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Hanging Lake七年前曾去過一次,去年八月底秋遊Telluride小鎮時想順道再度造訪,車將抵停車場時就被員警告知停車場客滿而未如願;今天起豆豆童軍活動三天,早上活動即是到Hanging Lake健行,女兒突發奇想請假一天,打算早一步先去Hanging Lake健行然後會會豆豆,後因臨時有事而耽擱行程,但我們還是去了,只不過我們才起登不久就遇到豆豆他們已下到半山腰,簡單寒暄後我們繼續上山還是玩得很盡興!
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Hanging Lake號稱為“A Hidden Jewel in Colorado”,位在科羅拉多州丹佛西邊約150哩、著名溫泉渡假勝地Glenwood Springs東邊約7哩(11.2公里)的Glenwood峽谷裡,是一處非常受歡迎的旅遊景點。Hanging Lake的登山步道全長單程約1.2哩(1.92公里),登山口位在I-70州際公路北側和科羅拉多河的北岸,從登山口起這條號稱“difficult”的登山步道部分路段是在亂石堆間穿行,而大部分是在林中岩壁間一路沿著科羅拉多河的支流Dead Horse Creek陡升,爬升約1,000呎(305公尺)後抵達湖邊。
行車資訊:
從丹佛沿I-70州際公路西行無法直接通往Hanging Lake停車場,你必須先開到Exit 121出口下高速公路(有“Grizzly Creek to Hanging Lake”指示牌),然後再迴轉上I-70回頭東行,東行到Exit 125出口指標“Hanging Lake”下高速公路然後依循河邊便道直抵Hanging Lake停車場,該停車場不算小,但因為遊客實在太多,就連平常日若晚點抵達根本就一位難求;萬一沒有車位假日還好,你可折返Exit 121出口迴轉處停車,再搭接駁車(往返每人8美元)前往,若平常日就麻煩了,因為平常日沒有接駁車,你除了在停車場癡癡的等停車位外,就只有打道回府一途了!
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步道全長:單程約1.2哩(1.92公里),外加Spouting Rock約1.3哩(2.08公里)
登山口海拔:6,387呎(1,947公尺)
Hanging Lake海拔:7, 323呎(2,232公尺)
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步道描述:
從停車場沿著科羅拉多河北岸的水泥步道東行約1/4哩路抵達登山口,根據資料從登山口到Hanging Lake全長約1.2哩;
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登山口望科羅拉多河及I-70州際公路(The Amphitheater with I-70 in the distance)
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Trailhead
步道一開始便在亂石堆中有點凌亂的石階爬升;
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The rocky first steps of the hike
七八分鐘後抵達第一座木橋,此種堅固的木橋全程共有七座,用以橫跨科羅拉多河的支流Dead Horse Creek;
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Wooden bridge crossing the creek
登山步道幾乎沒什麼平緩的路段,時而亂石堆、時而林中小徑;一路沿著支流Dead Horse Creek,藉著橫跨其上的木橋忽而左岸、忽而右岸,兩岸舉目所及盡是比直的峭壁直上雲霄,支流旁不時見到青苔小瀑;
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Hanging Lake Trail
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

Two sides that both have steep cliffs along the trail
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Hikers
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Cascade along Hanging Lake Trail
起登五十分鐘後在路左有一間以原木搭建的堅固避難小木屋,有夠迷你!


A log shelter on the midway of the trail
小木屋過後再行約十分鐘即抵達本步道最陡峭的路段,本路段步道闢建初期聽說兩旁沒有扶手欄杆,登山客攀爬在裸露的陡峭稜線上暴露感十足,現在兩旁已架設堅固鐵欄杆,保障遊客的登山安全,但對平常較少登山的遊客來說,爬起來仍是氣喘如牛的。



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Final stretch is very steep, but there are siderails


Looking back down on the railings as seen from the top
登上最艱困的扶手欄杆路段即抵達Hanging Lake,由於遊客多,加上等太座慢慢走,上山我們花了70分鐘;
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Hanging Lake的水由湖的上頭穿過石灰岩峭壁和白楊樹傾瀉而下形成幾處並排瀑布,瀑布水量大的時候像極了新娘的面紗,所以Hanging Lake有人稱它為“Bridal Veil Falls”。此湖湖水晶瑩剔透城碧綠色,湖裡有很多的鱒魚,由於湖岸是易碎的碳酸鹽沉積物,所以在湖的南邊鋪設一條木板步道供遊客通行,由於此湖地質的不穩定,所以是不准游泳和釣魚的。
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Hanging Lake
當你遊完了Hanging Lake可別錯過了Hanging Lake上方的Spouting Rock ,此景點也就是位在Hanging Lake上方的另一個瀑布,登山口就位在上山時登上最艱困的扶手欄杆路段的左側(下山時的右側),岔路口有“Spouting Rock”木製指示牌,循指示牌上行約百來呎、爬升約數十呎的亂石堆即抵達。
此瀑布的特點是瀑布水由陡峭的石灰岩半壁中的孔洞噴出,水量大時噴出的奇景蔚為奇觀,而此景點也因此名之為“Spouting Rock”。
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Spouting Rock
Spouting Rock除了看瀑布外也可由上往下俯瞰Hanging Lake的全景,更可在不算小的林下腹地小憩用餐,可避開Hanging Lake湖岸如織的人潮。




Looking down to Hanging Lake from the top of the Falls
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Yellow columbine flower
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Monkshood flower
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Mexican Hat flowers
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行車路線圖
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