Saturday, June 15, 2013

Wild Basin

On Wednesday, we decided we had gotten as acclimated to 8600 feet as we were going to get and went for a 3.6 mile hike.  We entered the park by way of the Wild Basin entrance situated only a couple miles south of our campground.  The hike followed the North St. Vrain Creek which at this time of the year is really rushing.  Waterfalls are not my best subject, but you can get the idea.


Along the way, there were lots of these pretty plants.  They look like they should be bushes, but the tallest ones were only about a foot high.



This is just a little side waterfall. 

There were cascades everywhere along the route.  Sondra would be in heaven.

There was even a little ice on the trail to remind us that it’s still early in the season. 


Our turnaround point was at Calypso Cascades which was disappointing because in order to see them properly, you have to cross over a bridge that was closed for reconstruction.

This was the best I could do.

As always, Ron did a little trail work along the way.

By the end of this relatively short hike, we were both really tired.  I guess we're still not used to the altitude.  At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

BTW, we never did get any smoke from the Big Meadows fire in the park.  The fire is about 15 miles as the crow flies from us.  I don't know where the smoke went, but not towards us or Estes Park.  As of this morning, they have reopened most of the trails in the area of the fire, although it still isn't completely out.  Thanks to Shoeless Joe for the link to wildfire updates.

6 comments:

  1. I hope you didn't make Ron move those huge boulders!!!

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  2. I liked Mills Lake out of Glacier Gorge trailhead.

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  3. It's taken us close to 6 weeks to adjust to 9600 ft, so don't feel bad about being tired after a hike at 8600. We have those yellow flowers all over Mueller. We found them in a book at a museum today, but I have already forgotten the name. I'll let you know if I learn what they are called.

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  4. Any trail that has waterfalls and cascades is my kind of trail.

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  5. Love those falls and gushing water this time of year. Going to some falls here in Maine this afternoon.

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  6. I spent a week in Mexico City, that's only about a mile high and never really got alimented. So don't beat yourself up too much at 8600 ft.

    Nice hike, BTW. :c)

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