AT THE FEET OF THE GIANT: CHASM LAKE AND STORM PEAK

Hike date: Friday, September 2, 2005. Trailhead: Longs Peak Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park Starting elevation: 9,400 feet; Highest elevation on the hike: 13,326 feet Route: East Longs Peak Trail past Chasm Junction to Chasm Lake for the sunrise. Returned to Chasm Junction, then proceeded to Granite Pass and the Boulder Field via the main trail. Next, left the trail near the Boulder Field campsite and ascended direct to the summit of Storm Peak via its east ridge. Finally, returned to the trailhead via the main trail. Total trip distance: About 14 miles. Weather/trail conditions: Perfect weather with sunshine and no clouds, with calm winds. Trail completely snow-free and dry.

I decided to return to the Longs Peak Trail for another Rocky Mountain adventure over the Labor Day weekend, with my sights set on watching the sunrise at Chasm Lake. Although this required being on the trail before 4 A.M., it was no different than a climb up Longs Peak in terms of the early start. So, with flashlight in hand, I started up the chilly pre-dawn trail.

Dawn reflection at Chasm Lake

Dawn at Chasm Lake

As I continued above timberline, the scene was very similar to my hikes to the summit of Longs Peak. I was surrounded by dozens of hiking parties, both ahead of and behind me, identified only by tiny flashlight bulbs against the dark veil of night. I reached the Chasm Lake trail junction as first light was taking hold, where I left the Longs Peak trail and headed toward Chasm Lake. The sun was still nearly an hour from emerging above the horizon, but already there was enough light to illuminate the rocks and I put away my flashlight. After reaching Chasm Meadows, I quickly scrambled the final ascent to Chasm Lake, arriving in time to see the first signs of alpenglow on the surrounding cliffs and rock faces.

Sunrise on the Ship's Prow

Longs Peak, Chasm Lake at sunrise

The spectacle of sunrise at Chasm Lake that I had expected did not disappoint. Chasm Lake, sitting in what many consider the most dramatic cirque in Colorado, is jaw-dropping in its beauty in any light. With the towering rock walls enhanced with the reds, oranges, and yellows of sunrise, the setting at Chasm Lake was unmatched on this morning. The weather was also perfect, the kind of crisp and cool day that can often be found in the brief alpine autumn, when summer thunderstorms are less frequent, and the harshness of winter has not yet set in.

Sunrise reflection in Chasm Lake

Chasm Lake, sunrise

Sunrise on Longs Peak's East Face

Sunrise reflection, Chasm Lake

I continued to watch the colors change by the moment, as the light turned brighter and from red to yellow as it bathed the East Face of Longs Peak. The waters of Chasm Lake remained perfectly still in the cool morning hours, reflecting the wonders of the surrounding scene. This was an unbelievably beautiful and serene spot, certainly too much so to have to myself. There was a spiritual, timeless magic in the air that I most often experience here in the mountains.

Close-up of the climbers

Climbers on the East Face

As the sunrise colors gave way to those of early morning, some "wildlife" was stirring to start the day. I heard voices for the first time since arriving at the lake, and turned back toward the trail to see where the voices had originated. No one was coming up the trail. After hearing the voices echo again, I realized I was looking in the wrong direction - the voices were above and behind me. Looking up on the Diamond of the East Face, I saw two climbers emerging from their bivouac and resuming a two-day ascent of the mighty face. Their small tent, anchored to the rock wall, had been their shelter in the darkness, at least as much shelter as one can find suspended on a sheer cliff with a 1500 foot drop-off. I watched them through my camera, amazed at how slowly they were moving up the wall, dwarfed by the massive face and rock walls in the Chasm Lake/Longs Peak cirque. I was content to be here at the feet of the giant, while these bold adventurers climbed its very body.

Early morning colors at Chasm Meadows

Grass and stream, Chasm Meadows

After watching the hikers gain only several feet of elevation in about fifteen minutes, I decided the weather would permit me to seek higher elevations as well. I had my heart set on reaching Storm Peak's 13,326' summit for over a year, and excitedly accepted that this was the day to finally reach the top. So, I left Chasm Lake and returned past Chasm Meadows and Columbine Falls to the main trail. Even without the garden of summer wildflowers, the meadows showcased a spectrum of vibrant colors on this sunny autumn morning.

