​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Bierstadt Bear Loop
30 October 2011

We headed back to Rocky Mountain National Park today for another hike.

It snowed in Lyons (about 12”) earlier this week, so we expected to be hiking thru knee-deep snow even though it’s warmed up in the last couple of days.  Thus we had a plan and an alternate plan.  If we could, we would hike a loop starting that the Bierstadt Trailhead on the Glacier Gorge Road to Bierstadt Lake, then on to Bear Lake and then back down Prospect Canyon to the start.  The alternative would be to hike up Fall River Road.

We park first at the Storm Pass Trailhead.  There is a trail opposite but it appears to head north (and the Bierstadt Trailhead is to the south.  So we drive a bit further to the actual Bierstadt Trailhead parking area (a nice sized area) which turns out to be only ¼ mile or so further up the road. 

The sign says 1.2 miles to Bierstadt Lake so I am quite encouraged though it a pretty steep uphill the whole way.  There is a small amount of snow on the trail.  Since this trail is quite south facing, the snow is mostly melted.  This is a trail of a thousand switch-backs so back and forth we go. 

I stop briefly and photograph the panorama of peaks and canyons and wind clouds just beyond the ridge.

We pop over the ridge and almost immediate we are at Bierstadt Lake.  We decide not to circumnavigate the but turn toward Bear Lake.  There is lots of snow, but since this trail gets lots of use, so its very well packed.

It was a bit windy at the trailhead, but it seems like the further up we go, the less windy it gets plus being it the trees, its not windy at all.  It is a little cold but we are comfortable as long as we are walking.

There is a spot above Bear Lake where things open us and aspens line the trail.  This would be a cool place to photo in the fall.

As we approach Bear Lake, we opt for the horse trail which has seen as least one skier.  We take a break then head down to glacier gorge and back to the car via Prospect Canyon, about six miles round trip, all on snow except for that first approach to Bierstadt.

Hopefully it stays cold and we get more snow…and be skiing before long.