My sister came in town for a short week and we were able to get out and play for a trek up to Sky Pond! Tiffany loves to get out in the mountains and hike around. She’s actually done a lot in the few times she’s been out… Hallett Peak and Long’s Peak have been her favorite hikes thus far, but I knew the beauty and grandeur of Loch Vale and Sky Pond would rival those for sure!

We didn’t get a terribly early start, but were on the trail by 7:45. We made great time up the trail, stopping to see all the points of interest and to take in the surroundings. This trail is great! It winds up through the mountains along glacial moraines, over streams, above great view points, and passes several large waterfalls en route to some spectacular high alpine lakes.

The first of these lakes is The Loch. It’s a fairly large lake set in a stunning valley known as Loch Vale. It’s flanked on either side by Thatchtop mountain, Otis Peak, and Cathedral Wall. Above The Loch, the trail meanders through Loch Vale until it climbs to a head wall that’s home to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the national park, Timberline Falls. From here, there is a 3rd class scramble up a wet and slippery little gully to the right (west) of Timberline Falls, that you will need to climb to gain the top of the head wall, to the shelf that holds both Lake of Glass and Sky Pond. This is a truly special place and home to some of the greatest scenery in the state of Colorado, let alone RMNP.

We enjoyed a little time at Lake of Glass before heading over to Sky Pond where we watched some climbers on Petite Grepon, one of the large spires directly west of Sky Pond. We ate some Wheat Thins, Tiffany yelled at me for not bringing bug spray, I held her head underwater for 10 minutes, then we started the 5 mile hike back to the trail head.

The weather was perfect! Bright blue skies, a cool breeze, mild temperatures, and stunning scenery! This is one of my favorite hikes and one I will do again and again in the future! And it’s always great to get out and enjoy the mountains with family! We just wished that Jamie was able to sneak away from her laboratory to join us – next time!

Here are some pics and a video of our day in the hills!

Michael