tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-328352992024-03-17T22:03:56.966-05:00The Trout ZoneA fly fishing blog containing the ramblings of an East Tennessee fly fisherman and fly fishing guide covering the Great Smoky Mountains, area tailwaters like the Caney Fork River, Cumberland Plateau smallmouth bass and musky streams, and many other fishing adventures. David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.comBlogger1223125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-91058503156760344292024-02-12T21:26:00.002-06:002024-02-22T13:10:25.307-06:00Choosing the Best Fly Rod for Smoky Mountains Fly Fishing<p>If you're like me and have been around the inter webs for a long time, you've seen some variation of the question. What is the best fly rod for.....? You name it. Best fly rod for streamer fishing. Best fly rod for nymph fishing. Best fly rod for brook trout. Best fly rod for brown trout. Best fly rod for Yellowstone. In other words, people are always looking for an edge when it comes to their piscatorial pursuits. This question has been asked via online message boards, in person and on the phone when I worked at <a href="http://www.littleriveroutfitters.com" target="_blank">a fly shop</a>, and nowadays on Facebook groups. The problem is, they are asking the wrong questions of the wrong people. The title for this short piece is clear enough, but I probably should have called it, "How To Ask the Right Questions About Fly Rods."</p><p>The real solution here that very few people actually seem to seriously want is to work hard at becoming a better angler. That could include investing money into some <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com/">guided fly fishing trips</a> or it could be as simple as just getting out on the water more. Investing a lot of time goes a long ways towards making someone proficient. If you have invested that kind of time, you've probably already figured out the answer to the question of best fly rod. If you haven't been fly fishing long enough or don't have the time to get out more, I'll address one specific version of this question. What is the best fly rod for Smoky Mountains fly fishing?</p><p>Before I get too far into my own <i>personal</i> opinions on the matter, I'll share some background. First, this is not the first, and probably won't be the last time I deal with some form of this question. I've covered <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2020/10/how-to-select-perfect-fly-rod.html" target="_blank">How To Select the Perfect Fly Rod</a> before. This is a little different from that post as you'll see. Go back and read it first just to be sure. Second, I've been fly fishing for close to 30 years now or nearly 3/4 of my life. In other words, I have a little experience that has led me on a circutuous journey that has brought me nearly full circle on rod selection. I'll explain more shortly. Finally, note the first sentence of this paragraph. No matter how much I or any other angler may have learned a thing or two along the way, anything we might suggest is simply our own opinion. No matter what anyone else says, there is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions.</p><p>When I first started fly fishing, I got a Walmart special. In retrospect, I'm not sure it is even a fly rod. At the time, however, it was perfect. Everything about that rod looks like a fly rod except for how clunky it is and how terribly it casts. I'm suspicious it is actually some sort of crappie rod, and yes, I do still have it floating around somewhere. Still, and this is the important part, I learned to cast with the rod. In fact, I was hauling and even double hauling without knowing that was a thing. The darn rod wouldn't cast worth a flip without a good haul. Necessity is the mother of invention. At the time, I didn't know that hauling was an actual technique, so I made it up as I went. As time went on, I yearned for a better rod. Now I know better. That is a slippery slope, but at the time I was convinced that a better rod would help. </p><p>The next rod wasn't half bad, but still not the right rod for the job. It was a 6 weight, too heavy for what I was doing, but better than my current setup. Of all the rods I've ever owned, I actually have probably used it the least or pretty close to it. Not that anything was especially wrong with the rod, but it wasn't too long after getting this rod that I got my first "nice" rod. That 6 weight did come in handy years later, but that's another story for another day. My first nice rod was an <a href="http://www.orvis.com" target="_blank">Orvis</a> Superfine 8' 4 weight, known as the Tight Loop. To this day, it is still one of my absolute favorite fly rods. So much so, in fact, that I eventually picked up a second to have as a backup. Orvis doesn't make these rods and hasn't for more than 20 years I believe, so you can't just get a new one made unfortunately.</p><p>That rod really molded me as an angler. Because it was the nicest rod I had for several years, it became all I fished. I learned to do a LOT with that 8' 4 weight rod, but what it really excels at is dry or dry/dropper fishing on small to medium sized mountain streams. When I learned to high stick nymphs for the legendary Walter Babb, he kindly suggested that I might want a slightly longer and faster rod. The soft Superfine is just too flexible to be a great tight line rod although it works in a pinch. In fact, I learned to be deadly with that rod, but it is not the most efficient rod I could use for that method. Thus it was that I found myself looking for yet another fly rod. The next rod would be my 4th in case you're counting. Don't worry, the numbers will get really blurry quickly. </p><p>My next "nice" rod was a 9' 5 weight <a href="https://stcroixfly.com" target="_blank">St. Croix</a> Legend Ultra. When I first got the rod, I was in college and had it shipped to my dorm. When it arrived, I hurried to string it up and cast it on the lawn. I was almost convinced the rod was broken. Yet, upon examination, the rod looked intact. You see, my casting stroke had evolved through the prior three rods and settled into something that made the SUPER SLOW Superfine (Say that 10 times fast!) work magic. It was far from fitted for a super fast St. Croix (Try that one also!). It took me quite a bit of work to make that fast action rod work correctly, but I got the hang of it and soon found myself fishing it far more than the Superfine. I had evolved as an angler and was more interested in the most effective fishing tool. The Legend Ultra was an amazing high sticking rod. Being so fast, you could stick most fish that ate instead of missing many like I did on the Superfine. Setting the rod hard enough was no longer my limiting factor.</p><p>After the 5 weight Legend Ultra, my next rod was a 9' 7 weight <a href="https://tforods.com" target="_blank">Temple Fork Outfitters</a> TiCr-X. Even though I've had that rod for probably close to 20 years now, it is still one of my favorite streamer rods. I've caught big trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, drum, carp, stripers, <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2024/02/from-rowers-seat-fly-fishing-musky-tennessee-muskie.html" target="_blank">musky</a> and many other fish on that rod. Since then, I've picked up just a few more rods. Short rods, long rods, 1 weight rods, 2 weight rods, 3 weight rods, 4 weight rods, 5 weight rods, 6 weight rods, 7 weight rods, 8 weight rods, 10 weight rods, 11 weight rods, well, you get the picture. Some rods have stayed and kept a place in my gear closet, while others have been sold to make room for more pressing needs. The important part here, however, is that I have plenty of options to choose from when I go fishing in the Smokies. In general, I find myself reaching for one of 4 or 5 rods depending on where I am fishing.</p><p>If I'm fishing Little River, Abrams Creek, the Oconaluftee, Deep Creek, Cataloochee Creek, or any of the other larger Park streams, I'm probably reaching for my 10' 3 weight Orvis Recon, or a 10' 2 weight <a href="https://echoflyfishing.com" target="_blank">Echo</a> Shadow X. The Echo is an incredible rod, but the main reason I don't reach for it every single time is that it is a little light for jigging heavier streamers. I find that my Orvis 10' 3 weight Recon can do anything (for me) from jigging heavier jig streamers, to throwing dry flies, to high stick nymphing. In other words, it can cover any possible situation that might arise on the medium to large streams of the Smokies. It isn't the best rod for beginners because it is a little stiff. That makes it tough to get the hang of for someone new to fly fishing and trying to cast dry flies, but if you have been doing it a while, you can make this rod do everything. The Echo Shadow X is probably more fun to fish, and a nice Smokies fish feels incredible on the 2 weight. I'm just nervous casting super heavy jig streamers on a rod with such a delicate tip. There was a point where I thought you couldn't go too long on fly rods, but for me the 10' rod is the sweet spot. I have an 11' 3 weight Echo Shadow X that is just a little too much rod for me in many situations. If all you're doing is high stick nymphing, however, it is hard to beat as well.</p><p>If I'm going fishing for brook trout, then I'm likely reaching for a slightly shorter rod. I've fished 10' and longer rods on brook trout streams, and they are actually pretty useful. However, I like a deeper flexing rod for brook trout, and find myself reaching for the old Orvis Superfine rods or a fiberglass rod more often than not. If I know I'm only fishing dry flies or maybe a dry/dropper, then something between a one and four weight is perfect, and I hope it has a nice slow action. When you hook a 10 inch fish on a rod like this, you'll double the rod up and think you've hung the biggest fish in the Park. Lots of fun! </p><p>At this point, you might be asking yourself, which of these is the best fly rod for Smoky Mountains fishing? And that is the wrong question. What you need to be asking is what rod will I enjoy the most? Or maybe, what rod will help me catch the most fish? Or what rod is most effective for method XYZ? The answers to those questions are not necessarily the same. </p><p>I have long held that many people's recommendations for shorter rods for Park fishing is the furthest thing from the right rod for the job, and I still stand by that belief. However, that only applies for the question of what rod is the most effective rod in the Smokies. I can only think of two or three brook trout streams I've fished where I shorter rod is better suited for the job. For probably 90% or 95% of Great Smoky Mountains fly fishing, a rod ranging from 8'6" to 10" (or even longer) is ideal. This is because we find ourselves high sticking more often than not (for dry flies, nymphs, and streamers even on occasion). Longer rods equals longer reach. The farther you can reach towards the fish without spooking them the better, at least up to a point. There is a point of diminishing returns, however, based on rod swing weight and if it starts getting tip heavy, you've probably gone too long. That said, high sticking can be a mask for a deeper problem. Some high stick anglers continue to only fish that way because they find much less success utilizing other methods. </p><p>And that brings us to the next point. Shorter rods are fine if you just like to cast and don't fish as much pocket water. However, longer rods will still help you mend better because a longer rod can pick up more line off of the water. So now the question becomes clearer. Do you want the most effective rod, or do you want the rod you will enjoy most? If you measure enjoyment by how many fish you catch, then probably go for the longer rod most of the time (and not one that is too soft). Even on brook trout streams, fish the absolute longest rod you can manage without getting in the bushes and trees all day. If you measure enjoyment as a function of the joy of casting the rod combined with the total experience of catching fish in a pristine mountain stream, then a shorter deeper flexing rod might be the ticket. This is especially true if you enjoy playing the fish and not just yanking them in one after another. A true sporting gentleman might take this one step further and make sure the rod is made of split bamboo by a fine rod maker.</p><p>Deciding which rod you'll enjoy the most comes down to just casting a bunch of rods. Go to your nearest fly shop and cast a bunch of rods or ask your favorite guide to bring a selection to sample on the next guided trip. Ask questions of your local fly shop employees such as what rod will help me catch more brook trout? Or what rod will make me a better dry fly angler? Or what rod is best for high sticking/euro nymphing/tight lining/whatever else you want to call it? Or what rod brings YOU the most joy to fish? Ask 100 shop employees that last question and you'll get a TON of different answers, just like in that Facebook group.</p><p>Most of the best anglers I know aren't hanging out on online forums answering and asking questions about the best fly rods. So just know that your answers on places like a Facebook group will be wildly inaccurate, or at best will be rooted in that person's favorite (and in some cases only) rods. Make sure to ask the correct question, and it will go a long ways towards helping you select your next fly rod. If you need help figuring out what rod you need, don't hesitate to <a href="https://troutzoneanglers.com/contact/" target="_blank">reach out to me</a>. I won't necessarily have the right answer, but I'll definitely have some opinions, and I don't mind sharing those. The best discussion will probably happen on the phone or in person, because there isn't usually a simple answer. I'll work through the question with you to make sure we are asking and answering the intended question to get you the right rod. </p><p><br /></p><p>Want to read more? Check out this story of a Smokies autumn fishing trip.</p><p><a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2024/01/autumn-getaway-October-2023-Great-Smoky-Mountain-big-brown-trout.html" target="_blank">Big Browns in the Smokies in Fall</a></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-84107249107896493962024-02-11T20:49:00.003-06:002024-02-13T07:45:02.790-06:00From the Rower's Seat<p>Musky fishing is always a team sport. There is a TON of hard work involved and everyone has a part to play. I have been obsessed from time to time with fishing for muskellunge. Unfortunately I have also found myself not getting out as much as I would like due to other obligations during what I consider musky season. Thus, when a couple of buddies had an epic couple of days back in January, it got me fired up to get back out there. </p><p>My original goal had been to spend quite a few days on the musky streams this winter. In fact, I set myself two specific goals for this winter. First, catch a musky as it has been a while since I have personally caught one (despite lots in my boat from friends and clients), and second, catch a big brown trout on the Clinch on a streamer. My favorite musky system has several different sections that I like to fish with more begging to be explored. The only way to explore them is to simply get out there and spend time on the water. When it got to early February and I still hadn't made any musky trips happen yet this winter, I knew it was time to make a change.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Musky Fly Fishing in Tennessee</h3><p>I checked in with my buddies Pat and Chris and a plan was made. We would float a favorite section with more than enough water to fish in a day. Between us, we had rods ranging from 7 through 11 weight. The heavier rods were for "real" musky flies, and the lighter rods were for when our arms got tired and we needed to throw smaller stuff. I've seen plenty of musky caught on 3-6 inch flies, so I know it can be done even if the big stuff is more exciting.</p><p>We all met up at the takeout first thing and piled all the gear into my truck and boat. Soon, we were headed up to the put in. After a quick pause at the top of the ramp to unbuckle boat straps and rig the anchor, I backed the boat down and it was quickly launched. Parking the truck didn't take long, and soon I was at the oars maneuvering Pat and Chris into position to fish the first narrow pool.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Floating a Small Musky River in Tennessee</h3><p>We drifted slowly down the river. Several incredible looking holes slid by without any excitement. Then we turned the corner into a big pool that has always looked fishing but never produced. With excitement running high, we got a couple of good casts into some structure and.....promptly hung a log. Oh well, that is streamer fishing. As I was backing in to free the fly, Pat suddenly spoke up excitedly, "There's a musky!" Sure enough, I had finally seen a musky in this pool that just looks too good to not have a fish. We interacted with this fish for a while, getting a couple of half hearted follows, but something clearly wasn't right with our presentation. We changed flies and otherwise worked the fish, but with so far to go in our float, we didn't have time to seriously target this fish. </p><p>Before long, we were drifting on down the river looking for the next fish. It didn't take long. We were entering the major feeding period based on the solunar fishing tables. In the next couple of hours, we moved several great fish. At one point, I had yielded the oars to one of the other guys. As I was doing a figure eight over a deep pot, a fish came out of nowhere and worked through the eights with me for several passes before just disappearing. We backed up and got a slightly less enthusiastic response before coming to the same conclusion that we did on the first encounter: we simply had too far to go to play too long with any one fish. </p><p>Not long after, I switched back onto the oars. Our number of encounters was excellent by musky fishing standards, but we were still looking for that first eat. On our first encounter, I had remembered a fly that I wanted to experiment with and quickly rigged it up. I had kept it sitting to the side and waiting for another opportunity to try it. That moment would come soon. </p><h3>Video of My Musky on the Fly in Tennessee</h3><p>Want to see some awesome footage from this musky? Check out the video my buddy Chris put up on YouTube <a href="https://youtu.be/i80kquYjiGQ?si=3HPsgsyNS4SuLJu1" target="_blank">HERE</a>. While you are there, please give him a follow! Now, for the full story below...</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Catching a Tennessee Musky on the Fly</h3><p>We were coming into yet another amazing looking hole (aren't they all?!?!) when Pat again announced, "There's a musky!" The fish slid off of a shallower sand bottom and slunk into the deep pool. Musky often will "soft spook," meaning they will be uncomfortable with the boat in shallow water or otherwise, but will also lay down nearby and even interact with you again if you are careful. I slowly maneuvered the boat back up until we could clearly see the fish laying on the bottom and then slipped the anchor down ever so slowly. Then the guys started going through both flies and presentations. By the time they were running out of ideas, I was ready to reach for my rod with the experimental fly. Asking permission to target the fish, the guys readily agreed, and I stood at the edge of the middle of the boat where I could see the fish. </p><p>On the first cast, the fish quickly engaged with my fly. Bingo! Sure enough, it followed all the way back to the boat and then seemingly ate. When I set, there was nothing there. I slammed the fly back in the water. Last winter, I was fishing with my buddy Jeff when he had something similar happen. Getting the fly immediately back in the water gave us a second opportunity and he landed the fish. Remembering that moment, I got the fly in front of the fish as quick as I could. Sure enough, the fish seemed to be looking for the fly still. Immediately, the fish turned, put its nose right on the fly before the gills flared and it hammered my fly. Game on!</p><p>The excitement in the boat reached fever pitch as I worked the fish back and forth. The guys were excitedly taking turns running video and waiting with the net depending on which end of the boat the fish was on. Finally, after several almost there net attempts, we slid the fish into the net. With several whoops and hollers, we moved the boat over to a shallow spot where I could properly spend time getting the fish healthy and back in the pool it came from. After taping the fish out at just under 40" (a new personal best), I cradled it in the water for a while before it suddenly jetted. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R6NMUKP73wrHxAka92H8xOmb-SBXQLdQmbjZ8l-k1DsKZ0hZptJcqkUnzy_9QDKz8TsxtlGTOPfHb1cNOdvhdflbvze-B0ZTb7bYvtkVYL9Ub1NedUUxYOBSz3mFLfuM-J4WahAZrPi2lkPaSYalz7FC3yp5XLYlQBR_IjRDaZn9idIJqly7/s540/IMG_0267%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tennessee river musky on the fly" border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R6NMUKP73wrHxAka92H8xOmb-SBXQLdQmbjZ8l-k1DsKZ0hZptJcqkUnzy_9QDKz8TsxtlGTOPfHb1cNOdvhdflbvze-B0ZTb7bYvtkVYL9Ub1NedUUxYOBSz3mFLfuM-J4WahAZrPi2lkPaSYalz7FC3yp5XLYlQBR_IjRDaZn9idIJqly7/s16000/IMG_0267%20540.jpg" title="Fly caught musky on a river in Tennessee" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy Pat Tully ©2024</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSR527fns7zo-0QXVYCXpTnJNLhIhUdv0UBE4IERl1GEwVB9EgBlsZESmHd3yrC0DELtfQnZ9NIUIAwkPnTHcWL0UTG1KXIdOohUmLIAsqYGJSlr1XZ63PmckNOpel2C9tR_tCz5s_LyA8BTBc3zMj_04troTDzKTTqflI7gPoaEHJ0o7vqhL/s540/IMG_0281%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Releasing a fly caught musky in Tennessee" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCSR527fns7zo-0QXVYCXpTnJNLhIhUdv0UBE4IERl1GEwVB9EgBlsZESmHd3yrC0DELtfQnZ9NIUIAwkPnTHcWL0UTG1KXIdOohUmLIAsqYGJSlr1XZ63PmckNOpel2C9tR_tCz5s_LyA8BTBc3zMj_04troTDzKTTqflI7gPoaEHJ0o7vqhL/s16000/IMG_0281%20540.jpg" title="Tennessee fly caught musky release" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo courtesy Pat Tully ©2024</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Our Day of Musky Fishing </h3><p>Goal number one for the winter season accomplished, I jumped back on the oars for a large portion of the day. The agreement early had been that whoever got a fish would be rowing. I was more than happy to spend the rest of the day on the oars. Only when it started to get late and we had a long ways ago did I ask for help on the oars. We took turns to get on down the river. The day ended with ten encounters, 9 follows, and one landed fish. Not a bad day of musky fishing.</p><p>Even with the winter fishing season winding down, I'm hoping to get back out there sometime soon. In the meantime, I'll be out on the Clinch looking for that other goal for my winter season...</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Video of My Musky on the Fly in Tennessee</h3><p>Want to see some awesome footage from this musky? Check out the video my buddy Chris put up on YouTube <a href="https://youtu.be/i80kquYjiGQ?si=3HPsgsyNS4SuLJu1" target="_blank">HERE</a>. While you are there, please give him a follow!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-28812721464529376642024-01-18T09:47:00.002-06:002024-01-18T11:51:33.605-06:00Autumn Getaway<p>Don't ever become a guide so you can fish more. If you've never heard that saying before, now you have. As a guide, you are on the water every day, fishing in a sense. You just aren't actually holding the rod. In many ways, you actually become a better angler by not fishing all the time, because you spend all day describing how to do it right. On the other hand, it would assumedly be easy to lose the passion if you're doing something every day. That is one thing for which I count myself very fortunate. I still love both my job (guiding) and fishing on my days off. Still, I have to find some way to keep things interesting. If I've already floated the Caney Fork River 75 times for the calendar year, I probably won't float the exact same section doing the exact same thing on my off day. </p><p>There are many solutions to keeping it interesting. Most of them revolve around pushing myself into new experiences as an angler. One is to experiment with flies and presentation, something I constantly do on my days off. On a recent guides' day off, I ripped streamers so hard all day that my stripping arm was my tired than my casting arm. Seriously. I saw some really big fish too and will be back to do it again. Another solution is to chase new species, explore new water, or fish rarely fished waters that still have that "shiny new toy" feel.</p><p>This past fall, in early October, a calendar anomaly opened up a short window to camp and fish in early October. Every year, I take a trip in early to mid November, so this was going to be a bonus trip. It is exceedingly rare that I get multiple days in a row off in October without scheduling it that way on purpose. As one of my busiest months, I tend to guide my way through my favorite time of year, with very little "me" time to go fishing for myself. And that's okay. My bank account appreciates it come the middle of January. Still, when back to back days opened up, I jumped at the opportunity. Wonder of wonders, one of my favorite campsites was available at Smokemont Campground, and it was booked just as fast as I could enter my payment information.</p><p>Shortly before the trip, I checked with some fishing buddies to see if anyone wanted to join. I've noticed that is much harder once all your fishing friends have young families, a point I'm also at. Still, I finally got one bite and we made plans to hit a <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2019/04/fly-fishing-bend-around-bumgardner.html" target="_blank">favorite piece of water</a>, albeit one I've only hit once or twice. This would be my first time through in the fall. </p><p>We started hiking in fairly early. It was cool enough out that I kind of wanted a jacket but knew the hike would warm me up too much. So, I just trusted my long sleeves to be enough and we headed up the trail. I did wear my Patagonia ultralight wading pants that I bought several years ago. It was too warm for hiking in full chest waders, but I didn't want to get hypothermia either. These were originally bought for backpacking waders, but I occasionally wear them for non backpacking scenarios as well. They kept me from completely overheating, but I was still glad to finally step into the cool stream at the end of our hike. There is always a transition in spring and fall where wet wading is most comfortable mid and late in the day, but the morning hours are just a little on the cool side. That isn't a problem for front country trips, but when you hike in, it is a pain in the rear to carry multiple wading setups for different times of the day. So you just make do as much as possible.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ciO3atVl9c6hxnPZjHBv1WtIEoOiSSHeUmGR7Sjxjc2kORgkpaYlIQTHDd_SxZMzMKqf2Z3FHeSInA_Fc64QyXxELn0e5tnzRvCh8WBshS_hTg1eXzwL_GlVFZd5k5wcgjsJvKT3N6kURx0sRbgw_Wl3tJ9bgGZeVIVXAwemhZ5H7jcfuM2L/s640/IMG_5715-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ciO3atVl9c6hxnPZjHBv1WtIEoOiSSHeUmGR7Sjxjc2kORgkpaYlIQTHDd_SxZMzMKqf2Z3FHeSInA_Fc64QyXxELn0e5tnzRvCh8WBshS_hTg1eXzwL_GlVFZd5k5wcgjsJvKT3N6kURx0sRbgw_Wl3tJ9bgGZeVIVXAwemhZ5H7jcfuM2L/s16000/IMG_5715-1%20640.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>When we got in the stream, I was rigged with a dry/dropper and had high expectations. With a quick rainbow and then a brown, I thought the day was about to bust wide open. Instead, however, the fish were about like what I normally expect on Deep Creek. In other words, they would eat if you did everything just right, but any misstep or bad cast sent them running. The ultra low water didn't help. The ongoing drought conditions in the area had flows even lower than usual for an already dry time of year. Still, we found just enough fish to keep things interesting. Then, finally, as the day warmed a little, the fish really started to turn on.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiGi24h5pOOM8SbsbEpcqzncPcdgazfSkJYCbHmUhjTF_CO9aZ9OOtylMAZwQPDRaSH3hPOxAGP2PUFuiwHV_3eGWFfMcm3ayn4cztNUV4qbzeqiUtNBKL4Eg7uU7V22K8oV34fWQbK8xgwsstrK9bLIb0qlnvZVd6FWam-vFdN2QxoH6s-cs/s540/IMG_5707-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wild Smoky Mountain brown trout on a dry fly" border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiGi24h5pOOM8SbsbEpcqzncPcdgazfSkJYCbHmUhjTF_CO9aZ9OOtylMAZwQPDRaSH3hPOxAGP2PUFuiwHV_3eGWFfMcm3ayn4cztNUV4qbzeqiUtNBKL4Eg7uU7V22K8oV34fWQbK8xgwsstrK9bLIb0qlnvZVd6FWam-vFdN2QxoH6s-cs/s16000/IMG_5707-1%20540.jpg" title="Smoky Mountain dry fly caught wild brown trout" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0iwcv27VlxT2Tj5gYqwV4G4ErkktfXlM0kP1xtribH1Rlwqkh12XZz7w3myxMXk5agwLMMlDHbR1b8Tb16jOz4eEaw7CMDDrGoVS96XRjgFxyIE_3zVsMzJe2GHAeS-WCVW__3n7NWaCKPyCHdZ9A-t-nYUFUvOyYjg33oI6TalWTBwqXRaw/s540/IMG_5733-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wild rainbow trout in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0iwcv27VlxT2Tj5gYqwV4G4ErkktfXlM0kP1xtribH1Rlwqkh12XZz7w3myxMXk5agwLMMlDHbR1b8Tb16jOz4eEaw7CMDDrGoVS96XRjgFxyIE_3zVsMzJe2GHAeS-WCVW__3n7NWaCKPyCHdZ9A-t-nYUFUvOyYjg33oI6TalWTBwqXRaw/s16000/IMG_5733-1%20540.jpg" title="Smokies wild rainbow trout" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>A high overcast delayed the best bite later than we had expected, but things eventually got going. At this point, we were both catching fish. Dry flies and nymphs were both producing. Eventually, some streamers were even tossed to great effect. It was one of those magical days in the mountains. The autumn colors while not quite peak, were good enough to add significant value to the trip for me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVOB74PBW0qxRXkYVOEXg7nnBMcwhvNlbB6xN1tQjJm2zolwg1rAuMqJ7azgPfiEOSbvZwTe1e6TyzOQM6cETnmD0aqLnxNsCDBBIhxt0aFaPT7vUNylYm3ugp71_d0qHKLscMjr9e_MxQqzmqEVwhI9BR0zZimpK4No-Mdo0WaHxZpCsYigm/s640/IMG_5739-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Autumn colors in the Great Smoky Mountains" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVOB74PBW0qxRXkYVOEXg7nnBMcwhvNlbB6xN1tQjJm2zolwg1rAuMqJ7azgPfiEOSbvZwTe1e6TyzOQM6cETnmD0aqLnxNsCDBBIhxt0aFaPT7vUNylYm3ugp71_d0qHKLscMjr9e_MxQqzmqEVwhI9BR0zZimpK4No-Mdo0WaHxZpCsYigm/s16000/IMG_5739-1%20640.jpg" title="Great Smoky mountains autumn colors" /></a></div><br /><p>A couple of the rainbows were more memorable than the rest. While all fish are beautiful, some just stick out in my memory for one reason or another. The first one that really caught my attention had nothing to do with size. In fact, it was on the smaller end of the spectrum for the day. The neat thing about this fish was how dark it was. Occasionally, I catch fish that are super dark. Invariable, and this fish was no exception, they come out of very dark holes or from underneath rocks. I have edited this picture to actually lighten things up a little if that tells you anything. