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WINTER WONDERLAND: LAKE HELENE & TWO RIVERS LAKE

Hike date: March 25, 2006. Trailhead: Bear Lake Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park Starting elevation: 9,475 feet; Highest elevation on the hike: 10,750 feet Route: Began at Bear Lake and hiked the first 0.8 miles of the Flattop Mountain Trail. At the junction of the Odessa Lake trail system, followed the trail west toward Odessa Lake and Lake Helene. Left the main summer trail route near Two Rivers Lake, hiking directly to both Two Rivers and Lake Helene, then west and above Lake Helene. Returned to the Flattop Mountain Trail, and hiked about one mile up the trail to near the Dream Lake Overlook before returning to Bear Lake. Total trip distance: About 8 miles. Weather/trail conditions: Hazy overcast turning to partly cloudy, with morning temperatures in the 30's with sub-freezing wind chills, and an afternoon high near 50. Trails were completely snow-covered, and all lakes blanketed by ice and snow.

A recent series of March snowfalls had left RMNP's Bear Lake area covered in fresh snow, the perfect conditions for a snowshoe hike. This winter wonderland was begging to be explored, and I chose to head for the scenic destinations of Two Rivers Lake and Lake Helene. The snow was gorgeous, and after a chilly morning, the afternoon weather proved similarly beautiful.

Bear Lake

View from just north of Bear Lake

Predictably, the first part of the Flattop Mountain Trail was well-trampled, as ambitious Bear Lake visitors often head up the trail (though usually not far) to explore the area. The deep snow was evident all around, but the path was solid and provided mostly good footing. After stopping frequently to take in the views, I was soon at the junction with the Odessa Lake Trail. The lure of climbing Flattop and Hallett was very hard to resist, but in the end I took the right-hand trail and headed west for the Lake Helene area.

Longs Peak from trail to Lake Helene

First view of Notchtop Mountain

After hiking through about a mile of forested area, I reached the area where clearings open up and I was reintroduced to RMNP's spring winds. While I had been sheltered in the trees to this point, harsh gusts were swooping down Flattop Mountain unscathed, blowing snow across the landscape. At this point, the traces of the trail became scarce, as the path had been masked by blowing snow. I could faintly make out the path in places, but the hike quickly turned in to a true snowshoeing adventure, where I was afforded the luxury of blazing the trail through virgin snow. These new conditions proved very exciting, although cold was beginning to chill me and threatening to freeze my toes. The next mile involved hiking in and out of the trees and wind, and therefore I was constantly in a transition from getting too hot and too cold. I soon emerged at the outlet of Two Rivers Lake, where the wind had even more ferocity as it howled across the open terrain at the lake. The lake's surface was decorated with interesting snow drifts and ripples in the ice, along with several sets of frozen boot prints.

Ice and clouds and Two Rivers Lake

Notchtop Mountain

I walked across the lake, a convenience normally only afforded to hikers outside of summer months, and gave my body the chance to walk some flat terrain. It was only a short walk through a few stands of trees and slightly downhill to Lake Helene, where dramatic views of Notchtop Mountain welcomed me. Also welcoming me were patches of blue sky, as the hazy overcast that had decorated the sky all morning was beginning to break up. I crossed Helene and headed west and up, finding a perfect rock on which to perch myself and have lunch.

The Gable and Odessa Lake

Near the base of Notchtop

The view from here was spectacular, as I absorbed the colors and serenity of the winter wonderland around me. Flattop and Notchtop Mountains bore blankets of snow, ice and rock, and were bathed in sunlight for the first time all day. The view above Odessa Gorge stretched all the way to the distant Mummy Range in the north. I spent about 30 minutes at this spot before turning back toward Helene and Two Rivers.

Continental Divide from Lake Helene

Notchtop from west of Lake Helene

Returning to the area between the two lakes, I was welcomed by a pair of hikers that had broken what had been several hours of "alone time" for me. They were a welcome sight and we began to discuss camera equipment, trails and other matters. Ironically, we soon realized that we had met each other just last summer at distant Mirror Lake, in the northwest corner of the park. They were the first people I had seen in almost 24 hours on that backcountry hike, when they emerged from the trees to see me sitting at the outlet of Mirror Lake. We had a great laugh over the incredible coincidence, and I took some photos using them as foreground subjects as they headed through the snow toward Lake Helene.

Looking toward Flattop Mountain

Hikers approaching Lake Helene

Hikers between the two lakes

Admiring the view at Two Rivers Lake

Sculpted surface of Two Rivers Lake

As the sun emerged, I began to warm up, and so did the photography. Artistic cloud formations were decorating the sky above the Continental Divide, and blue skies contrasted beautifully with the white snow, green forests, and dark rocks all around. Sculpted snow drifts added to the scenes, and I sat at Two Rivers Lake and tried to soak up as much of it as I could before the wind chilled me to the bone. After an enjoyable stay, I headed east toward Bear Lake.