On Thursday, the first day of our work week, we made ambitious plans to hike Willow Lake near Crestone on our first day off, followed by Ptarmigan Lake in Buena Vista the next. 40 hours of work later, we decided to skip the first hike, sleep in, go for a walk, and meander down to the Sand Dunes Pool.
The next day, we made it to the Ptarmigan Lake trailhead off Cottonwood Pass in Buena Vista. This moderate hike gains 1,490 feet over 3.3 miles, with an optional .3 miles up to a saddle for a wonderful view.
We started around 9:00 am on a warm first day of summer. For the most part, the snow had melted along the first two miles of the hike.
We started around 9:00 am on a warm first day of summer. For the most part, the snow had melted along the first two miles of the hike.
So, Annie took advantage of every snow patch she found.
A little over two miles in, we lost the trail due to snow, but followed footsteps of hikers who we hoped knew more about where they were going than we did. Once up the snowy hill, we popped out in a soggy meadow. I knew from my trail book that at 2.5 miles we should should have a kettle pond to our right and a lake to the left. Because of the recent snowmelt, it was hard to tell where the water started and ended, but we decided we were on the wrong side of the pond and sloshed toward what we thought was a lake.
And we found the trail! And then, more snow!
Another 3/4 of a mile and we reached Ptarmigan Lake. Three fishermen and a fisherwoman were posted up, quietly enjoying the 70 degree day around the icy high-alpine lake.
We decided to continue up the additional quarter mile to the saddle so we could take in the views of Grassy Gulch and South Cottonwood Creek.
The wind picked up, and we made our way back down to the lake.
Where we took a break...
And paused to take in the beauty of the route down.
About half way back, we ran into a couple who was headed up. They were missing their dog, Peanut, and wondered if we had seen him. We hadn't. They didn't seem too concerned, and we continued down. Kenny and I commented to each other we hoped they found the poor dog before something else did. And another half-mile down, there was Mr. Peanut. We didn't have any cell service, and neither did the owner, so we put Peanut on Annie's leash and decided to hike the last half-mile down and wait for them in the parking lot.
On our way down we ran into a group that said they were glad we found our dog. He had been running up and down the trail looking for his owner. We explained that the owners were up the trail and to let them know we had their dog if they ran into them. And soon after that, we ran into another lady who had seen Peanut running up and down the trail. Why no one before us stopped to help poor panicked Peanut, I'm not sure.
We weren't in the parking lot as long as a minute when we heard, "Peanut!" His owner must have bumped into the group and ran down immediately after. We bid farewell to Peanut and jumped in the van to celebrate the day over a burger at K's.
We weren't in the parking lot as long as a minute when we heard, "Peanut!" His owner must have bumped into the group and ran down immediately after. We bid farewell to Peanut and jumped in the van to celebrate the day over a burger at K's.