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykI7gpYLmSuK3T7ttHfd8yLmFzPRRUVkVOb6RwMOkbvfF0ExMq2A_TgPINt6raWL8is45RXxKglIYazUQM1j2_wVuhf3C7leXLOKF9VYYY8Jjqk4ksEaMPXhWwKgmxuq-xVGzdwgVk3viS-adV8mOTS_5srh3mbcLMaU85NwTIZFMRrsmo07w/s540/IMG_5754-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Dark wild rainbow trout in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykI7gpYLmSuK3T7ttHfd8yLmFzPRRUVkVOb6RwMOkbvfF0ExMq2A_TgPINt6raWL8is45RXxKglIYazUQM1j2_wVuhf3C7leXLOKF9VYYY8Jjqk4ksEaMPXhWwKgmxuq-xVGzdwgVk3viS-adV8mOTS_5srh3mbcLMaU85NwTIZFMRrsmo07w/s16000/IMG_5754-1%20540.jpg" title="Smokies dark wild rainbow trout" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The other memorable rainbow was a big surprise because it ate the dry fly. Not that fish on dries is surprising, of course, but when you've caught the vast majority of fish on the dropper for hours, and then a quality fish slurps the dry, it surprises you each time. The fish fought very well, but upon landing it, I can't say with 100% confidence that it is a wild fish. It might be, of course, and that is even likely. However, the line between stocked and wild on this drainage is hazy at best. Most of the fish are small enough and vibrant enough to tell, but with larger fish, I definitely start to have some questions. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklG_tzGpCe2pSpL0wx7nftnsuOy0iMG9DTMHtHRB7X81-Bj55Ufq_bEdwGyIZ3ndO8Pz53rTRchX3xemij3G2WNGClnOI84hLEueDq62Pw923awlQPCJgqQ1zuX1LeruG3j-ndN_x0aByxwqFtdBU4vQJQA_O9Y43JmFbAOx3xTgOcQIqg9ZE/s540/IMG_5760-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Backcountry rainbow trout in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjklG_tzGpCe2pSpL0wx7nftnsuOy0iMG9DTMHtHRB7X81-Bj55Ufq_bEdwGyIZ3ndO8Pz53rTRchX3xemij3G2WNGClnOI84hLEueDq62Pw923awlQPCJgqQ1zuX1LeruG3j-ndN_x0aByxwqFtdBU4vQJQA_O9Y43JmFbAOx3xTgOcQIqg9ZE/s16000/IMG_5760-1%20540.jpg" title="Smokies backcountry rainbow trout" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Late in the trip, as we were getting ready to hike out, we found some nicer fish. Not the true monsters that we knew inhabited the stream, but solid brown trout that would make anyone's day. Then, just after catching back to back brown trout, I found one more gorgeous rainbow trout on a dry fly. Talk about a perfect ending to a perfect day. Nothing could beat this day in the mountains, or so I thought. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NC_kwGmTWUkFDnc-n6qBbuFL4Q2djwbY_ANm9X74ljrNyVHaJi5y7uCtrAeFshuL7g9Ymtjpu4ch1lekAH3AH09rQAbHi6cVIhDEEP_VNPmzr6zwTGzL2dnuZMOYlKexryoKcEJnE-k3kU49nMuMvkNUpyI7sIfeYt6QuI82zUOaUHbgCXGZ/s540/IMG_5773-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wild brown trout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NC_kwGmTWUkFDnc-n6qBbuFL4Q2djwbY_ANm9X74ljrNyVHaJi5y7uCtrAeFshuL7g9Ymtjpu4ch1lekAH3AH09rQAbHi6cVIhDEEP_VNPmzr6zwTGzL2dnuZMOYlKexryoKcEJnE-k3kU49nMuMvkNUpyI7sIfeYt6QuI82zUOaUHbgCXGZ/s16000/IMG_5773-1%20540.jpg" title="Great Smoky Mountains National Park wild brown trout" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSRS5CtSB9L3xohzaRZSXqjUzxsm0NHZk_fzZWpI8N9EqtNybrtjtzIqoZ0cfMkMI2IYhJm1RdxibTU8mVd6K4Vw4qEnoQJOL2OrVBPe67i3xQgrlU00pXPuTsusqVy1T8uPN1ZPgtZYIK3Pu-jS4w1HaeHt3g72YeATDZ-t5aOutJ-nZTwc3/s640/IMG_5793-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beautiful wild rainbow trout on a dry fly in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSRS5CtSB9L3xohzaRZSXqjUzxsm0NHZk_fzZWpI8N9EqtNybrtjtzIqoZ0cfMkMI2IYhJm1RdxibTU8mVd6K4Vw4qEnoQJOL2OrVBPe67i3xQgrlU00pXPuTsusqVy1T8uPN1ZPgtZYIK3Pu-jS4w1HaeHt3g72YeATDZ-t5aOutJ-nZTwc3/s16000/IMG_5793-1%20640.jpg" title="Dry fly wild rainbow trout in the Smokies" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38F9PthAmqlWwjL7_WQiMRiEtTncX8-GHhMry0vo6JWX3CmuixTHTztZ2LZe6Gjchj6GtejIAnL5Mkacwi9265IsnV6YFOdGN00JfvJ48k-Awy-PX3F2FAB1Uq_EAUf6L_5cFDWhQA8JPdxptmDqs78zXVCvw90irKoYqfAIZObi2vzI9xhd6/s540/IMG_6004-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="More wild brown trout in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38F9PthAmqlWwjL7_WQiMRiEtTncX8-GHhMry0vo6JWX3CmuixTHTztZ2LZe6Gjchj6GtejIAnL5Mkacwi9265IsnV6YFOdGN00JfvJ48k-Awy-PX3F2FAB1Uq_EAUf6L_5cFDWhQA8JPdxptmDqs78zXVCvw90irKoYqfAIZObi2vzI9xhd6/s16000/IMG_6004-1%20540.jpg" title="Another wild brown trout in the Smokies" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkUp6G8V5993TaV6rpx8dPRv7BJvhLraaEWdWz1wktvaHVhey-tmsUxaVNZayhBy517TgY5BX1-FzS2t8IIIuWDAV3LEYqAQzVPscsN2gl94QU3qY5odmgYQrDmfFy78FxoLeucu6bPMXIHb-8WrAKpaks8MIO_DZDRyMr4ufO4r5UshT1cVv/s640/IMG_6010-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Day one fish of the day quality wild brown trout in the Smokies" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkUp6G8V5993TaV6rpx8dPRv7BJvhLraaEWdWz1wktvaHVhey-tmsUxaVNZayhBy517TgY5BX1-FzS2t8IIIuWDAV3LEYqAQzVPscsN2gl94QU3qY5odmgYQrDmfFy78FxoLeucu6bPMXIHb-8WrAKpaks8MIO_DZDRyMr4ufO4r5UshT1cVv/s16000/IMG_6010-1%20640.jpg" title="Quality wild brown trout in the Smokies day one fish of the day" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We got out fairly late, and eventually I made it back to camp and got some supper together. I was missing my family a little and almost drove home that evening. I decided it would be foolish to take down camp just to get home near midnight. I would be much happier and feel better if I got up and headed home in the morning. Such decisions can make or break a fishing trip, I just didn't realize it at the time. After eating chili and tortillas, I hit the sack. I slept well in the cool autumn night air and woke up refreshed.</p><p>I got camp broken down quickly and had my thoughts set on home when I thought of a favorite pool nearby. Deciding that it would be silly to drive this far without fishing it, I decided for a quick stop. <i>No more than an hour</i>, I thought to myself. </p><p>Wow! What an hour. In that hour, I caught several fish in the 16-19 inch range and a 22.5 inch fish as the largest of the session. It was easily my best hour long fishing experience in the Smokies for brown trout ever. Not necessarily <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2020/12/great-smoky-mountain-big-brown-trout-extravaganza.html" target="_blank">my best day ever</a>, but right up there in that category as well. All of which just goes to show, you don't know if you don't go. Best of all, I still got home much earlier than originally planned or anticipated. Talk about the best of both worlds!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42QcggmioYbljaBjLaNxdAzprTetgucQ2K5toPpBpQlfM1iA2c3kg9BDEcjKtu-YlIxjnwB9FEY1NVmHrK3KipNNuZpWHsgaQ3hzUZ2q-7d8l5-TWFuUY-Tw8mTknZmCX27ORble6LcaxN2cdyJhGg5xLfJeCeGG5wrdAsThVD_jA6N8xaJND/s540/IMG_5837-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Big wild hen brown trout in the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains" border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi42QcggmioYbljaBjLaNxdAzprTetgucQ2K5toPpBpQlfM1iA2c3kg9BDEcjKtu-YlIxjnwB9FEY1NVmHrK3KipNNuZpWHsgaQ3hzUZ2q-7d8l5-TWFuUY-Tw8mTknZmCX27ORble6LcaxN2cdyJhGg5xLfJeCeGG5wrdAsThVD_jA6N8xaJND/s16000/IMG_5837-1%20540.jpg" title="Great Smoky Mountains big wild brown trout in the autumn" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As a guide, we are often faced with less than stellar conditions. Only rarely are things bad enough that we have to cancel a trip. On some borderline days, I'll find myself saying to the client that exact some phrase, or they'll say it to me when we decide to stick to our plans. If you aren't getting out there, you'll never know how fishing might have been. In 2024, focus on getting out more often. You never know what you might be missing out on by skipping a day on the water.</p><p>Sorry for the heavy editing on these pictures, but some of my favorite spots are pretty recognizable. I hope you'll understand that I don't want a bunch of people in "my" spot next time I'm there...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hj2K3C2ICP-oWPOb84gddZjoa5t5Wl4jXNPvPa7UPISvN9IrFMNURbfG4uhK8gBnB3-Oi4C2KKan9h56hm2JJlAIltpql4QB8V2U2wkcmtbUj5fc2UqaaaRGSckuyR48Ss3M6tvRjU6D0iwCLCphzkUxCTi9FXJDh68gGGCj5YiIRXfNtVI9/s640/IMG_5862-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Big wild buck brown trout in the Great Smoky Mountains" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hj2K3C2ICP-oWPOb84gddZjoa5t5Wl4jXNPvPa7UPISvN9IrFMNURbfG4uhK8gBnB3-Oi4C2KKan9h56hm2JJlAIltpql4QB8V2U2wkcmtbUj5fc2UqaaaRGSckuyR48Ss3M6tvRjU6D0iwCLCphzkUxCTi9FXJDh68gGGCj5YiIRXfNtVI9/s16000/IMG_5862-1%20640.jpg" title="Great Smoky Mountains big brown trout male in the fall" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHlI00J21fjBdL0J7JAMP0Hy-c4QtgiIHmxbWFcUllysvD5dO3om39C-Rk8CKI77c5ILe4FebU3M1WWMdLhRUMzRLMbjDi13PxwoUJvq_rSnU7GGXX47H9404lA0DG_Ui3WDgJcigxAuhq3XhL57vvoiBDl1MilEZAlx_EDwKCClo8QSm1vTS/s640/IMG_5879-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Big wild brown trout in the Smokies in October during prespawn fishing" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHlI00J21fjBdL0J7JAMP0Hy-c4QtgiIHmxbWFcUllysvD5dO3om39C-Rk8CKI77c5ILe4FebU3M1WWMdLhRUMzRLMbjDi13PxwoUJvq_rSnU7GGXX47H9404lA0DG_Ui3WDgJcigxAuhq3XhL57vvoiBDl1MilEZAlx_EDwKCClo8QSm1vTS/s16000/IMG_5879-1%20640.jpg" title="October Smokies big wild brown trout during prespawn fishing" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-2543197772514165032024-01-15T13:44:00.001-06:002024-01-15T13:44:10.186-06:00Consider Sink Time<p>This is a relatively short post that would fall in the category of fly fishing tips for success. It applies to both streamers and nymphs, but the main thing I want to talk about is nymph fishing. I do a lot of both short/tight line nymphing without a strike indicator and also longer line nymphing. One of the most common mistakes I see people make is to not cast far enough above the spot they think the fish is. Remember to consider sink time when throwing flies that are supposed to be fished subsurface. </p><p>In very slow water, this doesn't matter as much. Flies will sink almost vertically, especially in lake situations. However, most trout fishing is done in faster moving water. Even if you are using tungsten (which I highly recommend for the faster sink times) or split shot or both, the flies will still have some downstream drift before getting down into the strike zone. However, if you are using a suspension device (strike indicator), not only will that time take longer, but the suspension device will pull your flies back up in the water column if you aren't careful. </p><p>This is why I emphasize big slack line mends when floating flatter water in the drift boat. After your mend, the flies take some time to get down into the strike zone. Any subsequent mending will pull the flies back up in the water column as the indicator drags them up in the water column. On the other hand, you have to consider obstacles on the bottom of the river as part of your equation. If you have a shallow obstacle and then need the flies to get deep quickly behind the obstacle, we'll often throw our flies directly on top of the obstacle or even slightly above it. This applies a lot more in the Smokies. </p><p>In the Smokies, when you are working around pocket water, rocks, and even some logs, you have to be even more careful about both avoiding snagging the bottom, but also getting your flies deep enough. Add multiple currents, both upwelling and downwelling, into the mixture and it can be downright tricky. As a general rule, in the Smokies, I don't like my flies going through pour overs or tailouts of any kind. The reason is that they tend to have sticks wedged into the rocks in those slots that will eat flies. However, those are also some times the best place to throw your fly to get maximum sink time going into the next run. In other words, sometimes you take some chances when throwing nymph rigs in the mountains. </p><p>The same issue with strike indicators applies in mountain streams and is often even exacerbated. The fastest water is nearly always on the surface, so a strike indicator suspension device will usually have a tendency to drag flies upwards in the water column. This is one reason among many why veteran Smokies anglers usually gravitate towards high sticking without indicators as much as possible. However, there are times that some type of indicator is highly recommended. In those cases, just remember to add plenty of weight to get down. </p><p>Finally, using the lightest possible tippet will help immensely in obtaining good sink times. Thinner tippets have less surface area and result in less drag. Thus, flies are able to sink faster without that extra drag. </p><p>If all of this sounds like more than you have ever thought about while fly fishing, then consider it next time you are out on the water. Putting more thought into presentation than simply just chucking it out there will help your success sky rocket. If you want some on the water coaching, then consider booking a guided fly fishing trip with us at <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com/rates/" target="_blank">Trout Zone Anglers</a>!</p><p>Oh, and about those streamers, if you are using a sinking line, this process can be simplified by understanding your line's sink rate. If it averages 5-6 inches per second, then you can count down until you reach whatever depth you want. For example, 5 feet would be about 10 to 12 seconds. If your streamer is weighted, take that into account so you don't get too deep if you're fishing over structure. </p><p>Good luck and I hope considering sink time will help your fishing!</p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-68803820324311256142023-12-09T20:51:00.005-06:002023-12-09T20:51:39.134-06:00Colorado 2022: Day Sixteen and Seventeen, Great Sand Dunes and the Trip Home<p>After the last few <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/12/colorado-2022-day-fourteen-and-fifteen-from-bad-to-worse-last-day-fishing-of-trip.html" target="_blank">days of misery</a>, we were glad to finally be heading home. The last leg of our trip was supposed to be a return to Great Sand Dunes National Park. We had stopped there before, but just a quick drive through and continuing on our trip. For this trip, we had reserved a campsite at Pinon Flats for two nights. The hope was to do some hiking, hopefully including a trip out upon the dunes, and also maybe some night time astrophotography. Due to the ongoing rainy weather and clouds, I hadn't spent much time behind the lens at night since <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/05/colorado-2022-day-6-hiking-and-fly-fishing-Timber-Lake-Rocky-Mountain-National-Park.html" target="_blank">early in the trip at Rocky Mountain National Park</a>.</p><p>By some miracle, when we woke up on our last morning at Gateview Campground, it wasn't raining. The air was chilly, but the sky had hints of nicer weather ahead. The only thing keeping the day from being better was that Little Bit was still miserable from having a cold. That lingering cold would be just one of several motivating factors sending us hurrying on our homeward way.</p><p>After packing up camp, we headed out to highway 149 and headed south towards Lake City. Still hoping for some great fall colors, we pushed higher and higher towards Slumgullion Pass. The best colors of the day were between Lake City and that pass, although we saw plenty of beautiful golden aspen further along our drive as well. Here are just a few pictures from our frequent stops. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mlamKKxN992_MHZlEWMiQ9o0HcDKf7RLjjXUSACu3xBWZS7MkOTvfAWabMJRGSFptPJcQQCQy5oUwluirE1o7AscTfIkhLAlmO7eXLtjM6Fwu1fUNDg6RbV6iw62HdsFEXJIwrQCDOhFHq3esOW76MbZfwegBantBXyRZClNhq72TisOuVeS/s640/BB4A1665-1-2%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Highway 149 winds through golden aspen south of Lake City Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mlamKKxN992_MHZlEWMiQ9o0HcDKf7RLjjXUSACu3xBWZS7MkOTvfAWabMJRGSFptPJcQQCQy5oUwluirE1o7AscTfIkhLAlmO7eXLtjM6Fwu1fUNDg6RbV6iw62HdsFEXJIwrQCDOhFHq3esOW76MbZfwegBantBXyRZClNhq72TisOuVeS/s16000/BB4A1665-1-2%20640.jpg" title="Golden aspen south of Lake City Colorado with highway 149" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhp78oqBpud99cA_tKf4DMnnNxa6nTvbRNdYSNeHi_80eghyphenhyphenpEZFOKV4cx4LKjelVb2VXRoNEXM4cDNdcg-Wzhnd16TSXP7mAsK4ic_fla4OLTXcPFKCfsDt_2kCp-Qu53KpdV01aAf2miqht9GeRX-DOliz0wbHLL6RIpYmbjpE91hf2qCOh/s540/BB4A1687-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="San Juan Mountains and golden aspen" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhp78oqBpud99cA_tKf4DMnnNxa6nTvbRNdYSNeHi_80eghyphenhyphenpEZFOKV4cx4LKjelVb2VXRoNEXM4cDNdcg-Wzhnd16TSXP7mAsK4ic_fla4OLTXcPFKCfsDt_2kCp-Qu53KpdV01aAf2miqht9GeRX-DOliz0wbHLL6RIpYmbjpE91hf2qCOh/s16000/BB4A1687-1%20540.jpg" title="golden aspen in the San Juan Mountains" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As you can see, the clouds were really breaking up nicely and the fresh snow on the higher peaks added a nice touch to the autumn scenery. We had packed some damp gear upon leaving Gateview. As we descended the Rio Grande Valley, we eventually stopped for lunch at a roadside pullout just beyond Creede. Wagon Wheel Gap had some interesting history, but we were also thankful for the bright sun and dry conditions. The various pieces of our tent dried quickly in the low relative humidity and gusty winds. Before long, we were fed and headed down the road towards our goal for the night. </p><p>We had been actively discussing if we even wanted to stop. Little Bit was running a fever and seemed genuinely miserable. We wanted to get home quickly in case it developed into something requiring a trip to the doctor. However, as the day was beginning to grow late and we had to drive right past the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm" target="_blank">Great Sand Dunes National Park</a> anyway, we decided to go ahead and stop for the night. That turned out to be the right call, or at least I think it was. We were all tired, and driving deep into the growing dusk was probably a bad idea. Lots of critters were liable to be out wandering the roads at night, so getting some good rest before traveling further made sense.</p><p>In the dying light, I snapped a few pictures of the sand dunes. Under the circumstances, I didn't get to do all the photography I had hoped for. Yet another trip will have to be planned for sometime in the future. However, I did have some reasonably good light for the little photography I got to do. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXtI-XFNqbiCg8auEs45y9R16tjUAxxLffKnPqy0D995UJo-dDuqHa3TsypvBbQ5cR15DmaNUdHWsp3J79Q2sKjGRT4H-pFTCxsPDdcRYaYy6W5L_mBo4Gj7qjkwnGv5IQTpk-WyPhoRzJ32fy86AU1kPOEC_eJFb-fdCl5_UHKwDKtCRPihb/s540/BB4A1694-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Great Sand Dunes National Park at sunset" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvXtI-XFNqbiCg8auEs45y9R16tjUAxxLffKnPqy0D995UJo-dDuqHa3TsypvBbQ5cR15DmaNUdHWsp3J79Q2sKjGRT4H-pFTCxsPDdcRYaYy6W5L_mBo4Gj7qjkwnGv5IQTpk-WyPhoRzJ32fy86AU1kPOEC_eJFb-fdCl5_UHKwDKtCRPihb/s16000/BB4A1694-1%20540.jpg" title="Sunset at Great Sand Dunes National Park" /></a></div><br /><p>The next morning, it was obvious that we should go ahead and pack up to head home. Even though our reservation had one more night, Little Bit was miserable. We hiked briefly out on the dunes, but strong down sloping winds off of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains made it miserable. With sand stinging our faces, we quickly retreated after climbing the first prominent high point or ridge. After getting in our car, we decided it was time to go home. I pointed the car homeward, and we started making haste. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HeHbs8NHOp8nAAgJZaffA3xyJMsw_72ZGxkypo2naR2FGVOsI43UrbeEo8MSg-25YbsNzqepJBnOkRltSzFwklxmKF-0rB-kwekGor2l47gdnqmb14-yunTRKC6gQ86Lx2LmjaV2i3c7q4X9tF7nIYzTYIl_26UurvDlrlXAQxVJuUmzOs6Z/s540/IMG_8242%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HeHbs8NHOp8nAAgJZaffA3xyJMsw_72ZGxkypo2naR2FGVOsI43UrbeEo8MSg-25YbsNzqepJBnOkRltSzFwklxmKF-0rB-kwekGor2l47gdnqmb14-yunTRKC6gQ86Lx2LmjaV2i3c7q4X9tF7nIYzTYIl_26UurvDlrlXAQxVJuUmzOs6Z/s16000/IMG_8242%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNkwrNNGNqth3y414kMpWTbnf20GPGgTdcH8mg27QOcazPn0jgo1XoCWNDrk0Xxx5X0UP9Pj3aTxg5T5nPcdbtd9M1-DbzNuqNxGhwAa0n0o0pCj-xIkNKIS-Xk40IkhZbgNqUlkyEaHxmdIZbG0e1yR4xeUjORLVEqbs89yquEwNvjFPzyQ4/s540/IMG_8248-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Leah at Great Sand Dunes" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNkwrNNGNqth3y414kMpWTbnf20GPGgTdcH8mg27QOcazPn0jgo1XoCWNDrk0Xxx5X0UP9Pj3aTxg5T5nPcdbtd9M1-DbzNuqNxGhwAa0n0o0pCj-xIkNKIS-Xk40IkhZbgNqUlkyEaHxmdIZbG0e1yR4xeUjORLVEqbs89yquEwNvjFPzyQ4/s16000/IMG_8248-1%20540.jpg" title="Great Sand Dunes National Park hiker" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Making good time, we arrived in Amarillo that night and the next morning, decided to make it home in one big push. Traveling with a sick toddler isn't a recipe for quick trips, but we just wanted to get home. We arrived in the wee hours of the morning, worn out but having had a great trip. </p><p>Even though the last few days were rough, the overall trip had been a big success. We had also learned some important things. First and foremost, toddlers don't like being cooped up in a kid carrier for hours at a time. Before this trip, we had tentatively planned on another big Glacier National Park trip for 2023. By the end of this trip, both Leah and I had come to the conclusion that another big road trip with a toddler wasn't a great idea. So, we'll wait until we can all enjoy hiking the trails of that amazing park. If you're curious why we are dying to get back to Glacier, check out<a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2021/03/glacier-day-eight-hiking-to-siyeh-pass-hiking-to-piegan-pass-wildflowers.html" target="_blank"> this post</a> from our last trip there. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-29640678817949638282023-12-05T09:00:00.001-06:002023-12-05T09:00:00.161-06:00Colorado 2022: Day Fourteen and Fifteen, From Bad To Worse and Our Last Fish of the Trip<p>Yes, it is hard to imagine, but things can get worse. If you haven't read it already, find the backstory <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/12/colorado-2022-day-thirteen-fishing-lake-fork-gunnison-battling-rodents.html">HERE.</a> When we woke up the next morning, we hadn't caught many more mice. They had learned fast. But, they had exacted revenge for their lost friends. Our car was destroyed. Even worse, it was raining again. And it was cold. Very, very chilly. Little Bit had developed a cold. Probably a result of one of our stops for breakfast, eating out was easy, but also was exposing her to germs that she hadn't been exposed to. She was definitely miserable, and with the cold weather and rain, it seemed like a logical day to travel to one of my all time favorite places: The Black Canyon of the Gunnison.</p><p>First, we had to clean the car as best as possible. Mouse turds were everywhere along with lots of chewed up stuff. Paper towels, napkins, our food would have been destroyed except I've developed a system when I camp out west. All food is stored in rodent proof containers. That usually means coolers. I have one that is for cold stuff, and one that is for everything else. The key is that mice can't get in. </p><p>They had a heyday in Little Bit's carseat. I'm sure there were lots of tantalizing smells there, but it seemed like the mice had tried extra hard to mark it as their territory if that's a thing. Either way, they had spent lots of time in it. Cleaning it out with Lysol wipes while the rain poured down was something I hope to never have to do again. We carefully sorted through everything and wiped it all down, hoping all the while that Little Bit wouldn't contract any deadly viruses or other diseases. I was at a loss for any other solutions to the problem. Never had I had mice figure out the glue traps so fast. Our defenses had been solved far too quickly. Not only were there lots of mice, they were also smart mice. </p><p>Determined to leave the cold, soggy campsite behind, even if for a few hours, we packed into the car and started heading up towards the Blue Mesa Cutoff. I knew it would cut an easy hour out of our trip, but what I hadn't planned on was how bad the road was. The snow level had been just a few hundred feet above our camp apparently. No wonder the rain felt so cold. We started slipping and sliding across the muddy dirty road, our small Toyota Corolla looking out of place compared to the few trucks and 4wd SUVs we saw. By some miracle, we made it through deep mud, snow and ice. </p><p>On the far end, we found highway 50 to be in very similar condition. Our trip had apparently been timed to coincide with some intense roadwork going on between Montrose and Gunnison on highway 50. Dirt and gravel lanes stretched on for a while. It wasn't until we were finally zipping up Blue Mesa Summit that a now familiar stench hit us. With rain pouring down, we had our third blowout in four days. Seriously. It is funny now, and probably funny to anyone reading, but at the time we were completely over everything. The rain, the mice, the blowouts, everything. The best camping trips are usually the ones that leave you wanting more. This was probably the first time I've ever seriously been ready for a trip to end. </p><p>Thankfully, there was a NPS picnic pavilion at Cimarron. We were able to get out of the rain to change this diaper and clothing. Now, our day's plans were significantly changed. I probably should have seen this whole thing coming. Little Bit had decided the most comfortable place to do the morning business was in the car seat. At this point, I knew the drill. Ever since, I've always expected these bad things to happen. One silver lining was that we had been keeping a changing pad in the car seat, so cleanup was easier than it could have been. Still, we needed another town trip. I wasn't going to unnecessarily haul poopy clothing around stinking up the car. Imagine how the mice would have liked that!</p><p>We headed on into Montrose. That was probably a good idea anyway. Showers continued rolling through the area, and with Little Bit obviously fighting a bad cold, I couldn't get out and fish the Gunnison anyway. The last thing she needed was to get soaked and chilled. </p><p>The best part about our plan change was lunch. While I sat at the laundromat for what felt like the umpteenth time, Leach ran over to Qdoba. By the time she got lunch and brought it back, we were almost ready to roll again. A quick trip to Walmart for more mouse traps and a couple of food items, and we were on the road again. </p><p>The clouds were starting to break, and we got a pleasant hour or two at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Surprisingly, the fishing was very tough. I've always had an exceptional time on this stream, but I've never hit it late in the season with low flows and clear water. After a few smaller fish, it was obvious that I wasn't going to find any monsters. With a few more hours to experiment......maybe??? But it was getting late and we either had an extra hour of driving OR and to drive over the Blue Mesa Cutoff again. We also needed time to fight mice. So, back we headed.</p><p>Back in camp, the rain was setting in again in earnest. We sat in the car for a while, debating what to do. Finally, it was determined that we were there for the night. A peanut butter sandwich for Little Bit and then we crawled into the tent. That night, the mice had their biggest hurrah yet. The car was destroyed yet again. Leah was not happy about it either. </p><p>Normally, I sleep like a rock. Even when we go camping, I generally get a lot more sleep than she does. Somewhere in the middle of the night, she insistently woke me up. I don't remember much, except seeing a mouse run across the top of the mesh on our tent as she said, "There are mice running on our tent" with lots of exasperation in her voice. The next morning, when confronted with questions about it, I just asked, "What did you want me to do about it?" In the end, it was clear that while I couldn't do much, it was important that I know just how bad things had gotten. Yes, things had gotten miserable. </p><p>So, what to do? It was cold and damp out. Low clouds were hanging on and we didn't know if it would clear out or not. "Let's drive in to Gunnison and get breakfast somewhere warm," I suggested. That was a big winner with everyone. Little Bit, while sick, was still enjoying having someone else bring us food. A warm environment out of the rain and cold would cheer us all up. With luck, the weather might even change by afternoon and let me fish one last time. </p><p>We drove into town and somehow avoided the now expected blowout on the drive in. The <a href="https://www.backcountrycafegunni.com" target="_blank">Back Country Cafe</a> was our destination. Over the years, we have eaten there twice and enjoyed it immensely both times. While menu prices were higher than ever, it was still worth it to get out of the cold and eat something we didn't have to cook on the camp stove back in camp. The food was still just as delicious as we remembered. We'll definitely be back again when in the area.