攀登Chicago Lakes Trail(2014.08.16)
登山口:Echo Lake (海拔10,600 呎/3,231公尺)
攀登湖泊:Idaho Springs Reservoir (10,617呎/3,236公尺)
Lower Chicago Lake (11,545呎/3,519公尺)
Upper Chicago Lake (11,733呎/3,576公尺)
淨爬升高度:約1,116呎/340公尺
總爬升高度:約2,400呎/732公尺
登山里程:含環湖約10.4哩/16.64公里
登山時間:含休息午餐計7小時50分(實際登山5小時45分)
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行車資訊:
科羅拉多丹佛(Denver)開車沿I-70州際公路西行,約30哩後在Idaho Springs由Exit 240出口左轉西南行即為Mount Evans Scenic Byway(CO 103)公路,沿CO 103公路行約12.6哩在Echo Lake前右轉往Echo Lake Park,0.3哩後抵停車場停車;或將車停放Echo Lake之前的CO 103公路路邊。
步程簡述:
07:10 停車場登山口出發,海拔10,600 呎(3,231公尺),行小段路到Echo Lake西岸,沿西岸南行。
Echo Lake
07:16 遇Chicago Lakes Trail和Echo Lake Trail岔路,取右沿Chicago Lakes Trail南行。
07:18 稍高點有一“Chicago Lks Trail No.52”木牌,越過此標示步道開始在稜線西側沿著山腰朝南往Chicago Creek下切,沿途透空處北望落磯山脈大陸分水嶺James Peak及Indian Peaks等山脈;
View of the Continental Divide from the trail down to the Chicago Creek Basin
南眺Chicago Creek山谷及矗立在山谷盡頭的Mount Evans、Mount Spalding和Gray Wolf Mountain等高山,今天的目標Upper Chicago Lake就座落在山谷盡頭的山腳下。
View just past Echo Lake, the start of the Chicago Lakes Trail
遠眺完南、北山岳後步道開始轉為較陡的“之”字形下坡直切Chicago Creek山谷。
The trail down to the basin
07:50 下抵Chicago Creek山谷,由橫跨在Chicago Creek上之原木橋渡過到西岸,此處海拔約10,342呎(3,152公尺),距登山口約1.1哩;
Crossing Chicago Creek
行不久遇寬大石子路,取左上。
Shortly after crossing the creek, turn left and follw the road
08:05 抵達Idaho Springs Reservoir,海拔約10,617呎(3,236公尺),距登山口約1.65哩;
Idaho Springs Reservoir
此水庫可釣魚,但門口有一“Catch & Release Only”警示牌,意思是在此釣魚不得將釣得的魚帶回家,釣起的魚應立即放回水庫,所以水庫裡的魚是專供釣客玩弄、虐待用的。
Idaho Springs Reservoir
08:20 沿著水庫西岸行到底經過兩棟木屋即抵達Mt. Evans Wilderness Area Boundary,海拔約10,652呎(3,247公尺),距登山口約2.05哩,自行登記後沿步道上行,小緩坡。
Two cabins at the upper end of the reservoir
Entering the Mount Evans Wilderness
Looking up at the east wall to the valley
Trail segment through an open meadow
Hikers on their way to Chicago Lakes
08:27 步道右側山坡是一片在1978年一場森林大火焚毀的殘跡,該場大火燒毀了400英畝的森林。
The remains of the 1978 Idaho Springs fire
此後步道便一路在災後殘跡邊緣緩升,偶而從林梢透空處南眺山谷盡頭的Mount Evans等山,步道兩旁野花還蠻多的。
The remains of the 1978 Idaho Springs fire
Chicago Lakes Trail
Mount Evans from Chicago Lakes Trail
Mountain gentian(Parry gentian)
Fireweed
Nodding Groundsel
09:09 經過一小溪流,從幾根木頭及墊腳石踏過。
Elephant Head Flower
The final approach to the lower lake
09:30 抵Lower Chicago Lake岔路,海拔約11,545呎(3,519公尺),距登山口約3.95哩。
Lower Chicago Lake岔路
The trail the first lake beside this unnamed 13,307' peak
取左穿過Willow樹叢下到lower Chicago Lake湖邊拍照後循原路回到Chicago Lakes Trail。
Looking down upon lower Chicago Lake from the trail
Lower Chicago Lake
09:50 回抵lower Chicago Lake岔路取左往upper Chicago Lake,不久步道經過巨石區;
Large boulders along the trail below Upper Chicago Lake
鑽過巨石區後開始朝upper Chicago Lake北岸陡峭岩壁爬升,距離不長,但是此行程最陡峭路段。
Chicago Lakes Trail
10:14 有一明顯左岔路下抵Lower Chicago Lake的入水口,由此下Lower Chicago Lake應比較好走,且有小瀑布可看。
Looking down upon lower Chicago Lake from the trail
Blue Columbine
10:25 爬上Upper Chicago Lake北岸陡峭岩壁後即抵達Upper Chicago Lake,海拔約11,733呎(3,576公尺),距登山口約4.9哩。
Upper Chicago Lake and Mount Spalding (13,842')
Unnamed 13,307' peak
Upper Chicago Lake正位在Mount Evans山腳下的Summit Lake下方,Summit Lake海拔12,830呎(3,911公尺),由Upper Chicago Lake
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