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.
