Rocky Mtn NP-Lost Lake/Mt Dunraven Trip Report

“I arrived at the airport in Denver to pick up Sonja (the sole participant of this trip, besides myself) at 10:30pm...no Sonja. I circled and circled and circled. Finally after an hour of circling and getting frustrated at the po-people on high security patrol at the airport...and how bad a cop do you have to be to get banished from the real action and wind up at the airport making sure that people don;t park thier cars waiting for passengers? I really want to know. anywho...finally after an hour its now 11:30pm and I park the car...I'm concerned that something might have happened, plus, I'm tired and just a weeeeeeeeeeee bit frustrated. I walk into the airport and hear a page..."paging Mr Bob Dobolino, Mr Bob Dobolino, please pick up a white curtesy phone...actually, I heard my name. Then Finally I see Sonja sitting by the door. She's waiting for me to meet her at the baggage claim, and I'm waiting for her to come out to the curb at passenger pick up...we're off to a good start! We set off and she gives me her sandwich from the plane...I was very hungry and it calmed my nerves. We have a heck of a drive north to our evening accomodations. Boyd Lake State Park, which we blow off cause its now real late, 1:30 am when we get there...we crashed at a cheap (not) hotel and wake the next morning to find my hydration bladder has a huge hole in it...now we need to go into Estes Park and $34.00 later walk out with a new hydration bladder and head off to the office to pick up our back country permits...its 11:30 when we get there. Thank god Sonja suggested to call and tell them we would be late, cause they give the permits away after 10:30.

Our goal is to go to Glen Haven and find "Dunraven Rd" which would take us to the trail head. No problems there...we dind everything fine...except the road to GlenHaven from Estes, just a slight detour there.

We get tothe TH @ noon, boots on, packs on, bathroom stop...hit the trail..temps in the high 80's crystal blue skies and 10.3 miles ahead of us...me...I can;t wipe the stupid grin off my face...I'm soooooo happy to be doing this. Our hike would be following the North Fork of hte Big Thompson River, almost the entire way...pack weight 40lbs...food weight 10 lbs (I'm big eater).

The trail starts off down hill to finally meet up with the river. FREAKIN AWSOME!!! everytime the trail crosses the river there is a nice foot bridge to cross over. this is a great trail...we saw a Doggie named "Bordeux", who was just recovering from surgery. Nice humans who were out for a day stroll with there doggie...I missed Khatru, wish he could've been there.

cont...”

“I got side tracked with the "ban Prowler" thread.

Where was I...Oh yeah...in a far off galaxy....oops wrong story...

continued on the trail, It was nice, flat and very scenic...the flat would soon dissappear and we would begin to gain elevation...but first sighting was 3 miles in at a place called Deserted Village where an epidemic of dysentary occured in 1909. The place was finally abandoned in 1914. There is the remains of one home still standing (sort of). The trail then meandered into a wide glen that gave wonerful view of the surrounding hills. Wild Flowers were everywhere and the sound of water filled the air as well as the aroma of spruce and fir. It was heaven on earth!.

We walked in the Comanche Peak Wilderness of the Roosevelt National Forest for 4.4 miles, then emerged into deeper darker woods and the Rocky Mountain National Park. We took a well deserved break for a few minutes and breathed in Nat'l Park Air...it smelled like Nat'l Forest air...funny...different sectors of the government, same smell, curious. *(note to self...write more anti government email...pro USA...but anti-government).

We continued the hike and made it past the halfway patrol cabin, but did not see the cabin...maybe somebody from the forestry service borrowed it and didn't tell the park service...inter-agnecy communications isn't what it once was due to 9-11.

We continued on and saw some amazing sites...washes that would be glad to suck you away if a storm and the rains came, this was at a place called "Stormy Peaks Pass Trail". It lived up to its name...the clouds rolled in and swallowed the blue skies that had been with us since the biginning of the hike. We quickly found refuge at the "Sugarloaf" camp site and decided that this is where we would wait out the storm. It was a beautiful site right by the river with easy acess to water. And the water...oh my god!!! It was so sweet (run thru a filter of course) and cold...45 degrees...it was wonderful! We drank our fill and then some. The rains came...for about 1/2 an hour. then it got blue again...this is after all the high country and the weather changes faster than I change my clothes...ewwwwwwwwwwwww, but at this point they were still fresh...sort of. The spot was so nice that we decided to stay the night and pitched the tents...and made ready for supper. We played bogle, and I played my flute...it sounded pretty good and it felt wonderful to be back in the wilderness. We watched satellites and counted comets. Sonja finally crashed and I stayed up till I couldn't see straight...I slept like a rock.

