Hike: Brown's Lake

Sometimes a rainy day isn't a bad thing. Saturday, Tom (a friend from church) and I hiked along Brown's Creek to Brown's Lake; a good portion of the way up to the lake was under storm clouds, some thunder, and a steady rain. But the weather only made the scenery that much more inviting to me. Thick, rolling clouds hung low over the peaks, moving in and out, hiding and revealing. Rogue mists weaved among the trees on the steep cliffs around us. The forest was damp and aromatic, the creek lively, and even some waterfalls (which, on the way back in relative dryness, were barely noticeable) were running freely over one of the steep cliff faces. We met very few on the trail as well, probably due to the rain, and so enjoyed some solitude.

We found a beautiful waterfall on the way up, but it was raining, so we stopped on the way back to take a few photos.

Ironically, we were in the basin just below the two fourteeners I climbed the previous weekend. Mt. Shavano bore down on us from the south on the way up and we had great views of Tabeguache Peak hovering in mist over the lake. Mt. Antero, another fourteener rose to the north, hemming in the valley. It was an amazing feeling to be so far below those peaks (3,000+ feet), straining our necks to see the summits.

Tom on the trail.

Approaching Shavano (?) and the layers of forest.

Brown's Creek along the way.

Just before Brown's Lake.

Brown's Lake.

Tabeguache Peak as seen from the lake.

Falls along Brown's creek.