The water is amazingly clear - you can see it in the lower left part of the picture. There’s a big parking lot close to the lake, and a nice trail around it, close to lake level - but it’s not exactly wheelchair friendly, especially when there’s snow on the ground.
Many, many years ago, some friends dragged me to this lake for ice racing. It freezes solid (in some areas) and folks would set up a figure 8 course on it. Jeeps and other 4-wheel cars would see who could make the turns with greatest speed and consistency. Subarus always won. Their transmissions were built better and the front & rear gears didn’t fight each other.
I was very young at the time but I remember it was beautiful in winter too.
That’s Dream Lake, which is the next one up the trail from Bear Lake. You can watch the cutthroat trout swim by if you sit on those rocks on the far side of the lake. Just a bit farther into the picture (and not visible) is Emerald Lake, which is nestled right up against the base of the mountain.
I’ve been to Bear Lake a couple of times, it is really high up. It is only second to Trail Ridge Road in terms of elevation of a visitor area, I believe. I agree with the others that it is beautiful.
That’s Dream Lake, which is the next one up the trail from Bear Lake.
This photo of Dream Lake was taken from about 40.30974° North latitude, 105.65701° West longitude looking west. Bear Lake freezes to about 30 inches thick during the winter, plenty thick enough to support a car’s weight. But the ice thickness gets more complicated when thick snow settles on the frozen lake:
Yes, sorry, that’s Dream Lake. I must have hiked there from Bear Lake. I skied at Bear Lake for a number of years before I ever saw it in the summer (and was surprised how small it was when not covered with snow). But I should have recognized that the picture was not Bear Lake. I’ll see if I can find a photo of Bear Lake another time.
On second thought, I was slightly puzzled about all the rocks (compared to my memory of Bear Lake) but figured maybe the picture was taken at low tide. [grin]
Stunning.
The water is amazingly clear - you can see it in the lower left part of the picture. There’s a big parking lot close to the lake, and a nice trail around it, close to lake level - but it’s not exactly wheelchair friendly, especially when there’s snow on the ground.
Many, many years ago, some friends dragged me to this lake for ice racing. It freezes solid (in some areas) and folks would set up a figure 8 course on it. Jeeps and other 4-wheel cars would see who could make the turns with greatest speed and consistency. Subarus always won. Their transmissions were built better and the front & rear gears didn’t fight each other.
I was very young at the time but I remember it was beautiful in winter too.
My family and I stayed at a motel near here several years ago: It was a magnificent place, and totally infested with bighorn sheep.
That’s Dream Lake, which is the next one up the trail from Bear Lake. You can watch the cutthroat trout swim by if you sit on those rocks on the far side of the lake. Just a bit farther into the picture (and not visible) is Emerald Lake, which is nestled right up against the base of the mountain.
Sounds like the motel needed a fairly specialized exterminator …
Let’s just say that they didn’t so much as fumigate as hold an ominious barbeque.
I’ve been to Bear Lake a couple of times, it is really high up. It is only second to Trail Ridge Road in terms of elevation of a visitor area, I believe. I agree with the others that it is beautiful.
This photo of Dream Lake was taken from about 40.30974° North latitude, 105.65701° West longitude looking west. Bear Lake freezes to about 30 inches thick during the winter, plenty thick enough to support a car’s weight. But the ice thickness gets more complicated when thick snow settles on the frozen lake:
http://www.highestlake.com/pacific-[…].html#Freeze
Yes, sorry, that’s Dream Lake. I must have hiked there from Bear Lake. I skied at Bear Lake for a number of years before I ever saw it in the summer (and was surprised how small it was when not covered with snow). But I should have recognized that the picture was not Bear Lake. I’ll see if I can find a photo of Bear Lake another time.
On second thought, I was slightly puzzled about all the rocks (compared to my memory of Bear Lake) but figured maybe the picture was taken at low tide. [grin]
That impressive sky-line ridge, near vertical, the right side of Hallet’s – that’s the Culp-Bossier route:
http://climbinglife.com/hallett-pea[…]bossier.html
I was there about a decade ago. Fantastic position.
Update