Elevation: 8,930 ft (lower parking lot) or 9,090 ft (trailhead) – 11,430 ft
Elevation gain: 2,500 ft (if starting from the lower parking lot) or 2,340 ft measured from the trailhead
Critters: Chipmunks and Squirrels galore plus a loud and obnoxious church group
Twin Sisters is a great trail that has elevation gain, panoramic views, and proximity to the Front Range. Its large rocky summit, with multiple piles of skree, will make you feel like you have climbed a 14er without busting a lung. We chose it today because the weather forecast was predicting 80% chance of thunderstorms before noon in Summit County. Such a doomcast put a damper on our high altitude plans. As it was, we were only able to spend a half an hour on the summit before a huge storm started to build and we decided to descend.
Don’t be fooled, Twin Sisters is firmly within the boundaries of Rocky Mountain National Park so all park regulations apply. My two dogs were most unhappy today to learn that one of these regulations prohibited their participation. They do not like being left at home when a trail beckons.
You can park in the lot across from Lily Lake, which has a bathroom, or drive up the road a bit towards the trailhead. There is not a parking lot per say there, except on the rutted right side of the road, but if saving elevation is important, then don’t be fooled by the lot down below.
My memories of my last trip up Twin Sisters are vague. I climbed it two years ago and was chased off by a massive thunderstorm, so I did not see much of the trail besides rocks and trees, lots of trees. It turns out that the trip is more pleasant than I remember. While I hate being in the trees, this trail has some phenomenal views of the Meeker, Longs, and Mt. Lady Washington massif right across the valley. The pine, spruce, and fir forest is thin, which creates a sense of airiness. Finally, the entire route is strewn with angular rocks that were coated with chartreuse lichens. They were so bright, it reminded me of my visit to Graceland. Long live chartreuse.
Despite its daunting elevation gain, the route is not difficult. The ascent is accomplished through a long series of switchbacks with few large step-ups. Very little quadricep action is required. Flatlanders in tennis shoes were easily navigating the trail although I was glad for the ankle support of my boots since I slid off the small, angular rocks several times during the day, particularly on the decent.
There is a very interesting transition near treeline when large twisted rock formations come into view. These formations are bordered by stones jutting out of the turf and by Limber Pines, which have been sculpted by the wind into bent, twisted epagoges. Unfortunately, my picture of these trees did not turn out, so you will just have to go and view them for yourself.
Just beyond these trees, there is a portal into the world of sun, wind, and stone. Within the span of two footsteps you suddenly travel from a forested realm into a long bare rock field. You might want to turn around here to make sure the doorway is still there. I half expected to find a dragon perched nearby or at least an ogre or two. Instead, I found a large group of kids from some local church group. A far more frightening manifestation and darn it if I hadn’t left my broad sword at home. They, and their adult guides were as noisy as a flock of Griffins. They definitely made our time on the summit very unpleasant.
It is 0.75 miles from this transition line to the summit. The views of Estes Park and beyond will make you stumble as you try to navigate the rocks and ogle the view at the same time. A long pitch along the ridge and a series of short switchbacks takes you to a large saddle surrounded by two large domes of skree. The one to the right, next to the park’s radio tower, is where most people end up. The views there of the Longs massif will boggle the mind. We ate our lunch there and tried to ignore the screaming meemies, who had perched themselves nearby. Did I mention that I also forgot to bring my Bazoka?
It was amazing to watch the clouds build around us. At one point, directly over the lower dome, a large cloud formed. We could actually see tendrils of air curl and wind their ways upwards only to be consumed by the growing monster. After watching this show for a while, we decided to head down since perhaps there was a dragon on the mountain after all. I have a theory about Twin Sisters. It has a large, exposed block of skree, and I wonder if the heated rocks provide extra lift near its summit. Even when I have not been on the summit, I have seen large storms form right on top of it. Who knows if this is true, but the wary hiker of Twin Sisters should get an extra early start.
If you have the chance, visit this trail. You won’t need your park pass but be sure to bring a few weapons of mass destruction since it does seem to be popular with folks who look like they just stumbled out of the Winnebago. You would think that the altitude gain would deter most of these visitors, but it does not. If you happen to know of the secret password that will close the door while the dragon is thundering overhead, please let me know.
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