</p><p>Sitting in the warmth, we noticed the clouds starting to break. I had checked the weather, and it looked like we might avoid rain for the afternoon. The storm system was starting to move out, and while the rain was ending, it also meant colder air at night. After a brief discussion, we decided to tough it out one last night. After all, we had one other part of our trip that we wanted to include if at all possible. So, we headed back out to camp and have one more day of fishing. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjggr59rDJFuT-hJX5VqjSWqVkvVAxJIIoBVqxBpuAZmEDqS9mcEirhO6GQE-ust7VGZ7miIVQkdbus4OXoSZ3xs66CB4aQEzn-ouGDb3WoavwlLKIDgE_Y51x_4fCH30iUWFMC6KiTcztRgsEBgrpeGlqi1QJ5dvE0X_pdYRmhTYMLSoM3kY/s640/IMG_8202%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Canyon walls at Gateview Campground" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIjggr59rDJFuT-hJX5VqjSWqVkvVAxJIIoBVqxBpuAZmEDqS9mcEirhO6GQE-ust7VGZ7miIVQkdbus4OXoSZ3xs66CB4aQEzn-ouGDb3WoavwlLKIDgE_Y51x_4fCH30iUWFMC6KiTcztRgsEBgrpeGlqi1QJ5dvE0X_pdYRmhTYMLSoM3kY/s16000/IMG_8202%20540.jpg" title="Gateview Campground canyon walls" /></a></div><br /><p>The sky looked surprisingly clear when we got back to camp. <i>Maybe, by some miracle, we'll avoid any more rain</i> I thought. No such luck, but we did have a nice afternoon. Little Bit wasn't feeling good, so resting in the pack on my back wasn't terrible. We bundled her up more than normal, and donned our waders, then headed down the trail to try our luck once more. We took lunch just in case we stayed out longer than expected. That turned out to be a good choice. We wandered far downstream towards the lake. Eventually, things got too rough and we turned around, but I had explored further than I had ever been before. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICeuJ-UVMhxem__T3vzK1KeIa3n3_E9Tj-kT9J3oVw_okwSHMoTrv8HWsq1ARAcN9v1To21gHRxTk38ta-o6pfi0VuWmHjt3F56Dl4wencM9IL8NR25rjsFyR_JmHtNr3w_thi2XZAhdFjxiFx0FRprojTMTKeE0evV7Ky4M_8DCSVhUgF2g5/s640/IMG_8204%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lower Unit along Lake Fork Gunnison" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICeuJ-UVMhxem__T3vzK1KeIa3n3_E9Tj-kT9J3oVw_okwSHMoTrv8HWsq1ARAcN9v1To21gHRxTk38ta-o6pfi0VuWmHjt3F56Dl4wencM9IL8NR25rjsFyR_JmHtNr3w_thi2XZAhdFjxiFx0FRprojTMTKeE0evV7Ky4M_8DCSVhUgF2g5/s16000/IMG_8204%20640.jpg" title="Lake Fork Gunnison Lower Unit" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Behind one large rock, we found evidence of other visitors. Someone had lost a lower unit from a boat engine. It was about that point that the clouds started to gather again. By the time it was spitting on us, the best idea seemed to be to hang out under a slightly overhanging boulder and have lunch. Thankfully, this shower didn't last long, but it was obvious that the rain was returning for one more night. </p><p>We got a decent amount of fishing in. The afternoon was highlighted by Leah standing in one spot and catching eight or ten fish in a row while Little Bit shouted her delight louder with every catch. Mama is a real good angler!!! Thankfully, Daddy found a couple for himself, finally finding some nice rainbow trout to compete with the big one that Mama had caught the day before. By the time I got my second big rainbow, it was clear that Little Bit's patience for the pack was wearing thin and rain was starting to seriously threaten again. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx7ws_gOdoxcVDzkT5hY7I6iSqCemj3j0WrHayGp0dwzNAb75xuo1uveKFrqWLMk6ONwRWBHjC4_BGupK55I3RlE0IjiKhURv9ZIKycU-VA0JHKri8-oawW1DErRG9dM-8ls-xXWvsT10aj5bFjJEjaBlABAo1GMFPjKL7UdxYNK3JxjmWVoh/s540/IMG_8212%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lake Fork Gunnison Rainbow trout for me" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx7ws_gOdoxcVDzkT5hY7I6iSqCemj3j0WrHayGp0dwzNAb75xuo1uveKFrqWLMk6ONwRWBHjC4_BGupK55I3RlE0IjiKhURv9ZIKycU-VA0JHKri8-oawW1DErRG9dM-8ls-xXWvsT10aj5bFjJEjaBlABAo1GMFPjKL7UdxYNK3JxjmWVoh/s16000/IMG_8212%20540.jpg" title="My Lake Fork Gunnison rainbow trout" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkiGSToJx-zO076xEOftIcPWnQ_xBoM_yqMP86A6CCacNKW5PTx61e4gytXtOZ4xH2lralwOzyxS9kCO9lujMB4ZzVYk8un6aKqGys1MZiDde2ZcKF_5UZaw2UVRewvyIhFHjc81Tx6TAV9DmtGPsXyj4JAmBDRPExsvZ5JKZV-eAwE4tYrqv/s540/IMG_8217%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Quality Lake Fork Gunnison Rainbow trout" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkiGSToJx-zO076xEOftIcPWnQ_xBoM_yqMP86A6CCacNKW5PTx61e4gytXtOZ4xH2lralwOzyxS9kCO9lujMB4ZzVYk8un6aKqGys1MZiDde2ZcKF_5UZaw2UVRewvyIhFHjc81Tx6TAV9DmtGPsXyj4JAmBDRPExsvZ5JKZV-eAwE4tYrqv/s16000/IMG_8217%20540.jpg" title="quality rainbow trout on Lake Fork of the Gunnison" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We wandered back towards camp to spend one last cold, damp night under assault by rodents. I think we were all glad to have moving day the next day. I was more than a little sad that this part of the trip to my favorite part of the state had gone so lousy, but now it just gives me a reason to come back. It might have to be a non family trip, however. I don't know if Leah will ever willingly camp anywhere we suspect there might be mice ever again. Somehow, I'll have to figure out a better game plan for dealing with them in the future.</p><p>Thankfully, while the mice were as thick as ever, it seemed that our car was getting boring for them. They didn't destroy it as badly as previous nights, although there was still plenty of cleanup the next morning. As we drifted off to sleep, the sound of rain pattering on the tent started in earnest yet again. I fell asleep hoping it would quit long enough to pack up our camp at least.</p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-17001620989491851802023-12-02T19:18:00.001-06:002023-12-02T19:18:07.001-06:00Colorado 2022: Day Thirteen, Fishing One Last Nice Day and Battling Rodents <p>While the overall Colorado trip was great, the end was definitely a slog. This was because the weather turned sour for an extended amount of time. I had made the mistake of bragging to my wife about how, while it might rain, it would be nice a few hours later and definitely no later than the next day. This set us up for the obvious result: days and days of dreary weather that was increasingly colder by the day. And yes, I'm still reminded about how much fun that part of the trip was. Deservedly I might add...</p><p>When we woke up, it was fairly chilly. That was to be expected. The canyon <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/11/colorado-2022-day-12-moving-day-again-Kebler-pass-ohio-pass-golden-aspen.html" target="_blank">we were camping in</a> was sheltered by high walls to the east and west. That meant the sun wouldn't hit the campsite until at least 9:30 or 10 in the morning. With the late season, we were already pushing our luck by camping, so we hoped it wouldn't snow. After sleeping late to stay warm, we finally got up and fixed breakfast. While Leah and Little Bit were busy in camp, I grabbed a rod and fished just a few steps away. The camp pool had been kind to me before, and I was hoping that might be the case now. Sure enough, a couple of good brown trout were ready to play. Nothing huge, but it got me excited by the prospects. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhs1TG5LI08MFVyOIG347eL9vmsPGGYIi6Be910UMxyEu8LLmQLwJNePLenpI1HYbjKC-CbyAAe3b8ULkr7rtDATCQl4HtqYQd-ih7jzMuiUKuxStzYueWqp6YCRfSSdZFqm3n5CILm2M-cQ_dmzDKaXqbtbrGgio2e47Vqd_rloIsQqTPwTo/s540/IMG_8152%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lake Fork Gunnison Brown trout at Gateview Campground" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVhs1TG5LI08MFVyOIG347eL9vmsPGGYIi6Be910UMxyEu8LLmQLwJNePLenpI1HYbjKC-CbyAAe3b8ULkr7rtDATCQl4HtqYQd-ih7jzMuiUKuxStzYueWqp6YCRfSSdZFqm3n5CILm2M-cQ_dmzDKaXqbtbrGgio2e47Vqd_rloIsQqTPwTo/s16000/IMG_8152%20540.jpg" title="Gateview Campground Lake Fork Gunnison Brown Trout" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Lake run fish ascend this system from the large reservoir below. Kokanee and large brown trout move up in the fall. I was hoping for both. Unfortunately, there were no signs of the salmon, and we saw very few brown trout over the next couple of days. I'll have to return another time to try again. What we did find were rainbow trout and plenty of them. </p><p>After breakfast, we all got ready and wandered down the trail to fish. Naturally, the day progressed as one would expect. Leah caught the big fish and Little Bit got bored quickly. That meant back to camp to play and enjoy what would feel like our last glimpses of sunlight for the trip. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJg391BlxcFLqCnurxaySLUUtGF9oMQKwdW1WxLLdlkV9ce2mvvA9Q5yfpy1kDMvdhq921k5RziUryl9pAWwojfygG__hiIGV-kibl9Lz1n92-LGohbxnxU4kYfKRrAbs7QsBPKp9xxYF9SO3SDNmPGf53ChGtCz80VHjTrGHoLf4jgOiu2CW0/s540/IMG_8173%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lake Fork Gunnison rainbow trout at Gateview Campground" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJg391BlxcFLqCnurxaySLUUtGF9oMQKwdW1WxLLdlkV9ce2mvvA9Q5yfpy1kDMvdhq921k5RziUryl9pAWwojfygG__hiIGV-kibl9Lz1n92-LGohbxnxU4kYfKRrAbs7QsBPKp9xxYF9SO3SDNmPGf53ChGtCz80VHjTrGHoLf4jgOiu2CW0/s16000/IMG_8173%20540.jpg" title="Gateview Campground Lake Fork Gunnison Rainbow trout" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As the sun dropped below the canyon walls for the day, the temperature started dropping quickly. We bundled back up, and I hit the camp pool once more. One more brown trout came to hand. While I expected to find fresh fish in this pool every day, that wasn't meant to be. This would be the last fish I would find in the camp pool, although we would find more fish downstream on future days. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9679tFPEmeuA6EXFyWNhkBvBjggvSHfJ_Y_ycx_2e_9viTOwA4XjVKA_iZUO7CbQuSHbKVOCoGhhzY3dAaFu9I5A5upMIzLW1E7t7ZA5EyuRUSeF5zugjqoS8qmvXd0qWzDDEjNKbi9UEOea0ny-zXSahdCGHkrpbTAcMJJmS5SigRssLOcy4/s640/IMG_8180%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Late Day on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison at Gateview Campground" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9679tFPEmeuA6EXFyWNhkBvBjggvSHfJ_Y_ycx_2e_9viTOwA4XjVKA_iZUO7CbQuSHbKVOCoGhhzY3dAaFu9I5A5upMIzLW1E7t7ZA5EyuRUSeF5zugjqoS8qmvXd0qWzDDEjNKbi9UEOea0ny-zXSahdCGHkrpbTAcMJJmS5SigRssLOcy4/s16000/IMG_8180%20640.jpg" title="Gateview Campground view of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcAngUxSoJC8y6TW5WoBtMrFewOGoLXf4ndZXblQvRLURXzO7WeQ2Ik8nipq5SezHWLviFDkJ4DOniuOXdfXJgy_hrmitbs4pPtm5GVPISLV0vooe5ZD0D6Wdq8QoYQAZdy6CWsXhF9bverHvaWZwQ3ZD-TP3L6xJDb2DVvYHzfW9txjLp983/s540/IMG_8186%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="lake fork gunnison streamer eating brown trout" border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvcAngUxSoJC8y6TW5WoBtMrFewOGoLXf4ndZXblQvRLURXzO7WeQ2Ik8nipq5SezHWLviFDkJ4DOniuOXdfXJgy_hrmitbs4pPtm5GVPISLV0vooe5ZD0D6Wdq8QoYQAZdy6CWsXhF9bverHvaWZwQ3ZD-TP3L6xJDb2DVvYHzfW9txjLp983/s16000/IMG_8186%20540.jpg" title="streamer eating brown trout on lake fork of gunnison" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As the shadows lengthened, we started getting supper ready. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the scope of our problems became abundantly clear. I had never had problems with mice at this campsite, but it had become obvious the night before that at least a couple of the critters were around. Not to worry, I had come prepared with lots of sticky glue traps. I had deployed them effectively around and throughout our car. When I had found two that morning, I had hoped the problem was solved. Apparently I just made them all mad. </p><p>It got darker and darker. While we were eating supper, mice were running around everywhere. It appeared that this campground shared the fate of some of my other favorites in Colorado. I'm unclear on how these things get around, probably in people's cars. The fact remains that they are almost EVERYWHERE in Colorado now. I've had big time problems in Elevenmile Canyon and the Black Canyon. Now I can add Gateview to the list of campgrounds I'm paranoid of staying at.</p><p>The worst part about the mice (other than the fact they absolutely destroyed our car every night in all ways imaginable) was having a toddler along. In an environment that already wasn't super sanitary, trying to keep Little Bit safe from rodent borne disease suddenly became priority number one. Leah was less than thrilled about the whole deal. I deployed more sticky traps, hoping for the best. As we crawled into our tent for the night, mice were running all over. I knew we already had some in the car. I had seen them through the rear windshield. Not knowing what else to do, I finally crawled into the tent. It was too late in the day to pack up and start home, so we would spend another night and hope for the best. We had plans to stay two more nights, so time would tell how that would work out. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-5556920464289180252023-11-28T21:38:00.004-06:002023-12-02T20:13:37.713-06:00Colorado 2022: Day 12, Moving Day Again<p>While we didn't know it yet, our trip was seriously starting to wind down. There were still some great moments, but things were headed in a negative direction. First and foremost, the <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/10/colorado-2022-day-11-hiking-from-marble-to-crystal-mill.html" target="_blank">Crystal Mill hike</a> was going to be hard to beat no matter what. Unfortunately, one of our group was set on trying to beat the happenings from the morning of that big hike, as you'll begin to find out in a moment. Even further, we woke up to yet another round of rain, and the weather wasn't going to get any better until it was time to go home. </p><p>We were still optimistic, however, as we broke camp at Bogan Flats Campground and headed out to enjoy another day of fall colors we hoped. Our goal for that evening was to find a camping place within an hour or so of Gunnison. That is one of my favorite areas of Colorado, and I had high hopes to finish the trip doing a little fishing on the Gunnison and some of its tributaries. To get there, we planned to drive over one of my favorites, Kebler Pass.</p><p>We made the quick jump over McClure Pass from the Crystal River Valley, and were soon approaching the turn onto County Road 12. This unassuming gravel road winding back through the hills towards Crested Butte features some of the most stunning fall scenery I've seen in Colorado. When the aspen are at their peak, this drive is very hard to beat. We were just a week or ten days early on our trip, at least for the best colors. However, as you'll see, we still saw some very nice golden aspen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8GNXDliOlRqEh-Eo0waBaGsyMeiPXdVntP9_iqwnhrJH2VhzBIwh1Z2qJtkyTilNIhbimusJpLsTVDIJxK2RAzhi4EzczRsL05WOyTjU9gR5EG3TCJa1rG8hdMPu3VXidGCtnQNRbv4aK5-4Fl68LK8JrhC5cexsPng6pW5ZtrpFenIfYvAP/s540/BB4A1613-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden aspen fall colors Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF8GNXDliOlRqEh-Eo0waBaGsyMeiPXdVntP9_iqwnhrJH2VhzBIwh1Z2qJtkyTilNIhbimusJpLsTVDIJxK2RAzhi4EzczRsL05WOyTjU9gR5EG3TCJa1rG8hdMPu3VXidGCtnQNRbv4aK5-4Fl68LK8JrhC5cexsPng6pW5ZtrpFenIfYvAP/s16000/BB4A1613-1%20540.jpg" title="Colorado golden aspen fall colors" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Not far along County Road 12, a now familiar stench hit us. Looking at my wife with concern, I asked if we should pull over. "We probably better," was her reply. Sure enough, we had our second blowout in two days. This was a full mess requiring professional help and cleaning. We cleaned up as best we could, then continued on our way. The nearest laundry facilities were far off and we had a long ways to go.</p><p>The clouds were mesmerizing, looking like it was about to storm at times, with the sun trying to come out at others. Against the dramatic sky backdrop, the fall colors were special even if not at peak. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKekIoeAthT6f6SlrhHZSwbYh67m-SSO1ah6RW1C-_1u4XeZ-GsD564U6HKjtRaIzmr1-2qfXaRp4sMks89O-r3P7g0pd1WNfcU3fqf7S25ZZZdStd9MdLx22msRAw6VJgDolCqBBjdP-lL5FqLAoaXoaawJrNU2FrmFc6nXZp_pvlrNIFD92/s540/BB4A1570-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden aspen near Kebler Pass" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHKekIoeAthT6f6SlrhHZSwbYh67m-SSO1ah6RW1C-_1u4XeZ-GsD564U6HKjtRaIzmr1-2qfXaRp4sMks89O-r3P7g0pd1WNfcU3fqf7S25ZZZdStd9MdLx22msRAw6VJgDolCqBBjdP-lL5FqLAoaXoaawJrNU2FrmFc6nXZp_pvlrNIFD92/s16000/BB4A1570-1%20540.jpg" title="Kebler Pass golden aspen" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Driving along our route, I remembered another road that I had enjoyed in the past. We turned off on County Road 730 to enjoy Ohio Pass. Unfortunately, we were now in too much of a hurry for another favorite along this route. The short hike up to the beaver ponds just south of Ohio Pass can net some gorgeous brook trout, not to mention a hike through a phenomenal aspen forest. On this day, we were already short on time with the need for an unplanned pit stop ahead, so we kept pushing on. The brook trout would have to wait until another trip. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzELa9ON-A_9N1v3ULe9f-1yUNRVZiBWCyPFtdGu4GdXRqj2_YKR80jjuScT6DlFNxG_kRsv2GnUrcv-AbEDGLFAFHydrPqiAHI37_w5ZikNyUb5xE27lGBzvyswwWV2L-0nRJCENT8TTLzdWsUbaNfHk8czRiAYNdKPaaidTG25IQChzhF1e/s540/BB4A1624-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden Aspen near Ohio Pass" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzELa9ON-A_9N1v3ULe9f-1yUNRVZiBWCyPFtdGu4GdXRqj2_YKR80jjuScT6DlFNxG_kRsv2GnUrcv-AbEDGLFAFHydrPqiAHI37_w5ZikNyUb5xE27lGBzvyswwWV2L-0nRJCENT8TTLzdWsUbaNfHk8czRiAYNdKPaaidTG25IQChzhF1e/s16000/BB4A1624-1%20540.jpg" title="Ohio Pass Golden Aspen" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>It was probably somewhere on this drive that we started to realize that our trip was winding down even if none of us admitted it or voiced it. There were too many things starting to conspire against us. If we had been smart, we would have called it a trip and headed home right then and there, but we still had almost a week of adventuring left and persisted in our plans.</p><p>As we hit the lowlands, I pushed the little car harder to get into Gunnison as fast as possible. Leah started searching for laundromats on Google maps. Thankfully, we found something quickly. I grabbed everything that had been soiled yet again and raced in for a quick cleaning. An hour later, we were debating whether to grab food in town or race on out to camp before dark. </p><p>The pull of one of our favorite Italian restaurants was too much, so we stopped at <a href="https://www.mariosgunnison.com" target="_blank">Mario's Pizza and Pasta</a> in Gunnison. Little Bit was really starting to enjoy the concept of eating out, and the waitresses all loved her to death. We enjoyed a hot meal in a warm dry place, and then hit the road in the gathering shadows. </p><p>Our goal was the Gateview Campground. I had experienced some incredible fishing there many years before. Even better, I had the tiny campground to myself. I was hoping to replicate that great time with my family. Unfortunately, yet another complication was about to rear its head, but at the time, we were tired and just wanted to get to camp. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-25137798770741474002023-11-26T12:32:00.004-06:002023-11-26T14:05:28.201-06:00Fishing Around the Brown Trout Spawn<p>There are tons of opinions on whether you should be fishing during the spawn. Some states solve the problem by having closed seasons for trout fishing. Many other states do not, leaving anglers to come to terms with their own set of ethics. Here in Tennessee and in the Great Smoky Mountains, we are fortunate to be able to fish year round. That helps keep the cabin fever at bay during the cold months, but also makes it important to figure out your own set of ethics when it comes to fishing or not fishing the spawn and the time periods around it. </p><p>Often, it seems irrelevant as to whether it is "okay" to fish during the spawn or not, but a variety of factors the last few years has led to a huge decrease in the number of large trout on many area waters. From the Clinch River wild rainbows and big brown trout, to the big browns on the Caney Fork, to the wild browns in the Great Smoky Mountains, numbers of larger fish are down across the board. While the overall reasons behind that decrease may or may not be angler driven, the fact remains that we have lower numbers of fish. Thus, it is more important than ever that the fish be allowed to procreate in peace. That is the place I'm at. You may arrive at something different. That is okay, but if you want to do what's best for the fish, read on. </p><p>Choosing to fish (or even <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com/rates/" target="_blank">guide</a>) around the spawn immediately brings a new set of challenges. How do you fish water that fish are spawning in without interrupting that process? To some extent, interruptions will happen no matter how careful you are. In my opinion, other than not fishing to actively spawning fish, the most important thing you can do is to watch your step. The precious eggs, once distributed into the gravel, are vulnerable to a misstep. In fact, just once misstep could kill nearly all the eggs in one redd. Thus, you now have a couple of options. Either avoid fishing and wading altogether during the spawn, OR <a href="https://www.wildtrout.org/assets/files/about_trout/Trout-redds.pdf" target="_blank">learn what to look for</a> and avoid redds at all costs. </p><p>If you choose the latter, here is what you should look for. Brown trout redds are usually depressions and accompanying mounds in the gravel in riffles and tailouts of pools. I've seen redds in all kinds of water, but most will be in the riffles and tailouts. However, the most important thing is gravel. On some streams, good spawnable (did I make up a word?!?!) gravel is hard to find. It appears easiest to learn what kind of gravel is good for spawning and simply avoid walking on all gravel that is similar. In actual practice, it is helpful to be able to identify redds and walk on gravel when possible, because gravel is often going to be your best traction in the stream.</p><p>To understand what a redd looks like, first you should understand how the redd is built. First, the female finds the perfect site for her nest. Next, she begins to fan with her tail to dig out a depression. That depression is where she will lay her eggs. Once she has prepared the nest, she lays some or all of her eggs while a dominant male delivers milt to fertilize the eggs. Then, she will move just upstream and stir the gravel again, allowing the current to filter the gravel down onto the eggs to protect them. This small mound that forms is where the actual eggs are stored. Some fish may repeat this procedure several times leaving an area well stirred up, while others may make a single redd and call it quits. This process applies to rainbows and brook trout as well. Once those eggs are laid in the gravel, it is crucial for anglers to avoid stepping on the nests. Each generation will often see a fairly low success rate, so we need every nest to stay viable if possible. </p><p>The incubation periods can vary wildly depending on water temperatures. Long periods of 4-5 months at a constant 35 degrees Fahrenheit down to a very short 30 days at 57 degrees Fahrenheit mean that it depends on the weather and stream as to how long it takes for the eggs to hatch. In the Smokies, most of our eggs will typically hatch sometime in January into February in a normal year and depending on exactly when they were laid. For fish that spawn in late October or early November, it is possible that same hatch by early January, while late spawning fish in late November into December may not have eggs hatching until closer to March. </p><p>Other than anglers, extreme cold and anchor ice can disrupt the viability of the spawn. Extreme flow events with high water can also disrupt the process. Finally, on our tailwaters, low dissolved oxygen is also a major limiting factor to successful brown trout spawning. </p><p>If you have read this far, then you clearly care deeply about the health of our wild fisheries. While everyone needs to make their own decisions as to whether to fish the spawn or not, I hope you will at least be very careful as to where you walk during the fall through spring period. The health of our fisheries depends on anglers being careful. Here are several examples of brown trout redds in the Smokies from the past few weeks. Note how redds often appear as bright patches in an otherwise darker bottom. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz-Lc-ZJOM87C6fMMplXXinMwwVUrOEIasfaFBxDRU31vl-oqGfn3KI71Fle1HRtDah7jANbKTZkMgu4SnSr222ytU3NxWQuJzd1G8rULHerxbQRc3DgR4RG_qQ2LNGzHB-YWVOw2EUaIMsTDd8MbKIN5yVuGbhE91MojaksLXH3B2HsLTRGW/s640/IMG_6479.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="brown trout redd" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbz-Lc-ZJOM87C6fMMplXXinMwwVUrOEIasfaFBxDRU31vl-oqGfn3KI71Fle1HRtDah7jANbKTZkMgu4SnSr222ytU3NxWQuJzd1G8rULHerxbQRc3DgR4RG_qQ2LNGzHB-YWVOw2EUaIMsTDd8MbKIN5yVuGbhE91MojaksLXH3B2HsLTRGW/s16000/IMG_6479.jpeg" title="nest or brown trout redd" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p2nSp10ItQ3Q6K5tzDHDXWWKNklbdtrkwJaO-cFUvCY8PEnN6nuiRHmQozcTFRRGIeITMu9En66-_WgZWkLlIsKw1_mg4Q2byhPDrZE1l_bezP-meuvV46uifD3RuQtp8YcDgF1hUDQS6aBMDJStOwM0AxhdM0W1uGJcAQOTcaAFWwG2uwRe/s540/IMG_6549%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="brown trout nest" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7p2nSp10ItQ3Q6K5tzDHDXWWKNklbdtrkwJaO-cFUvCY8PEnN6nuiRHmQozcTFRRGIeITMu9En66-_WgZWkLlIsKw1_mg4Q2byhPDrZE1l_bezP-meuvV46uifD3RuQtp8YcDgF1hUDQS6aBMDJStOwM0AxhdM0W1uGJcAQOTcaAFWwG2uwRe/s16000/IMG_6549%20540.jpg" title="brown trout redd" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk77u7PUuPjiDwRuQWEEna-DOr58eBlFiTncsVwhVqDvvb0airKBcWQ0VsSQgYcKZ7zscucA8pJ7HzXdzX9yQx3whNu5gBd3UbGGx0cs43DWTofwc8Lq06z4CKQWz_s8btQtyCWpU_EERg7OgxGIHnR6sP9FaRkmuDHevCsG6Ht6oP8MC4Rr3/s540/IMG_6554%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wide stream view including redds" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIk77u7PUuPjiDwRuQWEEna-DOr58eBlFiTncsVwhVqDvvb0airKBcWQ0VsSQgYcKZ7zscucA8pJ7HzXdzX9yQx3whNu5gBd3UbGGx0cs43DWTofwc8Lq06z4CKQWz_s8btQtyCWpU_EERg7OgxGIHnR6sP9FaRkmuDHevCsG6Ht6oP8MC4Rr3/s16000/IMG_6554%20540.jpg" title="redds in a Smokies stream" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRSkOFdUKzjSb1Xq_XSdd8N6HZySIksFfu6wBb2-xOe891adJjDcXgYwBe24MtuARP0au0byIVKxGozClDanw7yaKATarWpNEBwwqFlPsPgtbnhS56ZMTIf31ilARH8VH1ImcR4gEaE8A0s3c7rzF94Q-nYiTwjXOJ5gg-FEKxMCkGCUY4YK-/s540/IMG_6559%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="closeup of brown trout redd" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRSkOFdUKzjSb1Xq_XSdd8N6HZySIksFfu6wBb2-xOe891adJjDcXgYwBe24MtuARP0au0byIVKxGozClDanw7yaKATarWpNEBwwqFlPsPgtbnhS56ZMTIf31ilARH8VH1ImcR4gEaE8A0s3c7rzF94Q-nYiTwjXOJ5gg-FEKxMCkGCUY4YK-/s16000/IMG_6559%20540.jpg" title="brown trout redd closeup" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95BVNj9MXzV4dLUiqInu6rtwPe0mgSRYYiQ13qw87Oj22q534GAl91pcGpW3iOYH66F4cjKTklTrlE-Upb13paa8ZWdOMlHw_RIIPEX3SgCl09cw3sOYURS3JrJiGbNSpqztuhTJ4dYzBBgnQSmOHhQ-OGFre2g1qA0UJjPEo7n6JOQwMJz_t/s640/IMG_6561%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="One last redd" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg95BVNj9MXzV4dLUiqInu6rtwPe0mgSRYYiQ13qw87Oj22q534GAl91pcGpW3iOYH66F4cjKTklTrlE-Upb13paa8ZWdOMlHw_RIIPEX3SgCl09cw3sOYURS3JrJiGbNSpqztuhTJ4dYzBBgnQSmOHhQ-OGFre2g1qA0UJjPEo7n6JOQwMJz_t/s16000/IMG_6561%20640.jpg" title="Another brown trout redd" /></a></div><br /><p>If you have any questions or want some better pictures, feel free to contact me using the information from the contact link above. I'm always glad to help promote the health of our fisheries. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-16184265325263152102023-10-14T21:39:00.005-05:002023-10-15T09:15:51.081-05:00Colorado 2022: Day 11, Hiking from Marble to Crystal Mill<p>When I was a youngster just learning to fly fish, I subscribed to Fly Fisherman magazine. An article one month was on the Roaring Fork valley in Colorado. While I don't remember many of the details of the article, one thing has always stayed with me: a picture of the Crystal Mill near Marble, Colorado that was included in the article. Mind you, it wasn't labeled as such. It was just a scenic piece to add interest to the article otherwise convincing anglers to head for the Fork or Frying Pan to fish at all costs. At the time, I didn't know exactly where it was, just that I wanted to see that scene someday. </p><p>Fast forward just a few years, and I eventually discovered the location of the scene that had stuck with me for so many years. When we started planning a trip to Colorado for last fall, I determined that we had to visit the Crystal Mill. There are lots of places I want to visit, and I don't know how many more Colorado trips will happen. There are other places to go and see after all. So, I wanted to hit the one thing in the state that was still on my must see list, or dare I even say, my bucket list. My bucket list, if you want to call it that, is a loose collection of places I want to see someday. Nothing written on paper, and some are more definitive than others, but I'm to the point where I'm trying to check a few off of the list nowadays.</p><p>After <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/10/colorado-2022-day-nine-and-ten-moving-to-Bogan-Flats-Campground-via-Twin-Lakes-and-Independence-Pass-Fall-Colors.html" target="_blank">we had travelled</a> from State Forest State Park to Dillon and then on towards Bogan Flats Campground, we were ready to get back into the woods. Our town stay had been a nice reprieve, but we didn't travel all the way to Colorado to stay in a hotel in town.</p><p>Unfortunately, before we could enjoy a trek to the Crystal Mill which was just up the road from our campground, we had to take a detour. We didn't know it at the time, but a distinct trend had started in more ways than one. The first trend actually started during the night. Light rain showers whispered on top of our tent. When we got up in the morning, the clouds were breaking some, but we also didn't want to get caught in a storm or downpour while out hiking with a toddler. