I'm a big believer that even though there are a lot of things out of your control, if you want a satisfying life, it's up to you to proactively make it happen. I guess that's why I hike and snowshoe so much. There are a lot of things I have to do that are not satisfying, only necessary. Snowshoeing is the thing that is not necessary, but is wholly satisfying. It brings balance to my week.
That being said, I decided to close out 2014 the right way: with a snowshoe hike. Lake Isabelle is somewhere I intended to hike this summer during wildflower season, but just plain ran out of time. When you think of abundant wildflowers, green grass, tall trees, brilliant blue lakes, and towering mountains, it's hard to imagine anything more beautiful. But nothing is more breathtaking than the Colorado wilderness covered in plush, pristine snow with a clear, bluebird sky overhead.
That being said, I decided to close out 2014 the right way: with a snowshoe hike. Lake Isabelle is somewhere I intended to hike this summer during wildflower season, but just plain ran out of time. When you think of abundant wildflowers, green grass, tall trees, brilliant blue lakes, and towering mountains, it's hard to imagine anything more beautiful. But nothing is more breathtaking than the Colorado wilderness covered in plush, pristine snow with a clear, bluebird sky overhead.
Every snowshoe I do, it's my new favorite. Each one is better than the last, and Lake Isabelle is no exception. I'm in love. What would normally be a 4-mile (round trip) hike in summer, is a 10-mile (minimum) snowshoe in winter. Even though the altitude gain isn't much, it's a strenuous hike just because of the length.
I woke up at five and was in the car by 5:24 am. I got my hike-sustaining latte from Starbucks about 15 minutes later, then I was on the long drive up to Brainard Lake Recreational Area. Driving in the dark isn't my favorite, but I do enjoy having the road all to myself. You know how it is to get stuck in all that traffic on I-70 West? I don't. (Ha!) With the fresh snow still on the trees, my headlights made the drive look like a glittery, ghostly fairyland. With perfectly clear skies, the sunrise wasn't much, but the smog over Denver did provide some nice orange hues to the east, at about 6:30. Daybreak ushered in that wonderful soft pink cast to the skies, which also reflected on the snow. Sunrise is my favorite time of day to hike, because the light creates such magic and beauty--not to mention I'm almost always the only one out there at that time! Other than the lynx I saw, and few birds, that is.
I woke up at five and was in the car by 5:24 am. I got my hike-sustaining latte from Starbucks about 15 minutes later, then I was on the long drive up to Brainard Lake Recreational Area. Driving in the dark isn't my favorite, but I do enjoy having the road all to myself. You know how it is to get stuck in all that traffic on I-70 West? I don't. (Ha!) With the fresh snow still on the trees, my headlights made the drive look like a glittery, ghostly fairyland. With perfectly clear skies, the sunrise wasn't much, but the smog over Denver did provide some nice orange hues to the east, at about 6:30. Daybreak ushered in that wonderful soft pink cast to the skies, which also reflected on the snow. Sunrise is my favorite time of day to hike, because the light creates such magic and beauty--not to mention I'm almost always the only one out there at that time! Other than the lynx I saw, and few birds, that is.
I took a ton of pictures during the magic hour, and the day eventually turned into a bluebird day: pure blue and white. I don't think I've ever seen a purer or deeper blue sky than I did yesterday. While the snowshoe trail winds through the forest, it is intimate and serene. The hike takes you past an unnamed pond, Brainard Lake, and Long Lake. Long Lake, in my opinion is by far the most scenic part of the trek.
The great thing about this part of the hike was I could take a shortcut across the lake! With no wind and open terrain, I got warm enough to remove my jacket--it was a toasty 20 degrees out by then, at least!
I confess, I did stop short of Lake Isabelle. I made it to the basin below the shelf where the lake sits. By then I had hiked 5.69 miles (I checked), and I. Was. Tired. I looked at that shelf and said, "No way." It would be nice to say made it all the way there, but honestly, there comes a point in a hike where your physical tiredness reduces your enjoyment of the scenery, and I'm a person who respects my limits. Besides, I still had to do the return trip, and let's just say, about 2 miles from my car I gladly would have accepted a piggy back ride all the way to the parking lot.
But I sucked it up and finished, blistered toe, aching muscles and all. See that picture above? That's why I do it. Statistically speaking, very few people will ever see that with their own two eyes, and it is a privilege for me to be able to do so. It is humbling, awe-inspiring, transcendent to witness the very best of God's creation. I love that I have to work for it. When I'm out there alone, I feel like this was made just for my pleasure. I will gladly suffer cold toes, red hands, dry skin, runny nose, crows feet, exhaustion and hunger for just a glimpse of this glory.