Columbine Falls

Pika near the Boulder Field

Longs Peak and the Boulder Field

The Boulder Field

East ridge of Storm Peak

Although the early morning rush-hour to the top of Longs Peak had past me while I was at Chasm Lake, several not-so-early-to-rise parties were now on the trail as I hiked toward the Boulder Field. Although starting the Longs Peak hike before sunrise is normally the only smart strategy, the perfect weather and lighter post-summer crowds made for a great hike even for those with a late start today. My route to Storm Peak was along the typical path to the summit, although no route is officially marked beyond the Boulder Field. From the backcountry toilets near the Boulder Field campsite, I proceeded west up the steep boulder-strewn ridge directly to the summit. The route varied from steep to steeper, but fortunately was not far in relative terms. Pausing for frequent breaths in the increasingly thin air, I reached the summit ridge rather quickly, just about 40 minutes after leaving the trail. Reaching the narrow summit ridge, the dazzling view into Glacier Gorge emerged in spectacular fashion.

Longs Peak, summit of Storm Peak

Glacier Gorge from Storm Peak

When I labor intensely to reach a lofty summit such as Storm Peak, I have an expectation of being blasted with near gale-force winds as I reach the summit. This is based on decades of hiking experiences where this typically has been the case, particularly on points above 13,000' or along the Continental Divide. Today, the stillness in the air was such a deviation from the norm that it somewhat diminished the sense of accomplishment I had from reaching this high peak's summit. I reached the top in total silence, without a breath of air blowing, despite my presence on a rather exposed ridge. The feelings diminished by the still air were easily made up for by the grand view at the summit. Longs, Meeker, and Pagoda towered from across the ridge to the east and south, with Glacier Gorge and its many lakes dropping away just feet from where I now was standing. Enhanced by the seemingly infinite view in every direction, I was amazed of the striking beauty of the Rockies on this blue sky day.

Looking across the summit ridge

View of McHenrys Peak and Black Lake

I still heard voices from as far as a mile away, as hikers continued to climb and descend from Longs Peak. While probably over a hundred people would reach Longs just today, I saw from the summit register on Storm that not even that many hikers had climbed this summit in all of 2005. It is remarkable and quite rewarding to have a summit to myself, especially a summit in the very shadow of the popular giant Longs Peak. I wondered in the silence if Storm Peak knew of and relished its role as the forgotten summit, while hundreds or even thousands of hikers scrambled up neighboring Longs on any given summer day. I certainly felt a bond with the summit that I now stood upon alone, the same way people are drawn to root for the underdog in life. Perhaps it was just the thin air, but in a strange way I felt Storm Peak itself had a soul, and appreciated me for visiting.

Hikers at 14,259 feet on Longs Peak

(Click to see Longs Peak climbers and hikers)

I was able to watch hikers on Longs Peak's summit and climbers ascending the East Face from this vantage point, adding to the intrigue of the hike. The climbers I could see on the East Face bore a remarkable resemblance to those I had seen at Chasm Lake - could they still be working their way up the Diamond? It did not appear that they had climbed very far, but I reminded myself of how tiny we really are against the backdrop of these mountains, especially a climber on a 2500 foot sheer rock face. I felt insignificant as well, a strange duality with the ego-boost I had enjoyed earlier as I emerged onto this lofty summit. Like so many events in life, today's hike was a simultaneous reassurance of my own abilities and a reminder of my own insignificance on the larger scale of life and time. There are few things in the physical world that can make one feel as small as a close-up view of Longs Peak.

A ptarmigan relaxes in the shade

A ptarmigan among the rocks

I reluctantly left the summit of Storm, also with some regrets that I had not made it up Longs this year, when the weather window was so wide open today. However, I decided in the end that the hike I had chosen was every bit as spectacular as the more-popular ascent up Longs, especially with the fantastic sunrise I was blessed with at Chasm Lake. Passing a couple of ptarmigan on my return to the trailhead, I was reminded that significant snow would start falling next month, when these birds turn to white to stay camouflaged. It was hard to imagine the furious snowstorms that would soon batter these mountainsides on a still, sunny day like this, but the short alpine tundra autumn would soon give way to the long winter. Then, the often-forgotten and seldom-climbed summit of Storm Peak, unlike on this spectacular day, can again live up to its name. And after it endures another season of snowstorms, it will be ready next summer to greet solitary hikers with a spectacular panoramic view and a reminder of how small and fragile we are.

Photos and text by Mike Amfahr, September 2005

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