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDzt9q-3L9E0pgK6Vf9me-5xreeXSGLYBfw1O0v0NThREZGTQDDedT_3JM5TporuA9mursgVjIknX1Yxw7-4N9xrgyxpO5CFVP-eY7k7ZtMM1E869FFhOxF2-Wg-8gr2qavvp-Hepyu_sNEblxNBqzlIaJpSkHUGS41iyO-TU6tpZdASOCHdV/s540/IMG_8007%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Camping at Bogan Flats near Marble Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDzt9q-3L9E0pgK6Vf9me-5xreeXSGLYBfw1O0v0NThREZGTQDDedT_3JM5TporuA9mursgVjIknX1Yxw7-4N9xrgyxpO5CFVP-eY7k7ZtMM1E869FFhOxF2-Wg-8gr2qavvp-Hepyu_sNEblxNBqzlIaJpSkHUGS41iyO-TU6tpZdASOCHdV/s16000/IMG_8007%20540.jpg" title="Bogan Flats Campground camping near Marble Colorado" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Cell service was at least a few miles back down the road towards Carbondale, so we decided to head that direction and get an updated weather report before venturing out for the day. This was both a good and bad decision. Good because, well, things were about to happen that I REALLY didn't want to happen in the kid carrier pack. Bad because, well, it should be self explanatory. </p><p>Little Bit was riding along comfortably in the back when it apparently became time to do her morning business. We were almost to cell service when the <strike>aroma</strike> stench hit us. I pulled over into a large gravel pullout that would double as a bathroom/changing room and also had enough cell signal to help us in other ways. As it turns out, we needed that cell signal for directions to the nearest laundromat. Things had gotten out of control, so to speak, and we needed more cleanup ability than we could carry in our little car. </p><p>At the sketchy little laundromat, I did laundry next to a homeless guy while Leah made some bagels and cream cheese for our breakfast. After an hour of doing laundry, we were headed back towards camp and then on to Marble, hoping that this would be a one time event and the rest of our trip would go smoothly. The forecast looked to turn a little more rainy over the next few days, but still suggested a good mix of sun and clouds. The forecast for our hike that day was mostly good with just a small chance of a shower. </p><p>We found Marble and a parking area where we could leave the car for a few hours. The road up to the historic Crystal Mill was a rough 4WD road that our little Corolla wouldn't even begin to negotiate. Unfortunately the jeep tours that operate in the area have a strict "no car seats" policy that effectively weeds out younger kids. I don't blame them, but I will say that it would have been a much easier day for us. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVVq2uE3TWvyD-lSYBfy-jUco6b0jcznQrbMUZUl7Xx2PizWS-P-kxcR8UhJJ_wx3B6ILH0gcrJ2NIjpVllcqS40VNgO7bA7aW2wMlolPrjAQkW6p9nyPFX950e8gRMqby0quvWFHtqjdYmPe4YFzH7GiSH1n8_vrX0rirP6LktRsz6rQntum/s540/IMG_8011%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Beaver Lake near Marble" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVVq2uE3TWvyD-lSYBfy-jUco6b0jcznQrbMUZUl7Xx2PizWS-P-kxcR8UhJJ_wx3B6ILH0gcrJ2NIjpVllcqS40VNgO7bA7aW2wMlolPrjAQkW6p9nyPFX950e8gRMqby0quvWFHtqjdYmPe4YFzH7GiSH1n8_vrX0rirP6LktRsz6rQntum/s16000/IMG_8011%20540.jpg" title="Marble Colorado and Beaver Lake" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We loaded Little Bit up in her pack and began the grueling hike up to the Crystal Mill. It is only about 4.5 miles or so, but the first mile was brutal with probably 1000 feet of vertical gain. The rest of the hike was actually fairly easy other than the 30 pounds or so in the pack on my back. At the time we visited, you could pay a little money and then access the bottom of the falls. From things I have read, I believe that is sadly no longer an option. </p><p>The trail/road is fairly busy or at least was when we visited. Lots of jeeps and trucks were driving up to see the same place we were as well as some others scenic places in the area. Thankfully, they were all considerate and we never felt in danger despite the road being quite narrow at times. We got tired quickly, some of us more so than others. Little Bit was needing a snack, so we stopped by Lizard Lake for a quick break and some snacks.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGICDpOcB79XtBAG4Ptefm4fxYI4GUmGMLjO_I2KDoXSB6TrTiccGnVj9yQGSLkSSkLKMm944RQEPX-auoSbm-7DpQVcFcXzJzppjCrjVWdQt93V8mDnkbXX11SWzeAJ_-mgoZCab_tNr7nNi5-YzgvO6BJBCRCc6iEObdYLZm0WlXUGcKRoy_/s640/IMG_8016%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lizard Lake on the Road to Crystal Mill" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGICDpOcB79XtBAG4Ptefm4fxYI4GUmGMLjO_I2KDoXSB6TrTiccGnVj9yQGSLkSSkLKMm944RQEPX-auoSbm-7DpQVcFcXzJzppjCrjVWdQt93V8mDnkbXX11SWzeAJ_-mgoZCab_tNr7nNi5-YzgvO6BJBCRCc6iEObdYLZm0WlXUGcKRoy_/s16000/IMG_8016%20640.jpg" title="Road to Crystal Mill Lizard Lake" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The timing of our trip was largely in hopes of catching the fall colors. Sections of our hike were about perfect with golden aspen everywhere, while other sections still had mostly green. With the nice mix of color, the hike was interesting throughout. One of the most interesting things, I thought, was the constant avalanche chutes and debris fans from past avalanches. The ridge to the south, just across the Crystal River (which the road/trail follows) apparently gets a LOT of big snow in the winter. The avalanches then roar down the north facing slope and often up and across the road on the other side. I can only imagine how treacherous this area would be in the winter. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkKFjGDqLx9r6lmlPzGCnLXQSJSDQ3mO8kcbvUtuiVo7l9uVLtASXQEJ5Yaz4uXRhANdaQ87sFgP3hVci8Gf-eMMbnDqTwnzQTlLYZ-RP6vEdEBs86KRXptPzdOwVBZGy9TsDpVjfaeHea9emH93CePCpKTL1ErWamV4SfE_xlqL8GVaioMWI/s540/IMG_8028%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Avalanche chute full of fall colors on the road to Crystal Mill" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkKFjGDqLx9r6lmlPzGCnLXQSJSDQ3mO8kcbvUtuiVo7l9uVLtASXQEJ5Yaz4uXRhANdaQ87sFgP3hVci8Gf-eMMbnDqTwnzQTlLYZ-RP6vEdEBs86KRXptPzdOwVBZGy9TsDpVjfaeHea9emH93CePCpKTL1ErWamV4SfE_xlqL8GVaioMWI/s16000/IMG_8028%20540.jpg" title="Road to Crystal Mill avalanche chute full of fall colors" /></a></div><div><br /><p></p><p>The Crystal River itself was beautiful and truly crystal clear as its name suggested. I kept wishing that I had brought at least a tenkara rod with me, but because we started the hike late, I had left all fishing gear in the car. We didn't have as much time as we wanted, but thankfully our timing was perfect from one perspective. Once we made it up to the Crystal Mill, it quickly became apparent that afternoon was the best time to visit this scene, at least in late September and early October. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN1zxcofVLJ8T7zSTZ8AU1NObDnW6iHitm6tD6NbXpAxUC4YHNOieiDvY7JwmwbywBNutqht0Y8h5jnvyBojhEkD_Q2VoAqky_tCwaGPQtSGnVXzYWVOdYBjK7FqCtU48NBKEOVTettzFB2pkZaWZzIexq4P6PzOO_KOETo6LgZb_01Req2Pd/s640/IMG_8026%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crystal River along the road to Crystal Mill" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkN1zxcofVLJ8T7zSTZ8AU1NObDnW6iHitm6tD6NbXpAxUC4YHNOieiDvY7JwmwbywBNutqht0Y8h5jnvyBojhEkD_Q2VoAqky_tCwaGPQtSGnVXzYWVOdYBjK7FqCtU48NBKEOVTettzFB2pkZaWZzIexq4P6PzOO_KOETo6LgZb_01Req2Pd/s16000/IMG_8026%20640.jpg" title="View on road to Crystal Mill of Crystal River" /></a></div><br /><p>The early autumn light was angling in just right to light the scene for our cameras. We took more photos on this day than any other on our trip. Since we were able to go to the bottom of the falls, we had our picnic lunch down there. Little Bit played amongst the rocks along the stream (one of her favorite things to do!) while we took pictures of her having a good time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN42RRgExie8juqutrc3cTtKt7kg4pDyjFhyC9b86KzqsqGrbDXTs91U8OG7jjW1m8zU4Bw9TttdENa7UqaWHJgl_2x9iT5EcZJ-f5VXUTgyvGRHvrDiv5TyKBze6dVxw7ix2o9MAlmHGVGgTWcDgCAjiaOFDD-RyMSfNDocKzNkRpejEnUT1h/s540/BB4A1524-1-2%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Crystal Mill on Crystal River" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN42RRgExie8juqutrc3cTtKt7kg4pDyjFhyC9b86KzqsqGrbDXTs91U8OG7jjW1m8zU4Bw9TttdENa7UqaWHJgl_2x9iT5EcZJ-f5VXUTgyvGRHvrDiv5TyKBze6dVxw7ix2o9MAlmHGVGgTWcDgCAjiaOFDD-RyMSfNDocKzNkRpejEnUT1h/s16000/BB4A1524-1-2%20540.jpg" title="Crystal River and Crystal Mill" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgP2eM2dQfbulsP0u4upTDtwciJbYqQQH6l_j2ZPxVRJE2bezxFOj2NioVqucgBPyzzO1GYdw_HBc2rEvJwfAc8gz9ekhLcD1PT1CC_h5hAclyBCp-fE4k3tzuTfihAoSK26omhiw3MiX4Bz9MiSNPugH_3xFWUGt31DHyRwYtXbjEic1P1xL/s540/BB4A1533-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="View of Crystal Mill" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHgP2eM2dQfbulsP0u4upTDtwciJbYqQQH6l_j2ZPxVRJE2bezxFOj2NioVqucgBPyzzO1GYdw_HBc2rEvJwfAc8gz9ekhLcD1PT1CC_h5hAclyBCp-fE4k3tzuTfihAoSK26omhiw3MiX4Bz9MiSNPugH_3xFWUGt31DHyRwYtXbjEic1P1xL/s16000/BB4A1533-1%20540.jpg" title="Crystal Mill view" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Eventually, we knew that it was time to head back down. Carrying a heavy pack was starting to wear me out after more than a week of camping. While the hike out was mostly downhill, I still wanted to get it over with. On our way out, we experienced a very light shower that was perfectly brief. We put up the rain cover on the kid carrier, but otherwise didn't worry about the rain. If only the rain showers had stayed that brief for the rest of our trip...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghN7ISrrwpNASnmMHOo_Ywe0xpHX7rv9eAQ9hyphenhyphencVZfELkUZZw4baRFCA4Oxz_RwFzHW1v3e78O9x-DMYc3bpWMXXHpL1lItJLaZ1RkJ6QC4nWjcCOidx8fsuLbwRRh0-cyXnxbR9FZh1SdQqeOPvVK9MUtgCjOyctNhJJXWd-6DRqARL4gl7f2/s640/IMG_8105%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fall colors on the road to Crystal Mill" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghN7ISrrwpNASnmMHOo_Ywe0xpHX7rv9eAQ9hyphenhyphencVZfELkUZZw4baRFCA4Oxz_RwFzHW1v3e78O9x-DMYc3bpWMXXHpL1lItJLaZ1RkJ6QC4nWjcCOidx8fsuLbwRRh0-cyXnxbR9FZh1SdQqeOPvVK9MUtgCjOyctNhJJXWd-6DRqARL4gl7f2/s16000/IMG_8105%20640.jpg" title="Road to Crystal Mill fall colors" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-26383887437954893762023-10-01T11:36:00.001-05:002023-10-01T11:36:03.701-05:00Colorado 2022: Day Nine and Ten, Moving Days<p>Not every day of a big trip can be exciting. Thus it was that we found ourselves transitioning from northern Colorado to more central and southern portions of the state. On trips as long as this one, we tend to try and mix in a laundry day. Little did we know what still lay ahead in that regard, but at the time we just enjoyed the chance to get into town, get showers, stay at a hotel, and let someone else cook our food for a couple of meals. </p><p>From <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/07/colorado-2022-day-8-moose-fall-colors-fly-fishing-lake-agnes-state-forest-state-park.html" target="_blank">State Forest State Park</a>, we travelled down to Dillon which was part of the way towards our next destination. Without the toddler, I would have been tempted to make it through a town day and all the way to our next campsite in one day, but we had already discovered that trips were slower with her along. It was best to spend the night in a hotel and then travel the rest of the way on the second day. </p><p>Doing it that way, we hoped to possibly even get an extra hike in. The route from Dillon that we wanted to follow included Independence Pass and down through Aspen. The fall colors were the main motivation for this route choice, but it also was close to the most direct route. Our next camping spot was at Bogan Flats near Marble, Colorado. I wanted to hike to the Crystal Mill, so this was the closest campground option as it was just down the road from Marble. </p><p>Independence Pass is always a treat. We hoped to do a hike from near the top of the pass to some high elevation lakes. On our way up, we stopped at Twin Lakes and took in the beauty of the fall colors reflecting in the water. The dramatic scene was incredible for pictures, but a bit foreboding and foreshadowed the weather we would find on top of the pass. We wouldn't be hiking on this day as it turned out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1XdoMUvJ9Y7ssGdpJSRCaFAdhZWNi1eLS699x27cISaPjjfVjTG_WV9P7Rb8xAWAR3YYlnFdH98opfQwgC0ElXxBCToPiNqKg_rRuxHQzKrZZ0oNPqeJo-HD5aDuTyXnPPgRyApuTGFHVd8ZStu-atBffhqEJUHfK5-tyMZLJDZXhQnPpoYG/s540/BB4A1447-1-2%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1XdoMUvJ9Y7ssGdpJSRCaFAdhZWNi1eLS699x27cISaPjjfVjTG_WV9P7Rb8xAWAR3YYlnFdH98opfQwgC0ElXxBCToPiNqKg_rRuxHQzKrZZ0oNPqeJo-HD5aDuTyXnPPgRyApuTGFHVd8ZStu-atBffhqEJUHfK5-tyMZLJDZXhQnPpoYG/s16000/BB4A1447-1-2%20540.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>This ended up being the highlight of our 10th day in Colorado. While the scenery was incredible the rest of this day, the fall colors weren't quite as far progressed as we had hoped. We enjoyed driving down through Aspen and were soon headed south towards Bogan Flats on the banks of the Crystal River. The next day would be a big hiking day, and we needed to get rested up for the adventure. Little did we know what was in store for the next few days...</p><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-66083059735792401462023-08-03T21:43:00.007-05:002023-08-03T21:43:51.760-05:00At Long Last, the Water Control Manual Update for Center Hill Dam<p>Almost a year late but better late than never, the proposed water control manual (WCM) update is here from the Corps of Engineers. Find out more <a href="https://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/Media/News-Releases/Article/3479113/public-meeting-set-to-update-center-hill-water-control-manual/" target="_blank">HERE</a>. In short, it looks like they will continue the pattern they have been running (one hour of generation every 8 hours) to provide a minimum flow on the Caney Fork River. </p><p>Unfortunately, as of right now, they are not going to provide a continuous minimum flow which would work wonders for this river. 2016, our last significant drought year, had a continuous minimum flow of 250 cfs and the trout population was better than it has been since the leaks in the dam were mitigated. Things quickly went downhill after that as they returned to long periods of dewatering the riverbed. </p><p>At the link above, find a link to the proposed updated manual along with instructions on how to comment if you have something to say about it. In addition, the Corps of Engineers will be hosting a public meeting to update the WCM. If you're at all interested, below are my thoughts that I emailed to the Corps of Engineers. </p><p><br /><br />Hello,</p><p>I am writing to give my feedback on the water control manual (WCM) update proposal.<br /> <br />First, I would like to say that the preferred alternative of one unit every 8 hours is a vast improvement over the prior WCM. However, it unfortunately does not address the portion of the river that most needs a minimum flow. In your document, you acknowledge that the majority of fishing pressure is focused on the upper 5 miles of river. However, the preferred alternative regularly dewaters too much of the streambed in this section.<br /> <br />I would strongly urge you to consider alternative 10 which features one unit every 8 hours along with a 250 cfs continuous minimum flow. I'm not sure how you came to a value/ranking of "2" for the recreation category on alternative 10, but that doesn't really fit your own criteria. In fact, under the recreation category, alternative 10 should receive a rating of "4" due to frequent safe conditions for wading and swimming (I don't know if anyone swimming in the Caney and haven't seen this happening myself) AND even more importantly, it would "provide enough flow to support recreational boating and fishing at most locations downstream of Center Hill Dam."<br />During 2007-2010, I regularly waded at Happy Hollow and while some sections of riverbed are less accessible at these higher flows, the fish thrive and spread out to become more accessible with less wading. In fact, I caught one of my all time best fish on the Caney Fork ever, a brown trout, at Happy Hollow during this time period. The fish was sitting and feeding on a section of gravel bar that is now regularly completely dewatered. Fish were regularly feeding along the edges where they were very accessible. Now, they look for the little deep water they can find and concentrate into those spots. This requires MORE wading, even though flows are lower. In fact, back in 2007-2010, I would walk the gravel edges at Happy Hollow and catch fish in water that was a foot or two deep. Now, those fish are nowhere close to those locations. During higher flow times before the dam repairs, I could regularly find many large brown trout in very accessible locations, because the extra water in the streambed provided the habitat for those fish to live in shallower water. Now, they are left with only a few deep holes as their only retreat.<br /> <br />Lower flows are harder on fish because they are more easily located, meaning that harvest rates increase. These fish do not have any sanctuary in the upper river at these very low flows, meaning holdover fish (larger trout) have a harder time surviving. Unless stocking rates are going to significantly rise, fish need more opportunity for sanctuary. I've seen anglers wading sections of river FAR from any access point and harvesting large numbers of trout. This is because they are able to walk up or down the river to get there, often from a mile or more away. At slightly higher flows, this process is more difficult and gives the fish more chances to grow. Water management is important to fisheries management, and the Caney Fork can produce many more quality fish than it currently is. However, the fish must be given a chance to stay in the river for this outcome to happen.<br /> <br />Because the upper Caney Fork receives the most fishing pressure, I would suggest a continuous minimum flow to provide better habitat and conditions for the resident trout. I will add that the one hour of generation every 8 hours has done wonders for the middle to lower river and should be maintained as such. Because there is a distinct lack of wade access in this lower section, these flows strongly favor anglers with boats instead of wade anglers. While I have a boat and this doesn't directly impact me as much, it will be better for the entire river if we get a continuous minimum flow to not only keep the trout healthy, but also to spread out users on the upper river and reduce conflict between user groups. At current low minimum flows, I have to get out of my drift boat and drag it over several gravel shoals between the dam and Happy Hollow. This can easily be fixed with a continuous minimum flow and benefit the trout and macroinvertebrates they rely on in the process.<br /> <br />One thing I am interested in is a smaller minimum flow of 150-200 cfs. It has the potential to provide a better outcome for upper river fish and recreational users AND improve the amount of potential generation capacity from the 250 cfs constant minimum flow. I noticed that you eliminated the lower constant minimum flow alternative due to cost, but it was never actually stated what the cost would be to modify the existing orifice gate. Do you have those numbers? Or did I just miss it somewhere? I'm wondering if that is something that TU or some other organizations could get involved with in terms of fundraising. Are we talking thousands of dollars or millions?</p><p>Finally, I am disappointed that more is not being done to address dissolved oxygen (DO) issues. We are already seeing the results with stressed fish on the upper river over the last week. The big rain event a couple of weeks ago that necessitated higher releases has significantly impacted DO numbers and the fish have been showing the resulting stress. Has there been any discussion to run liquid oxygen into the forebay? I know this is done on TVA dams like Norris in the fall as necessary and has worked very well in mitigating dissolved oxygen issues. If not oxygenating the forebay, then how about mandating the use of the sluice as soon as DO readings start to drop below state mandated water quality standards? I would prefer that instead of just leaving it up to the discretion of the operators, since this can vary widely from one operator to the next.</p><p>In short, we need more done to help with both the trout, their food sources (macroinvertebrates), and recreational users of the river with more water and better water quality.</p><p>Thank you for considering my comments. </p>Sincerely,<div><br /></div><div>David Knapp</div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-29934691933382822722023-07-26T12:52:00.003-05:002023-07-26T12:52:40.593-05:00Colorado 2022 Day 8: Moose, Fall Colors, and Hiking and Fishing Lake Agnes in State Forest State Park<p>After a moving day, we were ready to get out and move again. Our best rewards on these trips involve medium to long hikes, not to mention that we had a toddler along that wants nothing more than to keep moving. Long days in the car wear on all of us accordingly. After a night spent listening to the camp deer munching shrubbery just outside the tent, we were up and ready for adventure. </p><p>Because of the <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/07/colorado-2022-day-7-moving-to-state.html" target="_blank">issues with water</a>, we developed a new routine for our two nights at State Forest State Park. Mornings were chilly enough, that it was nice to get up and head straight for the vehicle. Cranking the heat a little got us all warmed up and ready for the day. Our goal was to do a short drive while it was cold, then stop for breakfast at a different campground that had water. Thankfully, it had very few people in it, so we could just pick a table and set up for breakfast. Nobody ever bothered us either, and while I know most places are funny about you picnicking in campgrounds, I was annoyed enough that I didn't care. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Moose in State Forest State Park</h3><p>Our goal that morning was to find some moose. That is always high on my agenda on trips to Colorado. On this trip, it didn't take long. We were still creeping along the rough gravel road away from camp when we spotted a cow and half grown calf. Lighting wasn't great, so after a few half hearted attempts at pictures, we kept going. That proved to be the right decision. Shortly after getting on the main road and heading further down the mountain, we found a magnificent bull moose foraging in the early morning glow.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI0Vp6zM0iFAmpdpE1FVfwyIxshKTisiNp9xdAe3sivJ79UPOWnerJ24g1TkegZ20eQ6baNFKvwO5VEipj9atI-yMQIJcFWl52CAUxGl0XFDhNzGgtmaGMT_OwxtCAb28fOqVYCyjN_ZplHZKYNaa32IS40DXIliP2uw9qJvbL8Mt2U50rxxH/s540/BB4A1298-1-2%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Bull moose in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjI0Vp6zM0iFAmpdpE1FVfwyIxshKTisiNp9xdAe3sivJ79UPOWnerJ24g1TkegZ20eQ6baNFKvwO5VEipj9atI-yMQIJcFWl52CAUxGl0XFDhNzGgtmaGMT_OwxtCAb28fOqVYCyjN_ZplHZKYNaa32IS40DXIliP2uw9qJvbL8Mt2U50rxxH/s16000/BB4A1298-1-2%20540.jpg" title="State Forest State Park bull moose" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fall Colors, Scenery, and Wildlife at State Forest State Park</h3><p>After spending a decent amount of time with him via our cameras, we headed on down the hill to drive into a part of State Forest State Park that I've always enjoyed for fall colors. The early morning sun was slanting over the mountains now, illuminating trees that were exploding in gold. While much of the foliage was still a week or two out from peak colors, there were enough trees turning to make the trip worthwhile. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOgnxf2dcGrz2nk01GC6mcOXZtFSWUPQQW7vYAx7iAV1ttvGvitErFdFonFEvJQu9tlV2XgQPPV7Xh8efhye3z6t0HhYt3MdbYopRN00PVpUU-NmI33-m4rWxSgLnOIuhoOjHhb0VLZhw3nj3AgPcqOI4UG03hHd1MrFwt-uyUW57rOqvWwf/s540/BB4A1303-1-2%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fall colors in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVOgnxf2dcGrz2nk01GC6mcOXZtFSWUPQQW7vYAx7iAV1ttvGvitErFdFonFEvJQu9tlV2XgQPPV7Xh8efhye3z6t0HhYt3MdbYopRN00PVpUU-NmI33-m4rWxSgLnOIuhoOjHhb0VLZhw3nj3AgPcqOI4UG03hHd1MrFwt-uyUW57rOqvWwf/s16000/BB4A1303-1-2%20540.jpg" title="State Forest State Park fall colors" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Winding further into the Park on dirt roads, we soon approached North Michigan Creek Reservoir. I have <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2013/10/passing-peak.html" target="_blank">fished the North Michigan</a> upstream from this small lake, but have always been intrigued by the lake itself. Fish rising everywhere didn't help that, but we were on a mission. So, after a couple of pictures of the lake, we headed on. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsf2mUuNm_IJYmRy2_cHEimsmoO23H6AHgCCHJqeg2TDUjVnUj62e2uMi1QEnt3ShI1n0ufjkskt7QoB0DkPyySGZfov_BgrNYat0aRPqPtaOtcQoEgSCrb3M42UfJm6ZJnDgwxP8Rkx2qGkW7zZF8X9c2Fcf-Y_b_emfm0aa5-PRy7Z-gtcH/s640/BB4A1307-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="North Michigan Creek Reservoir in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsf2mUuNm_IJYmRy2_cHEimsmoO23H6AHgCCHJqeg2TDUjVnUj62e2uMi1QEnt3ShI1n0ufjkskt7QoB0DkPyySGZfov_BgrNYat0aRPqPtaOtcQoEgSCrb3M42UfJm6ZJnDgwxP8Rkx2qGkW7zZF8X9c2Fcf-Y_b_emfm0aa5-PRy7Z-gtcH/s16000/BB4A1307-1%20640.jpg" title="State Forest State Park North Michigan Creek Reservoir" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>We hadn't even finished passing the lake yet when we noticed something else of interest. Three quality bucks were running along a ridge above us. Something off over the ridge had them concerned, but they stopped long enough for us to take a couple of pictures. Not the moose we were looking for, but still a treat!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzRsaNxPZMKxyTeq4sUcLui2_IY44WCYIVzMQbyXBOWEb5Rz5PYYjZsl0vW0p1hmrS9FXCIA3ZTNnR3kBa-H5lZ7QU8jBeDiBOdJVx1ZwEC9tEm6AoMomarDhTrulFh75NDgGwMZerIHgScnuY-os6thtuEYvJp-IfM4tu3uqBVN6slTO00RU/s540/BB4A1316-1-2%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nice buck in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzRsaNxPZMKxyTeq4sUcLui2_IY44WCYIVzMQbyXBOWEb5Rz5PYYjZsl0vW0p1hmrS9FXCIA3ZTNnR3kBa-H5lZ7QU8jBeDiBOdJVx1ZwEC9tEm6AoMomarDhTrulFh75NDgGwMZerIHgScnuY-os6thtuEYvJp-IfM4tu3uqBVN6slTO00RU/s16000/BB4A1316-1-2%20540.jpg" title="State Forest State Park nice buck" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcm86Y21G-gHYmc5ICnyiQqOuA0kQP40CcApIPxa9Ov9UrPviuMRBWv6I9Kvff7Kxc-F_hGKEf1EzYxFS_m8Ai7WVqDJGV39XuyMa_pz1lMnd5bAWtOoK4E2OBR_k03DKyFi6pPilhZsfbvXscGX0PAMEtt1IySv1FeNovYlGxxLYUiKSP_cC/s540/BB4A1320-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Three bucks on a ridge in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtcm86Y21G-gHYmc5ICnyiQqOuA0kQP40CcApIPxa9Ov9UrPviuMRBWv6I9Kvff7Kxc-F_hGKEf1EzYxFS_m8Ai7WVqDJGV39XuyMa_pz1lMnd5bAWtOoK4E2OBR_k03DKyFi6pPilhZsfbvXscGX0PAMEtt1IySv1FeNovYlGxxLYUiKSP_cC/s16000/BB4A1320-1%20540.jpg" title="A ridge in State Forest State Park with three bucks." /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The deer were one of our last big game sightings of the day. We would see another moose not long after, but he was running full speed across the road in some fairly heavy brush, so we only got a quick glimpse before he had vanished. Still, the fall colors did not disappoint. A few more pictures, and then it was time to switch gears and go fix breakfast. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa1hCd69B4FLqkj0qdaAKkSZAI6Gx-kqs7xqxcgn0o9UVDP7h1FP-Utxmht0woLKxfJXo3NbbxTOlBZ159cagQV6j8dMRVbqzdhRSPc2t0f-MKzKPYcl1WJ7nDhkH8yKYNhBBpVsCvtOod6YjWsOE5gShzylWD1kwIqziGyEVyUyYPMoa0KqA/s540/BB4A1324-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSa1hCd69B4FLqkj0qdaAKkSZAI6Gx-kqs7xqxcgn0o9UVDP7h1FP-Utxmht0woLKxfJXo3NbbxTOlBZ159cagQV6j8dMRVbqzdhRSPc2t0f-MKzKPYcl1WJ7nDhkH8yKYNhBBpVsCvtOod6YjWsOE5gShzylWD1kwIqziGyEVyUyYPMoa0KqA/s16000/BB4A1324-1%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Road to Lake Agnes</h3><p>After breakfast, it was time for our real adventure of the day. I had done some research and wanted to hike to at least one lake and possibly two. By the time we finished, however, the one hike would end up being plenty. We debated trying to do the hike all the way from camp, but a much closer starting point appealed since it would greatly shorten the hike and leave us the option of more hikes, or so we thought. </p><p>Driving up the dirt road towards Lake Agnes, things were supposed to be rough. They have all the usual signs about recommending 4 wheel drive and high clearance. I learned a long time ago that those signs are often not really accurate, and figured this time would be the same. We poked slowly up the hill in my wife's little Corolla, dodging a few larger tire popper rocks but generally making good headway. </p><p>The problem came when we approached a sharp curve that switch backed up the hill. There were lots of ruts and plenty of deep soft dirt. In other words, we were in trouble. I got out to look things over, knowing that I still had the option of turning around before I got us stuck. Upon closer inspection, I could see a vague line that just might work. I've done these crazy (stupid?!?!) things a few times over the years and found that generally you could make it through in a sedan. </p><p>I'll pause to say right now that we should have videoed this whole thing. The line that might work without completely burying the car was low on the downhill outside edge of the curve. I got a good start but quickly bogged down since we were trying to make the turn. Then things went from bad to worse. Every time I backed up a little and tried again, we slid downhill a little more. </p><p>Before things were over, the back end of the car was in a good sized evergreen tree on the side of the road with the toddler screaming her delight. She thought it was the most hilarious event of the whole trip. My wife wasn't as amused. The poor car put up a valiant fight, but seemed to be in danger of losing this round. Since I didn't have any shovels or other tools, it was going to be a pain in the rear to dig it out and retreat down the hill. Finally, after a silent prayer and another try, we were somehow on our way, skidding and spinning our tires up and around the curve. It was a true miracle, but I'll definitely take it. </p><p>After the bad curve, things were anticlimactic. As I expected, the road was fine as long as you paid attention. If it wasn't for that one curve, this road would definitely be fine for 2 wheel drive sedans if the drivers know how to negotiate rougher roads. In the back of my mind, I had the nagging thought that we still needed to get back down the hill, but for the time being, I was just glad to be hiking up to Lake Agnes.