Pella Crossing

Distance: 1.5 mile loop around Sunset Pond and Heron Lake
Elevation: 5,095 ft
Elevation Gain: None
Critters: Water fowl
Dogs: On leash (this is a Boulder County Open Space Park)

Looking west from the far end of Heron Lake in the Pella Crossing Open Space Park

Pella Crossing is a lovely open space park near Hygiene that is popular with runners, birders, and fishermen. In October, I took my parents there on an afternoon stroll. I took a picture every few feet and every one was a keeper.

Map of the Open Space Park. We took the route counter-clockwise. The inset in the upper right of the maps shows the lakes on the other side of N 75th St.

Faded Yellow Rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) clings to the side of Sunset Pond

A panoramic view. I don't know what this area is like in the spring, but in the fall, it is sublime.

The entire route is as wide, flat, and appealing as this shot.

The area consists of several adjacent lakes with a well-groomed, handicapped-accessible trail that winds around them. Open fields and Cottonwood trees line the route and skydivers were seen jumping from a plane overhead to land in a nearby airport.

Sun glints through a very large Narrowleaf Cottonwood (Populus angustifolia )

A seed pod from the Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) cracks open in the warmth of the Indian Summer sun.

The fibers of the Milkweed plant were used in WWII to stuff life preservers and are now used in many other products since it is better than down in insulating properties.

Fishing for Large Mouth Bass is encouraged and belly boats are common. There are actually 5 lakes, 3 on the east side of N. 75th Street and 2 on the west side. We only walked around the lakes on the east side (Sunset Pond and Heron Lake), but a longer route is possible by crossing over and walking the other side.

The back side of Sunset Pond

Long's Peak (14,259 ft) is barely visible through the clouds that hang over the mountains.

Fisherman in a belly boat drifts serenely on the west end of Sunset Pond. The lazy movement of his fins did not disturb the glass-like surface of the water.

Alluvial Fan Nature Hike

Distance: 0.5 miles
Elevation: 8,557 ft - 8,640 ft
Elevation Gain: 83 ft

In the center of the Alluvial Fan

The Alluvial Fan is a short but scenic trail in Rocky Mountain National Park suitable for elders and children. The trail crosses an area of waterfalls, boulders, and Aspens that formed when the Lawn Lake Dam broke upstream on July 15, 1982. Shortly after 5:30 AM, water and debris tumbled down the Roaring River Valley. People camping along the river reported that the water rose 22-30 ft. One camper in this area was killed.

Fall color amongst the rocks

As the water exited the narrow river valley and spread out into Horseshoe Park, it overran a campground and killed a few more people. Logs, house-sized boulders, and sand was dumped into a large pile.

Looking at the debris from the west side

The water then traveled toward the town of Estes Park, the gateway community to Rocky Mountain National Park. It took out a small hydroelectric power plant and fish hatchery before sending a river of mud through the downtown area. Finally, the water flowed into the Big Thompson River and dumped into Lake Estes. Total cost of the accident was $31M.

The river is much calmer now

Today, a walk across this debris field is both scenic and sobering. Tourists gather amongst the rocks, water either roars or trickles through the area depending upon the season, and trees have grown up along the edges. The route has minimal elevation gain and winds through the debris. It is 0.5 miles between the east and west Alluvial Fan parking lots and roughly 0.25 miles from either lot to the center of the fan. From the top of the mound there are also great views of the Endovalley/Horseshore Park area.

Devils Causeway Hike

Distance: 6.0 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,298 ft - 11,608 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,721 ft
Dogs: Voice and Sight Control (Flat Tops Wilderness)
Critters: Ebbie Jebbies

The Devils Causeway

Devil's Causeway is one of the most notorious hikes in Colorado. This hike, which ascends the Chinese Wall in the Flat Tops Wilderness, contains a narrow 3-foot wide, 25-yard long segment of broken rock with 1,500 ft drops on either side. This segment, which gives the trail its name, is demonic indeed. Anyone with the slightest bit of acrophobia will cower, cringe, and otherwise drool on themselves with anxiety. The pictures of this chunk of rock do nothing to convey the emotional impact of the drop off so don't be fooled. This is a PTSD inducing experience. Save time and bring along a psychiatrist.

