Today the alarm clock rang at 5:40 so we could make it to our destination by dawn. It was rough, I’m not going to lie. I’m not a morning person and therefore don’t remember much before 9:00 or so. I sleep-walked to breakfast, then to the car, then to the lake at the base of Colorado’s most-photographed feature: the Maroon Bells.

Visible in the saddle between two peaks, the Bells are nicely situated at the head of a pretty little lake. Their maroon-colored faces were dusted with snow, which showed off their striated nature. Unfortunately, foliage at this altitude is mostly past peak, so the forests of aspen trees were bare. But as the sun rose, the valley burst into fall shades of gold, bronze, and orange which played off the white bark of the pin-straight aspens.
Once I was fully awake, we decided to take a hike up to a second lake in the area: Crater Lake. We made our way up through the aspen forest, through moraines full of glacial rocks and boulders, and into the upper meadow. We were warned that there were moose in the area, but didn’t see any. A few adorable pikas popped out of the rock piles and squeaked in alarm. But that was about the extent of wildlife we saw.

After the hike, we took a nap under a couple of pine trees and watched clouds materialize in the Colorado-blue sky. A clear stream bubbled nearby and ducks played in the water. It was easy to see why the place is so popular. Unfortunately, that meant that crowds. On our way back, the trails felt more like Grand Central Station than the wilderness.

Looks like tomorrow we will take to the road and head to Utah, the state which seems to be mostly National Park land. Thanks for checking in!