The impossibly-bright yellow leaves of an aspen tree in fall might be one of nature’s most brilliant displays.
Instead of hiking briskly, the aspens had me strolling slowly– my eye resting on golden branch after golden branch with leaves that seemed to beam luminously in the sun. Suffice it to say, camera-in-hand, it took me much longer to hike the miles in Rocky Mountain National Park– and not because of the extra strain on the lungs due to 10,000+ feet of elevation.
“Leaf Peeping” became a term associated with the Northeast’s proud array of foliage hues: bright reds, oranges, yellows, browns, and greens. But this particular sea of yellow leaves in Colorado had me even more transfixed: the glittering buttons seemed to sparkle when waving in the wind. They flapped together in the breeze– making a perceptible noise that was closest to that of an insect beating its wings.
I was absolutely awed by the hue– and we were lucky to visit right when the foliage had reached its peak, before the inevitable browning of these same leaves. The timing for our visit was coincidental, but impeccable.
We woke up very early to hike– pre-4 AM early. And if you’re wondering why anyone would do that– it’s to circumvent the Timed Entry System. What’s that? Many of the most popular National Parks instituted Timed Entry permits to stagger arrivals and make crowded roads and trailheads less congested. A noble effort, but one that favors advanced plans and can put a pinch on more spontaneous decisions. They run every hour from 5 AM onward, and sell out quickly: the secret being, that if you rise early and tread into the park before the timed entries begin, you’re free to enter without one.
One of the absolute best parts about having a van is the ability to take one’s whole “house” right to the trailhead, and we took full advantage of that in Rocky Mountain– driving up before the 5 AM hour, and then sleeping for a few more hours at the trailhead before rustling around to make breakfast. Another ace feature of traveling by van rather than car, means dressing for the trail gets a lot easier– as one can assess weather conditions right at the altitude and in the hour you’ll be hiking in BEFORE making critical layering decisions. Which comes in clutch if you are less familiar with the climate of a particular area.
We began our hike winding up towards a collection of alpine lakes on one of the park’s most famed routes– as we climbed, the mountainside was just being touched by the morning light, and the valley below was revealed to be dotted with yellow streaks– lines of aspens, looking like beautiful scar tissue on the valley floor.
On the last stretches of trail heading up to the lakes, the ever-increasing altitude caught at our lungs. Placing one pole in front of the other, we trudged upward little by little…
But the payoff was well worth it: the alpine lakes were shimmering in the morning light on this clear blue day. The water was mostly still, despite the autumn winds whipping at our down vests. Snow had fallen in the highest peaks, and the dusting brought out all the details of the slopes– the crevices and cracks, the dimensions popping even more clearly.
It was a sight to behold– even being from the Pacific Northwest, home of dozens of the most beautiful alpine lakes imaginable– I was still thrilled to see these beauties.
Ascending to Sky Pond last, we took in the scenery and rested– and as beautiful as the sights were from the water’s edge, I found myself missing the sprightly aspens dotting the landscape below, as the altitude was too high to accommodate them. I suppose the Autumn-in-Colorado mystique had smitten me, the way so many others had been before.
One thing about hiking at altitude is the incredible rush of oxygen one gets while descending– the air becoming more breathable means every breath gets fuller, and one can feel euphoric to the point of feeling nearly invincible. I had to catch myself a few times from stumbling– in my own hubris of feeling more oxygenated, I had put away my poles. The oxygen– and maybe the aspens– had literally gone to my head.
My last note on Rocky Mountain National Park is that Estes Park is a truly delightful town in a beautiful place– and it’s clear that the National Park is not the only place to find loads of natural beauty in the area. I found myself working at a co-working space in the area, gawking at the views from the windows. It’s a place whose magic extends far beyond the borders of the park, and would be worth an extended visit.
I know we’ll be back– I couldn’t live without seeing those aspens again.
Posted by Sun
