Scheduled Hikes for 2010
 Glacier Gorge Trail Head to The Loch, Timberline Falls, Lake of Glass and Sky Pond in Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park


Above: Timberline Falls, just below Lake of Glass and Sky Pond
Date:  Sunday, August 29th, 2010  09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Hike Group:  Rocky Mountain Trail Tramps
Info. URLs:  Rocky Mountain Nat. Park - National Park Service
Maps for this hike (Directions at bottom of this page.)
Local Weather Report for RMNP/The Loch & Sky Pond Area
Location: 
 Rocky Mountain National Park
 Description:  Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park - Hike from Glacier Gorge Trail Head to The Loch and Sky Pond

Day Hike, Hike Elevation Gain: 1,710 feet, Distance: 9.8 miles roundtrip, Degree of Difficulty: Moderate, Things To See: - Lakes - Creeks - Waterfalls - Forest - Wildlife - Glaciers - Spectacular Mountain Views!

The hike includes magnificient vistas of Longs Peak and the Glacier Gorge area, Thatchtop Mtn. and Otis Peak, crossing over alpine streams, passing by Alberta Falls and Timberline Falls, and classic views from Sky Pond of dramatic Taylor Peak, The Sharkstooth, Powell Peak and the Taylor Glacier. Wow! All this in ONE fantastic hike!!!

Located beyond the ever popular Alberta Falls and The Loch, Sky Pond sits high in a secluded basin surrounded by towering peaks and spires. Since it receives only a fraction of the hikers that start off from the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, it's a great place to hike to, to eventually lose the large crowds.

From the Glacier Gorge Trailhead it is an easy 0.8 miles to Alberta Falls. It's 2.2 miles from Alberta Falls to The Loch, also known as the Loch Vale. The trail is moderate in grade most of the time with just a couple steep switchbacks as you hike up the valley.

The trail eventually smoothes out and you reach The Loch, a long mountain lake in a large glacial valley or vale. The Loch Vale is a great place to stop and have a bite to eat or to lay on one of its large lakeside rocks and bask in the mountain sun.



Above: The Loch


Above: Lake of Glass

Travel around the lake and hike to the end of the valley where you will ascend quickly to the basins above. At one point you will be practically hiking up stair steps that are wet from splash from the precariously close Timberline Falls. Watch your step, it can be treacherous! It's still quite thrilling. After the ascent, things level out again and you're treated to a gorgeous oasis of lush alpine plants, small idyllic waterfalls and the pristine Lake of Glass.

From Lake of Glass it's a short distance to the emerald waters of Sky Pond. To the right of Sky Pond are jagged spires of The Sharkstooth that seemingly stands guard over the basin.

The hike from the trailhead to the Loch Vale is your standard Rocky Mountain hike, while the hike between the Loch Vale and Sky Pond is exemplary.



Above: Sky Pond with Taylor Glacier, Taylor Peak & The Sharkstooth spires

As usual, we suggest that each hiker bring their own appropriate hiking gear, food, sports drinks, and a lite rain poncho for those afternoon rain showers that may pop up. Be sure to do your "carb loading" before the hike by eating a good breakfast/healthy snack and drinking liquids, avoiding dehydration and fatigue, especially at altitude. Carb loading the day before is useful, too. And if you leave the hike early, please notify the hike leader directly, so there's no question that you may have gotten lost or injured along the way. Remember... Safety first.


DIRECTIONS:
This hike is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, which charges an entrance fee. Riders, please share the cost of fees when carpooling. (Some hikers already have annual passes, and are willing to share with those they carpool with.) Because parking is limited on weekends, carpooling is recommended. Carpoolers will meet at our Loveland meeting site, in the middle of the JAX Outdoor Gear parking lot on 950 East Eisenhower Blvd., at 8:45 am, then depart by 9 am for the Park.

We'll drive up Highway 34 to Estes Park, then proceed on into the RMNP, via the Beaver Meadows Entrance. Take Highway 36 from the Beaver Meadows Entrance to the Bear Lake Road. Follow Bear Lake Road to its end at the Bear Lake Trailhead parking area, just northwest of the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, which has a tiny parking area. The Bear Lake trailhead has room for about 250 vehicles but fills up early. We may park there if there's room, then take the free shuttle bus back down to the Glacier Gorge Trailhead to begin our hike.