Gem Lake, July 2021

Eleven years ago this month I hiked to Gem Lake with Taryn, and we had a blast.  This past summer during our three-day stay in Estes Park I decided to try the trail again in summer.

One immediate difference -- blooming wildflowers like this Wild Bergamot.

The vistas toward Rocky Mountain National Park were just as spectacular, if a bit greener.

My panorama game still isn't quite as strong as I'd like it.  I'm reluctant to take off my polarizing filter when shooting landscapes, but the different shadings in the sky where the different shots in this one are stitched together are no good.

The day was hot, and the final stretch of the trail is steep.  So the lake was a welcome sight when I reached it.

I've seen ponds bigger than this lake, but its small size doesn't detract from its beauty.  It truly is a gem.

Paul Bunyan's Boot is a fascinating rock formation along the trail.  I somewhat embarrassingly lost my balance while I was setting up my tripod and toppled over, which made me feel quite old and decrepit.

This is the only short stretch of trail that goes through aspens, because it's the only part that borders a stream.

I liked seeing a couple of walking sticks propped up against the gate at the trailhead, a gift passed forward from someone who no longer needed them to the next person who did.

Some Great Blanketflowers along with more Bergamot at the trailhead, and the hike was done.   Roughly 2 1/2 hours to cover about 3 1/2 miles and nearly a thousand feet of elevation gain, with the typical time for taking pictures along the way.  A wonderful Colorado summer afternoon!