You have to believe me, I'm really not an active person. However, I just went on another field trip. This time we went on a hike, up in Desolation Wilderness, at Echo Lakes. You know, I always think that "hike" sounds a bit over the top. Usually a "hike" is just a walk on unpaved surfaces, which is pretty much what happened. That is, until we got to The Bad Part. Then it really was a hike. Not a "hike."
Echo Lakes is a popular place to backpack. The trailhead consists of a small store, some rawther dicey bathrooms, a boat launch, and some docks. You have to get a trail pass (so they know who is on the mountain, I guess), but it's free. The parking is minimal at the trailhead, but there is plenty on the road. It was very busy when we got there, really not desolate at all! (You know I'm going to work the desolation angle in every chance I get, right?)
Desolation Wilderness is an area of the Eldorado National Forest. The desolation part actually refers to the lack of trees due to the high altitude, not the desolation I experienced in said wilderness.
Really, it is beautiful up there. The trail is easily traversed, although quite rocky. One must keep one's wits about oneself or else one will face plant on said trail. So
I watched carefully as I walked. The scenery is gorgeous. This is the vista you see right as you begin the hike, not even breathing heavily yet.When I hike, it turns out I have a tendency to bustle along. I feel like I am trying to accomplish something, and when you accomplish things, you do them quickly and efficiently. This is not, apparently, the correct way to approach hiking, and may well have contributed to experiences in The Bad Part. Slow and steady is a far more appropriate tack, which I will certainly remember next time. I mean, the trail starts at about 8,000 feet, so I was already out of my depth with regard to the altitude, since I struggle once I'm above about 5,000 feet. (I know that sounds like I am constantly tromping through forests at high elevation, but really, nothing could be further from the truth. I think this was the first time I'd actually hiked since 5th grade camp.)
Everything was going really well. We were on a trail, moving through the forest, feeling the breeze off Echo Lake cool us. I did find that I was getting a bit winded, but it's not surprising, since we were at about 8,000 feet. We'd stop, have some water and a snack, and keep pushing on. It wasn't super easy (remember, I'm not exactly Grizzly Adams), but it was very enjoyable. Just enough of a challenge.We saw many lovely cabins around the lake, and look--here's the one I will buy as a vacation home when I am wondering what to spend that extra million on. It was perfect--unobstructed lake view, big deck, tons of firewood piled outside (I could
have a fire in the fireplace probably almost year 'round!), and boat-only access, which I think would certainly keep the riffraff out. Except, of course, for riffraff like me who stand outside and take pictures.Okay, about The Bad Part. Now, I don't want you to think something horrible happened. It didn't! It's just that I am something of a tenderfoot, and I pushed too hard. So we got to a place where two trails diverge, and we took the trail that led to Echo Peak, which is at about 8,900 feet. I was tired and I was huffing and puffing, since it was not only over 8,000 feet at that point, but it was also a very warm day. The trail had been gradually becoming more and more rocky as we'd progressed, but at this point, all bets were off. I swear, it looked like the Khumbu Icefall. You know, on Everest?
Okay, that may be a teensy bit of an exaggeration. But it was very steep, with big, loose, shardy cobbles that shifted and slid with every step. I was struggling so much I forgot to take a picture! So we went about two hundred feet, and I had to stop. Another hundred feet, stop. And so it went, for about 300 yards, but I never really fully rested--I wanted to get The Bad Part over with! Needless to say, I was not having fun. We finally got to the end of the Khumbu Icefall, and I was kind of in a bad way. I couldn't catch my breath, which was scary. And then I got a little weepy (dare I say desolate?), which made it even harder to breathe and...and.... Yes, I am a big baby. I know. But we asked someone coming down from the peak how much longer, and she said about 45 minutes, and that this trail was a butt kicker. So that made me feel almost cheerful, that it wasn't me being completely a wimp. Maybe just partially a wimp.We kept going for about another 15 minutes, and then we got scared about what would happen if I had a heart attack. I mean, how embarrassing would it be to have a helicopter airlift me out! No thank you. So, discretion being the better part of valor, we turned around and began our descent back through The Bad Part, down to lake level.
At the far end of the two Echo Lakes, there is a place to catch a water taxi that takes you back to the trailhead. It didn't take us too long to get back to the water taxi, and by then I was much calmer and enjoying my hike again. Here is the
view of the lake from the taxi stand. It was shady and cool, and there was a bench. Phew! Taking the water taxi was fun. Speeding along the upper lake was just the right way to cool down, and we got a good view of all the cabins. The upper and lower lakes are connected by a narrow strait, so the boat slows way down to maneuver through, and then we were back up to speed. The trip took about 10 minutes, and we disembarked at the trailhead.So tired! I dragged my sorry behind to the little store, and lo and behold they sold individual beers! So we sat on the seawall (lakewall?), enjoyed this view, and we each drank a
Heineken. It was delightful, and a perfect way to end the day.
I thought I was getting in a little bit better shape, due to my exercising, but we completely overestimated my fitness. Or underestimated my lack of fitness. So next time, I want to go in the fall, when it's cooler, first of all. Secondly, I will have been exercising a bit longer so I may be more able to climb to Echo Peak. But I'd like to take the water taxi to the far end of the lake, so that the peak is climbed while my legs and lungs are still fresh. Alternatively, we forget about Echo Peak and just hike around the entire upper and lower lakes. Although, if we did that, we'd miss out on the water taxi ride, which was awfully pleasant. Not sure how to play it next time, but there will definitely be a next time. I'm looking forward to it.
