I told Nic that I was starting to feel nervous about it, and he said that it was fine, and to look at allllll of the people coming back from the lake (there was a steady stream of people–it is a very popular hike and the sheer number of people on the trail surprised me). The first group of three told me there wasn’t snow, but that if you’re afraid of heights, it is not pleasant. As we approached that section, I started asking hikers coming down how it was, because we could see snow. From instagram pictures I couldn’t tell if it that section was still snowy or not, but when we got to the trailhead the night before, a sign announced that it was snow-free all the way to the lake. In the weeks leading up to the trip, I’d done research and several resources called a particular stretch of the trail “dangerous,” especially when it was snow covered. I do a lot with heights, but I still don’t like them, and I like my children being around steep drop-offs even less. If you happened to be hiking to Chasm Lake on July 16th and saw a family have an absolute meltdown on the trail, that was me. While the trail is long with a lot of elevation gain and a good rock scramble at the end, what really got me was the exposed traverse section. Ellie can be a bit of a whiner sometimes on hikes, but faced with this challenge she just buckled down and got to it! (Nic also did a fair amount of assisting in lifting her up this trail–with many of the steps well above her knees he supported a lot of her weight by holding her hand as they climbed.) It was still a tough one that had me wiped out, but what surprised me was how well the kids handled it. I was hesitant to attempt it in its entirety with the kids, so we planned a backpacking trip with a two night stay at Goblins Forest which knocked 2.4 miles and 750ft off the trip total. As a rule of thumb, try to be back at the trailhead by noon.Chasm Lake is a Rocky Mountain National Park destination that gets lots of acclaim, but at 8.4 miles, it is deservedly called a difficult hike. Watch for building storm clouds and return to the trailhead immediately if you hear thunder. Weather Warning: Weather in the mountains can turn in an instant! Be prepared for changing weather conditions. The only cure for altitude sickness is to go down to a lower altitude. Take your time, drink water, eat, and rest. Altitude can also aggravate pre-existing conditions like heart and lung disease. Symptoms include headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, vomiting, and even unconsciousness. After this, the trail turns to rock and you may need to use cairns to do easy rock climbing up the cirque to where the lake is located.Īltitude Warning: Altitude sickness affects many visitors every year. Follow the trail along a wall that offers views into a deep gorge of Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls. Use extreme caution when crossing.Īt the Chasm Junction there is an outhouse available. Here, you’ll cross a vast tundra meadow of rocks, fragile plants- keep an eye out for marmots and pikas! Since this trail is completely exposed for half of the hike, it is best to go in the morning before thunderstorms, and during the heart of summer to avoid snowfields that can linger in spring and autumn. Start this trail at Longs Peak Trailhead at 9,400 feet and steadily climb through a subalpine forest up to the alpine tundra. Chasm Lake offers spectacular views just below the famous Long’s Peak, the highest peak in the park.
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