Trailhead with bathrooms

Hiking along the lake

If you ARE wickedly afraid of heights, don't skip this trail. The Causeway is down the ridge line and there are several lovely spots to lounge on less scary spots to admire the views. To the south is Flat Top Mountain and to the north is the Lost Lake region. I could have stayed up there all day watching the raptors fly in the distance.

Sunlight glinting off the lake

Wispy clouds and suspended raptor

The trailhead for Devil's Causeway is at the far end of Stillwater Reservoir west of Yampa. The road dead ends into a large parking area near the damn. The trail follows the shoreline of the reservoir for 0.8 miles and minimal elevation gain before cutting inland to another trailhead. Take the right fork for the East Fork Trail. This is the trail to the Causeway.

Trail junction with the East Fork Trail

The Chinese Wall comes into view

After the fork, the trail wanders through a Lodgepole/Fir forest and at 1.08 miles comes to the Wilderness Boundary and the first good view of the Chinese Wall. At 1.63 miles the trail breaks out of the trees and traverses a long slope covered in talus. To the left is Little Causeway Lake and in front is a bare basin with an obvious saddle. The route looks more intimidating than it is. It does not take very long to get to the base of the saddle. Be sure to turn around every once in a while to admire the view behind you.

Heading into the trees

The first view of the saddle

From the base of the saddle, there are a series of lazy switchbacks. We met two hikers coming down who had just returned from the Causeway. One indicated that he had gotten about 1/3 of the way across but turned around because of the shifting winds. The other gentlemen indicated that he had been up to the Causeway at least 6 times and each time he had only been able to get within 50 yards of it. This served to freak me out and I started getting the ebbie jebbies on the uppermost switchback that narrowed unnervingly. Fortunately, the saddle is a broad plateau and not a narrow ridge. While the wind was blowing like Zeus, I at least could catch my psychological breath.

The trail heads across the talus field to the right.

Little Causeway Lake from the talus slope

The ascent up to the top of the Chinese Wall looks more intimidating than it is. While there is a drop off on either side, the trail travels up the middle with limited views on either side. The biggest challenge is that the route is very steep and very loose. At one point I could not stand up at all and was leaning into the slope with my feet sliding backwards in the dust. There was nothing for my hands to grab onto except a few loose rocks and more dust. Be sure to take a break half way up to admire the view.

Heading across flats toward the saddle

My destination from the area below the saddle

At the top of the ridge is an area filled with willows and rocks. To the right was a nice flat area that I dumped by pack. No way was I taking it to the causeway. The wind had died down a bit which was nice. I started walking towards the causeway, camera in hand. It is a short 2 minute walk. As soon as it came into view, I started cackling nervously and I confess a few unprintable explicatives passed my lips.

Getting closer to the saddle

Looking down on the switchbacks

As trail became more and more narrow and I continued on much to my personal amazement. I was on the cusp of the rocky portion of the causeway when all of a sudden the vertigo hit as my peripheral vision picked up the drop offs on both sides. I landed with an ignominious thud in the dirt. I quickly wedged by butt into a small rock circle to give my mind the illusion of stability. Nuclear War or perhaps a slobbering carnivore might have gotten me moving again, but not much else. I turned around and my hiking partner had collapsed about 30 yards behind me. I coaxed her forward to my position. I have heard Devils Causeway described this way...walking, walking, walking, HIT THE DECK. I found this to be startlingly true.

On the saddle. Note the wind-filled jacket.

Looking up at the final pitch

From my vantage point I could look, after much Lamaze breathing, straight down the right side of the wall. Lost Lake valley loomed in the distance, and the wall curved photogenically around to the right. While I snapped pictures of the view, the dogs poked around on the rocks, increasing my vertigo with each bounding leap.

The view to the east from half way up the final pitch

On top of the Chinese Wall. The Devil's Causeway is just ahead. Would you go any further?

