Terrific Tuesday at Opal Lake and more

A calm and sunny Tuesday morning greeted us.  Matt was out biking and caught the hot air balloon just filling up and lifting off.  (more pics)

We had a new destination in mind today - a hike to Opal Lake (full pics here).  It's the first hike south of Pagosa Springs that we have attempted.  The trail head is 20+ miles out of town and most of it on gravel roads.  We headed out of town on Highway 84 (same one we came into town on) and saw the tents for the Archuleta County Fair (starts on August 4th) being set up.  We turned left onto Blanco Basin road and twisted and turned for 10 miles.  We followed (and were followed by) several semi trucks with hopper traillers up to the point where we crossed the Rio Blanco river.  We passed by 7 trucks who were waiting to drop their loads at a ranch and continued on a forest road (660) to the Opal Lake Trailhead.

The description says that it starts out as a strenuous hike that ascends about 800 feet up to the meadow where the lake resides.  Yes - strenuous is a good adjective.  It was a well marked and well-travelled trail (there were many people coming and going).  It was steep in some spots (tempered with flat stretches) and there were a couple of water crossings.  Even a bit of trekking through the Riparian jungle - we felt like those adventurers in the jungle movies.  Opal Lake is called that because of it's milky color.  It is fed by some very mineral rich springs and the water really looks like a milky-blue opal - even when flowing out.

There is some kind of art show affiliated with the county fair.  All week we've been seeing artists out in the wilderness painting.  They've all got their easels and kits set up - grabbing their vision and version of this incredible landscape that God has assembled.  We met someone who had finished his work (or perhaps was escaping the impending raindrops) as we were coming up to the second water crossing.  He said the lake wasn't too much farther...yay.

This second water crossing was the most exciting.  You had three choices.  Ford the flowing water - which was only about 4-5 inches deep at the shallowest bits.  Or walk across a 20 foot balance beam of a fallen tree.  Or gingerly use a couple of smaller fallen logs that wobble a lot.  Isaac went for the smaller fallen logs and also did the balance beam just to show us he could.  Matt and Amy went for the fording the stream option - less risky.

Part of the hike was through an absolutely breathtaking stand of Aspen trees.  They had to be 80-100 feet high and it felt like walking through a natural cathedral.  The camera couldn't take it all in.  We tried with the video camera and will try to get that video uploaded.

The wildflowers are fantastically in bloom and in full evidence on this hike.  There were some delightful butterflies (or perhaps moths) that were enjoying the yellow blooms.

We finally arrived at the lake (which was not really large - but had great quantities of water flowing in and out.

Astonishingly someone had either rode or carried his mountain bike to the lake.  He also had a big backpack. A true hiker/biker/camper.  We're not worthy (but then we don't claim to be...).

We got a few photos at the lake and then it started to thunder a bit.  So we started back.  The best part of the return trip was the fact that we were descending.  Boy are the fronts of my shins getting a workout!  One of those nice collapsible but strong walking sticks is looking like it might be a good investment for the future...

Opal Lake - a definite addition to the list of great Pagosa hikes - as long as you feel energetic and have the proper footwear!

And God had a few more surprises in store for us...a thunderstorm that actually made it out of the mountains and down to the valley gave us a beautiful double rainbow!  More rainbow pics.