Regensburger Photography

Category: Colorado

  • Lost Lake Rocky Mountain National Park

    Lost Lake Rocky Mountain National Park

    The Lost Lake trail in the northeast corner of Rocky Mountain National Park provides access to a number of lakes and some good fishing. The reward after a long trek is some fine alpine scenery.

    I hiked the trail to Lost Lake in one long day. It took about 10 hours to make the 9.7 mile climb up to the lake. The trail is benign for most of its journey but 2 steep sections provide for most of the 2800 foot elevation gain. The trail starts at the Dunraven trailhead north of Estes Park and spends the first half meandering through the Comanche Peak Wilderness. At the start, it descends 200 feet to the Big Thompson River and crosses the river at a newly installed bridge (the old one was washed away along with several others in the flood of 2013). The trail parallelss the river for a long flat stretch as it passes through private property. You cross the river again and pass a large horse stable. The trail stays flat for the next mile and a half as it works its way along the river.

    At mile 3.5, the trail begins its steep ascent to the national park boundary. The trail climbs steeply through aspen forest and lodgepole pine. The river quickly disappears in this stretch. The trail mellows out as it reaches the boundary and passes the intersection with the Boundary Trail. The trail now follows the river for the next 1.5 miles on a fairly flat grade. Around Happily Lost Wilderness campground, the trail once again steepens around mile 6.7. You pass a junction with the Stormy Peak Pass trail and continue grinding upwards along the rocky trail. The thundering Lost Falls can be heard through the trees but to actually see it, you’ll have to cut left into the forest through downed timber just past the trail junction. Lost Falls is a pretty, 60-foot cascade, but the view is partially obscured by rocks and trees.

    Back on trail, you pass a few more wilderness campsites. The trail flattens out again after Lost Meadow. The lake is now only a mile away. There are four camp sites near the lake, although none really provide a good view of it. I camped at one of the upper sites.

    The lake is in a pretty basin with Rowe Peak towering in the distance. You can ascend a social trail through the trees to the left of the lake to reach the upper basin where the scenery becomes spectacular. Husted Lake and Louise Lake lie to to the south of Lost Lake in this upper basin. Unobstructed views of Rowe Peak greet the visitor. So does wind. It was unrelenting in the three days I spent in the basin. The more adventurous can even explore the Dunraven Lake basin to the east, but large snow fields blocked entrance during my visit.

    The lakes in the area all support a good cutthroat trout population which proved fun to fish during my stay.

  • Booth Falls

    Booth Falls

    Booth Falls is a strenuous hike to a 60 foot waterfall in the Gore Range in the Eagles Nest Wilderness near Vail, CO. The falls plunge down a steep crack at the top of a rocky canyon. Views of the cascades above the falls are easy but a steep drop over a small cliff restricts the views of the actual falls themselves.

    The hike to Booth Falls begins steeply as the trail switchbacks above the parking lot. After a half mile the trail eases a little as it follows Booth Creek. Around the 1.25 mile mark, the trail then climbs very steeply up to a rocky bench as ascends through an avalanche zone filled with raspberry and huckleberry bushes. The falls is located off the left side of the trail just past the 2.0 mark. Expect it take 1.5 hours to reach the falls. The trail continues above the falls, reaching Booth Lake in about 5 miles from the trailhead.

    To get to the trailhead, take I-70 to Exit 180 in East Vail. Turn right at the exit and then make a left on the frontage road. Drive for a mile and then turn right at the sign for the falls. If the main lot is full, overflow parking can be usually found at the Vail Mountain School just down the rod.

  • Boulder Spring Snow

    Boulder sets its all-time record for snowfall in a winter with this past storm. The spring snow storm dumped 15 inches on the city bringing the annual total to 151 inches. April has been a very snowy month so far. It was a beautiful morning to be outside despite the 5 degree temperatures. I am not a big fan of spring snow, but I know the snow is great for the plants. Can’t wait for the wildflowers to show up in June!

  • Red Rock Lake Sunrise

    I finally decided to do some snowshoeing this winter. I went up to the Brainard Lake Recreation area in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. First, I stopped at Red Rock Lake to catch the sunrise. I had been meaning to do this for a number of years but had never gotten around to it. I picked a good morning to come. The color was intense–unfortunately, so was the wind. It had to have been blowing 50 mph. It knocked over my tripod on a couple of occasions (luckily without my camera on it). The sunrise was a rosy red and purple to the east and then the rising sun lit up the mountains behind Red Rock Lake. I then hiked up to Lefthand Reservoir. The view was noice but the clouds were really rolling in by then. What a special morning.

  • Colorado Fall Color 2019

    I spent 4 days in the Colorado high country last week. The aspen were at peak or just beginning to turn in some places. Grand Mesa and Boreas Pass were the best spots to catch fall color.

