A Sunday Stroll...
A Sunday stroll through Sunday Gulch…sounds perfect doesn’t it? At the time I did this hike I was actually camping in the nearby Black Elk Wilderness but, after a couple days out, decided I liked the sound of making the trek back out to Sylvan Lake for a flush toilet and a beer. As an added bonus, Sunday Gulch would make a nice side trip (rumor told me that there might even be some snow to play in!)…Sunday Gulch is the name given to the massive ravine that drops nearly 1000’ away from the northern end of the wildly popular Sylvan Lake. The plan was to combine the loops around the lake and through the gulch for a nice 4-ish mile stretch of the legs. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was in for a treat!
Photo Journal...
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Strangely Quiet
Snaking our way over the rock ledges above Sylvan Lake there were plenty of glimpses of thr remarkably uncrowded waters below…
Breaching the Wall
With little difficulty the trail breached the rock wall seen earlier and dropped off the back side of the lake...
Rising Above
Passing the Sunday Gulch Trailhead the cliffs really started to rise above us. The trail sign warned that the trail ahead was extremely steep and usually holds snow until June...like music to my ears!
Going In
Amongst towering cliffs and house-sized boulders the trail drops into the gulch...
Looking Ahead
Every so often the cliffs would part enough to give limited views...but with the angle and the snow I found myself staring at my feet more than anything…
Sliding Time
A few places were particularly tricky to cross as in many places the four foot high railings were still buried (or nearly buried) in snow. It allowed me to break out my mean boot-skiing skills ...
Not Down Yet
I was having no shortage of fun descending the gulch but at a certain point I found myself wondering, ”How much farther can it drop?” The answer...a lot farther.>
Fun Time
There were more than a few places along this hike that I must have had the biggest, dumbest smile on my face...how can you not have fun in a place like this?
Trees & Rock
As the path neared the bottom of the gulch trees started to creep back between the rock walls and the stream...
I Wanna Climb
There were many places along this trail where a hiker, more adept at climbing than I, would have had no shortage of fun. I had to be content with just straining my neck...
A Short Break
Free of the narrow confines of the gulch the small creek I had been following since Sylvan Lake offered a nice place to stop, have a snack, and try not to think about the climb I was going to have ahead of me...
Overheating
Walking out of the gulch was like walking into a sauna. Away from the gulch’s shadowy, snow covered depths I discovered the day had turned a lot warmer (not to mention I was the better part of 1000’ lower). It may have been the heat but the cliffs above which I was aiming for seemed much higher than that...
Entering the War Zone
The higher I climbed it seemed the less attractive the surrounding scenery became as the trail entered an area which was being “treated” for the Mountian Pine Beetle...
The Low Point
As if the heat wasn’t enough, suddenly the path broke out underneath power lines. Of all the protected forest in this area can someone please explain to me why there was no other option but to route the trail along a power line?! Honestly...
Conservation Dilemma
As I made my way through increasingly ravaged forests that had been cut to prevent the spread of the Mountain Pine Beetle I found myself in a mental argument over the benefits of this type of hard love. At what point does the solution present greater damage than the threat it is designed to control?
Rewards of the Climb
After what seemed like an eternity the trail abated in its relentless ascent and even provided a few well-earned views of the high peaks and spires to the north...
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Um, We’re Eating
My next surprise of the hike came when I nearly ran smack into a small group of deer grazing along the trail just below the cliffs of Sylvan Lake. They didn’t seem to mind the intrusion, a sure sign I was re-entering an area where man is no stranger...
A Decent Climb
Just before crossing back over to the lake there are a number of cool rock ledges that I spent some time scrambling around. From the top of a couple boulders there were good views back down the gulch and it was easy to appreciate why I was feeling a bit winded...
Thumb’s Up
Huge rock spires eventually marked my return to Sylvan Lake. At this point I was quite warm and worn out (I could’ve used a bit more water) so as much as I wanted to explore I thought it more prudent to just push on...
Return to the Lake
The trail pretty much by-passed the lakeshore cliffs as it returned to the lake. Passing a couple of employee cabins, it wasn’t long before I found myself back along the shore where I eagerly accepted the chance to refill my Camelback...
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That’s All!
Trailhead Temp: 71'F
Min. Elevation: 5,600'
Max Elevation: 6,405'
