photos/21/0922_SkyPond/

By Alan Silverstein, ajs@frii.com (page updated Sun Mar 9 14:33:54 MDT 2025)

Parent directory/folder =photos/21/

Tickled by seeing Timberline Falls in the distance from the Loch last Feb 23 during a winter hike, I wanted to revisit Sky Pond, deep into Rocky Mountain National Park. I knew I'd camped there once about 40 years ago, when there was still a site, but had forgotten passing by it on the way down from Andrews, Taylor, and Powell in 1993 (according to notes on my map).

Given a decent weather forecast, at 5 pm the previous evening I snagged an RMNP entry permit as they were released, got up early, drove to Glacier Gorge Junction -- found it already full at 7:30 am on a weekday! -- and kept going to Bear Lake to start the hike.

It was a great day, although long and tiring! Over 9.5 hours, about 12 mi, 2300' est total elevation gain. Despite the required entry permits, and being a fall weekday, the park was still crowded... Normal any more.

Image files (Kb): (click on any image for next)

  1. A1_MapMarkup.jpg (268)
  2. A2_SignAtBearLake.jpg (185)
  3. B_RMNP_EntryStation.jpg (204)
  4. C1_TreeOnTrail.jpg (214)
  5. C2_EGlacierKnobRangerTrail.jpg (458)
  6. C3_SouthEndOfRangerTrail.jpg (463)
  7. D_MillsLochJunction.jpg (480)
  8. E1_IcyBrook.jpg (483)
  9. E2_AcrossIcyBrook.jpg (476)
  10. E3_AcrossIcyBrookZoom.jpg (529)
  11. F1_LochVale.jpg (416)
  12. F2_LochValeToTaylor.jpg (403)
  13. F3_EastAcrossLochBoulders.jpg (287)
  14. F4_WestEndTheLoch.jpg (322)
  15. F5_LunchSpot.jpg (519)
  16. G1_SnowOnLogs.jpg (422)
  17. G2_Boardwalk.jpg (432)
  18. G3_TrailUp.jpg (397)
  19. G4_TimberlineFalls.jpg (493)
  20. G5_TimberlineFallsZoom.jpg (459)
  21. H1_StairsToTimberlineFalls.jpg (395)
  22. H2_IcyTrailPastFalls.jpg (294)
  23. H3_SkyPondSign.jpg (157)
  24. H4_IcyTimberlineFalls.jpg (183)
  25. H5_DownToTheLoch.jpg (345)
  26. I1_LakeOfGlassWest.jpg (463)
  27. I2_LakeOfGlassWestHigher.jpg (469)
  28. I3_LakeOfGlassOutlet.jpg (456)
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  33. K4_SkyPondNtoSharkstooth.jpg (410)
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  35. L2_LunchSpot.jpg (345)
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  37. M1_BoatingOnSkyPond.jpg (433)
  38. M2_BoatingOnSkyPondZoom.jpg (345)
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  40. M4_SparklesOnPond.jpg (379)
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  42. N1_TaylorGlacierAndPeakZoom.jpg (439)
  43. N2_LowerPond.jpg (443)
  44. N3_SkyPondAnotherPano.jpg (193)
  45. N4_ResearchersPacking.jpg (419)
  46. O_WaterfallOutlet.jpg (460)
  47. P1_TrailBetweenLakes.jpg (455)
  48. P2_LakeOfGlassTrail.jpg (340)
  49. Q1_TaylorPeakFromGlassLake.jpg (322)
  50. Q2_BoulderByGlassLake.jpg (233)
  51. R1_TimberlineFalls.jpg (268)
  52. R2_PeopleDescending.jpg (402)
  53. R3_IcyTimberlineFalls.jpg (393)
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  55. R5_IcyTimberlineFallsPano.jpg (184)
  56. R6_TimberlineFallsAnotherAngle.jpg (234)
  57. S1_BoardwalkTrail.jpg (461)
  58. S2_HalfMountain.jpg (479)
  59. T1_LakeHaiyahaTrail.jpg (437)
  60. T2_LakeHaiyahaTrailPond.jpg (260)
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  67. U7_LakeHiayahaTreeCloseup.jpg (287)
  68. V1_UpGlacierGorge.jpg (444)
  69. V2_BearAndNymphLakes.jpg (359)
  70. V3_BearAndNymphLakesZoom.jpg (459)
  71. V4_DownIntoTrees.jpg (431)
  72. V5_GlacierGorgeZoom.jpg (383)
  73. V6_GlacierGorgeWithTrees.jpg (220)
  74. V7_GlacierGorgeZoom.jpg (381)
  75. V8_BearAndNymphZoom.jpg (396)
  76. W1_DownTrail.jpg (253)
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  82. Y1_SunlightAboveBearLake.jpg (199)
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