Today I drove up toward Guanella Pass to join a Meetup Hiking Group at Abyss Lake Trail, also known as Scott Gomer Trail, to enjoy the Colorado fall colors which are peaking early this year due to the dry weather. I was already up in the area, and the group was coming from Denver, so I planned on meeting them at the trailhead at 8:45.
I ended up being fifteen minutes late, so with two cars in the parking area, I thought I missed them and jumped on the trail quickly. Starting up the path on this brisk morning, I met Karen, a lady from Boulder, who also planned on meeting the group from Denver. It turns out, we must have been ahead of them, so we hiked together.
Hiking Abyss Lake Trail
The Abyss Lake Trail, Number 602, winds 8 miles one-way through the Mount Evans Wilderness to the Abyss Lake, located high in the mountains between two fourteeners, Mt. Evans and Mt. Bierstadt. Rated difficult, the trail begins at an elevation of 9,620 feet and gains 3,030. The meetup group only planned a 7 mile hike, so I was curious to find the turn around point.
Karen and I followed the single-track trail which skirted the Scott Gomer Creek as it passed through multiple groves of golden aspen trees. The aspens lined both sides of the path which was also dotted with yellow leaves that had already fallen to the ground.
We crossed the creek three times before reaching a large meadow providing magnificent views of Mt. Bierstadt, granite cliffs, and a mountainside of multi-colored aspen groves. The valley, lined by beaver ponds on one side, was a perfect place to enjoy a quick snack before continuing our journey.
We had a choice to continue along the Abyss Lake Trail or to follow the Rosalie Trail, number 603 as the paths crossed. Instead of climbing Abyss Lake Trail up multiple switchbacks, we veered toward Guanella Pass along the Rosalie Trail until we reached another expansive open space. Since we had already hiked a few miles farther than planned, I bid farewell to Karen and retraced my tracks. Abyss Lake Trail is beautiful fall hike near Guanella Pass. It’s no wonder I hiked for miles farther and a couple hours longer than planned! ETB
wonderful pictures, thank you
stunning photos
Really beautiful!!!
That you for the pictures. My wife and I are taking the horses up the trail in the morning. I am even more excited about the ride.
Thanks
Maurice
Donie, Tx.
P.S. On our honeymoon riding our horses.
Enjoy and congrats!
Hello! Man, what a trail! We had a blast doing it but it wasn’t something we will repeat.
We unloaded the horses at about 11 and set off. The first bit was pretty easy on our our geldings and we didn’t have many problems at all after the 2nd river crossing (Maurice’s gelding said NO). After that we got into that hard stretch of rock that climbed up and holy cow!! The horses were convinced we had lost our minds, and I’m not so sure we hadn’t. I patted Grey’s neck and told him to seek his inner moutain goat moe than once. Once we got up above that stretch it was pretty easy going other than trees over the actual trail that we had to find our ways around. Beautiful country and a quite enjoyable ride. We picnicked by the lake at about 11,800 ft according to the GPS before comig back down which was an ordeal in itself. All of us (ourselves, the horses and our dog) were absolutely exhausted by the time we got back to the trailer, but I have to admit that it was one of our trips highlights.
On a side note, do you have any pictures of that hard rock stretch just after you cross the river the second time? We were so busy praising our horses for giving us all they had that we didn’t have a chance to take any and no one will ever understand or believe us when we tell them about it.
Thanks! See ya down the trail,
Meagan Rivard
Here is a link to some more pictures on Shutterfly…Abyss Lake is around 85-106….the rest of the pics are from other hikes in the area.
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/album.sfly?startIndex=80&sid=0CatGjRq2cM2Hq&fid=4bb7baa7aa569b48
Thank you very much! Great pictures on there of some beautiful country. I think we plan to return next year, with the horses of course.
Great colors and beautiful country. I want to get back there soon.