    Aspen

    Maroon Bells had some nice aspen but the area was not at peak yet. The water in Maroon Lake was unusually low so it made for bad reflection photos. I did get to see a beautiful sunrise at the start of the Capitol Peak trail.

    Grand Mesa

    I found a couple of nice spots to see fall color on the Grand Mesa near Grand Junction, CO. The best seemed to be around Lake.

    Boreas Pass

    The aspen were turning near peak color last weekend on Boreas Pass near Breckenridge.

     

    Flattops

    I took a drove through the flattops. While the aspen had not yet turned, the scrub oak were amazingly vibrant.

  • Herman Gulch in Moonlight

    I backpacked the short 3 mile trip to Herman Lake near Loveland ski area so I could photograph the mountains in the light of the full moon. The area has a small tarn that reflects the area’s main peaks in it as well as featuring large fields of wildflowers. What could be a more perfect spot to capture the stars and landscape in the light of a full moon?

    I camped near the tarn and found a large field of red paintbrush close by. This made for some drastic sunset shots with the peaks providing a beautiful backdrop. Then the moon came up, illuminating the peaks above Herman Lake. What a sight! There were a lot of clouds still hanging around which made it tricky to photograph. I was using an exposure of 15 seconds at f 5.6 for the photos. The clouds blurred out from the long exposure but also periodically blocked the moon. It was challenging but amazing lighting for sure. An added bonus–I was the only person in the vicinity of the lake for this full moon show. What a feeling!

    Trail Description

    The hike to Herman Lake begins at the trailhead just off I-70 at exit 218. It starts moderately but then steeply ascends through the forest along the creek after about .25 mile. It then pops out of the forest after a mile and passes several fields of columbine as the trail meanders through the open meadow. The trail begins to ascend steeply again about the 2.5 mile mark. The trail reenters the forest and hikers have to negotiate several patches of exposed tree roots. Finally, it exits the trees for good at around mile 3 and ascends the last couple of switchbacks to the lake.

  • Gilpin Lake/Gold Creek Lake Loop

    I backpacked the Gilpin Lake/Gold Creek Lake loop in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness otherwise known as the Zirkel Circle over the 4th of July. The trail is strenuous at times but provides some wonderful views and beautiful scenery for most of the hike. The NFS lists the distance for the loop at 11 miles but it is at least 2 miles longer than advertised so be prepared if you hike the entire loop.  I chose to hike the loop from Gilpin Lake to Gold Creek. The trail up to Gilpin Lake is generally steeper but converts the long uphill section from the trail junction  if you go the other way to a downhill section.  I started out from the Slavonia trailhead about 20 miles north of Steamboat Springs. I reached a trail register and the trail junction with the Gold Creek trail after .1 mile.  I signed in and headed left up to Gilpin Lake.  The first part of trail rambles through aspen forest.  A few large clumps of paintbrush grew close to the trail.  My next milepost was the wilderness boundary at 1.6 miles.  The trail follows a creek through open meadows and a wide glacial valley at this point. Hundreds of columbine were blooming near the trail at around the 2.5-3 mile mark. The trail climbs steadily but not too steeply thorough most of this stretch. Finally, I reached a stream crossing at around mile 5. From here, you been a steep ascent to Gilpin Lake over the next .75 mile. There is really no good camping spots from the water crossing to the lake due to the steepness of the terrain.  Finally, I reached Gilpin Lake after 4 hours of hiking.

    Gilpin Lake is one of the jewels of the Rocky Mountains. It surrounded almost entirely by mountains.  The lake is relatively shallow which made for great reflection shots at sunset and sunrise. I wandered around the near shore of the lake and found a primitive trail that led down the back side of the lake past the outlet. Some beautiful cascades can be found here. I set up my tripod on the far side of the lake and waited for sunset.  I was not disappointed. The mountains above the lake glowed red in the setting sun, aided by smoke in the air from forest fires burning in southern Colorado. I also cast out a fishing line and snagged a couple of small brook trout while I took int he view. In the morning, I walked along the east side of the lake and watched the sun light up the peaks to the south. What an amazing scene.

    Around 8:30, I headed up to the saddle above Gilpin Lake. It its a steep, half-mile ascent to the saddle but not nearly as bad as some passes in Colorado can be. The view from the top is spectacular.  Big Agnes mountain looms large behind the lake when viewed from this direction. I then headed down the pass toward the Gold Creek trail. This is a long, steep descent as previously noted.  After about a mile, I came to the junction with the Gold Creek trail. The trail then follows the creek down valley to the right. Gold Creek is a narrower, tree-filled valley. The shade was welcome given the heat of the day beginning to build. I came to Gold Creek Lake after 2 miles. It is a pretty, forested lake. It has excellent fishing for brookies, BTW. The long slog bak to the trailhead now begins. The trail descends along Gold Creek and passes a couple of large waterfalls.  There are also a couple of difficult stream crossings along the way. There are logs but if you don;t like the tight rope act with a pack on, wading might be the better option. On one of them, I ended up fighting a fir tree near the start. After a seemingly endless 4 mile hike, I reached the trailhead, exhausted.

