continued to be uphill, but more gradual along the side of the stream. This area was the site of a massive and violent flood that swept down the mountainside years ago. A violent scar remains to this day. The swath of rocks and mud rose twenty feet on either side of the river, reaching all the way to the valley floor.
Eventually, we reached the intersection with the trail to Lawn Lake. Our trail took us across the river on a log bridge. The rising mass of Ypsilon Mountain was visible by looking up the stream path. Fishermen tossed flies into the raging currents in a scene that resembled the cover of a Field and Stream Magazine.
The majestic views quickly came to an end, and the trail began a relentless climb through a dense pine forest. For the next hour and a half we lumbered up hill, breathing heavily as we hiked. The lack of views added to the treadmill feeling of the hike. Gradually we began to glimpse a gap in the forest ahead, framed by snow-capped mountains.
Just when it seemed we could climb no longer, the trail dropped gradually to the shores of small pond. Beyond the pond, the path climbed through a boulder field before beginning a steep descent to the edge of the lake. Predictably, the omnious rumble of thunder greeted us to the shores of Ypsilon Lake. The reliability of the afternoon thunderstorms were truly remarkable. You could almost set your watch by them.
We picked our way along the shores of the lake, searching for a suitable spot to stop for lunch. Black clouds passed overhead, seeming to scrape their bottoms on the steep summit of Ypsilon Mountain. Cold, heavy raindrops began to fall. It was little more than a light shower at first, but the skies promised more.
We found a spot on a log under a mature pine tree and sat down for lunch. No sooner had we pulled out our sandwiches than the heavens opened up. Our spot under the pine tree was remarkably protected. We stayed mostly dry, eating our lunch while watching the once calm surface of the lake turn into a sea of ripples under the deluge of rain.
Like with most of the storms we have seen here, the weather passed quickly, and soon the skies were dry and the threat of severe weather ended. We watched the lake while hundreds of fish began to jump to the surface, sending small splashes across the water. Ypsilon Lake was a big lake. Dense pine trees made it difficult to see into all of the corners. The mountainsides rising beyond it looked lonely and desolate. Scars from avalanches and rock slides marred the steep slopes.
The brief rain storm brought out the first significant batch of mosquitos of our trip. The unwelcome additions to the forest sent us eagerly away from the lake and back down the trail. By the time we were crossing the Roaring River again, the sun was shining brightly amid puffy white clouds.
The downhill hiking went faster than the climb had gone, and in no time we were back at the Jeep. Climbing Mt. Ypsilon had turned out to be quite a work out. The scenery at the lake was beautiful, but I'm not sure it was worth the 9 miles and 2,000 plus foot elevation gain.
In the evening, we attended another ranger presentation in the Moraine Park Amphitheater. This program was about unusual animal sightings in Rocky Mountain. Since the park was designated a wilderness in 2009, a variety of wild animals not usually found in Rocky Mountain have been documented. Wolves, long since extinct in Colorado, have been making appearances, likely coming down from Idaho and Wyoming. The park isn't yet sure if a breeding population has been established. While ranchers would certainly not welcome the return of wolves to Colorado, the park ranger sounded as if the national park system would be eager to see them return to the terrain they once roamed.
Another hikers spotted a wolverine west of the continental divide. Wolverines had not been seen in the park before,, but the alpine environment is perfect for them. Lynx have been reintroduced to Colorado, and the park is on the lookout for the felines. The only missing animal from what this terrain once was is the grizzly bear. Maybe they will find their way south to the mountainsides as well one day!
The ranger told a great story about a wedding party in the park a few years ago. A group decided to get married in the park in the fall. They posed for the traditional wedding photos in a clearing in front of the forest. A few days later, when the photos came back, they were shocked to discover a mountain lion standing on the cliff above them, watching the proceedings! There is something captivating about the wild animals here in the mountains. With stories of woodland creatures in our heads, we crawled into the tent and got ready to weather another night of turbulent weather.
