A Climb to Cathedral Lake

I guess it is just habit now, to hear the name of a trail and just go do it without much research, thinking it will be a great morning walk. We passed the Cathedral Lake trail head on our bike ride last week, thought it looked interesting, heard good things, and decided to do it with little other information.

A 3.5 mile hike up (as noted on the trail head sign) did not sound too bad, definitely manageable for us. So, after Harmony pet a fellow hiker's adorable "little ones" (as she calls every dog), we were off on our next uphill venture. It was another beautiful day, another sunny blue sky.

The steady incline continued for what seemed like hours. We were panting like puppy dogs, stopping every 10 minutes to "take a picture" or "stretch." But really we were just trying to catch our breath.

Then the path through the aspen groves and boulder fields started to get muddy and snowy. That lead to a series of switchbacks. This is when the research would have come in handy. We would have known to expect a 2,000 foot gain and a "difficult" morning stroll, and we would have worn hiking shoes...





We were rewarded along the way with gorgeous views of snowy mountain vistas and jagged peaks. Crossing large boulder fields, balancing on rocks, soaking in mud, and conquering 8 switchbacks on a steep mountainside made us feel macho.









And then we reached the end. We made it to the top. Boy did we yell with joy, excitement, and huge relief. After 2 hours of straight up, we finally got a break. Too bad we didn't bring lunch. My body was ready for a full meal, not a granola bar.

The emerald-green Cathedral Lake was gorgeous. There was not a single other soul up there, just the two of us. It was so peaceful and pristine, I did not want to leave such natural beauty. Although we threw ourselves into an ambitious "walk," it is all worth it at the end of the day. We got exercise, explored a new spot, and enjoyed a hidden gem in the Rockies. We are living and loving Colorado!