It’s been a wet summer in the Colorado mountains and the weather hasn’t been too reliable for mountain climbing. This weekend was no exception. There was the option of climbing a mountain on this hike, but with the clouds rolling in and the winds kicking up, my wife and I decided just to hike to the lake. The trail that runs up scenic Herman Gulch gradually climbs through the forest, while running parallel with a creek, taking you above tree line to crystal clear Herman Lake (a six-mile round trip).
Columbines
It's this kind of scenery that keeps me coming back into the mountains.
Dwarf/Bush Sunflower with Mountain Harebell Bellflower
Hager Mountain (elevation 13,195)
A river of rock eroding from the mountain.
In the distance is Pettingell Peak (elevation 13,553).
Hager Mountain
Mt. Bethel (elevation 12,705), which Rhiannon and I climbed many years ago.
Scarlet Paintbrush
Herman Lake
Queen's/Rose Crown
Happy Dog
God, dude, your photos are phenomenal. Ever been to Ouray? That’s where Ayn Rand got the inspiration for Galt’s Gulch.
Your neighborhood is a lot different than my neighborhood.
These are great.