Rocky Mountain Summer at Hagerman Pass – A Photo Essay

Highway 4, west out of Leadville, CO offers a driving adventure that takes you past lakes, among a various assortment of summer wildflowers, and over a high mountain pass that tops out just short of 12,000 feet.

I needed the drive rather than hiking the first day after recovering from a newly discovered adult-onset allergy to cashew nuts. The annual visit with my brother Dave started with an overnight emergency room experience. The good folks at Vail Valley Medical got me back on my feet though, and by the next day I was ready to go exploring.

Highway 4 passes beautiful Turquoise Lake, a reservoir that serves the Colorado Springs and Aurora communities. Where Hwy 4 meets Forest Service Road 105, you climb, climb, climb from lake level to 11,925 feet at Hagerman Pass. Along the way there are many overlooks of the lake and the surrounding Rocky Mountains.

We were treated to something that is very common in the Southern Appalachian mountains, but is unusual in the Rockies… low-lying morning fog. It added an extra dimension to the views. The San Isabel forest road winds past old mining artifacts, flowers galore, and plenty of primitive campsites. On the backside of the pass and the Continental Divide, as it enters White River National Forest, FR 105 offers views of Ivanhoe Lake, another reservoir in the water supply system.

The pictures below will give you an idea of the natural beauty found off the beaten path in Colorado. Please feel free to leave your comments and suggestions below the gallery. Thanks for visiting!

 

 

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

 

The following are paid links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.