![]() I’ve written about this hike before, so rather than re-share this information, I’ll direct you to my previous post for directions, trail info, etc. The water on the lake was still and clear, and the reflection of Longs Peak was absolutely unbelievable. The sun was warm, the sky was blue, and the wind was completely calm. This was Chasm Lake as I’d never seen it before. He absolutely loved Chasm Lake!Īnd even I was blown away. When Pat pulls out his phone and starts snapping photos of something, you know he’s really impressed. I was a little worried that since I’d been talking it up so much, it might not live up to his expectations. It was Pat’s first, though, and I was excited for him to finally experience one of my favorite hikes of all time. This past August was actually my third time hiking to Chasm Lake. I’ve hiked a lot of trails in the park over the past four years, and I keep waiting for another hike to come along and dethrone this one, but that has yet to happen. The pika usually makes a short squeaking sound as it initiates its movements.Chasm Lake is, hands down, the best hike in Rocky. Keep a close look in the marshy area between the lakes for the fast moving Pika, resembling a small rabbit with short ears and the lumbering marmot that resembles a beaver with a fox tail. Many flowering plants of the tundra have dense hairs on stems and leaves to provide wind protection or red-colored pigments capable of converting the sun's light rays into heat. Cushion plants may also have long taproots extending deep into the rocky soil. Cushion plants, looking like ground-hugging clumps of moss, escape the strong winds blowing a few inches above them. Here, many plants are dwarfed, but their few blossoms may be full-sized. as you transition above treeline, you'll be entering the alpine ecosystem. A typical subalpine forest may consist mostly of subalpine fir and Engelmann spruce. This hike begins in a subalpine ecosystem which occupies elevations approximately between 9,000 and 11,000 feet. There are privies located approximately at the intersection of Chasm Lake Trail and Longs Peak - Keyhole Route and also just below Chasm Lake next to a Ranger station (small rock building) in the marshy area, Located on the east face of Longs Peak, The Diamond rises roughly 2400' straight up. This short but strenuous pitch is well worth it as you are quickly rewarded with the absurd views at Chasm Lake.įrom the lakeshore, you'll be able to view the majestic "Diamond," one of the steepest and most iconic rock faces in Colorado. The gentle positive grades give way to equally gentle negative grades before the trail shows its second, and much more drastic character.Īfter crossing the upper reaches of the Roaring Fork River, at roughly mile 3.7, this trail begins to climb very steeply and will require some scrambling up the outer side of the "wall" that holds the lake. This trail contours gently along the south face of Mills Moraine providing excellent views below of Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls along the Roaring Fork river. Continue on Longs Peak Trail for another 0.8 miles to the Chasm Lake Trail. Shortly thereafter, you'll reach a junction with Jims Grove Trail and begin to emerge above tree line. Longs Peak Trail continues ascending above Alpine Brook, eventually crossing it at mile two. It is moderately steep as it switchbacks its way to a junction with Eugenia Mine Trail, roughly 0.5 miles in. The trail is rocky and has steps created by trail crews the whole way. Start hiking up the Longs Peak Trail from the trailhead.
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