Upon awakening, It was gorgeous! blue skies, drifting sunbeams and cool breezes. I got up and went for a dip in the river, then did a 1/2 hour Tai Chi in a glad filled with sun...again, like heaven, I stretched and cracked tired and stiff muscles. I felt like a kid again and that I had burned all the accumulated fat off my body. I was primed and stoked to finish the hike to Lost Lake. Sonja got up finally and we ate breakfast and drank coffee and we were soon off on the last legs to Lost Lake. BUT... first the elevation...the trail quickly moved away from the river and steeply uphill. We got out first real look behind us and the elevation view was stunning. Behind us, pure valley, ahead of us was Mt Dickinson and Dunraven and Rowe Mtn. Truely an amazing site. We pushed on and finally reached the end of our days journey...Lost Lake. As we rounded a corner it came into view...it was a vision of beauty and splendor. Reflections of Sugarloaf Mtn and spruce trees in its primal blue mirror were spectacular! It was all I had imagined it to be. As I approached the shore of the Lake, Rowe Mtn and Rowe Point came into view. It was a startling site and there were Snow fields everywhere on the slopes of the surrounding hills.
the pictures are a pale shadow of the real thing. I hope you all enjoy them

After hanging on a rock next to the water and swimming in the cool alpine lake (the water was GREAT) we decided to hike up to the nearest snow field and do some exploring for the next day's hike.”

“can't you go anywhere without ruining your gear?”

“Great pictures! Lost Lake looks like a great camping spot. It's been hot out here too - hard backpacking when it's 80 or 90 degrees out.”

“I failed to mention that Lost Lake was a 10.3 mile hike that we had intended to accomplish on one day (saturday), but I'm glad we broke it up as it left lots of energy on sat and sun to enjoy ourselves and get some playing accomplished on sunday.

We hiked up past Lost Lake and entered a trailess wonderland of Spruce, Fir and THE MOST INTENSE WILD FLOWER EXPLOSION OF COLOR I had ever seen!!! I had never caught the wild flower peak before and it was stunning. Seas of every color imaginable. We made it up thru the trees and emerged onto the sub alpine plain that we called Rowe Fields as Rowe Mtn was the dominant spectacle on our horizon. We easily found the snow field and played in it, tossing snowballs at each other and walking up and across it...ours were the only footprints on it. We hiked up the hill and were blown away by the valley beyond. It was like in a dream...Again, I couldn;t wipe the stupid smile from my face...I was in a dream world of visuals that staggered the waking mind. Water flowing, wind blowing, mountains rising, snow fields on the flanks of the mountains and clear blue alpine lakes...and the wildflowers in bloom. It was mesmerizing and intoxicating. I was exhilarated beyond imagining. I just wanted to run and laugh...so I did.

We spyed our attack for Mt Dunraven on the morrow, and I walked up to a mountain stream and found an Elk horn. It would be an easy approach ot Dunraven, and we were undoubtedly going to have a great time doing it. I was snapping pictures like a madman...everything was worth capturing.

We headed back to camp and made preparations for dinner on a large rock and watched the sun go down and turn the clouds pink then they just evaporated and the night sky came down upon us in a blaze of twinkling diamonds on velvet. We watched more satellites and comets and I played my flute to the music of the mountains and the gods of the lake. It was way cool!

Sleepy time came too fast. the morning was awsome! Another clear blue day and we hastily made breakfast (the mosquitoes were awake too) and we hightailed it to where we had been the day before, but this time the sun was behind us and lit everything in a totally different way. I was a picture snapping fool, once again...but it was like God had flipped the light switch on the world for us. The Wild Flowers were in FULL bloom. It was like something I had never seen before except in my dreams. It made Monet seem like a rank amatuer and paled his very finest works. This was real...we were hiking in a Monet dream scape. Everthing was alive and blooming right before our eyes...it was truely a magical moment and moved me very deeply.

We hiked past our previous days aexplorations and were headed for a water fall that we had spied from a distance, but we missed it, and struck the flow above the fall. We were ok with this as we had discovered an unseen waterfall that was beautiful. we hike up it it discover its source...a snow field which the water flowed under it and carved out snow caves. these caves were too incredible to be believed...it was right out of National Geographic magazine. I was blown away!!! We played there and took many photos.

The shape of the roof and and the pureness of the water was astounding. We filtered and drank long drafts of pure mtn water...WOW!!!!! I could have stayed there all day, but Dunraven was the ultimate goal...this was just an unlooked for jewel.

Onward and upward to the summit. Sonja was hiking in Sandles as she had received a bad heel blister on the hike in...what a trooper...I wanted to quit to save her the struggle, but she was the intrepid hiker and would hear non of it...onward, upward, upward, upward and upward...we did come across a sunken bowl where there was water flowing and I drenched my shirt to keep cool. Upward, upward, finally we made the summit and I was staring at the backside of Mummy Mtn and across the entire valley of the West Creek Research Natural Area. My goal of seeing this view was now realized. We were at 12,571'. It was great. We hung a bit, snapped a few photos and then hit the road down, down, down as the afternoon clouds were rolling in, and we still had to hike our way out 5 miles to our next camp site at Boundry Creek.