    Directions to the trailhead. 

    Drive 18 miles north of Steamboat on RD 129. Then turn right onto Seedhouse Road.  Drive 12 miles along the half paved, half dirt road to the end to reach the Slavonia trailhead.  Trail 1161 leads to Gilpin Lake.   Although many people hike the trail, few backpack it.  Solitude can be found while camping.  One word of caution. Camping is restricted 1/4 from the lake. You’ll have to head out a ways from the trail to find camping spots.   

  • Sawmill Ponds Frost Boulder

    After a recent light snowfall, I woke up to a wonderland of a thick layer of frost coating virtually everything in sight.  I grabbed my camera and headed out to Sawmill Ponds in Boulder.  I was not disappointed.  This natural area features large fields of natural grasses and thistles that make for amazing photos when covered in white.  I hiked around the trails looking for suitable subjects.  The thistles in particular made good subjects as the spikes of the seed heads contrasted well with the ice crystals coating them.  I also found some frozen ponds that made for good photos with the Flatirons in the distance.  I am not a big winter fan but I really enjoyed my morning out in the frost.  Sawmill Ponds is located just west of 75th Ave and just north of Valmont in east Boulder.  I can;t wait to go back when the ice melts in the spring.  

  • Black Lake

    Black Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park is a long but rewarding hike in the Glacier Gorge area of the park.  The hike features a couple of beautiful lakes (including its namesake) and several waterfalls, including the elegant Ribbon Falls.  Ribbon Falls is a thin slip of a waterfall that descends a wide section of granite just below Black Lake.  Along the way, hikers are treated to several other cascades along Glacier Creek.  

    Trail Description

    The hike to Black Lake starts at the Glacier Gorge trailhead.  The trail climbs steadily to Alberta Falls, about a mile up the trail.  The falls thunders over the rocks.  Although it’s only a 25 foot drop, the falls is quite a sight.  This is the end of the road for many a hiker.  But the fun is just beginning.  Another small waterfall can be found just a few switchbacks up the trail.  The falls is tucked into a little hidden alcove.  Continuing up the trail, you reach a trail junction at mile 1.7 and bear right.  The left branch heads to the boulder field atop Long’s Peak.  Here, the trail cuts across a flat section of trail and approaches the canyon where lakes are located.  At mile 2.2, the trail divides again–the left branch heads toward Mills and Black Lakes, the right toward the Loch.  The trail climbs a series of steps and crosses the creek just before reaching Mills Lake.  Mills Lake is a calm respite and provides a good spot to grab a snack near the half-way point of the hike.  Try and spot a trout in its calm, shallow waters.

    The trail then goes along the left side of the lake and parallels the creek for the next mile.  This section of trail ascends gradually and makes its way through an area of tree blowdown.   At mile 4, the trail begins to ascend more steeply.  The thunderous sound of Ribbon Falls greets you at mile 4.5.  This is a hard waterfall to photograph given its unique structure.  Going wide here will help.  You can walk off trail and reach the bottom of Ribbon Falls.  The next sight is the outlet of Black Lake.  The mountains in the background frame the falls beautifully.  Amending the steps above the outlet, you finally reach Black Lake.  

     

  • Picket Wire Canyon

    I have been meaning to hike Picket Wire Canyon near La Junta, CO for some time now, but I kept putting it off.  I finally went down there to do a hike to the dinosaur tracks.  The wait was worth it.  The hike is a long one but the canyon is very green compared to the surrounding landscape. The wildflowers were also blooming in abundance due to some recent spring rains.  

    The Hike

    The trail starts at the Withers trailhead about 45 minutes south of La Junta.  The trail quickly descends into the canyon from the parking lot and loses about 250 feet in elevation.  Once in the main canyon, wildflowers dot the landscape including prickly primrose, sunflowers, and cholla cactus.  An old ranch house is reached after a mile.  The next landmark is a cemetery located 3.7 miles from the trailhead.  In this stretch of trail, views open up of the canyon and the Purgatory River below.  The dinosaur tracks are found another 1.5 miles down the trail.  Several Brontosaurus tracks tracks can be seen here.  An even bigger collection can be found just across the river, but due to high water, I decided not to wade it.  The hike is 11.6 miles round trip.  There is very little shade so bring plenty of water.  

    Directions

    Picket Wire Canyon is located south of LaJunta.  Take highway 109 from La Junta and turn onto the signed dirt road top the right after 13 miles.  The road will turn at mile 8 toward the canyon.  Follow this road for 6 miles.  One final turn is required and this road goes 3 miles to the trailhead.  The way is well-signed.  

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