</p><h3>Hiking and Tenkara Fishing at Lake Agnes</h3><p>This hike is a short one at under a mile from the parking lot to the lake. Once you add in the loop around the lake, it is still probably under 2.5 miles. We assumed that since it was such a short hike and we had just had breakfast, that we wouldn't need to take a lunch. That was a mistake! We enjoyed our time so much that we could easily have spent the rest of the day up there. In the end, we felt rushed because it was important to get back to our vehicle for lunch for the little one (and ourselves!). </p><p>Lake Agnes itself is absolutely gorgeous. The towering Nokhu Crags along with Mt. Mahler and Mt. Richthoven surround this beautiful basin. We kept stopping and taking pictures, although as always seems to be the case, pictures simply do not do this place justice. The time of day wasn't great for pictures either with bright sunlight. Still, we had to have some memories.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tFj5TejHIbPk56f-kA3Az0-5cihqDdF8UiRjLM_vh2rimqYvRMx3sSlO2sh13YOel78H0CwOCns9YpBaEtuMWbfisnDstODesoKJCocP-A15_ijz11YHVUZFhPmOB7SiiguWlGYl1fv116S4A_D6OBa3xv7IM_6ODfpJJeLdUL1Yo3rFQoxv/s540/IMG_7940%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Lake Agnes and Nokhu Crags in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_tFj5TejHIbPk56f-kA3Az0-5cihqDdF8UiRjLM_vh2rimqYvRMx3sSlO2sh13YOel78H0CwOCns9YpBaEtuMWbfisnDstODesoKJCocP-A15_ijz11YHVUZFhPmOB7SiiguWlGYl1fv116S4A_D6OBa3xv7IM_6ODfpJJeLdUL1Yo3rFQoxv/s16000/IMG_7940%20540.jpg" title="Nokhu Crags over Lake Agnes in State Forest State Park" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAb2RKJ3xrPwkq1xE8znhUxxw8262POGt7qRYdda16BcDqJqeVTQJB0ZHN1Vdpo-AFoJqqFT3IHxwExY50uMn-WJefGHSEQJildHptcTHZlA5WSo5A5akOWRfORcssetKfoUtPqtl_da0GlfVfoUUOIMy7bq4q5JbyN-_ad8b7y-EF-Jdgk80/s540/BB4A1350-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Island in Lake Agnes below the Nokhu Crags" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFAb2RKJ3xrPwkq1xE8znhUxxw8262POGt7qRYdda16BcDqJqeVTQJB0ZHN1Vdpo-AFoJqqFT3IHxwExY50uMn-WJefGHSEQJildHptcTHZlA5WSo5A5akOWRfORcssetKfoUtPqtl_da0GlfVfoUUOIMy7bq4q5JbyN-_ad8b7y-EF-Jdgk80/s16000/BB4A1350-1%20540.jpg" title="Lake Agnes Island below Nokhu Crags" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Wildlife abounds. One of our favorites is the pika, and we constantly heard their calls on the surrounding slopes. My wife snuck off to try and capture some pictures of them while I poked around with the tenkara rod. Little bit was riding on my back, mostly happily, although we also let her down in a couple of spots to burn some energy. Here are a couple of the better pika pictures. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnz6Nq77gjupOnOt2uf0t1DHEKJUptcaqYlkUSN366wBshxzp4w-wDE72FfO1wbadz_KqgGp72aFzhRfZKdWSzNwN4M7wAi3QjRSlvMnF7BcSswFfm8oDdtQJQywYNV8qPmihXp1NB9PgRzTZLf9qW2YWcml2gAIpEFJT_UFRTe3MWfgOrKac/s540/IMG_7564%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pika at Lake Agnes in State Forest State Park Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnz6Nq77gjupOnOt2uf0t1DHEKJUptcaqYlkUSN366wBshxzp4w-wDE72FfO1wbadz_KqgGp72aFzhRfZKdWSzNwN4M7wAi3QjRSlvMnF7BcSswFfm8oDdtQJQywYNV8qPmihXp1NB9PgRzTZLf9qW2YWcml2gAIpEFJT_UFRTe3MWfgOrKac/s16000/IMG_7564%20540.jpg" title="Lake Agnes in State Forest State Park Pika" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcXv-MMAj5GUcfdWytc-4D2UiDOrBOe6QkruK5hGt3frxfvNryrepmIWV8xujo4GqZdIq2SC6WmRzxM7AILot3fMbj7D57n700j6zbFQM5hRlejgjWVE0cfuIBqqjQKqo6Ze_8Z__hNNJ6U3EuaBDORqt73_XZ0uCtNC8li1xCAR8DH-ZitD9/s540/IMG_7571%20540.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pika at Lake Agnes" border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitcXv-MMAj5GUcfdWytc-4D2UiDOrBOe6QkruK5hGt3frxfvNryrepmIWV8xujo4GqZdIq2SC6WmRzxM7AILot3fMbj7D57n700j6zbFQM5hRlejgjWVE0cfuIBqqjQKqo6Ze_8Z__hNNJ6U3EuaBDORqt73_XZ0uCtNC8li1xCAR8DH-ZitD9/s16000/IMG_7571%20540.jpeg" title="Lake Agnes Pika" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>While Leah was photographing wildlife, I was plying the waters of Lake Agnes using my Tenkara USA Rhodo and what was quickly becoming my preferred high country lake rig: a parachute Adams on top and a pheasant tail nymph on the bottom. Fish were cruising, often just out of casting range. This is the downside of fishing Tenkara on bigger water. Still, I eventually found some in close enough to shore on the south end of the lake. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirB7ogUPVM5jnmaHMFyFJVURYq7oytiAu1BmY2E5yaI6D-vPXbrd6xRctUCNiXzEZKmoD_7TYs5sUuVJOtkFgzEaczpj0y6kWfpNa049Ke8bGrpSUTbSUVdUjNHSPe0knzuhk2rK5LTRLmbdsMNb4dBzaFkfbKv7Tgxm2JUoEoxx8ERR7Cs5FM/s640/IMG_7947%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hooked up on Lake Agnes" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirB7ogUPVM5jnmaHMFyFJVURYq7oytiAu1BmY2E5yaI6D-vPXbrd6xRctUCNiXzEZKmoD_7TYs5sUuVJOtkFgzEaczpj0y6kWfpNa049Ke8bGrpSUTbSUVdUjNHSPe0knzuhk2rK5LTRLmbdsMNb4dBzaFkfbKv7Tgxm2JUoEoxx8ERR7Cs5FM/s16000/IMG_7947%20640.jpg" title="Lake Agnes fishing hooked up" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXphLBwQzCFYn_hK-NMhFI3Bu77xB5gXms1aTTjXo4XfGJNPN-8IuPEcdgpRODPqPkhtAGZa-RnWDekoBM-qtSzBLEcRMbbxu_Q1PnNSs6M49_Ryea4MSfdRrwWH2Fw0EkVgHhDkRd2dPDVRlnf2Tjr3rtrg88k8Cx1o09q7jOVVNXop2MjJWO/s540/IMG_7956%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Gorgeous cutthroat trout at Lake Agnes in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXphLBwQzCFYn_hK-NMhFI3Bu77xB5gXms1aTTjXo4XfGJNPN-8IuPEcdgpRODPqPkhtAGZa-RnWDekoBM-qtSzBLEcRMbbxu_Q1PnNSs6M49_Ryea4MSfdRrwWH2Fw0EkVgHhDkRd2dPDVRlnf2Tjr3rtrg88k8Cx1o09q7jOVVNXop2MjJWO/s16000/IMG_7956%20540.jpg" title="Lake Agnes cutthroat trout in State Forest State Park" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>We continued our circuit of the lake, but time was running out. We were all getting hungry, but this was especially true of the toddler. It was time to head back down the hill to our car and try to negotiate that horrendous curve back down to camp. After one or two last pictures, we quickly descended to the trailhead. The drive back down was anticlimactic. My concerns were groundless. With gravity behind us instead of against us, the curve was a piece of cake and we were soon back at camp having lunch. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Afternoon Drive Through State Forest State Park</h3><div>Our morning adventures concluded rather late, so after lunch, we needed to find a way to get a nap in for the little one. The hike had been too interesting for her to get a good nap in, so we decided on the old trick of going for a drive. It always works for her although sometimes better than other times. On this day, she was tired and knocked out quickly. We drove back to some of the same scenes from the morning. The fall colors were beautiful although not as nice as they would be another week or two after our visit. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2V3A1fhxhlm4317rYdxyZKV_k3VJ2odOpOSfd8jXVrUD5L_qTr3zHRfzdQ5f5I1P3PuAhYG1n1X5CCcQxo_2Z0VsjpNSbP3Dvu6o4kR2ASQNNQNhGFhfuB9toOV-SuLadREYhiuG3HxvAfemqrc4l1TNkGnfiU2e8cgJchZxdeSGV84jrBQNZ/s540/BB4A1361-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Medicine Bow Mountains at State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2V3A1fhxhlm4317rYdxyZKV_k3VJ2odOpOSfd8jXVrUD5L_qTr3zHRfzdQ5f5I1P3PuAhYG1n1X5CCcQxo_2Z0VsjpNSbP3Dvu6o4kR2ASQNNQNhGFhfuB9toOV-SuLadREYhiuG3HxvAfemqrc4l1TNkGnfiU2e8cgJchZxdeSGV84jrBQNZ/s16000/BB4A1361-1%20540.jpg" title="State Forest State Park Medicine Bow Mountains" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMLFGfFWkKmp_LPJQWMklczsOnN-l-Wrcx5TsgiaWAH4zrh-pHCr7bUBX1goY1J8iGerYYmQ_zBwX6IXtHmxNqD4PgJfF16_tAucj03fPRNU70lR-dlIGCB2fZ4tfGUed8KCbK2cd8o1AX7hzYPnnTam7jfooO9neJ5ocquhxTKAIrI7mEV6o/s540/BB4A1372-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden Aspen in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvMLFGfFWkKmp_LPJQWMklczsOnN-l-Wrcx5TsgiaWAH4zrh-pHCr7bUBX1goY1J8iGerYYmQ_zBwX6IXtHmxNqD4PgJfF16_tAucj03fPRNU70lR-dlIGCB2fZ4tfGUed8KCbK2cd8o1AX7hzYPnnTam7jfooO9neJ5ocquhxTKAIrI7mEV6o/s16000/BB4A1372-1%20540.jpg" title="State Forest State Park Golden Aspen" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>The day got away from us rather quickly. After our drive, we got water from Ranger Lakes Campground, had supper, and headed back to camp for our last night in this beautiful place. While the water situation was frustrating, we'll definitely be back to this area. I wouldn't mind doing some overnight backpacking into some other high country lakes someday as well. The sunset that evening gave us one last gift before out time at State Forest State Park ran out. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmVDb0BOH_lLhpcte9S2ANf37bOGAE7HYED6IONa5iCp7EWOVMq7tkDW_tmnPYyztUCXRFmta2dIV2ONqgqTSdz1bR7n2OBU0bZNfpSvDvNif46NW5YtOZtW6k0uQHi57FXUoy6yEYTaFcEMIXBIhWWfmg4zwYpDC_MNJumCBiF4tUlyFJ9Ll/s540/BB4A1430-HDR%20copy%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sunset in State Forest State Park from the Crags Campground" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmVDb0BOH_lLhpcte9S2ANf37bOGAE7HYED6IONa5iCp7EWOVMq7tkDW_tmnPYyztUCXRFmta2dIV2ONqgqTSdz1bR7n2OBU0bZNfpSvDvNif46NW5YtOZtW6k0uQHi57FXUoy6yEYTaFcEMIXBIhWWfmg4zwYpDC_MNJumCBiF4tUlyFJ9Ll/s16000/BB4A1430-HDR%20copy%20540.jpg" title="Crags Campground sunset at State Forest State Park" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-67408187010499110302023-07-20T21:27:00.003-05:002023-07-20T21:27:34.441-05:00Colorado 2022 Day 7: Moving to State Forest State Park<p>Our time in Rocky Mountain National Park had finally come to an end. We had enjoyed our time there and had some of the best hikes of our whole trip. We still had two excellent hikes, one shorter and one longer, but we were headed towards more fishing (or so we thought) on the rest of the trip. </p><p>State Forest State Park was our next destination. Part of our goal on this trip was to enjoy the autumn colors, and from <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2013/10/passing-peak.html" target="_blank">past experience</a> I knew that it offered some incredible potential. The only downside is that we were visiting a bit earlier than my previous experience. Still, we hoped that would mean nice weather and a good time out camping.</p><p>After packing up everything at Timber Creek Campground, we headed out on a long circuitous route that would see us just a few miles from where we started, but on the other side of the mountain. Such is life out west. The trip went by uneventfully. We had a quick picnic lunch at a roadside picnic table and grabbed some groceries, but otherwise were anxious to get to our next destination.</p><p>As we got close to our campground, we started to find some cause for worry. A sign on the road in warned that the water was out in our campground. We had reservations to stay at the Crags Campground. I was hoping to hike to at least one more high elevation lake on this trip, and that campground was close to the hikes I wanted to do. I was NOT impressed with the fact that the <a href="https://cpw.state.co.us" target="_blank">Colorado Parks and Wildlife</a> had not informed us about the water being out. With a toddler along it proved to be a real pain, but something we figured we could manage for the two nights of our reservation. I almost simply moved to an unoccupied site at another campground, but in the end we decided to just go with it. Of course the Park office was already closed, so we couldn't really do anything but figure it out for ourselves. </p><p>Needless to say, I don't recommend staying at CPW campgrounds if it can be avoided. On the other hand, I will also say the campground at Elevenmile State Park that I've stayed at before was very nice and we had no problems. So, your mileage may vary. I was mainly just really aggravated that we were already working hard to take a toddler camping, then they made it harder and didn't bother telling us.</p><p>Our evening drew to a close with a beautiful sunset that lit up the mountain behind us with a warm glow. Best of all, we discovered that we had camp deer! Our little one loved every minute that the camp deer were wandering through snacking on the greenery around us and that made it all worth the trouble. The next day was going to come before we knew it, so after a quick supper, we went to bed. As we drifted off, we heard large creatures walking around chomping, presumably our camp deer or moose, but we were too tired to investigate...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwRaNCEGK9sgGGganH3782eQidwvJ2vZxMmTJxr6-6-sDsDv_EnLq3FgnTff70m_x7VwRYvo1kKsYQsDCwRReLBO1yyNrgVrGF1fqYIgdIcSXNdhmphPJNc5zSkzaZc13GBrJC52VupXa7qo2zIB3sH8iCKNyfEdVP8AXRqExXr_70nRkM_la/s640/BB4A1262-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mule Deer at The Crags in State Forest State Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwRaNCEGK9sgGGganH3782eQidwvJ2vZxMmTJxr6-6-sDsDv_EnLq3FgnTff70m_x7VwRYvo1kKsYQsDCwRReLBO1yyNrgVrGF1fqYIgdIcSXNdhmphPJNc5zSkzaZc13GBrJC52VupXa7qo2zIB3sH8iCKNyfEdVP8AXRqExXr_70nRkM_la/s16000/BB4A1262-1%20640.jpg" title="The Crags in State Forest State Park camp mule deer" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-26794337813065014982023-05-29T21:20:00.002-05:002023-05-29T21:20:32.636-05:00Colorado 2022 Day 6: Hiking and Fly Fishing Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park<p>This was another of our favorite days on this trip. Our original hiking plans had been put on hold, mostly because I had forgotten entirely about the East Troublesome Fire. This massive inferno had roasted large swaths of the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park in 2020. North Inlet Trail had been severely impacted by this fire, meaning large sections of the trail would be out in the hot sun instead of winding through the shaded forest. I still hope to eventually hike some or all of this trail, but for our purposes on this trip, we looked for other alternatives.</p><p>Timber Lake is one of the most easily accessible high lakes on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. When I saw most easily accessible, all I'm saying is that some of the lakes on this side involve hiking 10-15 or more miles one way. This is still a relatively strenuous hike, with over 2000 feet of vertical gain AND a little over 5 miles of hiking one way. Our National Geographic Trails Illustrated map suggested that the trail slowly contoured up the steeper terrain. However, once we got there, it turns out there were some intense switchbacks. It is fairly rare in my experience for these maps to be off, but this time it seemed to not be the most accurate portrayal of actual conditions. Still, even with the intensity, this was an excellent hike and one we'll probably do again someday. Oh, and the fishing was pretty good...</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking to Timber Lake: The First Half</h3><div>The hike to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park starts at a trailhead in the northern part of Kawuneeche Valley, shortly before the road starts switchbacking up the side of the mountain on its way to the top. Just across the road is the trailhead for the Colorado River trail. The trailhead is around 9,000 feet in elevation, so we had a touch over 2,000 vertical feet and a little more than 5 miles between us and our destination. However, much of the elevation gain happens in bursts. The first half mile or so was gently rolling through a beautiful mix of evergreens and aspen which were beginning to turn gold. From looking at the trail map, we knew this wouldn't last long. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVekTB23ASBAcROLujbCrBERcMw7r8gf18efUqeKXKX0aiLEHi2K4Qkx76pbvxdZOG2Qt7t1CbpnVmhxZeG9baeMUP-uNvBv4Zf5HuB01n9m93w_E89YyPxhscq8kDyhidxvTCXsCYmhLve6RVy5Ow0lg6-XRqfSPPrV9kX7RwEij-V1dgg/s540/IMG_7867%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Map of Trail to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVekTB23ASBAcROLujbCrBERcMw7r8gf18efUqeKXKX0aiLEHi2K4Qkx76pbvxdZOG2Qt7t1CbpnVmhxZeG9baeMUP-uNvBv4Zf5HuB01n9m93w_E89YyPxhscq8kDyhidxvTCXsCYmhLve6RVy5Ow0lg6-XRqfSPPrV9kX7RwEij-V1dgg/s16000/IMG_7867%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park map of Trail to Timber Lake" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Sure enough, the trail began climbing in earnest as it angled up the mountain. With a toddler strapped onto my back via the kid carrier, the trail seemed harder than it probably was. I probably had somewhere around 25-30 pounds on my back. In addition to the baby and her things, I had water, a water filter, fishing equipment (Tenkara USA Rhodo rod), and of course some camera gear, a good solid load any day.</div><div><br /></div><div>While not quite at peak for the most part, there were just enough golden aspen to make us reach for the phones for a quick picture from time to time. Our trip had been timed with the hope of seeing some good fall colors while not experiencing too much extreme cold. That is a fine line and one that is easy to mess up. On this trip, we mostly succeeded the first half or so of our time there.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9GbKG7DvNy9FVb4Fvj7KSx9ILDbJ-bZX-16k8uQAj9C6sZq-mFqXMhE7ndBK-rna77WZHFZ9s654KlPnirok1Uil9HRiTHNXLqpVn71T7ywFEeKDuilYir01tiJ5sG-z7hD4rA5If6KeFC0YKOa56VuqNVZktm48cPpgTHq-VkoaRC9SAQ/s540/IMG_7873%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden aspen along the trail to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9GbKG7DvNy9FVb4Fvj7KSx9ILDbJ-bZX-16k8uQAj9C6sZq-mFqXMhE7ndBK-rna77WZHFZ9s654KlPnirok1Uil9HRiTHNXLqpVn71T7ywFEeKDuilYir01tiJ5sG-z7hD4rA5If6KeFC0YKOa56VuqNVZktm48cPpgTHq-VkoaRC9SAQ/s16000/IMG_7873%20540.jpg" title="Trail to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park golden aspen" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWcg5UvEaegfs4Sg11fYHP9hM1VmqgaWu-4DC_TDti5CDxlZbusYdbVPLMUkAxMi4NR3cCxsZax4Mh2fgL5jxTmoi5iaR8OLezeZ_08BRwvS8kIn0FIg12NOS_ziT73eOh67OfItq45sEgQg2SIzIUP0ZmoFXVDg1QF927YVbDNELwY3tQA/s640/IMG_7874%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="View of aspen on trail to Timber Lake" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWcg5UvEaegfs4Sg11fYHP9hM1VmqgaWu-4DC_TDti5CDxlZbusYdbVPLMUkAxMi4NR3cCxsZax4Mh2fgL5jxTmoi5iaR8OLezeZ_08BRwvS8kIn0FIg12NOS_ziT73eOh67OfItq45sEgQg2SIzIUP0ZmoFXVDg1QF927YVbDNELwY3tQA/s16000/IMG_7874%20640.jpg" title="Trail to Timber Lake view of aspen" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>At the trailhead, we had noticed a sign warning us of a landslide. The rangers at the Kawuneeche Valley Ranger station had also warned us of the landslide. We figured it was no big deal, but were also intrigued. When we finally discovered it approximately 2.5 miles in, we realized it really was quite a landslide! The slide was a decent obstacle on the trail. While something like this wasn't normally worth mentioning, I will say that it was slightly more challenging with a toddler in a pack on my back. The main difficulty came in having to duck/crawl under huge logs (or crawl over them). I had to be extra cautious not to hurt the little one. Otherwise it wasn't a big deal. </div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking to Timber Lake: The Second Half</h3><div>If the first half had been relatively easy, the second half was much more challenging. The trail itself was still easy to negotiate, but was also much steeper than we had surmised based on a glance at our National Geographic Trails Illustrated map. The trail looks like a straight run angling up the hillside, but we discovered there were some rather intense switchbacks made all the more intense by the 25-30 pounds on my back. We were starting to get hungry, and lunch seemed like a good choice part way up one of the switchback sections. </div><div><br /></div><div>While we were stopped, I decided to dig out the camera. Some thistle growing nearby was perfectly illuminated with a nice dark background. I didn't play with the camera long because I was hungry, but I was happy with the pictures I managed to get. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Yafy4u2m4akMEhr6C-FEWaLf7-z7AbBTeiRY9R_Q23qpWLOWU5_67afA6j8rpRIUT7OJ5VzTEJheM1rQfRkCT9dNaUhltzXopkOzZSlLYnn1iBQ5vYAspCOuBal_DmddGWORXoQO9T5qA4k-3g2EFLOPyCC3ffLZZnTvnpAxxpifusHdxQ/s640/BB4A1129-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Thistle on the trail to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Yafy4u2m4akMEhr6C-FEWaLf7-z7AbBTeiRY9R_Q23qpWLOWU5_67afA6j8rpRIUT7OJ5VzTEJheM1rQfRkCT9dNaUhltzXopkOzZSlLYnn1iBQ5vYAspCOuBal_DmddGWORXoQO9T5qA4k-3g2EFLOPyCC3ffLZZnTvnpAxxpifusHdxQ/s16000/BB4A1129-1%20640.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park thistle growing on the trail to Timber Lake" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>After eating, we were rejuvenated for the final push to the top, or at least the top of our hike for the day. Timber Lake is in a beautiful high basin surrounded by towering cliffs. On our way up, we passed through numerous small meadows, each time looking carefully for elk or moose. We weren't destined to find any on this hike, but the bright sunny hours of midday were probably not ideal for seeing these critters.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bP6JeGZG0ueIXt7tC2OpnNL31kjA7s9DHkSyWsrfeqQmLOrQYLRkEsZD-eICdT1odcKMD4W0BAbmuiIN3DygusB5T_J8ISoLeNcKErUYGGAGNW3UvlhVLI_oxwZy0wrbAmj4I08y-_wuTBA3zlouHp9KUxNWP8W8dC5HJ9GLbYpuU7TLwg/s640/IMG_7884%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Open meadow view on the trail to Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bP6JeGZG0ueIXt7tC2OpnNL31kjA7s9DHkSyWsrfeqQmLOrQYLRkEsZD-eICdT1odcKMD4W0BAbmuiIN3DygusB5T_J8ISoLeNcKErUYGGAGNW3UvlhVLI_oxwZy0wrbAmj4I08y-_wuTBA3zlouHp9KUxNWP8W8dC5HJ9GLbYpuU7TLwg/s16000/IMG_7884%20640.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park trail to Timber Lake open meadow view" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Leah did spend a fair amount of time searching out some pika. These are one of our favorites, and she really wanted to get a good picture. While I plodded on up the hill, slowly putting one foot in front of the other on the last push to Timber Lake, she chased these little rodents with her camera. She got a few, but alas none of the pika would allow her to get close enough for a very clear shot. These things are hard to sneak up on!</div><div><br /></div><div>As we broke out of the woods and into the basin with the lake in front of us, a sign informed us that we were now indeed over 11,000 feet. My lowland lung capacity had already suggested that to me, but the gorgeous lake in front of us made up for any small inconvenience or suffering experienced along the way. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUNM6F_D_1XFt7WdEWA27EWpHMlOM1liUSshqSZ8Es6zv9OWZydZ0iMxVQLRFZ_0AduvWe_CecP6Ig4btKl5q3DeLWeQpBax8KJDe7BjlgHt9prJ0y95ZQnaw-N6i62wt1Yblyj86AcRCz_406KOkYLKi3iWq-FZkHZZ1eg1zuLZ6kJ4uwA/s640/IMG_7892%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Timber Lake sign and elevation information" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUNM6F_D_1XFt7WdEWA27EWpHMlOM1liUSshqSZ8Es6zv9OWZydZ0iMxVQLRFZ_0AduvWe_CecP6Ig4btKl5q3DeLWeQpBax8KJDe7BjlgHt9prJ0y95ZQnaw-N6i62wt1Yblyj86AcRCz_406KOkYLKi3iWq-FZkHZZ1eg1zuLZ6kJ4uwA/s16000/IMG_7892%20640.jpg" title="Elevation information and Timber Lake sign" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fishing Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park</h3><div>Of course, since I had hauled my fishing equipment up, I was definitely intent on at least getting a fly wet. When I walked along the banks and saw fish cruising just off shore, I knew that the chances of catching a fish were pretty high. I still had everything rigged from our hike to Sky Pond. That meant a parachute Adams which always seems to be a good choice on these high elevation lakes. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfrz9m8jLW43ULCbn_BV4f_4Lt6TvTnsXZaV03P9kiKGkzN-qTn2GOz9yjtUI7LBkxB883tNa2nO6fqiHqJQv9W-WC5kxRXp0mmvGhrq3uzyWKJUKQBgHEscOHZuR6mHKFSNi-8iLyaKYmKUdBWu4tWM5V7RQf5-j9QOpPI2bdG09fYlM4w/s540/BB4A1139-Edit%20copy%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rocky Mountain National Park Timber Lake panorama" border="0" data-original-height="135" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfrz9m8jLW43ULCbn_BV4f_4Lt6TvTnsXZaV03P9kiKGkzN-qTn2GOz9yjtUI7LBkxB883tNa2nO6fqiHqJQv9W-WC5kxRXp0mmvGhrq3uzyWKJUKQBgHEscOHZuR6mHKFSNi-8iLyaKYmKUdBWu4tWM5V7RQf5-j9QOpPI2bdG09fYlM4w/s16000/BB4A1139-Edit%20copy%20540.jpg" title="Panorama of Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Before getting serious about the fishing, I did take some time with the camera. Timber Lake is incredibly beautiful, made even better by the lack of crowds compared to high elevation lakes on the east side of Rocky Mountain National Park. While we did see another group or two, it felt relatively deserted after our hike to Sky Pond. </div><div><br /></div><div>Pictures completed, I began to hurry as the urge to fish grew. The toddler with me was interested in throwing rocks in the lake, so we made sure to do that a little in between our preparations to fish and even in between casts. The casting was exciting enough that we both participated in that activity as well. Eventually, one of the native residents graced the end of our line and we enjoyed our first Timber Lake cutthroat trout. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctzIjYn65gsWLp-D0LRMAgV0wlgwCymrOr8gtFmIDCxeCVZbGeDoI3FZDX4vYkgq6yGX4p8wGSnTKWpHivodBXD-6L5xVJ-ZBMsxpgGtyIQ6fq9KECOt0wPgHg6pIu37JT64xf-qVLT6dlO-D0DyZIQQue7aPDyvOyGePyCKyBndcz2d8wQ/s540/IMG_7899%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Colorado River cutthroat in Timber Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctzIjYn65gsWLp-D0LRMAgV0wlgwCymrOr8gtFmIDCxeCVZbGeDoI3FZDX4vYkgq6yGX4p8wGSnTKWpHivodBXD-6L5xVJ-ZBMsxpgGtyIQ6fq9KECOt0wPgHg6pIu37JT64xf-qVLT6dlO-D0DyZIQQue7aPDyvOyGePyCKyBndcz2d8wQ/s16000/IMG_7899%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado River cutthroat in Timber lake" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>We managed a few of the beautiful cutthroat before getting anxious to start back. With a little one to get ready in addition to ourselves, we have found our hikes to start later than in the past. Thus, we are usually pushing our time late in the day. With 5 or so miles to get back and the sun already dropping in the western sky, we knew it was time to say farewell to Timber Lake until next time. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking Back From Timber Lake </h3><div>I hung back a little and snapped a picture as Leah started down the trail. Then it was time to start hustling to catch up. We still had some adventures to enjoy on the way back out. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYzjyLcuQm7fnnpx-38DEaO_JWPQYijrGwRVQZMoyBspWAAUyuR7glNwEvHi0FZZIBeYfkT7q1XZGcm4Apoh-7Hdyra882b3NOaMWZo5B6kTGfzNK_Pet28rIsPnDkIYhrNIFIs4fLfIhHDcO6K7B_0MKDoXuiM8dgyjtV2d7XDExHyMapA/s540/IMG_7905%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hiking the Trail to Timber Lake" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwYzjyLcuQm7fnnpx-38DEaO_JWPQYijrGwRVQZMoyBspWAAUyuR7glNwEvHi0FZZIBeYfkT7q1XZGcm4Apoh-7Hdyra882b3NOaMWZo5B6kTGfzNK_Pet28rIsPnDkIYhrNIFIs4fLfIhHDcO6K7B_0MKDoXuiM8dgyjtV2d7XDExHyMapA/s16000/IMG_7905%20540.jpg" title="Trail to Timber Lake hiking" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Back down the trail, in the vicinity of the landslide, I had noticed wild raspberries growing in several spots. While we didn't want to gather any for later, it was a welcome treat for our little one. She had already discovered these on a previous hike and had even found a couple at camp. We were having to keep an eye on her since she had discovered where the raspberries came from. We couldn't risk having her eat every brightly colored berry she found, but when we did find actual raspberries, she was having a ball. I might have sampled one or two, but most that we found went to little bit. It was worth finding them just to see her enjoy them!</div><div><br /></div><div>The shadows were getting longer and longer and the hues of fall around us reminded us how cold it would get once the sun set. It was time to get back to camp.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhFuEGswfAmUPkulO_k3dJjcZTUrixsdHwOLylctir34CQfjtTC8Al2WxGM1McLBcSS5JTHCzT-O_GtYECcUIogtgh_D8jjhHqr0MteUaPlqNYB9JwDK5ExfaD5HqJkNarTFAk8O8UgPWVLjRVbDPFrYKnN1scNGkjtRtzEGdO34mUBPIyA/s640/IMG_7908%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fall color along the Timber Lake trail" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvhFuEGswfAmUPkulO_k3dJjcZTUrixsdHwOLylctir34CQfjtTC8Al2WxGM1McLBcSS5JTHCzT-O_GtYECcUIogtgh_D8jjhHqr0MteUaPlqNYB9JwDK5ExfaD5HqJkNarTFAk8O8UgPWVLjRVbDPFrYKnN1scNGkjtRtzEGdO34mUBPIyA/s16000/IMG_7908%20640.jpg" title="Timber Lake trail and fall colors" /></a></div><br /> </div><div>We got back as the shadows of the surrounding mountains deepened over the valley. With just enough time for a quick supper, we hurried with our evening routine and then hit the sack. All of us were tired, but the pack mule (ME!) was probably the most tired. It had been a great day. Even as tired as I was, I had one more goal. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Star Gazing at Timber Creek Campground</h3><div><br /></div><div>Star Gazing at Timber Creek Campground was one of the things I remembered most from my past trips to this campground. While a lot had changed since my last visit, the incredible night sky was still just as good as I remembered. We hoped for some other good night sky views on our trip, but little did we know that our clear starry nights were numbered. In the meantime, I had a good time with my camera. This Big Agnes Manzanares tent, like all of my others, has served me well through many amazing adventures. If you're looking for a tent, I recommend checking them out!