As summer kicks into high gear here in New York City, and I struggle to hear myself think, between the buffeting noise of the fan and A/C, and the bass-kick of a single, seemingly-unending Reggaeton song, that must be the anthem of my building if not the entire city, my mind drifts... or maybe that is just the heat coming off the pavement!
... No that is in fact my mind drifting. As I often do, I flip through my digital albums and find photos to work on, memories to savor, pictures to get rid of (I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder, I am not a hoarder). Usually I end up stuck on photos from a different time and temperature. If it's dead of winter here, I find myself staring at the aqua beauty of the Caribbean Sea from a trip to Jamaica. If it's high-noon middle of July here, I might find myself reliving one of my spring or fall trips to Colorado to visit my brother.
It is in fact the middle of July here, and just moments ago I found myself transported back to October when my dad and me went to visit my brother in Glenwood Springs. It was high sixties, low seventies leaving New York, warm for that time of year, and I was happy to be getting "back to nature" for a while and enjoying the fresh air of the Rockies. My brother suggested, if we were in the mood for a hike, that we check out "Hanging Lake," an "easy" hike that was not much more than a mile up and a mile back down with a spectacular scene at the top. It sounded perfect and we set out just after 10am Mountain Time. We had enough water, sturdy shoes for hiking, and no dog or fishing equipment, so according to the sign at the foot of the trail, we were in business.
As the hike began it was fairly lush, streams and waterfalls ran throughout, and just like a bundle-package from the cable company, the going was easy... at first. Although the hike was only about a mile and a half each way, it was also a mile UP in elevation!! It started to get quite step and the trail became craggy with rocks that in places had avalanched down the mountain leaving one, at least one from the city, to wonder if this trail was completely safe. Ahh but this is one of the reasons i love visiting Colorado! The adventure, the need to be truly self sufficient, out of cell-phone range, no people for miles.
We continued on past downed trees, and sheer cliff faces. Over ridges and paths that paralleled waterfalls and hillocks doubling as hobbit dwellings (you never know). Taking a few breaks we soaked in the majesty of the landscape while munching on Cliff Bars. The leaves were past peak but still blazed sun ray yellow, a last hurrah soon to be completely gone for the season. As we neared the final quarter mile it started to drizzle but couldn't dampen the excitement building. At this point the trail became so steep the Parks Department had to install Railings to insure the safety of the many hikers that came to glimpse the Hanging Lake.
At the top, 7,250 feet above sea level was a turquoise lake formed by the collection of water in a present geological fault. The lake's shore, built of carbonate deposits, is so fragile that hikers must remain on the constructed boardwalk framing this eden-like environment. Behind the lake are yet more waterfalls, and further up the trail is Spouting Rock, a water fall flowing out of a hole in the solid limestone rock face. Hiking Hanging Lake was definitely worth the work!! I have never seen anything like it and would recommend it to anyone ever traveling in the Glenwood Canyon area of Colorado. But don't forget, a trip to the natural hot springs afterward is a must to steam out the aches of the day's hike.
