I was absolutely thrilled that we were able to join several dear friends before leaving beautiful Colorado, while camping in the Rockies for a couple of nights. Somehow, we managed to get campsites at the last minute, and it was even more amazing that we got three sites right next to each other! We arrived at the campground in time to catch a shuttle with friends Sue and Bob and head over to the Bear Lake area for a short hike.
It was as beautiful as I remembered it, just way more people this time. After hiking around that lake, we decided to hike up to Nymph Lake. We hadn’t been there before, so it was fun to visit a new spot and it was quite lovely. Plus, we were delighted to spot a salamander a few feet from shore, lying atop a submerged log.
It was getting later in the day, and we knew it would be awhile before we would arrive back at the campground after catching the shuttle buses, so we decided to head back. We made it back just before it rained, causing us to eat supper in our vans. But alas, afterwards the rain stopped, and we all enjoyed sitting outside the remainder of the evening. It became quite chilly, so one of our friends had a little personal gas heater, which he fired up. Circled tightly around the little glowing “orange eye”, we watched as the sun set, revealing star studded skies above. The sound of delightful conversation and much laughter mixed with the nighttime sounds surrounding us.
The next morning, we awoke to the sounds of magpies, ravens, and several other birds. I carried my bowl of oatmeal out to our picnic table and was thrilled when a beautiful mountain bluebird landed on a stump nearby, where he happily ate the little bug snack he’d just caught. Within minutes, a magpie flew down and landed on the table a couple of feet away, while chipmunks scurried about on the ground below. As you can imagine, I was in heaven!
Afterwards, we all decided to go on a hike, which could be done from the campground. Off we went walking beneath the vast, open, azure skies. Soon we came to a section of large rock, offering a lovely view of the meadow below. Within a few moments of standing there, we spotted an adorable marmot, who graciously let us get a few photos of it as it crawled around on a fallen log and later stretched out atop a rock. While we watched the marmot, several birds called from the surrounding trees.
We rounded the trail up a way and saw a small herd of elk in the distance, just starting to venture out into the meadow. A distance further along the trail, we came to a small pond, where a handsome bull moose had taken up temporary residence and was feasting on submerged vegetation. Each time he dipped the lower part of his algae-covered bridge below the water, he blew bubbles… lots of them… and it was quite hilarious to watch and listen to! We all stayed quite some time, just enjoying watching him blow bubbles.
Eventually, we left the handsome moose and continued up along the trail. As we climbed higher, our surroundings changed, which is always so interesting to see.
Eventually, we got high enough to be walking through the midst of a gorgeous Aspen grove! I absolutely love these trees, and couldn’t help but stop occasionally to feel the smooth, white bark on their trunks and to tell them how beautiful they were.
We climbed higher and higher until we saw an opening through the trees, and upon rounding a bend in the trail, we saw a gorgeous lake. Almost hidden from that distance were a mother moose and her two young, adorable calves. We carefully climbed out onto a large rock and sat there for quite some time, just absorbing the incredible beauty of it all.
Wanting to get a closer look and a few photos, we walked slowly up the trail to a spot where we could easily watch them as they grazed on the water vegetation. It was absolutely incredible and so precious to get to watch the two young ones interact and explore the area.
Standing there, we could see dark, gray clouds building in the distance, and knowing there was a chance of storms, we decided it was best to head back. Of course, the occasional clap of thunder off in the distance encouraged us to keep up a good pace as we hiked back down. Eventually we made it back down to the meadow area, and that’s when the rain began to fall. So out came our big blue ponchos, making us look like large walking blueberries to the curious elk herd as we passed them by… ha ha!
We stood there in the misty rain, watching the large herd casually graze on the green grass in the meadow. It was so lovely and peaceful, and I felt as if I could easily stand there for hours, watching them feed in the serene setting.
We also spotted lots of birds along the way, stopping to get closer looks with binoculars. The gorgeous stellar jays are one of my favorites, and we can’t resist taking photos of them, no matter how many we already have.
Soon we had returned to the beautiful stream we had passed earlier in the day, and once again I had to stop and look for fish in the crystal clear water.
We made it back to the campground just before a decent rain shower fell. Afterwards, the gray skies quickly parted, revealing those beautiful blue skies that the Rocky Mountains are so known for. We found a nice shady spot behind our campsite to hang out together for a while, and were thrilled when one of our friends brought out a container of vanilla-bean ice cream and six bowls! What a treat it was, and of course it tasted even better, since we were sitting nestled amidst the Rockies!
Afterwards, we all enjoyed a relaxing walk around the large campground before having dinner together at our campsite. As with the previous night, we had so much fun sitting in a circle around our friend’s little portable gas heater, as the sun dipped behind the grand mountains, revealing a star-studded sky above. The next morning, our friends all had to head back home, so Wes and I headed out on a hike to a new location for us.
The trail was very rocky and steep in many areas, so we did quite a bit of rock scrambling and paid close attention to where we were stepping. Up and up we went, as the trail led us through densely pine-forested sections before climbing higher, eventually reaching an Alpine area. It was so lush and green as we walked along the narrow trail to our lunch destination.
Stepping out into the clearing, the lake… or sadly, what was left of it… was revealed.
Even with the lake nearly dried up because of the lack of moisture and record-setting heat this summer, it was absolutely incredible! Standing there surrounded by these magnificent mountains, I felt so very small, and so blessed to be where I was! We found a perfect lunch spot and sat on our log enjoying the amazing view. Sitting there amidst nature’s grandeur, I couldn’t help but know firsthand how this amazing place inspired John Denver to write one of his best songs, “Rocky Mountain High“. One simply can’t help but feel the exact same way being there, and I’m already looking forward to our next visit.
We had a steller’s jay and several other birds hang out with us as we ate. Of course, we were also joined by an adorable chipmunk and a golden-mantled ground squirrel, and I couldn’t help but continue saying “Awwww” as I watched them scurry around my feet, obviously hoping for a dropped bit of food. It is so hard for me not to give a handout to adorable critters, but alas, the parks want to keep them healthy and safe, and I do too. However, as much as I explained my reasoning for not giving edible handouts, this adorable little golden-mantled squirrel just couldn’t understand how I could actually resist its cuteness, and commenced throwing big handfuls of sand at my camera over and over again. It was hilarious and I laughed aloud as I continued filming this incredible behavior. I have never seen them do this before, and I must admit it absolutely made my day! I was certainly on a Rocky Mountain high for the remainder of our hike, occasionally telling Wes how I couldn’t believe what I saw and actually captured on video. Once I have it uploaded to our YouTube Channel, I will share it with you.
After our delightful and entertaining lunch, we hiked around the lake, marveling at the numerous moose tracks leading across the dried, cracked mud. Several wildflowers were blooming as we circled the lake, and we saw several ducks and other shorebirds making the most of the remaining water. Knowing there was a strong chance of storms later that afternoon, we decided it was best to start heading back down the trail. All too soon, we were back at the trailhead and heading towards our camper van. We said goodbye to the park as we drove out, taking lots of wonderful memories with us.
IN THE STUDIO
I was delighted to finish my 3rd paper-maché sculpture in our friend Diane’s beautiful studio before we had to leave Colorado. I can’t express how much fun I had making this whimsical piece, which I named “Tumbleweed”. Everyone who saw her couldn’t help but smile instantly, which made me very happy indeed. I hope she brings you a smile too 🙂
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Until Next Time ~ Rachelle
Under the Magnifying Glass 