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhya_BIMBqD48wKd6GazaUuclzR52uITUBsEMQcp_qeS9mXp5E81fTc3jj-VVoa8Rm_RMzBYaDC5CmggjcuTwhD29w_roExclXpae9sU1UA8gEmc0lk3NrJWSByMLn4pw84nw4mJldQ1tytgoD-rklapCY-qflLMEFTzBnHeOrgoBEdEIKwDQ/s640/BB4A1225-1-3%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Night sky and Big Agnes tent at Timber Creek Campground" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhya_BIMBqD48wKd6GazaUuclzR52uITUBsEMQcp_qeS9mXp5E81fTc3jj-VVoa8Rm_RMzBYaDC5CmggjcuTwhD29w_roExclXpae9sU1UA8gEmc0lk3NrJWSByMLn4pw84nw4mJldQ1tytgoD-rklapCY-qflLMEFTzBnHeOrgoBEdEIKwDQ/s16000/BB4A1225-1-3%20640.jpg" title="Timber Creek Campground night sky and Big Agnes Tent" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-89572306699670184632023-04-23T15:59:00.002-05:002023-04-23T15:59:48.230-05:00Fly Box Winner<p>Our latest fly box winner is.....Charlie Barton!!! Congrats Charlie and I hope you enjoy your new fly box. </p><p>If you didn't win this time, please keep an eye on this blog. We'll be doing another giveaway again sometime soon. Thanks to everyone who entered!</p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-87190155485400299312023-03-19T12:17:00.005-05:002023-03-19T12:18:25.750-05:00Colorado 2022 Day Five: A Wonderful Afternoon on a Favorite Meadow Stream<p>One of the best afternoon's of the whole trip snuck up on me. That is, I really didn't expect it or see it coming. Some of the best adventures are unplanned, however. The trick is to take advantage of those small kindnesses that sometimes happen. I am still full of gratitude over this particular one, because my wife took on the exhausting task of wrangling a toddler while I lazied around and fished. But I'm getting ahead of myself. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Morning Routine in Camp at Timber Creek Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park</h3><p>The day dawned cold but bright. With frost everywhere and air temperatures around freezing, we weren't dying to sit around eating breakfast, but when the little one wakes up, we all wake up. So, we began what became a morning routine for the next couple of days. Get up, drive around to see the sights and look for wildlife, then have breakfast. This isn't absolutely necessary if you have a high cold tolerance, but we just weren't used to cold weather yet. </p><p>Because Timber Creek Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park lies at the base of a mountain range, the sun is blocked for the first hours of daylight and camp remains shaded. As soon as the sun peaks over the ridge, things warm up quickly. The trick for us was to stay busy until the sun crested the ridge. Then we were warm enough to fix breakfast and not freeze ourselves or the toddler.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURN_BLFmb4yL1VSp2WiVOTxiuYjQu7HXcyU8TzUHizGaN68ai8xUW_WKpncW_8zTVw-TVQauONCw6aCVmKLFHPwShR-5WcWtprdIP3hEFtBNjQvZP66nWLPPYzKBX9CqGI92f_n3x5Bmr6FjivlqoN_qFBATUPfAuV_HgzRXpvlmvhygn3A/s540/BB4A1124-1%20cropped%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fall color Aspen in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="381" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiURN_BLFmb4yL1VSp2WiVOTxiuYjQu7HXcyU8TzUHizGaN68ai8xUW_WKpncW_8zTVw-TVQauONCw6aCVmKLFHPwShR-5WcWtprdIP3hEFtBNjQvZP66nWLPPYzKBX9CqGI92f_n3x5Bmr6FjivlqoN_qFBATUPfAuV_HgzRXpvlmvhygn3A/s16000/BB4A1124-1%20cropped%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park Fall color aspen trees" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Our driving was partly to look for wildlife and partly to look for fall colors. We had attempted to time our trip late enough to have some decent colors, but early enough that it wouldn't be too frigid. In the end, we won some and lost some. More on that later, but let's say for now that we would have gladly traded cold mornings for warm sunny afternoons later in the trip.</p><p>A fun part of our daily routine that we didn't see coming was washing the dishes. Let me explain a little more. I don't know about you, but I never get excited about washing dishes in freezing cold water at a little dishwashing station behind the restroom in National Park Service campgrounds. It is a necessary annoyance to an otherwise great time, of course, but a little hot water would make things much more enjoyable. What made dishwashing fun here was the little table next to the sink. It had a lower shelf that was perfect for a toddler exploring. In fact, the little one enjoyed dishwashing enough to make up for any discomfort the rest of us experienced.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAF4L7AuU00CHx8jnNqS3BdMZnHAIIaJXIGEJ8bEH_8PvQsuiWJjAWKYkhQGruuqHt4bCpZet2YGZsb00yQ6NK3Wf-2tPJOrl0SLlZa2gSzTtZrDLLoervdT_rmNXb11eKK-q9X9YBaOY7rmri7wrEcIvkkjEc2F4f8AeRhbROYqxZP5zLA/s540/IMG_7830%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Washing dishes at Timber Creek campground" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAF4L7AuU00CHx8jnNqS3BdMZnHAIIaJXIGEJ8bEH_8PvQsuiWJjAWKYkhQGruuqHt4bCpZet2YGZsb00yQ6NK3Wf-2tPJOrl0SLlZa2gSzTtZrDLLoervdT_rmNXb11eKK-q9X9YBaOY7rmri7wrEcIvkkjEc2F4f8AeRhbROYqxZP5zLA/s16000/IMG_7830%20540.jpg" title="Timber Creek campground dishwashing station fun" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The other fun part of this camp in general was the wild raspberries. These had been introduced to little bit on <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/01/colorado-2022-day-two-fishing-hiking-loch-vale-lake-of-glass-sky-pond-rocky-mountain-national-park.html" target="_blank">a previous day's hike</a> and she LOVED them. I can't say I blame her. The only downside here is that there weren't enough left to go around. She was happy to eat as many as Ma Ma and Da Da could find. We had to keep a close eye on her, however, to make sure she didn't sample any and every red colored berry or seed pod.</p><p>By the time things had really warmed and we had played some around camp, it was time to make some decisions on what to do that day. We had one or two hikes that we wanted to accomplish while camping at Timber Creek, but had already decided that the next day was a hiking day. That was when my wife gave me an amazing opportunity. She would drop me off at one access point, drive a short distance up the road, and let the little one explore and play and otherwise move around while I fished my way up the meadow to meet them.</p><p>We made one small error in the planning process. Knowing that a toddler might not want to look at historical buildings for too long, we decided that if they got bored and didn't see me, then they should drive back down to the start point and start walking the meadow to look for me. Thankfully they didn't get that far, but it would prove to be a small problem. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Afternoon Fly Fishing the North Fork of the Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ii_Ky66gWfQ94moR2i3JDHprMb2l4AHgpjyDENqCGQn-O9y_3-IpxThHM90X862dvQWR9mO3qumxPIOSTEte8uADoy7k2UoIFdhkGnuHOTnfWNHHpQhVnwzoLjNULIDuj-CeETbVdjtv9aSOyRanxIPVRvrDIrFVbrQXv2n_4wplGAcvdQ/s540/IMG_7844%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="North Fork Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley Fly Fishing" border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Ii_Ky66gWfQ94moR2i3JDHprMb2l4AHgpjyDENqCGQn-O9y_3-IpxThHM90X862dvQWR9mO3qumxPIOSTEte8uADoy7k2UoIFdhkGnuHOTnfWNHHpQhVnwzoLjNULIDuj-CeETbVdjtv9aSOyRanxIPVRvrDIrFVbrQXv2n_4wplGAcvdQ/s16000/IMG_7844%20540.jpg" title="Fly Fishing the North Fork Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I was heading in to <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2012/10/good-weather.html" target="_blank">a favorite piece of water</a>, albeit one I hadn't fished in probably 10 years or close to it. This stream is every bit as good as the more famous meadow stream on the other side of the mountain, or maybe I should say more fished meadow stream on the other side of the mountain. This stream is famous enough as the headwaters of one of the most famous rivers in the country. It just happens to be farther from major population centers than the stream <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/01/colorado-2022-day-three-rain-sight.html" target="_blank">I fished earlier</a> on this trip.</p><p>This meadow stream winds through an <a href="https://gograndlake.com/explore/fishing-colorado-river-headwaters-rmnp/" target="_blank">amazingly beautiful valley</a>. Wildlife abounds with elk and moose both likely. As you maneuver your way through the occasional evergreen thickets, watch out for these big critters. You also need to watch out for random holes in the stream bank as is the case on most meadow streams. </p><p>I started hustling out of the gate, er, car door. I wanted to see a long stretch of meadow and only had 2-3 hours at best. Traveling light, I had my rod, a spool of tippet, a small cup of my favorite flies for late summer meadow streams, and scissor forceps. That's it. I hiked upstream to one of my favorite runs and started there. Per the usual, I spooked a couple of nice browns from the tailout. This was a good reminder to slow down just enough as to not alert the browns to my presence.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMH8ilE4RRH-sh9nK2A6rkXxBkzA5EepfHzQSpmITZW36Cwr01iTHKR0RKUZFRwxqHIeNSk5dXFyGtN1ppoJPkccNNjXGYefyg28CL2tzZyPPG2FIbgBEJw3w6pgcu_9ne5p5Yg6tVlaT--IcOHkg89UrtWECwghipHqTvf300rIJ33aJeg/s540/IMG_7839%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown trout from North Fork Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMH8ilE4RRH-sh9nK2A6rkXxBkzA5EepfHzQSpmITZW36Cwr01iTHKR0RKUZFRwxqHIeNSk5dXFyGtN1ppoJPkccNNjXGYefyg28CL2tzZyPPG2FIbgBEJw3w6pgcu_9ne5p5Yg6tVlaT--IcOHkg89UrtWECwghipHqTvf300rIJ33aJeg/s16000/IMG_7839%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park brown trout in North Fork Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>The first fish didn't take long. But as usual with fishing slow meadow water with my favorite fly and method, I missed a lot more than I caught. Still, I was seeing, and catching, enough fish to keep me both entertained and focused. Thus, when I had a big brown rush the fly, I was ready with a hard hookset. Nothing. I didn't even feel the fish. Maybe I misjudged and the fish never ate. Who knows. Needless to say, I wanted to go back in the worst way, but it just wasn't meant to be.</p><p>Continuing up river, I found nice fish after nice fish. The largest was a heavy female that was in the mid to high teens lengthwise. The two or three big fish I saw never quite found the hook. At least one of them was really big, as in, the kind you dream about. But that was what keeps me going back to these meadow streams. Seeing a brown blur rocket out from under the slightest undercut bank never gets old.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPwwun7Qw-sJMHuTTO7S5v1lFNM0-dkcDGic0hXJbBpc9PhrT61Is9Dv5R349Xdg0hPEn1bLY8e9WBwWGRbS2kMwK4kAg4PMMUgKbnTofdjdNrJEUN2XP6Z5osKvKzt0Qxr4Y5p4rxs8y9wRo9apcXrY-6FUxCW0R1_8mSynlir6z8P54Ug/s540/IMG_7840%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Brown trout in Kawuneeche Valley North Fork Colorado River Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPwwun7Qw-sJMHuTTO7S5v1lFNM0-dkcDGic0hXJbBpc9PhrT61Is9Dv5R349Xdg0hPEn1bLY8e9WBwWGRbS2kMwK4kAg4PMMUgKbnTofdjdNrJEUN2XP6Z5osKvKzt0Qxr4Y5p4rxs8y9wRo9apcXrY-6FUxCW0R1_8mSynlir6z8P54Ug/s16000/IMG_7840%20540.jpg" title="Kawuneeche Valley brown trout on North Fork Colorado River in Rocky Mountain National Park" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Reminder To Fish The Whole Spot</h3><p>One of my favorite fish was also a good reminder for an old lesson. Never give up until you fish the WHOLE spot. All the way <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2014/11/cataloochee-part-1.html" target="_blank">to the top</a>. I was coming into a picture perfect bend. Undercut banks farther bank in the run looked fishy but didn't produce. I kept moving up to the top. Finally, I through to what I thought was the top, close to some downed wood. Nothing. </p><p>When you fish through a perfect pool and don't catch anything or even see anything, it always leaves you wondering what if. With the technique I was employing, fish usually react from great distances, so if I'm in the neighborhood, I usually feel confident that I'm close enough. Still, I apparently had missed something here. Moving up another step, I sent a final cast above the drop into the pool. Immediately, a fish that apparently had its noise literally on the drop-off came rocketing up from the bottom to nail the fly. Never mind that I had placed a cast probably 1.5-2 feet behind it and PLENTY close enough to get its attention. That fish wasn't moving unless the fly was where it wanted it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzBLwPOMMkPU6hf6mVi09bOIidt77k-E3kFjENCpyA0anGFj-bvk65wfxdm4IIvibBLdHbdOJXMQ75ikcO1fDEMPjrLWjbAR7gGBqQdr2arUUWSmivKvITmDLgsv_XSNVa3I3rSsZVErVxx1yhDP1x6j3uI8mj_80smsUGvNtomOhpxHq9A/s540/IMG_7846-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reminder brown trout in Rocky Mountain National Park Kawuneeche Valley" border="0" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzBLwPOMMkPU6hf6mVi09bOIidt77k-E3kFjENCpyA0anGFj-bvk65wfxdm4IIvibBLdHbdOJXMQ75ikcO1fDEMPjrLWjbAR7gGBqQdr2arUUWSmivKvITmDLgsv_XSNVa3I3rSsZVErVxx1yhDP1x6j3uI8mj_80smsUGvNtomOhpxHq9A/s16000/IMG_7846-1%20540.jpg" title="Kawuneeche Valley reminder brown trout in Rocky Mountain National Park" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD46XFahvEburtCUlN98R9_1aNXYKRSE0-WMO09ndnirtGF4ftStTX4fyXPBm57WRSlJH1gsCkJk7F0xOaKwHAEuTXCa7yjDmGF7I3IMnCykmhCLox0PBtstY6-HNEFnDu4qOBPG2KyTwNFGekXH2l7RgixtUGYBy2vrXt_ibHvxUG8comw/s540/IMG_7850%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="North Fork Colorado River meadow stream in Kawuneeche Valley Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD46XFahvEburtCUlN98R9_1aNXYKRSE0-WMO09ndnirtGF4ftStTX4fyXPBm57WRSlJH1gsCkJk7F0xOaKwHAEuTXCa7yjDmGF7I3IMnCykmhCLox0PBtstY6-HNEFnDu4qOBPG2KyTwNFGekXH2l7RgixtUGYBy2vrXt_ibHvxUG8comw/s16000/IMG_7850%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park meadow stream in Kawuneeche Valley North Fork Colorado River" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Finishing My Fishing </h3><p>After that fish, I realized I was seriously running low on time and needed to start hustling. I still tossed my flies in a spot or two, but mostly my trip was running down. That point was reinforced when I thought I saw our car drive slowly by on the road. If Mama and the Baby were looking for me, then I was probably running a little late. I waved and otherwise tried to get their attention, but I also knew I was dressed to blend in. It was time to just move. Hoping they would drive back up the road to look again, I started really hustling. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6HmHvW1Qs7jJ9uCdyQaKreYHaHxhxDSsu_fXlu5At0Vt5NAAWkbJZ_yxKKVbhHlyY0ckMJAXC9BL3tCbCxbYGymcE4MxzzR7NCQbZ8WrwGvruzVfPvsxCDwCXOq0U_DR664JgUKrYdx3zIRRcLHOsCdXGRsRqLezQBG4DONA474Dt4SIpw/s540/IMG_7853%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS6HmHvW1Qs7jJ9uCdyQaKreYHaHxhxDSsu_fXlu5At0Vt5NAAWkbJZ_yxKKVbhHlyY0ckMJAXC9BL3tCbCxbYGymcE4MxzzR7NCQbZ8WrwGvruzVfPvsxCDwCXOq0U_DR664JgUKrYdx3zIRRcLHOsCdXGRsRqLezQBG4DONA474Dt4SIpw/s16000/IMG_7853%20540.jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>By the time I hit an official "trail" at the next access point, I found that I had cut it even closer than I intended. The fields were "closed" at 5:00 pm due to the elk rut that was ongoing. I was a few minutes over, but thankfully the ranger driving by didn't seem to mind. I hustled out to the parking lot only to discover no ride. That wasn't a problem. I just started walking down the road back towards my start point. Eventually I saw a familiar car come driving towards me and they pulled over so I could jump in. </p><p>It had been a glorious afternoon of fishing, one of the last nice warm days of our trip although I didn't know that at the time. I can't say I got enough meadow stream fishing, but then it is better to leave wanting more than to exhaust yourself entirely. Meadow streams are always a huge treat, mostly because I just don't have this water type here in Tennessee. I love <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com/rates/" target="_blank">guiding</a> and fishing on my home tailwaters and the streams in the Smokies, but seeing different water types is always fun. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-6706553223970209752023-03-10T09:49:00.003-06:002023-03-10T09:57:41.983-06:00Another Fly Box Giveaway<p>We are going to give away another fly box. <b>Make sure you follow the instructions to enter</b>, found below. This is just another small way to say "Thank you!" for supporting both my blog and also my guide service, <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com/rates/" target="_blank">Trout Zone Anglers</a>. The box is shown below and is courtesy of my good friend David over at <a href="http://www.rivertraditions.com" target="_blank">River Traditions</a>. Check out what he has and order your own customized box if you can't wait to see if you won this one. </p><p>This giveaway will be a little different. First, <b>you must be a subscriber of the Trout Zone Anglers newsletter to enter</b>. If you are not subscribing already, then visit my guide site, <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com" target="_blank">Trout Zone Anglers</a>, and you will see a signup form on the home page for the website. If you have followed this blog any length of time, you probably know some of the types of fishing I enjoy doing. <b>To enter, </b>send me an email to <a href="mailto:TheTroutZoneContests@gmail.com">TheTroutZoneContests@gmail.com</a> and give me your name and a suggestion of a new place I might want to add to my list of destinations to check out someday. No need to offer any secrets or honey holes, although I will be glad to keep it under my hat if you so request. Just let me know if you want me to keep your suggestions "secret." </p><p>The winner will be selected using a random number generator sometime in early to mid April. We'll let this contest run for approximately a month again, and I'll send a reminder to enter in my next email newsletter. Thanks again for supporting my blog!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3nMbAcfnBm1QMwjg7wOSh8NsnYzz_JGrcnQMGH1KjHXdtrVHqiNmXiBR94MSxIZh2fYlRrkC9ZXoclJcU6gdVE5giWIcyabqe2NnQNijyibYGV2rGE1w4wM4BTP4EfmQlik7-gLZwo3tXAj5luF5mNvHmT4nZ7-qgGUAf1NNQRMI1zRYTw/s540/IMG_0624%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh3nMbAcfnBm1QMwjg7wOSh8NsnYzz_JGrcnQMGH1KjHXdtrVHqiNmXiBR94MSxIZh2fYlRrkC9ZXoclJcU6gdVE5giWIcyabqe2NnQNijyibYGV2rGE1w4wM4BTP4EfmQlik7-gLZwo3tXAj5luF5mNvHmT4nZ7-qgGUAf1NNQRMI1zRYTw/s16000/IMG_0624%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qxmhuuwLEONlouZTAzmUP5Bwd4zEOwiavm-Qn8LCVvfqeht0M4YoJTHyMlfWoei0YJkUL0wz2CP8q3a6-7z-U4ZsyO6Nz3tISreCtkzlD5vidpBoZgt7ey9_AGNNGMxVarFkBg7glMidj3okOIuPRYjHkkbJaon1K4BKFVKR2eKfoc0LJg/s540/IMG_0625%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qxmhuuwLEONlouZTAzmUP5Bwd4zEOwiavm-Qn8LCVvfqeht0M4YoJTHyMlfWoei0YJkUL0wz2CP8q3a6-7z-U4ZsyO6Nz3tISreCtkzlD5vidpBoZgt7ey9_AGNNGMxVarFkBg7glMidj3okOIuPRYjHkkbJaon1K4BKFVKR2eKfoc0LJg/s16000/IMG_0625%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-1876292455326800622023-02-12T09:13:00.002-06:002023-02-12T09:13:36.286-06:00Fly Box Winner<p>Thank you to everyone who participated in the fly box giveaway contest! We had some great entries. To be completely fair and unbiased, I utilized a random number generator. Entries were assigned a number based on the order they were received. With this method, the winner is Alonzo Holbrook. I'll be reaching out with an email to see what the best way to get your new fly box to you is! Congratulations! </p><p>If you didn't win but are interested in trying again, keep an eye out both here and on the Trout Zone Anglers newsletter. I'll start another giveaway soon. Don't forget, if you can't wait, you can visit <a href="http://www.rivertraditions.com">www.rivertraditions.com</a> and customize your own box. </p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-54751849405580797062023-02-11T21:04:00.002-06:002023-02-11T21:04:30.177-06:00Colorado 2022 Day Four: Our First Moving Day<p>By the end, we would realize that the whole trip was probably a little optimistic with a one year old toddler. However it also worked out more or less. We had only spent three nights in our tent and were ready to move to the next campground. This was a short move, just over the ridge in fact. </p><p>For me, no trip to Rocky Mountain National Park would be complete without fishing the headwaters of the Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley. You might remember my love of fishing meadow streams that I mentioned in the very last Colorado trip post. If you haven't read that one yet, check it out here:</p><p><a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2023/01/colorado-2022-day-three-rain-sight.html" target="_blank">Colorado Day Three</a></p><p>The stream meandering through Kawuneeche Valley is very similar to many of the other meadow streams I fish, right down to the undercut banks and brown trout. Of course, each one has its own unique flavor. Best of all, this one flies a little under the radar. It isn't super easy to fish these streams, so most anglers skip over this type of water in favor of more "famous" nearby destinations. That's just fine with me. </p><p>Our move was partly made to enable me to fish this favorite stream, but we also wanted to get some hiking in on new terrain. We had been eying two particular hikes. Eventually, a chat with a Park ranger would help us nail down which hike to do. More on that another day. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8xrRpzhFWJr9hJaHEVfWlXV1zlW3eepqcEu7vagpf7jvrIYZyYufLXaGZsqiXhlUSLBrIZzT2x05JUp9D47oqqIKFjphHtxB-TfM5Pqz5dI5JlI_j4RPfR_Xn73kwhOlkq5d_SGA-VlqMHTNKRpi_qTFywGUGrTE3-BASbf28gcpa72i1g/s640/BB4A1121-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8xrRpzhFWJr9hJaHEVfWlXV1zlW3eepqcEu7vagpf7jvrIYZyYufLXaGZsqiXhlUSLBrIZzT2x05JUp9D47oqqIKFjphHtxB-TfM5Pqz5dI5JlI_j4RPfR_Xn73kwhOlkq5d_SGA-VlqMHTNKRpi_qTFywGUGrTE3-BASbf28gcpa72i1g/s16000/BB4A1121-1%20640.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Anyway, we woke up to a soggy world. Water was dripping off of all the trees, but the sky was promising a nice day. The clouds were breaking in dramatic fashion as the Continental Divide just above came in and out of view. We enjoyed breakfast, and finally the sun started to come out. We were able to get things put up mostly dry thankfully</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMF4kvZ5hBxU5BvVmiZaAJGCb__ryWZRXYV2eCqDdvcAgp-H1JcOY6DQ-WQ5a8tWWbvPf8sU5lSz3qSTxw7FhzTBTevdLiTEmD-FED19B9E4nkuYVk3ERoiyjzL3d5Q5jXA67rHbNIHHi7tIGZPsJEGqGIYl-0MMH6ceMg62QJeopfOab2Q/s540/IMG_7793-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMF4kvZ5hBxU5BvVmiZaAJGCb__ryWZRXYV2eCqDdvcAgp-H1JcOY6DQ-WQ5a8tWWbvPf8sU5lSz3qSTxw7FhzTBTevdLiTEmD-FED19B9E4nkuYVk3ERoiyjzL3d5Q5jXA67rHbNIHHi7tIGZPsJEGqGIYl-0MMH6ceMg62QJeopfOab2Q/s16000/IMG_7793-1%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Before driving over Trail Ridge Road to the Timber Creek Campground, we needed a few groceries. Timing is everything on these trips. With a few days in between town stops, we tried to plan our meals 3-4 days out at a time and buy food accordingly. It would have been a lot easier to bring more with us and eliminate some of the town trips, but we were crammed into my wife's Corolla like sardines. At some point on this trip, we decided that any future long distance road trips with little ones would require a bigger car if we were camping. However, those cost money both on the front end and on the operating end with increased gas costs. We can do these trips on the cheap with the gas mileage her little car gets. So, you win some and lose some. </p><p>After the quick trip into Estes Park and the local Safeway, we were off over the mountain. The drive was much more scenic than the previous day's drive up the Old Fall River road in the fog. We enjoyed the big views, but were also glad to get to our next destination. These moving days are never as quick as you expect, and a toddler increases the time at every step. </p><p>We arrived later in the day than we had hoped, so we immediately started putting up camp and getting settled in. After all our chores and supper, I walked down to the stream flowing behind the camp. The North Fork of the Colorado River meanders through this beautiful valley. The rain from the last couple of days had stained the stream more than I expected, but brown trout don't mind. In fact, it might actually benefit me! More on that over the next couple of days worth of posts...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzdXH9Jxm9QyAvPADEC4UBdZFRMOZV4Z4M9k6GhTKTzeht5oMBe3N_2pFn49P5QHHAQ0xrpyuZaJFF2A1c1Dvxnigs53PeSTX6VhLzUSJCBHb1a-yu_D4LFTgYbkrSLDKDhkVYW71hOaPp6QgegBGhq5Km7ChmPYWsQpYWMSDMzi9qaiLdg/s540/IMG_7800-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzdXH9Jxm9QyAvPADEC4UBdZFRMOZV4Z4M9k6GhTKTzeht5oMBe3N_2pFn49P5QHHAQ0xrpyuZaJFF2A1c1Dvxnigs53PeSTX6VhLzUSJCBHb1a-yu_D4LFTgYbkrSLDKDhkVYW71hOaPp6QgegBGhq5Km7ChmPYWsQpYWMSDMzi9qaiLdg/s16000/IMG_7800-1%20540.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-44132049730449275422023-01-23T12:28:00.000-06:002023-01-23T12:28:01.391-06:00Fly Tying Demo at Little River Outfitters February 5, 2023<p>For those of you in the area who are interested, I will be doing a fly tying demo at Little River Outfitters in Townsend on February 5, 2023. I'm still debating what flies to tie, so if you have any requests, let me know in the comments below, email me, or shoot me a text. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!</p>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-25756845411740353242023-01-23T12:24:00.005-06:002023-01-23T12:24:54.919-06:00Colorado 2022 Day Three: Rain, Sight Seeing at Sprague Lake, and Fishing the Big Thompson in Moraine Park<p>While this was only our third full day in Colorado, a theme would begin to emerge that would eventually really become a serious problem. Rain. Still, we were early enough into our trip that we weren't concerned, other than trying to figure out how to keep the little one entertained and happy. There was plenty of time for the weather to return to the clear sunny days with seasonably warm temperatures we were hoping for. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Morning In Camp</h3><div>Thankfully, our morning started out pleasant enough. The clouds were spilling over the divide, suggesting that the majority of Trail Ridge Road was probably socked in with fog, clouds, and perhaps even rain. Still, some early sun slanted in to camp and warmed things just enough that a light jacket was all we needed. </div><div><br /></div><div>Little bit enjoyed exploring around camp a little more than she had been able to thus far. We examined rocks, sticks, flowers, and of course any wild critters brave enough to stick around. This meant mostly small things like birds, chipmunks, and ground squirrels. While these smaller versions of the pictures don't do the scene justice, one of my favorite pictures from this day was of her interacting with a group of magpies. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazVZwUhkw5PT9k2QQMjGinBAntazsGrQxQG40KjdgfQZZMckG1ZVHm14mu0P3tP_pXTCSqTrwzRupwTPzey8H0KA7Pd1JFizxm-Ru53mDUUsTKlPeU5BA-mjvrCJ-ANl6FCgAxBATs6IqXJ9x0O5QXaBhfxiByXZZN-93zKCmJ6vJxVZNdA/s540/BB4A1042-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Black-billed magpie in Rocky Mountain National Park at Moraine Park Campground" border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjazVZwUhkw5PT9k2QQMjGinBAntazsGrQxQG40KjdgfQZZMckG1ZVHm14mu0P3tP_pXTCSqTrwzRupwTPzey8H0KA7Pd1JFizxm-Ru53mDUUsTKlPeU5BA-mjvrCJ-ANl6FCgAxBATs6IqXJ9x0O5QXaBhfxiByXZZN-93zKCmJ6vJxVZNdA/s16000/BB4A1042-1%20540.jpg" title="Moraine Park Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park Black-billed Magpie" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Black-billed Magpie at Moraine Park Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park" <i>2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>We had been walking slowly down the road from our campsite, learning to identify flowers and other goodies, when this flock of magpies flew in. Notorious for foraging anywhere people have been dropping things, these birds were constantly around the campground along with the jays. In other words, when getting ready to eat, we had to keep a close eye on both the little rodents (chipmunks, etc) and also the sky for potential robbers. The little one began walking slowly towards the nearest bird. Ultimately, she got much closer than I would ever have been able to before they finally flew off. It is amazing to me how wild critters seem to know that small children are not a threat. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7FGlwjbNx-1dLES4JuA2hXik1UCAGlQ7DUMBGZCy-3QSmgAiCL3_VrfxejrPeZvla_Da7aTsvV306r5yphpN-FL1FTL-McQqIeJmuId00kQOyGERgJ_ZVj2qUZJaFZlcKq_6cad_bjpnrYtsSno47YteqSsfWzhakuruXbSnvD-fRpJ20w/s640/IMG_7776-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Approaching a black-billed magpie in Moraine Park Campground" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7FGlwjbNx-1dLES4JuA2hXik1UCAGlQ7DUMBGZCy-3QSmgAiCL3_VrfxejrPeZvla_Da7aTsvV306r5yphpN-FL1FTL-McQqIeJmuId00kQOyGERgJ_ZVj2qUZJaFZlcKq_6cad_bjpnrYtsSno47YteqSsfWzhakuruXbSnvD-fRpJ20w/s16000/IMG_7776-1%20640.jpg" title="Moraine Park Campground black-billed magpie approached by a toddler" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Approaching a Black-billed Magpie" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYfXZJ507_H3CsLEhAYTE-gA5vdxcfLFYnSRSK6cacF9wQdUbMnyTk5ie05YgMWwPYwcsr9zBFctMV-2NNB2N9G-8osaiIfCqgIO9XCqSKMDNG7f_qkKPvkYonyj2jrGfBJ17-fBe1EuEacaEt3zet7MrTLV8gSOsJlsPaDxAgKxSYGoKNA/s640/IMG_7778-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Taking flight when the little human gets too close" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtYfXZJ507_H3CsLEhAYTE-gA5vdxcfLFYnSRSK6cacF9wQdUbMnyTk5ie05YgMWwPYwcsr9zBFctMV-2NNB2N9G-8osaiIfCqgIO9XCqSKMDNG7f_qkKPvkYonyj2jrGfBJ17-fBe1EuEacaEt3zet7MrTLV8gSOsJlsPaDxAgKxSYGoKNA/s16000/IMG_7778-1%20640.jpg" title="Little human gets to close and prompts birds to take flight" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Taking Flight" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Back at our campsite, we also enjoyed some other wild critters. These little guys were pretty bold, but not so bold as at some future campsites. Still, we had to keep a general eye on them to make sure they didn't get in our car, tent, or food.