Loch Vale

Two days ago, I hiked more than 13 miles in a loop from the Bear Lake trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. Part of that hike took me deep into Loch Vale, one of several spectacular gorges falling east from the Continental Divide.

Here are photos of the Loch, the largest lake in this particular gorge, which sits at 10,190 feet above sea level. Clouds were streaming over the Divide, reflecting in the sometimes still, sometimes churning waters. Thatchtop is the hulking mass along the left shoreline, and The Sharkstooth is the jagged peak on the right (The vertical photo shows it better.).

The steep-sided cirque beyond the Loch is home to Timberline Falls and two higher lakes, Glass Lake and Sky Pond. Powell Peak is the high point on the left side of this bowl. The shoulder of Taylor Peak is on the right side. As is evident from the photos, snow persisted above the Loch.

After eating a protein bar and resting on the rocky shore for about half an hour, I began the journey higher up Loch Vale, crossing alternatively muddy and snowy patches. The higher I climbed, the snowier it got. The final 300 yards or so to Timberline Falls required a traverse of a steep, slushy snowfield.

Fortunately, I had brought a pair of trekking poles, dependable hiking boots, the gaiters I had bought in Pueblo, and some raw nerve. The path trod into the snowfield was slick and the footing treacherous. The reward was a beautiful waterfall still shouldering winter’s cloak.

The path up to the higher lakes required a scramble up a slick rockpile, then likely more, and deeper, snow. So I decided I had gone far enough and turned back to face the snowfield. Before I started down, I admired the view back down Loch Vale.

The Loch, RM09-0628-4493R; Clouds Reflected in The Loch, RM09-0628-4495R; Snowfields in Loch Vale, RM09-0628-4470R; Timberline Falls, RM09-0628-4480R; and View Down Loch Vale, RM09-0628-4479R; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado | ©2009 Jeff Blaylock

Complete trip report:

• Day 1: Stormy Day in the Rockies
• Day 2: Fern, Odessa and Cub Lakes
• Day 3: Three Gorges
• Day 4: Trail Ridge to Mount Evans

Also see:

• Rocky Mountain High, a blog entry from beside the Big Thompson River in Estes Park
• Loch Vale, some photos from my dayhike to Loch Vale
• Wildlife Shots From the Rockies, photos of wildlife spotted during the trip
• Wildflower Shots From the Rockies, photos of blooms found during the trip
• Self Portrait at Odessa Lake, photo of me at this beautiful lake
• Photo 2000 – Mills Lake, the 2,000th photo posted to jeffblaylock.com
• Chapel on the Rock, photos and write-up of my visit to this famed Catholic church

Potentially related posts:

• Photo 2,000 – Mills Lake
• Self Portrait at Odessa Lake
• Rocky Mountain High
• Three Gorges
• Chapel on the Rock
• Wildflowers in the Rockies
• Wildlife Shots From the Rockies