Days 74-76: Grand Lake, CO to Rabbit Ears Pass, ~71 miles, ~1,269 miles total
A read of the maps for this section foretold the miles of hiking in the alpine tundra would soon be a sweet and distant memory. Peaks, passes, lowland forest hiking all at lower elevations than the terrain we have traversed for the last 500 miles.
This leg I wanted to admire the tundra wildflowers with greater fervor. The passion Muir evoked in his descriptions of harebells and heather often runs through my mind. All the more so after I picked up a tundra flower guide and learned the cushion plants and dwarf clovers I so admire can take 50 years to grow a diameter of 6 inches! And that’s only after the patch was a pocket gopher garden (i.e. disturbed soil). I feel so in awe of the endemic alpine sunflowers nodding their heads east, away from the western winds. Their cheerful blooms a reminder to accept the wind that scours the high meadows instead of bracing against it.
Running these high ridges a bloom with wildflowers on the Continental Divide. Splendid and spectacular. We often pause to look around and reflect, while not profound words, it feels a poignant concept: So this is the Divide. Snow to the west melting and flowing to the Colorado. Snow to the east flowing to the Platte.
The shorter mountains, meadows, shrubsteppe, and forests to come will be no less grand. All ecosystems have elegant relationships to marvel at, contemplate, and praise. But for now, the alpine tundra of Colorado has been the highlight of the trail as it runs through the state. Maybe I’m just partial to marmot country.
Special thanks to Greg for giving us a ride to Steamboat and the beer recommendations! Greg was awesome to chat with and he gave us a ride to Cakewalk’s condo, where we reunited with Smudge, Groceries, and Lucy. More thanks to all of them for a wonderful evening.
Not a good shot, but this THE Colorado River. Seven US states and one Mexico state depend on its water. Most years it doesn't flow to its mouth in the Gulf if California. Use water wisely! Consume products wisely!
We briefly toed the Never Summer Wilderness. The mountains in this range look awesome and it would be terrific to explore them.
Storm clouds in the distance. Thunder rumbles nearby. It is July in the Rockies and monsoon season is starting.
Alpine sunflowers, my favorite flower of the Colorado tundra, found only in the Rockies.
Gabriel on the summit of Cascade Peak (12,200+).
A yeti on the mountain.
The passes are getting lower but they affirm we are on the Divide.
Approaching the summit of Parkview.
The lookout on top.
Someone came out to see if we needed help eating lunch.
Mukmuk flies.
We are happy, but goofy.
Formations in the Rabbit Ears Range.
Caught sunset up on a ridge before descending to water and camp.
Love the aspen forests!
Lower down, we sometimes need our bug nets.
Mule ears!
Lupine amid the sagebrush and buckwheat.
High five.
Pronghorn sighting. We also saw a beaver, Gabriel's first ever!
Road walking. Are we almost done with the 11 miles of asphalt? The views are pretty, but we want to get to Steamboat Springs.
Hi Marmot, lovely post! What is the name and author of the tundra wildflower book
botany boy
Thanks Botany Boy! It’s a great little lightweight guide: Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains by Willard and Smithson. Picked it up at a RMNP visitor center.
Don’ Forget To Smell The Flowers!!!
So good to hear from you again! Lovely post as always, and “Mukmuk flies”, well, it just makes me giddy. Happy Wyoming!!
Yes! I have a working wifi photo card again so I can share pictures. Hooray! More from South Pass or Pinedale. Mukmuk was pretty giddy to enjoy the alpine tundra of Colorado. So had to show his excitement. Wyoming landscapes have been awesome so far. Now we head into the Basin proper!