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmn6s9UHkJFUnxXMCeGwWRfT9UeihDRjBxE1Sufl5e1GHu0-Z7VNs6BVKwltdgb8L0cOyzcRnmUqnNhiJNWiWG_U_72IwZju5t0ozM2Bn2B4JmN3BqCey5x6XemJPW9A4bNa_KY5xGhqZhzyZMZpaSTWmuFUJIKPv_uGREQ3sJ7DQ6tL6rQ/s540/BB4A1067-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chipmunk in Moraine Park Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmn6s9UHkJFUnxXMCeGwWRfT9UeihDRjBxE1Sufl5e1GHu0-Z7VNs6BVKwltdgb8L0cOyzcRnmUqnNhiJNWiWG_U_72IwZju5t0ozM2Bn2B4JmN3BqCey5x6XemJPW9A4bNa_KY5xGhqZhzyZMZpaSTWmuFUJIKPv_uGREQ3sJ7DQ6tL6rQ/s16000/BB4A1067-1%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park Moraine Park Campground chipmunk" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Chipmunk" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography<br /><br /></i><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_L8HbVWuGOyCS8eybvntgL2-9twIT1ANpV19L915dxIlDFaCgdul5Wp-6zm3ac9608LE_j8d-geKBgmME257BSQPCOgf_1FxBmMGMkrgOBN3EPb1Ca2Ws3sNIOLTFbMCX2MED_tIOJV2dkrpx3gGqmEZ1kk6U87frj46qBDEFvbKma0PXw/s540/BB4A1071-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel in Moraine Park Campground in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo_L8HbVWuGOyCS8eybvntgL2-9twIT1ANpV19L915dxIlDFaCgdul5Wp-6zm3ac9608LE_j8d-geKBgmME257BSQPCOgf_1FxBmMGMkrgOBN3EPb1Ca2Ws3sNIOLTFbMCX2MED_tIOJV2dkrpx3gGqmEZ1kk6U87frj46qBDEFvbKma0PXw/s16000/BB4A1071-1%20540.jpg" title="Moraine Park Campground Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel in Rocky Mountain National Park" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Nap Time and Lunch</h3><div>Not long after this exploring episode, light rain began to move in. Not wanting to all get chilled down and sick this early in our trip, we decided some car time might be appropriate. After driving clear across the country, this wasn't the plan little bit wanted to hear about. However, with assurances of some interesting things to see, she relented to a drive. We had some ulterior motives as it was about nap time. A longer drive seemed appropriate, so we set off up the Old Fall River Road. That was quite the experience in our small Toyota Corolla. The potholes and ruts were worse than I remembered, but of course it had been a long time ago. </div><div><br /></div><div>We hit fog and clouds partway up, so there were NO views to be had up high. Eventually, we made it to the top and started driving back down towards camp on Trail Ridge Road. The fog was impressive, but we were glad to have additional days ahead of us to return and enjoy the views that were absent on this day. Thankfully, light rain and fog seemed the perfect recipe to help the little one sleep. </div><div><br /></div><div>Eventually, we headed in to Estes Park were I wanted to enjoy some pizza that I remembered being excellent. Poppy's Pizza and Grill still had some great offerings. The hot pizza was way better than trying to picnic out in the cold rain. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fly Fishing the Big Thompson in Moraine Park</h3><div>After a delicious lunch, we needed to figure out how to kill some time in the afternoon. One of the big treats for me on trips out west involves fishing water types that I don't have back home here in Tennessee. At the very top of my list of places to experience on these trips is <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2018/12/fly-fishing-gibbon-river-in-yellowstone.html" target="_blank">meadow streams that contain brown trout</a>. Not only do these meadow streams provide ideal habitat for one of my favorite fish, but they contain structure that is very different from our mountain streams and lowland tailwaters here in Tennessee. Undercut banks are a joy to fish, so I was hoping to hit at least two streams in Rocky Mountain National Park that contained this type of water.</div><div><br /></div><div>Both the Big Thompson River flowing through Moraine Park and the headwaters of the Colorado River in Kawuneeche Valley offer meandering meadow sections with undercut banks. Both of these streams are chock full of wild brown trout along with the occasional brook trout among other possible species. My target is brown trout, of course. </div><div><br /></div><div>My preferred method to fish these streams involves looking for reaction bites from the resident trout. While my tactics are a bit unusual, the results are normally stellar. On this rainy day, I knew that my usual techniques were not necessarily perfect, but sometimes you just want to fish how you want to fish. </div><div><br /></div><div>As it turns out, with the weather that was moving in and out, I would have been better off with a light rod and some blue-winged olive imitations. I started off well enough, catching several fine brown trout on my unorthodox methods. However, once the bugs started, the fish really just wanted the little olives and I started wishing I had brought more flies with me. The large flies I was using still picked up the occasional fish, but I also knew I was missing a lot of fish.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwLNmgAvE2YyO7bIlkmI_qLDudMUlLACiqBsB35tDZBegA0UHcbVli2-ww_Bsz9Wrur5XXkpPiCU0hhOQGLcBK8x4bl91mTseTcAm0-525a5QJIHIIxxUAElFjsYZEVVCnV1Sq27i_KlfR2J73S6iTN1tA-s-tmoiFwEG-PRciAvSklfmrg/s540/IMG_7783-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Big Thompson River Moraine Park brown trout" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAwLNmgAvE2YyO7bIlkmI_qLDudMUlLACiqBsB35tDZBegA0UHcbVli2-ww_Bsz9Wrur5XXkpPiCU0hhOQGLcBK8x4bl91mTseTcAm0-525a5QJIHIIxxUAElFjsYZEVVCnV1Sq27i_KlfR2J73S6iTN1tA-s-tmoiFwEG-PRciAvSklfmrg/s16000/IMG_7783-1%20540.jpg" title="Brown trout from the Big Thompson River in Moraine Park" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Big Thompson River in Moraine Park brown trout" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Two bend pools in particular convinced me that my methods were about through for the day. I saw the first couple of rises as I crept up towards the pool. By the time I was in position, 4-5 fish were rising steadily and my large fly briefly put them down. However, the draw of so much food soon brought them back up. They were rising amongst the splashes from my larger fly, simultaneously dodging my offerings while also feeding on the natural olives. The next pool was even crazier with 8-10 fish rising. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfcUUpdYhys-eBSB9JUVKMdg_b2vxTv8Q80SDCoAo0EQNxVR-yZ5Sc2Ur_B66qqggTZ-q26BZHOa_ocY20UtOxocYwPHNyeAmX5DS-3Zx8GaeNp_XXfJsJLkftMcgnDLbmX84zBrCFB8_wzWDSy-kCuHcKAYqGQyOn2_Edmkh0Wu3TfhLTA/s540/IMG_7786-1-2%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Big Thompson River Moraine Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfcUUpdYhys-eBSB9JUVKMdg_b2vxTv8Q80SDCoAo0EQNxVR-yZ5Sc2Ur_B66qqggTZ-q26BZHOa_ocY20UtOxocYwPHNyeAmX5DS-3Zx8GaeNp_XXfJsJLkftMcgnDLbmX84zBrCFB8_wzWDSy-kCuHcKAYqGQyOn2_Edmkh0Wu3TfhLTA/s16000/IMG_7786-1-2%20540.jpg" title="Moraine Park and Big Thompson River" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Big Thompson River in Moraine Park Meadow Stream" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>I had already fished about an hour and the rain was starting again, so I decided it was time to head back to the car. The family had been out enjoying the meadow as well, but with the rain starting, they had already started back. It was in everyone's best interest to call it on fishing this day. I had found a few great fish before the hatch really got going. Time to head on to the next adventure...</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Sprague Lake Scenery and Brook Trout</h3><div>With a steady drizzle setting in, we didn't want to head back to camp yet. Our only option there for staying dry was to crawl into our small tent. It was way too early in the day to do that. So we turned the car towards Sprague Lake on the Bear Lake Road. I remembered something from a previous trip I hoped would still be accurate.</div><div><br /></div><div>When we arrived, the rain had eased off to just some very light mist. With a full winter snowsuit to put on the little one and rain coats for ourselves, we decided to brave the weather for a few minutes. I grabbed my camera, hoping my memory was accurate. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0N0-UA64QSu1VHNUSMyIhOq4kRMKLSzhnfZDY5tm4J8Lp8_qm7ABWsijDDBGYuW7Xr7auPpT6K7ryZ7Jqmt1nFqk7Nu2erM3JxA879qdWczXv5yuUqy2u0JpzyxHMQnWcjVArtUl1Yz7qanuA-JNxYEW_B6IxxLDCTgkP2hRnvOgEr1W2Q/s540/BB4A1089-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fog and clouds at Sprague Lake" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0N0-UA64QSu1VHNUSMyIhOq4kRMKLSzhnfZDY5tm4J8Lp8_qm7ABWsijDDBGYuW7Xr7auPpT6K7ryZ7Jqmt1nFqk7Nu2erM3JxA879qdWczXv5yuUqy2u0JpzyxHMQnWcjVArtUl1Yz7qanuA-JNxYEW_B6IxxLDCTgkP2hRnvOgEr1W2Q/s16000/BB4A1089-1%20540.jpg" title="Sprague Lake fog and clouds" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Foggy Day at Sprague Lake" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Sure enough. In the inlet stream to Sprague Lake were numerous large brook trout. They were there to spawn, and while I wasn't interested in targeting these fish with a fly rod, I was interested in getting some neat pictures if possible. I generally recommend leaving spawning fish alone from an angling perspective. While I won't get into all the reasons here, let's just say that a camera feels a lot more sporting. Here are a couple of the better shots I got.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHU752JSI7z9ivPTormhHmSEDl-j8be4SLuthHDptQSza5eVY3B5XkVdqXNtfbIfZ2beZU5gQn0u6aG1Ijy_wIj1MrO_7iqNIyKQAtKGbzvNzCxxmwfI-XPL-kNNrYno40V_pGbgoPgjlBrvvKfVJXF5l4FjR3nbCrg7JzeDfFb6gyZpNww/s540/BB4A1078-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Brook trout at Sprague Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRHU752JSI7z9ivPTormhHmSEDl-j8be4SLuthHDptQSza5eVY3B5XkVdqXNtfbIfZ2beZU5gQn0u6aG1Ijy_wIj1MrO_7iqNIyKQAtKGbzvNzCxxmwfI-XPL-kNNrYno40V_pGbgoPgjlBrvvKfVJXF5l4FjR3nbCrg7JzeDfFb6gyZpNww/s16000/BB4A1078-1%20540.jpg" title="Sprague Lake brook trout in Rocky Mountain National Park" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudJ8lNvmQxLRRXFrMVuivQd2ykqdFg5VuGCHKrMO2hYkR7Sx047MdZ6EYrfdvt8c9xuSrp6TKCzjW_5UhRp_UuQFxksfL-_03I0yVTNNV9Soj-jvEYlt1c6zTRrTXpTzf30EBm7_SYWH9MpBjTu03vIf273qHoipyo8PpkWYaVvuLsKZJqg/s540/BB4A1101-1-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Spawning brook trout at Sprague Lake" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudJ8lNvmQxLRRXFrMVuivQd2ykqdFg5VuGCHKrMO2hYkR7Sx047MdZ6EYrfdvt8c9xuSrp6TKCzjW_5UhRp_UuQFxksfL-_03I0yVTNNV9Soj-jvEYlt1c6zTRrTXpTzf30EBm7_SYWH9MpBjTu03vIf273qHoipyo8PpkWYaVvuLsKZJqg/s16000/BB4A1101-1-1%20540.jpg" title="Sprague Lake spawning brook trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>It didn't take long for the drizzle to start again. We decided to head back to camp and get supper early. A huge benefit of our particular campsite were the thick pine trees growing over our picnic table area. They were keeping a large portion of our table dry, so we were able to enjoy supper while staying dry. With everything so damp, we headed to bed early. The next day was moving day and we needed some energy! We hoped for clear skies and moderating temperatures on the morrow...</div><div><br /></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-27545214747455724412023-01-09T19:54:00.007-06:002023-02-12T09:06:36.803-06:00Fly Box Giveaway (Closed)<p>Giveaway is closed. Watch for the next one soon!</p><p>As promised in my recent <a href="https://mailchi.mp/98a04a22af2e/winter-streamer-and-musky-season-is-here-january-2023" target="_blank">email newsletter</a>, here is the first of several fly box giveaways. I might add some other goodies along the way also. I just want to say thanks for supporting both this blog and my guide service via the email newsletter.</p><p>There are a couple of things you need to do to enter. First, send an email to T<b>heTroutZoneContests@gmail.com</b> and tell me where you plan to take the new fly box fishing. Second, you must be subscribed to the Trout Zone Anglers email newsletter to win. If you are already subscribed, you're good to go. If you haven't subscribed yet, you can do so in one of a few different ways. First, the easiest way is to use the signup form below. You can also tell me in the email to subscribe you, and I'll add you manually. Finally, you can also visit my guide site, <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com" target="_blank">Trout Zone Anglers</a>, and find the sign up form there as well.</p><p>This fly box is engraved by my good friend David over at River Traditions. If you haven't seen his stuff and can't wait until you win this box, you can order your own box <a href="https://rivertraditions.com/products/personalized-aluminum-fly-box-with-foam-insert" target="_blank">HERE</a>. You can personalize the box however you like when you order from him. The box in this giveaway features an angler casting and has "Trout Zone Anglers" engraved on it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI21TiGvGnVGcb6yJm0bmMUNd59gNCSF6wKnR97Z9hcZ-AZ-n592ZMvg1v0plin9oxNDxt6_G8iaU-azPI1H35SjutGLybwnk20NkB90XCq5Noo3pxkS6n_D4TL4K0ZZF17vek754t-f_JgjYUjoz9_mcAmJrMURgyhuJnEdqs8ROMsNWc9A/s540/IMG_9815%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI21TiGvGnVGcb6yJm0bmMUNd59gNCSF6wKnR97Z9hcZ-AZ-n592ZMvg1v0plin9oxNDxt6_G8iaU-azPI1H35SjutGLybwnk20NkB90XCq5Noo3pxkS6n_D4TL4K0ZZF17vek754t-f_JgjYUjoz9_mcAmJrMURgyhuJnEdqs8ROMsNWc9A/s320/IMG_9815%20540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The inside is perfect for a variety of standard trout flies with slotted foam inserts that work great for nymphs, midges, or even some dry flies. This box will hold up to 282 flies. If you are using larger sized flies, you'll probably want to skip every other slot like I do so I can still grab flies without knocking others out, but it will still hold a LOT of flies. Best of all, this is light weight aluminum. A lot of the premium boxes on the market today are VERY tough, but that comes with a significant weight tradeoff. I like lighter aluminum boxes for my wading pack so I'm not lugging around many pounds of fly boxes. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1sgUncFNaAJw5av_T4JTXpZVeyNzviEPg4W0pks1V098-_5ZQBPf6x6v7eTLR0spess3sM4pwpfXyxEJX8iWd5xeDHbBR55f-FYzGeEz9gv_vf0C_tOiCT9yKsv1az3QGNhFhjJS0kKyTvxLEtsvGzxj_PcXj2ICtciduGTRoo5C5FwKZg/s540/IMG_9819%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT1sgUncFNaAJw5av_T4JTXpZVeyNzviEPg4W0pks1V098-_5ZQBPf6x6v7eTLR0spess3sM4pwpfXyxEJX8iWd5xeDHbBR55f-FYzGeEz9gv_vf0C_tOiCT9yKsv1az3QGNhFhjJS0kKyTvxLEtsvGzxj_PcXj2ICtciduGTRoo5C5FwKZg/s320/IMG_9819%20540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This contest will run for about a month. I'll use a random number generator to select a winner sometime during the first couple of weeks in February. I'll announce the winner here on the blog and will also reach out via email. If you see a post here announcing you're the winner but haven't received an email, please reach out to me. </p><p>Again, to enter, send me an email at the above address AND make sure you are signed up for the Trout Zone Anglers newsletter. See the signup form in the sidebar OR find it at <a href="http://www.troutzoneanglers.com">www.troutzoneanglers.com</a>. </p><p><br /></p>
David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-3413469270507819822023-01-06T12:07:00.001-06:002023-01-06T12:07:37.917-06:00Colorado 2022 Day Two: Fishing and Hiking to Loch Vale, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park<p>This was a hiking day that I had been looking forward to more than almost any other on our trip. However, it was not just excitement. A small element of trepidation had also snuck in. So why was I feeling so conflicted about this hike?</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Preparing for Our Hike to Loch Vale, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond</h3><p>First, you should know that this is a hike I have wanted to do for a long time. While I should have knocked it out when I actually lived an hour away, those days are long gone, and you can't live on shoulda coulda. Fast forward to early 2022 when I first floated the idea of a Colorado trip to my wife. As I was researching different hikes to include on our trip, this one just seemed like a natural fit. Based on our prior <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2021/03/glacier-day-eight-hiking-to-siyeh-pass-hiking-to-piegan-pass-wildflowers.html" target="_blank">adventures in Glacier National Park</a>, I knew that some longer high elevation hikes were ideal for us. This is the type of hiking we love and largely why we enjoy traveling. Even for local hikes, we are just as likely to knock out a bunch of miles as we are to go for a short stroll. But, and this was the important part, the elevation difference between Glacier and Rocky Mountain National Park was significant. </p><p>In Glacier, our highest hike was just over 8,000 feet above sea level while this particular hike in Colorado would start out above 9,000 feet and end just a touch shy of 11,000 feet above sea level. Leah had dealt with elevation sickness at the Medicine Wheel and this hike would get significantly higher than that. I had previously dealt with it as well at high altitude in Colorado some years ago on multiple occasions. On each occasion for both of us, the main common denominator had been that we had tried hiking at altitude too soon after arriving from the lowlands of the eastern US. As this was precisely what we would be doing on this trip, I was a little nervous. Oh, and did I mention I would be carrying a one year old and everything else that goes along with a baby, plus my camera, water and some Tenkara equipment? </p><p>The actual distance didn't worry us. I've lugged the toddler around in her pack out to 15 or so miles. While tired afterwards, I could have gone more no problem. We have done 20 mile days, so something half of that or less isn't bad at all. The thin air would be our primary nemesis. Living on the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee is slightly better than sea level, but we are still just a touch over 1,800 feet in elevation, much too low to have any benefit once we hit the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The absolute highest elevation hikes we can do in the Smokies are still essentially like hiking in the foothills in Colorado. When I say foothills, I mean at the foot of the foothills or nearly so.</p><p>Before our trip, we had both put in a little extra effort. This mostly involved doing everything in our power to boost our cardiovascular capacity. That is, we did some running, including mixing in at least a little interval training, and I had been <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2022/11/annual-fall-backpacking-trip-2022-day-2.html" target="_blank">backpacking on my now annual brook trout trip</a>. Of course, we also spent some time out on the trails around home, particularly carrying the toddler around on my back at least occasionally to get my body used to the abuse. Thus, we were about as prepared as could be considering that we literally arrived in Colorado and then immediately headed out on one of the hardest hikes of our entire trip. In the end, that might have actually been a good idea for more reasons than we would realize for a while. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Morning of Our Hike to Loch Vale, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond</h3><p>Fast forward just a bit and we are in Colorado. We woke up to an absolutely perfect day. Knowing the chance of foul weather would sneak up on us the next day, we were intent on making the most of this day. After all, these big hikes are always the highlight of any trip we do. The sun was warm and the air promised a perfect day. I had to snap a quick picture of our Big Agnes tent nestled amongst the pines at the Moraine Park campground where we camped for our first three nights on this trip.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWUoa1u5DyvBfpizW0pGTH782gJwzpH0aN8G54slDSVzXBwQu55jZzPNqJHT_VE31af7ziE2DBu46kJPQcBuD3pKJ_w-JXttmLrqX1t53F00H_Vsz0asimw80r2PeVYnv0aJ-KrurVW1TIjXe27EzU-4o_5VIneZsFO_pzsBTicDDMvx0Cg/s640/IMG_7663-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Big Agnes Tent at Moraine Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWUoa1u5DyvBfpizW0pGTH782gJwzpH0aN8G54slDSVzXBwQu55jZzPNqJHT_VE31af7ziE2DBu46kJPQcBuD3pKJ_w-JXttmLrqX1t53F00H_Vsz0asimw80r2PeVYnv0aJ-KrurVW1TIjXe27EzU-4o_5VIneZsFO_pzsBTicDDMvx0Cg/s16000/IMG_7663-1%20640.jpg" title="Camping at Moraine Park in our Big Agnes Tent" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Camping in our Big Agnes Tent in Moraine Park Campground" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>I think we had slightly underestimated the amount of work that it would be to care for a toddler on an extended camping trip. However, on this day, we mostly got going smoothly. Not quite early enough, unfortunately, but early enough to get this hike done during daylight hours. As with most particularly scenic and well known National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park has a problem of being loved to death. On the east side of the Park, this manifests itself as jam packed parking lots, much the same as we experienced in Glacier National Park. Thankfully, with COVID becoming more and more a thing of the past, the National Park Service operated hiker shuttle was operating. Once we determined that there was no parking at the Glacier Gorge trailhead, we quickly headed back down to the Park and Ride to have breakfast (a tradition we started in Glacier) and get ready for our hike.</p><p>The routine <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2021/01/glacier-national-park-day-two-hiking-and-fishing-at-Snyder-Lake.html" target="_blank">we established in Glacier National Park</a> again served us well, although since we ended up on the shuttle it was probably not necessary. This ended up being the only time we used this routine on the Colorado trip, but for reasons you'll find out more on later. We had breakfast at our car at the Park and Ride and also fixed our lunch sandwiches and packed our backpacks. For me, that meant a DSLR camera, Tenkara gear, baby diapers, wipes, and a change of clothes, water, water filter, and a few "emergency" type items such as a couple of ways to start fire, bandaids, ace bandage, and don't forget some extra bags for carrying dirty diapers. Thankfully, my wife agreed to carry my lunch in addition to hers and the baby's since I would be carrying the little one. </p><p>Once all of these tasks were complete and we changed diapers a time or two, we finally boarded the shuttle bus and headed up the mountain towards the Glacier Gorge trailhead. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTaddS_9C-TCkZFTbven3aLbGG7NOqCr7qa47aRQyHsRx9jas2VfV02hUKEDIakwpIMAtPbQkH9kIEO4ZkTuBWzigMsJAkHUYGMGQE9jejsTO-EOOoSgsDKNcjf3fu8ucW801P_9ft4CheFPgWg0QjY5vJnjm108jng4a3dGR_GulbCtinQ/s640/IMG_7666-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Glacier Gorge Trailhead map" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyTaddS_9C-TCkZFTbven3aLbGG7NOqCr7qa47aRQyHsRx9jas2VfV02hUKEDIakwpIMAtPbQkH9kIEO4ZkTuBWzigMsJAkHUYGMGQE9jejsTO-EOOoSgsDKNcjf3fu8ucW801P_9ft4CheFPgWg0QjY5vJnjm108jng4a3dGR_GulbCtinQ/s16000/IMG_7666-1%20640.jpg" title="Trailhead map of Glacier Gorge" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Glacier Gorge trailhead map" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking to Alberta Falls From the Glacier Gorge Trailhead</h3><p>A bonus on this hike to Sky Pond would be catching a glimpse of Alberta Falls. This beautiful waterfall is right alongside the trail and impossible to miss.</p><p>Timing for our trip largely centered around what we hoped would be a good amount of fall foliage. On this day, we started seeing some early signs of fall with plenty of golden aspen, but most trees were still either green or just barely starting to turn. We snapped a few pictures while we hiked, but mostly just kept our heads down and cranked out the miles. We hoped to eat lunch up at one of the high lakes that were our main goals for the hike.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7XP3Me0aYGLN-5JiQc2o1xVXOm5I182KLnqtjPS57j7AYICxqWAeS4OleTTlRheao45Ievzo_tkYjRClEteGZGKkxgJiFrlx62tfCYgn3blNRL8T-3PF1tHbMgvjY9mgX0l9yOhKbaj38b7FNoXU5f4XaTGNIrxAI39X_OwgehYLBuX04Zw/s540/IMG_7671-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hiking the Loch Vale Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7XP3Me0aYGLN-5JiQc2o1xVXOm5I182KLnqtjPS57j7AYICxqWAeS4OleTTlRheao45Ievzo_tkYjRClEteGZGKkxgJiFrlx62tfCYgn3blNRL8T-3PF1tHbMgvjY9mgX0l9yOhKbaj38b7FNoXU5f4XaTGNIrxAI39X_OwgehYLBuX04Zw/s16000/IMG_7671-1%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park hiking on the Loch Vale Trail" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hiking the Trail to Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Alberta Falls was gorgeous, but the lighting was simply never good when we happened to be hiking by. With a heavy toddler that was starting to feel even chunkier than I remembered, keeping our rhythm hiking was more important than forcing some shots that I knew wouldn't turn out the way I wanted. Many people appeared to be stopping at the falls. We were just getting warmed up and set our sights higher.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking to Loch Vale from Glacier Gorge Trailhead</h3><div>The hike to Loch Vale (also known as The Loch) is fairly simple overall. There was really only one steeper section of switchbacks not too far below the lake itself. We made good time up to this point with the baby thankfully taking a morning nap. We enjoyed the occasional yellow aspen and kept cranking out the steps. If you start at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead as we did, it is between 2.5 and 3 miles to Loch Vale. While the trail is well travelled, it is still an easy trail if you ask me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thankfully we got there in good time and were able to relax, take pictures, let the little one down to run around and play, and of course, I got to do some fishing! I'll cover the fishing part later in this blog, but when we first came up to the lake, I saw fish everywhere which is always a good sign.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJcmc3WHg1RZMq1tC7gIu0yeJfGanVvXdAlQGKHvdJATkybDR_K3Rshx73202sHtj2ravAci9ejy4J5QeMj3ULe2cX0RomlzpkHUDLuma2nozV_OItp70dJtR04cdJLuAtewe5vwZegBSCLF8VJWOO8fnnZtg2Ktp2VO94eJAVBM3s0ABwA/s540/IMG_7697-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Native cutthroat trout in Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijJcmc3WHg1RZMq1tC7gIu0yeJfGanVvXdAlQGKHvdJATkybDR_K3Rshx73202sHtj2ravAci9ejy4J5QeMj3ULe2cX0RomlzpkHUDLuma2nozV_OItp70dJtR04cdJLuAtewe5vwZegBSCLF8VJWOO8fnnZtg2Ktp2VO94eJAVBM3s0ABwA/s16000/IMG_7697-1%20540.jpg" title="Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park has lots of native cutthroat trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Rising Trout" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The scenery was the main draw of this hike and Loch Vale did not disappoint. Lying in a basin with two lakes up higher near the divide, we enjoyed the views and the sun was out as well. It was nice and warm. Little did we know that this would be one of the last truly warm days we would experience on the trip. All of us enjoyed this stop immensely! Notice the nice clear blue skies...</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzAov3LwIaFu7VFmkrww4Q2Tkjgdetn7XMBr0NtyW0FUjwFiaZjtPa_01ezsN4BarYO3F488onLBdSrcyysIPsrADCz8FhOYkzJ33Zq7YL3W2TrtuHeAu24tf0V7VXU1akEL2UYbK-X3Ru918LpzQFi-v3fWkMCcw_A-Z-dQbBOGlfJ6pcA/s640/IMG_7686-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJzAov3LwIaFu7VFmkrww4Q2Tkjgdetn7XMBr0NtyW0FUjwFiaZjtPa_01ezsN4BarYO3F488onLBdSrcyysIPsrADCz8FhOYkzJ33Zq7YL3W2TrtuHeAu24tf0V7VXU1akEL2UYbK-X3Ru918LpzQFi-v3fWkMCcw_A-Z-dQbBOGlfJ6pcA/s16000/IMG_7686-1%20640.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park Loch Vale or the Loch" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Loch Vale in Rocky Mountain National Park" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Looking up the lake, you can see the higher basin above that continues another couple of lakes. The forbidding nearly vertical rock wall that separates you from these lakes is quite the scramble as we would find out shortly. While we were enjoying all of this, little bit was enjoying exploring and playing in the dirt. In fact, I think playing in the dirt was the highlight of the trip for her. At minimum, she made plenty of time every day to do so and we had quite the challenge on our hands to try and keep her semi clean.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wKX8Qcb-FLZJelexFyACFCt5-zeBWPpybu08X1O7LKeO5ZPoZzg5dOf6vhzsE-zRG-hZlTLGP_u35sNRZj5qjQpdOSF2q92d98Qjbq7Wt542RhgcZV6gTMBAX5xfiP_4L6D2yvP6qMW3pSDW5GU5rJh_eUO-pqB-Sbc1j5p8n7X1Ut-Qow/s540/IMG_7437-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Playing in the dirt at Loch Vale" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7wKX8Qcb-FLZJelexFyACFCt5-zeBWPpybu08X1O7LKeO5ZPoZzg5dOf6vhzsE-zRG-hZlTLGP_u35sNRZj5qjQpdOSF2q92d98Qjbq7Wt542RhgcZV6gTMBAX5xfiP_4L6D2yvP6qMW3pSDW5GU5rJh_eUO-pqB-Sbc1j5p8n7X1Ut-Qow/s16000/IMG_7437-1%20540.jpg" title="Why look at Loch Vale when you can play in the dirt?" