We started the trip by flying into Denver and driving to Rocky Mountain National Park. Just the drive to the park was breathtaking and got us excitedabout our adventure. As we curved through the mountains taking in the startling views of ridged red rock, jagged peaks, and aspen trees turninggold throughout lush pine- I was reminded once again why Drew and I continue this loveaffair and fascinationwith mountain living. Then we got pulled over and received a ticket from the state of Colorado and the moment was spoiled..haha. We were at our campsite before noon and unpacked and set up camp in the cool mountain air. We visited the ranger station and quickly picked up tips from the onsite ranger about Estes Park and hiking trails. We then drove to Estes Park to get lunch and a few camping supplies. Estes Park is a beautiful village nestled in the Rockies. From every point in town there is a mountain peak reaching to the heavens. The main strip of town is reminiscent of Red River, NM with cozy knick-knack shops, candy/ice-cream treats, and breweries lining the busy streets. We did some shopping and then caughtlunch at a local lunch spot where we filled up on green chile and a local brewskie. The start of the day was charming and we ended it with a short hike to an old mine, campfire cooking, and then it was off to the tent.
We awoke early the next morning to start hiking to Chasm Lake. This hike would be roughly 9 miles round trip. The majority of the hike was uphill and much like climbing stairs. The hike started through the woods following a stream until we hit the Alpine Tundra where the pine and spruce became sparce. We slowly made our way above the tree line and was welcomed by a 360 panoramic view of the rockies. We took a break to take in the views and fully appreciate what it was we were looking at. Beauty of this magnitude always reminds me of God. He must love us so much to create such a breathtaking backdrop to be the setting of our lives. I'm never more convinced that a loving God exists then when I'm surrounded by mountains. We continued on through boulder fields. Anyone who has ever embarked on a rigorous hike knows the feeling of frustration that creeps up as one starts to feel exhausted. This feeling greeted Drew and I as the last portionof our hike to a steep turn up, up, and up. We finally reached Peacock Lake and I was disappointed because I originally thought this was Chasm Lake. We continued hiking untilwe reached boulders that we had to physically climb over. Over every turn I was convinced Chasm Lake would be on the other side; again and again it was not. Finally, after about two and a half hours of climbing we approached Chasm Lake. The lake lies about 2,000 feet below Longs Peaks summit. The lake is formed by snow melt and appeared a turquoise blue that grasped the edge of the cliff face. We immediately found a place to sit down and enjoythe captivating view while enjoying a modest hikers lunch. We then started the hike back to our campground. Once we arrived back to camp we decided we wanted to shower, a hot meal, and to sleep in a comfortable bed after such a hike. We had originally planned to spend another night at the park, but after much consideration and realizing that the campers next door who had a toddler (who screamed and cried all night the night before) had not left- we promptly packed up and headed to Denver. We checked into Embassy Suites we showered and headed to Steuben's- a restaurant downtown that my parents suggested. We were dog tired but Ienjoyed vegetarian chile relleno (best I've ever had...however, Drew says I say that about everything I eat) and Drew had skirt stake and fries. We then gladly melted into our bed and slumbered like bears in winter.
The next morning we woke up and had breakfast at Whole Foods (green chile breakfast burrito and caramel pumpkin latte) and then headed towards Colorado Springs. We went strait to the Garden of the Gods and walked around as we took in the views of steep cliff red rock that had the backdrop of Pikes Peak to top of the spectacular beauty. We then headed to Drew's uncles house and visited over lunch. We were lucky enough to also coordinate a coffee break with an old Glorieta summer staffer (Calob Poe and his new fiance). We drove back to Denver to catch dinner at Duo Restaurant which is an organic farm to table restaurant that has award winning chiefs. Drew and I both enjoyed the special which was Mahi Mahi coupled with slender potatoes that melted like butter in your mouth.
All in all we had an amazing vacation. It was a hard transition back to reality after such an amazing time and such amazing view but it only took a few days of moping around before we snapped out of it and accepted the full blessings of our real world. I guess that what vacations are for- to vacate your real life and to dive into an adventure full of beauty, food, and relaxation. I can't wait until our next get-away...Alaska maybe?
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