July 25, 2011

Trail Report

Haley, Ramius, and I arrived at the trailhead just before noon on a gorgeous summer day. The trailhead is a little bit hard to find, but the kiosk will give you a map if you ask for it. The parking areas were all extraordinarily full, so we did a few loops and eventually found a spot at the correct trailhead. 

The first portion of the trail is completely below treeline, and the trees released a wonderful scent in the midday sun. After about 15 or so minutes of a gentle grade we encountered our first bit of snow. At this point the trail took a sharp right turn and began to gain elevation along a few long switchbacks, eventually opening up to great view of several lakes in the surrounding area. 

Prior to the junction with Beaver Creek Trail there is a lovely spruce grove that would probably provide several delicious flavors that could be added to some kind of porter. after that grove are a number of cairns, switchbacks, and fields of wildflowers. At one point we we even encountered melted snow that quite literally shot upward from the earth. I must say the pika (Ochotona princeps) and yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) populations seem to be thriving at the moment - I was shocked at the sheer the number of warning calls we elicited on our way up and down the mountain. 

There is a magnificent view of neighboring mountains if one continues west along the tundra at the base of Audubon's summit. It was somewhat challenging to get to the edge of the ridge due to my desire not to step on the tundra, but rather hop from stone to stone. I have to beg that anyone travelling anywhere near tundra please avoid treading on it. rather, attempt to hop, skip, or jump from stone to stone, or boulder to boulder as the case may be. In doing so, you'll avoid destroying a fragile ecosystem and preserve its beauty for those who come after you.

The path to the summit was quite interesting in that it is VERY poorly marked. It is useful to attempt to follow the cairns that have been erected, however they are sometimes not visible or are too low to be noticeable. We simply climbed directly toward Mount Audubon's peak, cursing each time we came over a false summit - there are many when you use this approach. When we finally came over the summit's crest, it was to the wonderful views of lakes to the east and mountains to the north, south, and west, including Longs Peak. Whilst on the summit a particular marmot temped me over and over with photo opportunities, running away each time I raised the camera. Finally, as we began to head down, it paused in front of Longs Peak, yielding the final photo of the day.