Our hike down was truely spectacular, we rock hopped car sized boulders, what took us 2 1/2 hours to climb up, we were down in 1/2 hour. and then we found a secret glen filled with more trees and lakes...we hiked down 75 degree scree slopes holding onto the large rocks while kicking down loose scree...scarry stuff, but FUN. We crossed more wild flower fields...this time the colors were even more intense...as the day was getting on and the flowers were racing to their peak color. Soon in a week or so, it would all be gone, and for this day, it all belonged to Sonja and myself...we were blessed. Enjoy the second set of pics.

When we reached our campsite the mosquitoes were waiting for us...it was horrible, but it wa a small price to pay for the beauty that we saw. We did see a Marmot who was hanging around the toilet...I guess he wanted to see what all the stink was about...lol.

The hike out was furious...Sonja set a pace that I was determined to keep up with...bad ankle or not (I had slipped and slightly twisted the ankle)....Walkindude...if you read this, I found your equal...and she is Sonja!

We made Boundry Creek and set up camp. It was not a pretty site, to say the least, but I can say...THERE WERE NO MOSQUITOES PRESENT...YAY!!!!!!!!!!

Sonja made a great fire and we watched comets and satellites and watched the Milky Way come out to play. We played name that tune (whistleing) all night...it was so relaxing. We thought that we heard growling in the woods and we were both a bit unnerved, but sleep came on us and the morning came without any disturbances...but someone from another campsite had got lost in the backcountry for an 18 hour period and the rescue rangers were out in force searching...the dude eventually just walked back into camp on his own. That was wild. We hiked out...5 miles. I did it non-stop, Sonja stopped to clean herself up in the river...I just wanted to get to the car and get to Etes Park and the shower, eat, and get to the airport...which we did, I was trying not to rush on the highway, but I guess I was, but I still missed my flight and was routed thru Minneapolis and got to Memphis at midnight and finallyhime at 3 am, fell down on the floor and received and delivered some long over due loving from/to Khatru.

To wrap up...this was the best hike that I had ever been on. It was the most strenuous, the longest on the trail and the most glorious. The scenery was stupendous and unimaginable. It was way beyond what I was expecting. Sonja was a delight, a superb hiker. I would hike with her anytime, anywhere...if she'll have me again as a partner...Sonja, again, I thank you for sharing this vision with me. It as a joy to be in your company.

May all your treks be as wonderful and special as this one was to me.

The end...Have a lovely day!”

“Looks like a really nice trip. Thanks for the pics and the report!”

“Beautiful pics. Glad you had such a great time. I am always glad to read a trip report that reflects the appreciation the writer has for his/her hike.”

“and Skully...hahaha...its a tough life...I'm glad its mine to live...I am following the teachings of the Dali Lhama...Go someplace new and do something different once a year for the rest of your life...in my case I do that 5-6 times a year...I;m just fortunate.

More trips to come this year too.

Hey Sonja...I need an address to send you the full pic story. I have 126 photos to send you. email me.”

“hmmm... was this the same hike i went on? hahaha. it was understated, you couldn't do it justice with words, just like i said. it was by far the most beautiful trip i have been on. the glacier cave was amazing and the wildflowers unbelievable. it was so beautiful it seemed unreal and around every turn or over every hill was an entirely new equally stunning scene.i want to go back right now.
we found tons of beautiful rocks, full of 'gold' and topaz and garnet. i think anyway. and we had a freindly snow hare, all grey for summer, nose around our camp. we had a blast. i cant beleive marc got any of my tunes on tthe name that tune game as i sing in monotone. and he was kind enough to let me move my broken tent, which he mended, right next to his the last night at the creepy site with all the berry bushes and growling and me with no working light. we left the lantern going all night right outside our tents because I was a huge sissy.
the scariest part of the trip was undoubtedly marc' s ruch dirve to the airport. i thought i was going to die every second of the whole ride. and he still missed the plane!
the trip was so much fun. i would go on a hike with you again anytime, marc. it was a blast.”

“ROFLMAO!!!

The ride to the airport is always the best part...hehehe...Jeff Gordon who...I was driving like that when Jeff was in diapers...lol

I am a product of the Speed Racer School of driving. Racer X and Speed, two of the best drivers in the world, even if they were animated.

Yeah...the hike was fun...hope I wasn't too much of a PITA. Photos are coming your way tomorrow...couldn't get them off today.”

“We are heading in there next week. Can't wait!”

“Its been a while since I dwelled in that weekend. It was a great trip. Enjoy!”