How do you pick your daughter’s middle name? Well if you are a Coloradoan, your brain immediately conjures up images of natural beauty, and Cameron Pass epitomizes such beauty to me. No, our daughter’s middle name is not “Pass”, it’s “Cameron”! Get with the program people! And yes, she is just as beautiful as the pass.
One of the first adventures I went on after moving to Colorado was Cameron Pass, namely the American Lakes trail. Over the years this area has become an old haunt of mine, countless search and rescue (SAR) avalanche practices, real searches and rescues, many family outings and anniversaries, heck Suzie tore an ACL climbing nearby Mount Richthofen and she had to be rescued by the neighboring county’s SAR team! I even broke my leg telemarking in this area and skied out on it, not wanting to suffer the embarrassment of being rescued by my own county’s SAR team! But those are stories for another time, let’s talk American Lakes.
Stunningly picturesque, American Lakes, AKA Michigan Lakes on some topographic maps, is a trail chock full of wildflowers exploding with color, babbling brooks, alpine lakes, and stunning view of rock crags, snowfields and cornices, and glorious Thunder Pass jutting right up next to Rocky Mountain National Park, allowing one to see for miles.
The trail we took starts out right at Cameron Pass and heads up Michigan Ditch which is a flat dirt road that parallels a water ditch for transporting water from the west side of the pass to the east side. Water is a valuable commodity in Colorado, and over Colorado’s history, massive construction projects have been done to transport water long distances to quench the thirst of the front range, this is one such project. At places the ditch is lined with tall chiming bells and other wildflowers. We took our mountain bikes down this couple of miles of trail to expedite the hike.
The hiking trail then starts up a ravine with a babbling brook, we ditched our bikes and headed up on foot, eventually getting to the eight switchbacks to climb the ridge. This entire valley is covered with wildflowers, so for your enjoyment I have included several photos of the abundance of flora. There is fauna too. This is moose country and if you are lucky enough, you will encounter them along the way. Just keep your distance while you snap your shots as they can be very dangerous, especially mother moose protecting her calf.
As you get to the cirque, you are awarded by expansive views of Nokhu Crags, Mount Richthofen, American Lakes, and Thunder Pass. This year was especially snowy, so we were surprised to be crossing snowfields still on the trail and observing snow cornices high up on the ridges.
Many people camp around American Lakes, it’s a gorgeous spot to watch the stars and bask in the glory of the surrounding nature. If you are day hiking, it’s just another mile to Thunder Pass where you can catch a view into Rocky Mountain National Park.
American Lakes is one of our favorite hikes. Not surprisingly, I ran into an old friend mountain biking the trail with his wife. We exchange stories of our joint retirements and then parted ways. But this chance encounter reminded how this place has grounded me over the decades. Some thirty years later I am still hiking this trail, and enjoying it just as much as the first time.
Epilogue: Years ago while hiking in the Brainard Lake area I tripped on a rock and had a running/stumbling fall straight onto a pile of large rocks. CRACK! went my ribs. I knew what happened immediately having been an EMT for 6 years, I had broken several ribs. I quickly checked my breathing, no punctured lungs, no coughing up blood, so at least I could breathe still. In pain, but not wanting to shock my kids who were young at the time, I stood up, dusted myself off, said I was okay, and continued to hike back to the car. Do you notice a theme here of me self-rescuing?
I tell you this story because since that time I have taken to using hiking poles which have saved me countless times from further stumbles, broken or sprained ankles, and other mechanical injuries on the trail. My trusty walking sticks go everywhere with me on the trails. As we ended our journey, I fell into the metronome tempo of my walking sticks and my muse conjured up a poem dedicated to the beauty of the trail and the rhythm of those sticks lulling me into a meditation:
Walking Sticks
Click, click
Click, click
The rhythm of my walking sticks
Click, click
Click, click
The rhythm of my walking sticks
Michigan Ditch
Click, click
Off we go at a fevered pitch
Babbling brook
Click, click
Wetland wildflowers what a look
Broken bridge
Click, Click
Now we start to climb the ridge
Mighty moose
Click, click
Hiding there amid the spruce
American Lakes
Click, click
The view here demands double takes
Nokhu Crags
Click, click
Grab a snack from our bags
Thunder Pass
Click, click
What a view you can’t surpass
Turn around
Click, click
Now its time to go back down
Click, click
Click, click
The mantra of my walking sticks