Today was day 2 past the end of my official residency and my second day of tent camping. It rained and stormed last night, and in the morning there was snow on Longs Peak. It was still cloudy and questionable, so I decided to hold off on the last big hike above treeline. Instead I spent the day on the west side of the park, driving Trail Ridge Road over to the Kawuneeche Valley where I finally visited the Holzwarth Historic Site, walked a bit along the Colorado River Trailhead near the source of the river, drive down to Grand Lake Village for a sandwich by the lake, then coming back north stopped to watch two separate moose. The highlight of the day was driving Trail Ridge when I realized that Longs was not the only mountain to receive snow. I was early enough to see a fresh coating on Mount Ida, areas of the tundra, and across the Never Summer Range. Low slung clouds between the peaks, occasional patches of sunlight, and the fresh snow made for some fascinating landscapes.

View of Longs Peak from my campsite

My tent and Longs

Fabulous clouds dominated the morning, across the park

Headed to town for real coffee before starting the day.
A rainbow over Hwy 36 showed the way back to the park.

Faint rainbow over Moraine Park

Mount Ida

Snow along Trail Ridge Road and on Mt. Chapin, Chiquita,
Ypsilon and the Mummy Range.

Fresh Snow and clouds around the Never Summer Range

More Never Summers

Along the Colorado River trail

Kawuneeche Valley near the Holzwarth site

I love grasses...

The Colorado River

Equipment along the walk out to Holzwarth site

One of the cabins at Holzwarth

Moose!

Longs Peak with Forest Canyon in foreground

Longs Peak and eroded rocks near Beaver Meadows

Today was day 1 past the official end of my residency and my first day of tent camping. A lovely though chilly morning, I made the hike through Glacier Gorge to Mills Lake and Jewel Lake. So beautiful. I am enamored of this area around Bear Lake with its peaks and cirques and the series of lakes, creek, falls, and cascades cradled in each valley. Truthfully I'm enamored of many locations here, it would not be fair to call this the favorite, however it does have a most enchanting personality and I love it dearly. A spectacular hike to some amazing views.

Headed into town for supplies, came back and had a late lunch, then in the afternoon I went back out to the Bear Lake area to hike up to Bierstadt Lake. I chose to go the hard way, right up the moraine from the parking area. I moved quick, seeing rain clouds nearby and hoping to avoid a downpour. It did rain on me, but how worth it that was! As the rain lifted and I turned a switchback, an enormous double rainbow arched across the sky and down into the valley below. Hiking the moraine makes for much elevation gain in little distance, so it was a relief to reach the top and start the trail around the lake. I expected to run into more people and more lake views, instead the journey was solitary and the surroundings seemed like a forest that people forgot. I think there had been a fire in the area, which may explain the small amounts of green. Don't get me wrong, it was neat to walk through and reassuring to know that I'd likely see any large wildlife before stumbling upon it. There were a couple spots where you could hike in to the lake.