The fiance' and I took a trip out to Denver for her 30th birthday. We spend the first two nights in Denver and then Friday morning packed up and headed into the mountains. We started at Camp Rock Campground just west of Evergreen, CO and set our sights on Beartrack Lake. The hike was 7.2 miles and we gained 2300' in elevation (from 9050' to 11,300'). The hike in took 5 hours. We took our time not to over do it.

You start the hike in the Mount Evans State Wildlife Area then cross some private land before entering the Mt. Evans Wilderness

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Beaver Meadows was the first place we came up on and sat down for a snack

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3+ miles in we reached this gorgeous meadow along Bear Creek

Around mile 6 we entered some big blow down areas. It was gorgeous but all I could think of is how much hell it would be to try to hunt in all of these twisted trees

Crossing Bear Track Creek on the final leg of the hike

Finally got to the lake!

You can see the haze from all of the fires going on out west

We spent the night out there and hiked out in the morning. It was a great trip and I'd highly recommend it.

I should have brought a fishing rod for trout. There were a few folks out there fishing when we arrived.

7.2 miles up (red) & 5 miles down (blue)

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Posted by mylsuhat

Mandeville, LA

Member since Mar 2008

48958 posts

Posted on 8/25/20 at 2:00 pm to mylsuhat

Now for the best part. We were sitting down and drinking some mugs of wine when I noticed the back of a cow moose pass along the edge of the lake. I quickly grabbed my camera and headed down for a better look. I got down to the edge and took a few pics of her from 60 yards or so.

As we are looking at her, I turn to my left and my jaw dropped. 40 yards away are 2 bulls and either a 'spike' or another cow.

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I backed off a little so they could continue on their way around the edge of the lake. I crouched down 40 yards from their potential path and waiting. I knew to keep an eye on their demeanor and stay my distance. The 3 passed by and gave me some great shots. Unfortunately, with the light fading, it was hard to get a crisp shot but I managed a couple.

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We headed out around 8am on Saturday and we got about 500 yards down the trail before I rounded a corner and had a cow and her calf on that same trail 30-40 yards away.

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She snapped a phenomenal picture of me and the moose

We 'bumped' them down the trail for a ways before they took another route.

This was such an incredible trip capped off with these moose encounters. Something I'll never forget.

This post was edited on 8/25/20 at 2:11 pm

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Posted by TheNolaClap

Jersey Shore (not fist pump)

Member since Jun 2012

1493 posts

Posted on 8/25/20 at 2:05 pm to mylsuhat

I'm just here for the moose pictures.

There they are

This post was edited on 8/25/20 at 2:13 pm

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Posted by jimbeam

University of LSU

Member since Oct 2011

75703 posts

Posted on 8/25/20 at 2:10 pm to mylsuhat

That’s awesome man. I’ll have a few pics in a couple of weeks myself.

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Posted by brett randall

Depends on the moment.

Member since Feb 2007

1766 posts

Posted on 8/25/20 at 7:14 pm to mylsuhat

You should also consider posting this on the travel board too. There are always people looking for hiking destinations over there. It will most likely end up in the stickied thread especially with all the great pics.
Wish i had more than one upvote to give.

This post was edited on 8/25/20 at 7:25 pm

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Posted by Shaken not Stirred

Member since Jun 2020

576 posts

Posted on 8/25/20 at 7:32 pm to mylsuhat

Man some incredible pics hat.

Question....are the downed and bare trees out there from prior forest fires or just aged and on the downward spiral?

Also, few know that there was an offshoot tribe of the Arapaho that remain very secluded for the most part, of which I happen to be a member

I'm speaking, of course, of the "Itap-a-ho"