The day started with a text from Pam that 4 elk were hanging out in the area in front of our cabin. Sure enough, just hangin out. We went out on our porch to look at them and they looked at us. They were still there when we were ready to go to the park. We followed Pam’s example and walked next to the cabin very slowly and in the opposite direction from where the elk were hanging out.
We were able to get a pass for Bear Lake again today. We want to take the hike to Alberta Falls. The trailhead is at the Bear Lake parking area. The hike is about a mile to the falls, then we walk part way back but turn down to catch the shuttle bus back to Bear Lake parking lot. This route is mostly downhill. It’s a pretty trail with a combination of pines and aspens. Little chipmunks are quite curious and brave around humans. Seems to know that food is often carried in backpacks. Nick’s back is really bothering him so he is taking lots of short breaks. When we get to the falls, there are big boulders. Nick isn’t up to clambering up the boulders so he stays at the base of the falls while I make my way up closer to the top of the falls. It’s always neat to be next to the power of the water.
On the way back from the falls, I get into the “eyes” in the bark of the Aspens. As I’m taking a picture of one of them, a woman rants to me about all of the graffiti in the Aspen bark. Sure, I wish it wasn’t there but I’m not going to focus on that during an entire beautiful walk.
While waiting for the shuttle, we see some yellow jackets by the trash cans. Yiuck! I was feeling rather safe from them thinking it was too cold for them to be active. So, I continue to carry my eppie pins. And moved away from the bench by the trash can.
We drive down to Sprague Lake. We ate lunch here yesterday but it started raining so we weren’t able to take the walk around the lake. Today, a moose is hanging out near the shore of the lake. A ranger happens to be there to guard the moose from crazy people. We watch the moose for awhile and then it starts raining. Oh, this isn’t rain! This is hail! Rush back to the car! They are only about 1/4” diameter. Enough hail that it looks like a light covering of snow.
Our next stop is the Alluvial Fan. This is an area that was formed by a dam that broke in 1982. As the water came crashing down, it brought lots of rock with it. It was deposited in a fan shape as the land flattened out.
There will be a ranger talk about the mountain sheep at Sheep Lake but not for another 1 1/2 hours. Sounds like lunch time. We’re at the very edge of the park so go out of the park to a restaurant with a nice view. It was just cool and windy enough that we chose an inside table.
After lunch, we enter the park again and go a short distance to Sheep Lake. Ah, it’s Ranger Liz, who was at Sprague Lake. She is an interesting, entertaining lecturer. She has ram and ewe horns. That ram horn is really heavy! Also the hoof of the mountain sheep. The hoofs have 2 valved parts with pads on the bottom that can work as suction cups to hold on to the rocks. There is another moose here at Sheep Lake also. I see someone putting their phone up to their binoculars. She shows me how to do it. It works! But I need a third hand to push the shutter button.
Nick’s back is really bothering him and we’ve pretty much seen all the points we had planned to see so head back to our cabin. Nick eases into the hot tub.
We have reservations at a special restaurant for dinner tonight. It is in an old lodge with a great view. Robert Frost was one of their guests. It was really good and very special. We started with wontons with duck and corn and a sweet dipping sauce. Yummy! We both went with a steak main course. We had a coupon for the peach cobbler. Somehow, we managed to eat most of it.
More hot tub.
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