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Why enjoy the scenery when you can play in the dirt?" <i>©2022 Leah Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>After a good break that also allowed time to filter some water (a filter is much lighter than 4 liters of water!), we were ready to continue on our hike. The trail follows the edge of Loch Vale all the way up to the inlet stream where it begins to slowly climb again. The inlet stream was FULL of fish as well. I was seriously wishing we had started just a little earlier, but at this point we needed to keep moving to finish before it was too late. My goal was to fish each of the lakes, and I would only accomplish this if we stayed more or less on schedule. </div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Continuing On To Lake of Glass in Rocky Mountain National Park</h3><div>The trail beyond Loch Vale continues upward, gently at first through a beautiful evergreen forest alongside a babbling brook. Icy Brook begins high in this drainage and feeds through each lake in turn. After initially being a gentle climb, the trail began to get steeper around the trail junction for Andrews Glacier. We didn't have time to climb up to that point on this day, so we continued on towards Lake of Glass. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shortly beyond the trail split, the climb increased significantly. We soon emerged from the forest into increasingly open terrain as we were closing in on treelined. This portion of the hike was easily the most intense as far as the climb goes. Ahead, we could see the bulk of rock that we had seen from Loch Vale. Up close, we could see Timberline Falls cascading down approximately 100 feet and the trail seemingly disappeared into the rock wall to the right of the falls. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was the make or break part of our hike. Having done some rock climbing in the past, I wasn't too worried about moving up and over the rock. Having a baby on my back would make me significantly slower and more cautious though. Leah had a slightly different perspective. In fact, I think each time the story is told she reports being slightly more frightened. If this story is told another few years, she'll probably be scared to death during this climb. She is not a fan of heights, so this part was one of the most challenging things she has ever done on any of our hikes. The situation was made worse because I couldn't help her much. Instead, I had to make sure I got the baby safely up the steep climb. Thankfully, we were soon up. The view looking back down towards Loch Vale was impressive. Do you see Loch Vale here?</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmh5Y2EaI0kJ4ZLdGKcCbb1UJN56QfkyLxoHZykHswgWlOlhsW8r5Jw0nC1NS9TrVHeYLKRbOlxYBVzsoVbvOdkCyALDqDDA1ED6jOFaPVo99in1Yad_OdC-zStXMSi5PzAdfqCfmfxcv2n_KlzPkI0L629YPmuefKyd6HgUWfNp1QfWIeA/s640/IMG_7701-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking down from the top of Timberline Falls towards Loch Vale" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmh5Y2EaI0kJ4ZLdGKcCbb1UJN56QfkyLxoHZykHswgWlOlhsW8r5Jw0nC1NS9TrVHeYLKRbOlxYBVzsoVbvOdkCyALDqDDA1ED6jOFaPVo99in1Yad_OdC-zStXMSi5PzAdfqCfmfxcv2n_KlzPkI0L629YPmuefKyd6HgUWfNp1QfWIeA/s16000/IMG_7701-1%20640.jpg" title="Looking towards Loch Vale from the top of Timberline Falls" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Looking Down To Loch Vale From Timberline Falls" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>We didn't linger at this view for long. I was hungry and Leah was hungry, so you know for sure that someone else was hungry. We quickly made our way up the last short climb to the Lake of Glass. On this day, we didn't see how in the world it had gotten that name. I think it would be amazing to be here when it is perfectly calm. The reflection of the surrounding mountains would be incredible. Still, the views were amazing even if the lake was a little choppy from the wind. Note the blue sky but with a hint of clouds just over the top of the ridge.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LaUEjLDy_azgvQshyB-xMt_PbLGyW77jZ6nMW4TIRYvYsJQJtZrH5-zTnXUPaR0y2iS5a_OJ_we4e7WBVK_nsl5uzoHaNkzvLSqmmp82T2OdmVWGSZl1fUNcTnu_seqVQ4A5fGo5Ke9uLsXj7hKMtXa-XFlH7L2y-FsN0vhiemQowIpKdw/s540/IMG_7705-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lake of Glass in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LaUEjLDy_azgvQshyB-xMt_PbLGyW77jZ6nMW4TIRYvYsJQJtZrH5-zTnXUPaR0y2iS5a_OJ_we4e7WBVK_nsl5uzoHaNkzvLSqmmp82T2OdmVWGSZl1fUNcTnu_seqVQ4A5fGo5Ke9uLsXj7hKMtXa-XFlH7L2y-FsN0vhiemQowIpKdw/s16000/IMG_7705-1%20540.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park Lake of Glass" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Lake of Glass in Rocky Mountain National Park" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>We wanted to eat lunch. The wind was worse than it looks in this picture and we hoped to find some semblance of shelter. We turned to the left and crossed the lake's outlet to get into the semi shelter of a large rock outcropping along the left shore of the lake. Here, we got our packs off, the little one out to play and eat, and of course, I grabbed my fishing gear again. Our lunch spot view was perfect.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE3ew5TMEqWaG4UdJVtOv6J7prFYU0vFzfa6B9yNClE2AdvgstCIgpfGDUkhIBTDM7jpqYgOLf5PafkycZ50s5vUJfBynCRkcBOdJ8tXV2jnQeBgZBDCCcKxNKQ4zYjBQKJ20r4caG7X3VV9ClTkejXGW_dUyYCSnKAmyjYNMU6CgdQ53Fg/s640/BB4A1015-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Lake of Glass with gathering clouds in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRE3ew5TMEqWaG4UdJVtOv6J7prFYU0vFzfa6B9yNClE2AdvgstCIgpfGDUkhIBTDM7jpqYgOLf5PafkycZ50s5vUJfBynCRkcBOdJ8tXV2jnQeBgZBDCCcKxNKQ4zYjBQKJ20r4caG7X3VV9ClTkejXGW_dUyYCSnKAmyjYNMU6CgdQ53Fg/s16000/BB4A1015-1%20640.jpg" title="Rocky Mountain National Park with clouds gathering over Lake of Glass" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Lunch with a few on Lake of Glass" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Not long after this picture was taken, the clouds snuck over the ridge and the warm sun was gone just like that. We were thankful that we had enjoyed lunch with such nice conditions, but knew that we better hurry if we wanted to make it the last half mile or so to Sky Pond. The weather was clearly beginning to shift, and it doesn't pay to take the weather lightly at this high elevation. </div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Finally, Sky Pond!</h3><div>So, why hike all the way to Sky Pond? First of all, this is the last lake as you go up this particular gorge/basin. Sitting immediately below the peaks, it is an incredibly impressive setting. Second, if you have already climbed Timberline Falls, you have done all of the hard work. Since we were at Lake of Glass, it made sense to hike the last short distance onwards to Sky Pond.</div><div><br /></div><div>I could easily say this whole hike was a hike to Sky Pond, but ultimately it is three different hikes to three different lakes that just happen to all be on the same route. Each lake is unique and beautiful enough to be a destination on its own. We were blessed to be able to snag three of these lakes on one trip. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5KSgkg5EobffcdUJ1o3z_DeHwwe5AmbImoo6boPZb_PgTTMwkrTZDsvyzP9Z2LBD_JQZXn8LYC2ObfBRYpx53jPPgdJb-omYlKu8ZLxHMAVH_qmwAJPHPtRwWSGw6h8C3tu7WE-ny9EHuotMjOU5atcel-6Trcv0GlpfnP8ZUC4D-gTmtg/s640/IMG_7457-1%20640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Surveying Sky Pond" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip5KSgkg5EobffcdUJ1o3z_DeHwwe5AmbImoo6boPZb_PgTTMwkrTZDsvyzP9Z2LBD_JQZXn8LYC2ObfBRYpx53jPPgdJb-omYlKu8ZLxHMAVH_qmwAJPHPtRwWSGw6h8C3tu7WE-ny9EHuotMjOU5atcel-6Trcv0GlpfnP8ZUC4D-gTmtg/s16000/IMG_7457-1%20640.jpg" title="Sky Pond views" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Little Bit looking over her domains at Sky Pond" <i>©2022 Leah Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>As an angler, the fishing was one of the main draws for me at Sky Pond as you'll see in a bit. Still, the fishing wasn't such a draw that I forgot to take some pictures. I didn't have my tripod with me to do things right, but I did take enough pictures to stitch together a reasonably decent panorama of the lake with the Sharkstooth on the right. </div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXDppYLXDIxLfr8YscvXnrVegrNIGwlKqVnm0nnboPk3JN5NA_rjqVW88ofontICTDOIGVHm6sXVbnf05-aKcqRF75Q6kE_txmdo3qQTdCRoFiL5aLNXKvDXnEbu5frPO-IBDrTmHjFfvgZ2-l-vvJsIEZqiwtxiROBmmvzHVTo-nkOR0tg/s540/BB4A1027-Pano-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sky Pond and the Sharkstooth under dramatic skies" border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXDppYLXDIxLfr8YscvXnrVegrNIGwlKqVnm0nnboPk3JN5NA_rjqVW88ofontICTDOIGVHm6sXVbnf05-aKcqRF75Q6kE_txmdo3qQTdCRoFiL5aLNXKvDXnEbu5frPO-IBDrTmHjFfvgZ2-l-vvJsIEZqiwtxiROBmmvzHVTo-nkOR0tg/s16000/BB4A1027-Pano-1%20540.jpg" title="Dramatic skies over Sky Pond and the Sharkstooth" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sky Pond and the Sharkstooth" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Notice the dramatic clouds that were swirling above the massive cliffs above the lake. We had a significant weather system due into the area overnight, and it was obvious that the leading edge was already approaching. We needed to finish enjoying Sky Pond and then start hiking down before any rain (or snow?!?!) caught up with us.<br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fishing at Loch Vale, Lake of Glass, and Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park</h3><div>Of course, this post wouldn't be complete without mentioning the fishing or the fact that I caught fish at each lake. The cutthroat trout at Loch Vale were the most beautiful fish I caught on this hike, but the other lakes produced some memorable moments as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we first arrived at Loch Vale, I saw fish cruising everywhere. Of course, by the time I got my Tenkara rod out and rigged, they had seemingly disappeared. Never fear, however, because with cruising fish it won't be long before some more fish come along.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was using my Tenkara USA Rhodo. This is an excellent packable rod option when I want different lengths that the rod can fish at. Most importantly, it was the lightest option since I was hauling a toddler on my back with all my other gear. I still don't know what I would have done with an actual fly rod. There were times on this hike that I wished for a full fly rod, but this wasn't specifically a fishing trip. I would more than gladly take whatever fishing I could scrounge up.</div><div><br /></div><div>While a couple of fish quickly came over to look at my Parachute Adams, it quickly become apparent that they were too smart to eat it. Before long, I went to a small midge under the surface and that proved to be the ticket. For the rest of the entire trip, small midges or pheasant tails caught fish in mountain lakes when nothing else was working. I caught a few on dry flies from time to time as well, but definitely more and better fish subsurface.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a fish or two, I was ready to put my gear away and head to the next lake. As I mentioned above, we were on a bit of a schedule, and that didn't allow for lingering too long with my rod to catch more fish. Here is one of the Loch Vale cutthroat. Talk about a beautiful fish!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxnHibu9bECmNQzE1SLjybKjsIyTnScmGMdDGd28fNX9Nylk7wQ-Qm4QEGDUqMqJDtY3ajMLKP5zGqJlibT0EwnYjCFnTk4Y69_Lg1yL8QoQigO3umn8b9RRHaeYzuN_wQfl8MmtMfiDN8OEEoRoaMnw7XSFa01KXBEyNAGlPtUaje1c99g/s540/IMG_7675-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cutthroat Trout at Loch Vale" border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxnHibu9bECmNQzE1SLjybKjsIyTnScmGMdDGd28fNX9Nylk7wQ-Qm4QEGDUqMqJDtY3ajMLKP5zGqJlibT0EwnYjCFnTk4Y69_Lg1yL8QoQigO3umn8b9RRHaeYzuN_wQfl8MmtMfiDN8OEEoRoaMnw7XSFa01KXBEyNAGlPtUaje1c99g/s16000/IMG_7675-1%20540.jpg" title="Loch Vale cutthroat trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cutthroat trout at Loch Vale" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>And another angle...I just couldn't get enough of those beautiful red cheeks!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPZTJ4mq2EsOAtprhJe6vfmfgv2O3snhqBQ-6MWjDJylBgeehcpELIvXRQjMyz3OcIJjAyfsYv87cQBPdD3TZD3OGMBkDzwL7UrAGcucc5EzFsS7UaMpff07z1j_xqVNoQLsJS28NQDSFt_si9HEea9jahFmqlUulVoarkFbGiLemwqZ_Gg/s540/IMG_7679-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Native cutthroat trout at the Loch" border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPZTJ4mq2EsOAtprhJe6vfmfgv2O3snhqBQ-6MWjDJylBgeehcpELIvXRQjMyz3OcIJjAyfsYv87cQBPdD3TZD3OGMBkDzwL7UrAGcucc5EzFsS7UaMpff07z1j_xqVNoQLsJS28NQDSFt_si9HEea9jahFmqlUulVoarkFbGiLemwqZ_Gg/s16000/IMG_7679-1%20540.jpg" title="The Loch has native cutthroat trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Another perspective of a native cutthroat trout at The Loch"<i> ©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Of course, I need some type of proof that I was really the one fishing and catching these fish! Thanks to my lovely wife Leah for running over to snap a picture or two in between wrangling a baby and taking pictures of her own. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ7kmV8Mx8bH_yRV90zmi3I4gM3yxNEFNozNXDAjZdRfpgjGeA_GcnLdR8wveGy2mt5zSZYyldLZzG85_1ie01OJD2WWb0vNUDIhL1bQDw0LOD-E52Xa4uQ89nlL3kUR3Hd0VwEq0FfF_tLIYDJxLUy66-upcVUSxnHTC9DwKqdnZ6UQ-LA/s540/IMG_7682-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Happy to catch a trout at Loch Vale" border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ7kmV8Mx8bH_yRV90zmi3I4gM3yxNEFNozNXDAjZdRfpgjGeA_GcnLdR8wveGy2mt5zSZYyldLZzG85_1ie01OJD2WWb0vNUDIhL1bQDw0LOD-E52Xa4uQ89nlL3kUR3Hd0VwEq0FfF_tLIYDJxLUy66-upcVUSxnHTC9DwKqdnZ6UQ-LA/s16000/IMG_7682-1%20540.jpg" title="Loch Vale catching trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Happy angler at Loch Vale" <i>©2022 Leah Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Not long after this picture, I was reminded that we probably should be moving on. I could have sat at this little spot all day trying to catch the beautiful cutthroat trout that swam in The Loch, but we had bigger goals for the day. We were soon packed and heading up the trail towards our next goal at Lake of Glass.</div><div><br /></div><div>This was probably my shortest fishing experiment of the day. Lake of Glass was a great lunch spot, and I took at least a few moments to fish, but in between chasing a toddler over the landscape and eating, there just wasn't much time to fish. Thankfully, I met my goal of catching at least a fish at each lake. The cutthroat here were beautiful, but very different in coloration from their relatives below. My Tenkara rod continued to be the perfect solution that I could put together or break down in seconds. That meant more fishing time for me.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgziGKSEvkmbaz80a4iHJe9v4EeSN0-SjNYpW2oXABEabD_7o0-WgSm6v6gYv8s7OV8ejP3SdFaizJ_cJc-zKLoW3ge9rwUekkTyowZvL8RjCMCYcsvHJH1BMHrTX7_fuzXca4HnTd3qCfqe9ezpL5FEVygs2eacaq6RDZAz5Rm3mM25sbQ/s540/IMG_7730-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Cutthroat trout at Lake of Glass in Rocky Mountain National Park" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgziGKSEvkmbaz80a4iHJe9v4EeSN0-SjNYpW2oXABEabD_7o0-WgSm6v6gYv8s7OV8ejP3SdFaizJ_cJc-zKLoW3ge9rwUekkTyowZvL8RjCMCYcsvHJH1BMHrTX7_fuzXca4HnTd3qCfqe9ezpL5FEVygs2eacaq6RDZAz5Rm3mM25sbQ/s16000/IMG_7730-1%20540.jpg" title="Fishing Lake of Glass in Rocky Mountain National Park for cutthroat trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Cutthroat trout caught at Lake of Glass" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The neat part about this fish in particular is that I got it on the dry fly. In fact, there was a small hatch coming off. I saw some smaller dark stoneflies plus some mayflies that I didn't get a good look at. The fish were rising every time the wind died down a little. Our little corner of the lake was just sheltered enough to see fish coming to the surface every few minutes. It gave me hope for catching brook trout on dry flies at Sky Pond. Supposedly Lake of Glass has some brook trout as well, but all I caught here were cutthroat trout.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sky Pond, on the other hand, only has brook trout from what I have gathered. That was definitely my experience. There are some really nice fish in this lake as well. I had the first issue with losing fish on the Tenkara rod here at Sky Pond. The light tippet I was using just didn't hold up to the ferocious hits the brook trout were producing. Finally, however, I got one to eat and stay hooked long enough to land. These high elevation brook trout are mighty hunters. Check out the mouth on this guy!</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76PF4skAJpALQj8VEAhC0NKgbJORBCIFTfOG0b53E5jypVuwx40rLhWZlL8VzCRZPWK1reZganxGUKnZbS-kZTLPlfMGSoCPTAv-hl6C7Ad0lFXUyTtuslqO5sdT8nUUlSEhqiGz6A-iK192Q9oTwEXkSg0XtIg8XvayAcERLMk4gM7MI9Q/s540/IMG_7745-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Brook trout at Sky Pond" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76PF4skAJpALQj8VEAhC0NKgbJORBCIFTfOG0b53E5jypVuwx40rLhWZlL8VzCRZPWK1reZganxGUKnZbS-kZTLPlfMGSoCPTAv-hl6C7Ad0lFXUyTtuslqO5sdT8nUUlSEhqiGz6A-iK192Q9oTwEXkSg0XtIg8XvayAcERLMk4gM7MI9Q/s16000/IMG_7745-1%20540.jpg" title="Sky Pond brook trout" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Brook trout at Sky Pond in Rocky Mountain National Park" <i>©2022 David Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Perhaps the best part of fishing at Sky Pond is that the little one had been watching me the whole time, taking it all in. Eventually, she came over and wanted to climb into my lap from where she proceeded to take over the operation of the Tenkara rod. As it turns out, she was a natural caster, but didn't have the patience to leave the flies on the water long enough to catch anything. She loved the casting. It kept her occupied, and I'm not sure she really understood that there was more to it than casting. <div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vYVwH0yGrrpBNdPuqs3Qt-uqtATjbZ-w2MBW3De3Xh-2kVKBz6uFzXvMIrA7gfAc_WDEuYZv1tHNugql3L5Y4KcJl30jdfW5hWNNP_rLCSkRUwTHM_gvXyDSbw9rJ1ZyE6Oyu2usJdv0QmwAqxTUcsP0voh0EPYxptOcdOeLTPHu0Sii3Q/s540/IMG_7465-1%20540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Fly fishing Tenkara at Sky Pond" border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vYVwH0yGrrpBNdPuqs3Qt-uqtATjbZ-w2MBW3De3Xh-2kVKBz6uFzXvMIrA7gfAc_WDEuYZv1tHNugql3L5Y4KcJl30jdfW5hWNNP_rLCSkRUwTHM_gvXyDSbw9rJ1ZyE6Oyu2usJdv0QmwAqxTUcsP0voh0EPYxptOcdOeLTPHu0Sii3Q/s16000/IMG_7465-1%20540.jpg" title="Sky Pond fly fishing Tenkara" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Teaching the next generation to fly fish at Sky Pond" <i>©2022 Leah Knapp Photography</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hiking Back Down From Sky Pond </h3>Shortly after this, with the clouds getting darker and darker, we turned around and headed back down the trail. By now, you have probably noticed something that is noticeably absent. For all my worry about elevation sickness, we were doing great. Thankfully we never ended up dealing with this problem at all on our trip. As it turns out, we had done sufficient preparation to avoid the problem altogether other than just getting tired from the long hikes at high elevation.<div><br /></div><div>Hiking back down was mostly routine with one notable exception. As we approached the big drop alongside Timberline Falls, my foot slipped a little on one of the wet rocks. Knowing that this was a warning, I decided to take things very slowly. Going down is always harder to me than going up, and this was doubly so with a heavy pack that had to get down the mountain in one piece with me. </div><div><br /></div><div>We worked our way carefully down, but finally reached a narrow ledge that requires a 4-5 foot drop to get to the next level near the bottom. I was trying to figure out how to get down without getting pushed off by the pack. Thankfully, at just the right moment, another group of hikers overtook us. I think they were wanting to go faster, but they were super gracious about the whole thing. In fact, the guy in the lead worked his way down the water course to our right and was soon below me where he offered to let me pass the little one down to him in the pack. It couldn't have been offered at a better time. Poor Leah was even more nervous than she was going up, so it enabled me to jump down, help her, and then get the baby carrier back on without risking the baby.</div><div><br /></div><div>After getting below this drop, we really cruised. Our normal hiking speed, even with the kid carrier and a toddler, is usually somewhere around 3 miles an hour and level ground and often even more. In other words, it didn't take us too long to get back down. Sky Pond is probably 4.5 miles from the trailhead. With the extra looking around we did, we were still stretching it to get to 10 miles on the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>The downhill miles flew by, and soon we were back waiting on the shuttle bus. It didn't take more than a few minutes before a bus stopped, and we were soon headed back to our car. From there, it was just a few more minutes down to our camp at Moraine Park. By this time, the weather was really starting to threaten, so we hurried with supper and got in our tent before the rain really got going. The next day would be damp, however. And thus would begin a trend that would just get stronger throughout our trip...</div><div><div><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32835299.post-16132469724298084212022-12-30T11:58:00.006-06:002023-01-03T19:45:12.042-06:00Colorado 2022 Day One: The Devil's Backbone and Keyhole<p>Our first full day in Colorado came <a href="https://www.thetroutzone.com/2022/12/western-adventures-for-2022-the-drive-out.html" target="_blank">earlier than expected</a>. Since we had pushed so hard on the drive out and arrived ahead of schedule, we had more flexibility than we had anticipated. This proved to be a good thing on many levels. </p><p>First and perhaps most importantly, we were able to sleep in as much as you can with a baby in tow. Next, we were not rushed with our grocery trip. Usually, I am getting to a grocery late in the afternoon and in a big rush to get on to my camping spot before dark. This time, we were able to take our time and make sure we had all the necessities for the next few days of camping. Of course, we also had groceries close to our first camping spot, but the prices in Estes Park would be MUCH higher than those in Loveland. It was in our best interest to get as much as possible before heading into the mountains. Finally, extra flexibility meant that we were going to be able to hang out with a good friend of my wife's for more than just a quick bite to eat. </p><p>The night before, I had studied maps of the area and tried to think of a place I hadn't hiked but wanted to. The Devil's Backbone came to mind rather quickly and plans were set for lunch and then a hike. Leah's friend Wiz showed up around lunch. Panera was a treat since we knew that we would be eating camp food for the next couple of weeks for the most part. Afterwards, we drove out to the <a href="https://www.larimer.gov/naturalresources/parks/devils-backbone" target="_blank">Devil's Backbone Open Space</a> just outside of town. The heat was oppressive, so we made sure to put up the sunshade for the baby and take plenty of water. While longer hikes are possible, we decided to simply hike up and see the Keyhole on the Wild Loop trail. This would allow us to see the main geologic feature up close and get us back to the safety of the AC in the car sooner rather than later. </p><p>This was the perfect warmup hike for Leah and me. We needed to acclimate quickly because of the big plans we had for the next day or two hiking wise. Already in decent shape, this hike was more of a short walk/stroll except for the heat. A couple of quick miles makes this perfect for people without much time or for those who don't want anything big. Here are a few of the highlights from the first half of the hike shot quickly on my cellphone. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcXBWOgGqr5F9h3JmgnUUNWMSRbp-2N6LOfdFCSTy2NPMjiKexet5ZvwdJfOtjJERwPw0ko_rp7HBOzN2WWzvpS7P3fXtJ9JnsvS14N44VCY9gT_NT4jqvlZ2mDMgvPp_R6LQ7Ygv65bupLeclpd3bk_nLD7oj53feCsQBoAajkb2DXCIsw/s540/IMG_7610-1-5%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Yellow wildflowers along the Wild Loop trail at Devil's Backbone" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUcXBWOgGqr5F9h3JmgnUUNWMSRbp-2N6LOfdFCSTy2NPMjiKexet5ZvwdJfOtjJERwPw0ko_rp7HBOzN2WWzvpS7P3fXtJ9JnsvS14N44VCY9gT_NT4jqvlZ2mDMgvPp_R6LQ7Ygv65bupLeclpd3bk_nLD7oj53feCsQBoAajkb2DXCIsw/s16000/IMG_7610-1-5%20540.jpg" title="Devil's Backbone Wild Loop Trail yellow wildflowers" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xPnGzbspqPwkSyP9gMfvwExz_990XUYJ7orAizd8K1txkKcG67rUm6ekQnpDfPhZLngtWmYQKMTlYJ3ISnVDldkafBrzr5IX-vcLI3zPSoz9mpESKf7qpbPmYbDYnUmRTcbootwtVlB3ubq2p2h8Doo44Nl9otacxcEKDHJ6ClEqWkfhKg/s640/IMG_7611-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cumulus clouds float above the Devil's Backbone" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xPnGzbspqPwkSyP9gMfvwExz_990XUYJ7orAizd8K1txkKcG67rUm6ekQnpDfPhZLngtWmYQKMTlYJ3ISnVDldkafBrzr5IX-vcLI3zPSoz9mpESKf7qpbPmYbDYnUmRTcbootwtVlB3ubq2p2h8Doo44Nl9otacxcEKDHJ6ClEqWkfhKg/s16000/IMG_7611-1%20640.jpg" title="Devil's Backbone beneath cumulus clouds" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3krsGhu73Us02KJ_l5ZnpfIF-H24At5JXPO3uUIw01nsIcVQgFOxGCdurobxLWqM3JeLwFUv1gqtBikuzpyhYWYp7oKR0VB_kaSCL8hrH292EO_s2VAFdXsD1UzCKFIFQulhGW-aJLC8ZW-Z0-FzqxgHd5lpSSRzyuxDFMHylsqBmNpe0Pg/s540/IMG_7614-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wide open spaces on the Wild Basin loop trail at Devil's Backbone Open Space" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3krsGhu73Us02KJ_l5ZnpfIF-H24At5JXPO3uUIw01nsIcVQgFOxGCdurobxLWqM3JeLwFUv1gqtBikuzpyhYWYp7oKR0VB_kaSCL8hrH292EO_s2VAFdXsD1UzCKFIFQulhGW-aJLC8ZW-Z0-FzqxgHd5lpSSRzyuxDFMHylsqBmNpe0Pg/s16000/IMG_7614-1%20540.jpg" title="Devil's Backbone Open Space wide open spaces on the Wild Basin loop trail" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2qUsc0a2iVbcKZHW5Wifjm3LZTD3IGZZkU1hi12z0e0UZJJD1hO2l_qCiqr-MZwwn2UYW7Ra0ZbhjeY-gTdd5CE4CCDM_e93i_3K-d_EzVuHGhrsw5UOa8rM3qFYctmUSXSeBvnRVC3j7z58xEkI48hA-IMh_-aMwfSNTm-Qiw2H01dvaQ/s540/IMG_7617-1-2%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Devil's Backbone begins to come into better view" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE2qUsc0a2iVbcKZHW5Wifjm3LZTD3IGZZkU1hi12z0e0UZJJD1hO2l_qCiqr-MZwwn2UYW7Ra0ZbhjeY-gTdd5CE4CCDM_e93i_3K-d_EzVuHGhrsw5UOa8rM3qFYctmUSXSeBvnRVC3j7z58xEkI48hA-IMh_-aMwfSNTm-Qiw2H01dvaQ/s16000/IMG_7617-1-2%20540.jpg" title="Better view of the Devil's Backbone" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI9h9P5ndJB4M7upUTVC74vkiiG5nG8eLApwRkNtEkw_xCA9lW9eQZao3mwalPbgcjEMxZcOMMAmO7KgoS0RmKg-PBMduBN8rjupzjSYEf7spgLmxlSNMPk1ViohIHO6k9JYG-nQUFTy9NvFDTw7HMm2T7xHaKu39UPeFCXPb0FWXs7U6XQ/s640/IMG_7618-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wildflowers along the Wild Basin Loop Trail at Devil's Backbone" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI9h9P5ndJB4M7upUTVC74vkiiG5nG8eLApwRkNtEkw_xCA9lW9eQZao3mwalPbgcjEMxZcOMMAmO7KgoS0RmKg-PBMduBN8rjupzjSYEf7spgLmxlSNMPk1ViohIHO6k9JYG-nQUFTy9NvFDTw7HMm2T7xHaKu39UPeFCXPb0FWXs7U6XQ/s16000/IMG_7618-1%20640.jpg" title="Devil's Backbone Wild Basin loop trail wildflowers" /></a></div><br /><p>Finally, the trail wound up into the shadow of the Devil's Backbone itself as the trail approached the Keyhole. This is a neat window through the Devil's Backbone that overlooks the next valley beyond. The shade was a welcome respite from the heat. The baby was fast asleep for her midday nap at this point. Those were the days when we could put her in the kid carrier and expect her to fall asleep quickly. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSj6Kg5le5G0i24zwi3uMYbRhVm7630OGvpXCBAvyjW5ieGA6TBlJlQ6BnLPXdZ7TCC3nMhA3JYoKp6WFGxiL3e9DC3TyPtn7AZnY86RP2WozNZ4rnUqfhK1mb_LO6QDSj5y35EG_OJiYXJb0B1aNv1jVuyiPnQhj7oMLjx4WdxUrbTti5g/s640/IMG_7621-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Keyhole at Devil's Backbone near Loveland Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSj6Kg5le5G0i24zwi3uMYbRhVm7630OGvpXCBAvyjW5ieGA6TBlJlQ6BnLPXdZ7TCC3nMhA3JYoKp6WFGxiL3e9DC3TyPtn7AZnY86RP2WozNZ4rnUqfhK1mb_LO6QDSj5y35EG_OJiYXJb0B1aNv1jVuyiPnQhj7oMLjx4WdxUrbTti5g/s16000/IMG_7621-1%20640.jpg" title="Devil's Backbone near Loveland Colorado Keyhole" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>After relaxing and visiting in the shade for a bit, it was time to head back to the car. We made good time and the baby started waking up right as we got back. Of course, she was anxious to get down and explore, so we let her stretch her legs before the drive up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park for our first night of camping. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88XI0B-t10ygzZwNDtvvllt1u7JtylTOx32yHWeWmYQCYnN_FCWIUS0RXrxXScUWzYMMCjYDAi-xLTCwsoYlWy4jQXBd6MLrbmW8b8t_aFAktVEg5_9p2Ob6EepchZSEni6dUrv1hs7DECgM1IvDj-QrXiEsF7H9ObdVsyR6VXyqox-DFRA/s640/IMG_7651-1%20640.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88XI0B-t10ygzZwNDtvvllt1u7JtylTOx32yHWeWmYQCYnN_FCWIUS0RXrxXScUWzYMMCjYDAi-xLTCwsoYlWy4jQXBd6MLrbmW8b8t_aFAktVEg5_9p2Ob6EepchZSEni6dUrv1hs7DECgM1IvDj-QrXiEsF7H9ObdVsyR6VXyqox-DFRA/s16000/IMG_7651-1%20640.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>On the drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park, we would have the first in a series of unfortunate but memorable incidents on this trip. That is a story for another day, however. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTE4WQkEiDzIejsqgjf-fOt6YPHUsF7wN_mQ9GCHKnjH4_iK_G4eCC9NT8B66VOJDuJKyW8E_3peiqLMJiNiWshmK8RSHYJ0FmikiZMgpfWruIi4ANuLjnO1jf5DUxz3PtrpEgwOV0xboB_Oqtrm_u0y6i5VNJXD4b9mMUMTVZmvsvMaZLQ/s540/IMG_7631-1%20540.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Prominent Devil's Backbone rising above Loveland Colorado" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTE4WQkEiDzIejsqgjf-fOt6YPHUsF7wN_mQ9GCHKnjH4_iK_G4eCC9NT8B66VOJDuJKyW8E_3peiqLMJiNiWshmK8RSHYJ0FmikiZMgpfWruIi4ANuLjnO1jf5DUxz3PtrpEgwOV0xboB_Oqtrm_u0y6i5VNJXD4b9mMUMTVZmvsvMaZLQ/s16000/IMG_7631-1%20540.jpg" title="Loveland Colorado Devil's Backbone Open Space" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p><br /></p></div>David Knapphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12480485571834164857noreply@blogger.com0