Finally, after sitting there for 10 minutes or so my mind said enough and I lumbered upwards and flung myself back down the trail. Reaction to this story has been mixed. Some of my friends have shuddered at the mere thought, others have laughed knowing that they crawled on their bellies across. Devil's Causeway is a highly personal experience.

The dogs frolic on the Devil's Causeway. This picture makes it seem a broad plateau. It feels much more narrow.

The view of the Chinese Wall from my butt-planted position.

Fall colors on the left side of the Wall

Since the views of Flat Tops is so spectacular, I found my pack and moved to a large plateau where I could lounge, eat, and reflect. As I said in my intro, if you don't like heights, ascending to the wall for lunch is still a viable option.

Lost Lake and the north side of the ridge

Flat Top Mountain from my lunch spot

Native Lake Hike

Distance: 8.4 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,800 ft (trailhead), 11,879 ft (on the plateau), 11,293 ft (at the lake)
Elevation Gain: 1,665 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: On Leash (Wilderness)

The approach to Native Lake. We ate lunch on that large boulder that surveys the scene.

Native Lake in the Mount Massive Wilderness is a wonderful trail filled with variety. The initial part of the trail switchbacks 2 miles through a Spruce/Fir forest. It is damp, mysterious, and filled with pizza-sized mushrooms, many of them edible. At 2.18 miles, you break out onto a wide tundra plateau. Here the edifice that is Mt. Massive (14,443 ft) dominates the western skyline. I did this hike in the fall when the tundra grasses were golden. I can imagine them being verdant in the spring. The views of Leadville from this plateau are expansive. The western skyline is filled with 14,000 ft peaks. Across the plateau, the trail descends 500 ft to a valley. It is there that Native Lake rests.

The start of the route

Several early switchbacks are narrow and precipitous

Looking west at Hagerman Road

The lake itself is slowly receeding and is being replaced by meadow grasses. It reminded me of the lake turned meadow on the Secret Hike. The hike down to the lake was somewhat laborious too, and at least 0.5 miles longer than the guide books. If I were to do this hike again, I would stop part way down where you can see the lake from the ridge. That view is quite nice.

Looking down the drainage. You can see the trail far below.

Crossing a pleasant open area

The first view of the tundra

The Native Lake trail is near Leadville. You get to the trailhead by driving west along Turquoise Lake to Hagerman Tunnel Road. This dirt road is narrow in places but is passable by a passenger car. Hagerman Pass road traces a long and narrow U. At the apex of the U is a wide area that contains 2 trailheads. Native lake is the first trailhead. It is situated slightly back from the road. The second parking area spans the road and is for ATVers heading up to the pass, and hardy hikers attempting the steep but scenic Windsor Lake. Farther up the road is the trail for Hagerman Tunnel.

Mount Massive comes into view

Looking east off the plateau towards Leadville and the Mosquito Range.

Several small ponds dotted the tundra

This trail was a treat because of its flora. There is something about hiking in a Spruce/Fir forest in the fall. This forest ecosystem is more shaded than the Lodgepole forest that dominates much of the state. As such, it was cooler, damp, and definitely fall like. At the request of my hiking partner, I started taking pictures of all the mushrooms. I have never seen so many shrooms in Colorado before. King Boleta and Scaly Urchins were partcularly common. I discovered after the fact, that King Boleta is highly prized by wild mushroom connoisseurs. That is probably why I have not seen it before. They have been quickly snatched up by fanatical fungi followers.

Heading down the other side

The first view of the lake

Looking west on the route down to the lake

The first 2 miles of the trail switch back up a single drainage as the trail climbs higher. It was obvious that some people chose to walk parallel to the creek and head straight up the hillside. The Forest Service has put dead fall all along this narrow social trail as a deterrent. Please stay on the trail even though it is much longer. The views of Hagerman Tunnel and pass are worth the extra effort.

A trail segment down in the valley

The lake comes into view

Admiring the grasses on the lake floor

I would recommend Native Lake to anyone. It is unpopulated and filled with changing views. If you are camping at Turquoise Lake, then you have no excuse what-so-ever!