Rita, Anna and I headed up to Rogers Pass Lake and Rogers Pass this past weekend. My camera was in my backpack on the way up so I only got pics from the campsite on.
The hike was 3.8 miles up to the lake and was up hill (in some cases pretty steep and rocky). We left at around 10am and finally got to the lake at about 2pm. At a couple of spots I stopped and transferred some gear from Rita to my pack. I’ve been working out at the gym since January and it certainly showed with this hike. We tried the same hike as a day hike last year about this time and I wasn’t able to make it more than about half way before back and heels forced a return.
Rita resting at our campsite. We came up the opposite side and hiked around the lake to this site.
I brought my two man bike tent for Rita and me. It’s not horribly heavy but still not light.
Anna setting up her tent. That’s her pack on the left.
I hiked up one of the smaller rises just to explore. Anna was also hiking around the lake getting pics.
This is our campsite from the top of the rise.
I was pushing my way through the brush and spotted a feeder lake to Rogers Lake. And that’s a little snow up behind it.
A better pic up the pass.
I hiked around to the other side of the feeder then followed the hill back around to our campsite.
This is looking up the mountain at the rocks that had been broken off over the years.
And looking back down to Rogers Lake and our campsite.
Anna brought a fly fishing rod out and wanted to give it a try.
Rogers Pass was behind us up a 1.2 mile very steep hike.
I spotted a couple of guys coming down from the pass. You can just see them above the green bit.
Once the sun dropped behind the pass, it got darker of course but it also got cold pretty quickly. We hung out chatting and trying to stay warm until finally giving up at 7:30 or 8pm and hitting the tent. While the site looked flat, we found out during the night that without a sleeping pad, every little hill and bump was uncomfortable.
I spent the night rolling over trying to find a comfortable spot. Eventually when the sun started rising I found myself curled up in a ball at the bottom of the tent. It wasn’t perfect but it was better than laying on a bump.
We got up and decided we were going to head up to Rogers Pass to check out the Continental Divide. We left our gear behind and went up with just cameras and water.
Rita up and moving. I put the cover on the tent Saturday night to keep the heat in. It worked pretty well but the wind kept moving it about and waking me up. That’s Anna’s tent to the left.
Anna’s up and getting ready to head up. Rita and I left then Anna a bit later. You can just see the sun hitting the peak there.
The sun was rising fast. This is about when we started heading up.
Looking down on the lake from higher up. This is the first climb up to a flatter place.
Coming up the rise I can see Heart Lake.
Looking down to Rogers Pass Lake. That’s Rita coming up the trail.
More Rita. This a couple of switchbacks up. I can see Rita and she’s not far but she still has to come up two switchbacks to get to where I am.
Looking down on Rogers Pass Lake and our campsite.
Heart Lake. Looking at the trail heading to the lake, Anna is right at the edge of the green area on the left on the trail. Pretty tiny from up here.
That’s where our cars are way down the pass there (the little white bits).
Finally at the top. This is the Rogers Pass sign, Elevation 11,680 feet.
Another look back at the cars and Moffet Tunnel.
Looks like the remnants of a shelter of some sort.
Continental Divide posts and way off just a bit to the left is the Winter Park ski resort and Winter Park to the right of the post.
I wandered around a bit and then came back to get Rita.
She’s just making it up the last stretch.
She wasn’t sure she was going to make it.
Looking off to the right and I see a couple of mountain goats. One is laying down, the other one is grazing.
Rita wanted a Continental Divide pic of course. 🙂
And one of me. The sun’s pretty bright I must say.
It’s Winter Park! I didn’t think so at the time but Rita confirmed it when we got home.
Looking down on the snow (recall the earlier pics looking up at the snow 🙂 ).
Following along the Continental Divide trail.
I have to say it was a long fricking way down on this trail. Anna had decided to go get a closer look at the goats and I followed along for a little bit but she scared them off and never got closer than the pics I took.
Anna heading back from her excursion and then we started back down. Rita had already left.
Rita’s way down there at the bottom. See where the trail just touches the edge of the mountain in the pic. The little dot is Rita.
Anna and I headed down at the same time but she was a bit more cautious. You can just see her between the two closer green patches and look a little farther up the mountain. The little red bit.
From here we packed up the site and headed on back down to the car. At the far end of the lake I got a pic of the hike up the mountain and our site.
Rita at the edge of the lake.
And here I am.
And Anna with her gear.
This was the start of our descent back to the parking lot. Pictures are of the hike down and interesting spots. Just before we left, Rita asked if I wanted a caffeine tablet or two. While I don’t drink as much Diet Coke as I used to, I still drink enough to be affected by withdrawal. Initially I said no, I’ll tough it out but I changed my mind before we left and had two of the red pills.
Just below the first lake (there are three in a row that feed each other).
I thought this was a cool looking bole.
Waterfall through the trees. It never looks as good as when you’re standing there looking at it as there’s water running and reflecting light and all. You’re just getting a snap of a moment in time.
Following the ladies down. I started off following but couldn’t stay behind very long. I kept running up on their heels. They were a lot more cautious than I.
One of the bigger rocks off the trail.
Rita and Anna. They put up with so much. I’d hike down hill and then wait periodically and snap their pics as they came into view.
This part of the trail wasn’t as rocky as others but still somewhat steep.
An old building of some sort. Collapsed in on itself.
I think she’s getting tired of all the pictures 😀
See, some of the trail was this rocky and steep.
Almost back to the car. This is the top of Moffet Tunnel. The trains go here to pass through the Rockies. There are gigantic fans to blow smoke out of the tunnel when a train goes through. We were able to hear the fans all the way up to the lake.
Here they come.
Parking Lot ahead and we’re done.
When we got home I was still wired from the “reds”. I zipped over to Home Depot to pick up some wood for my project, then over to Chipotle’s and Five Guys for dinner. I did the laundry and a little work on my project.