攀登Indian Peaks Wilderness Area最高湖泊Lake Dorothy(2014.08.12)

Lake Dorothy below Mt. Neva from North Arapaho Peak's summit
豆豆和貝貝的暑假即將結束，下週他倆就將陸續開學，今天就帶他們到Eldora的Fourth of July Trailhead去走走Lake Dorothy。
Fourth of July Trailhead已去過不計其數，大多數是帶孩子們去攀登Diamond Lake，而今天要走的Arapaho Pass Trail我也走過兩次，主要是去攀登South & North Arapaho Peak，所以路況已非常熟悉。


Mount Neva(R) & Jasper Peak (L) from South Arapaho Peak's summit; Lake Dorothy is at the right

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攀登湖泊：Lake Dorothy(海拔12,061呎/3,672公尺)
登山口：Fourth of July Trailhead(海拔10,172呎/3,100公尺)
爬升高度：約2,000呎/610公尺
登山里程：7.3哩/11.68公里
登山時間：約6小時
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Fourth of July Trailhead
西元1872年7月4日一位C.C. Alvord者發現在Middle Boulder Creek的北支流地區蘊藏有銀礦，因而在此成立名為“Fourth of July”的礦場，營運幾年後由於礦場是建立在Middle Boulder Creek的北支流上方河邊，為了處理滲水及排水而增加採礦成本，因之拖垮了礦場利潤，終在1880年關廠；二十年後，新的一批合夥人試圖從礦區改採銅礦，但後來還是沒有成功，時至今日礦區僅遺留幾具生鏽的機具和廢墟供人憑弔。
現在的Arapaho Pass Trail就是當年“Fourth of July Mine”的通道，登山口因此以“Fourth of July”來命名。
行車指南：
由小城Boulder沿CO 119公路西行往Nederland，到Nederland之後轉往南沿CO 119(CO 72，Peak To Peak )走0.5哩右轉，沿County Road 130往小鎮Eldora，過Eldora後再走約5哩的石子路，路盡頭即為Fourth of July Trailhead，備有停車場及廁所。
實際步程：
10:50 登山口出發，循Arapaho Pass Trail上行；海拔10,172呎/3,100公尺。

Fourth of July Trailhead

Arapaho Pass Trail


Mountain view from Arapaho Pass Trail

Mountain view from Arapaho Pass Trail

Arapaho Pass Trail


11:33 經過小溪形成的小瀑，水量比起一個多月前來時小得多了！

Matthew & Jacob crossing a waterfall stream on the Arapaho Pass trail

Mountain Harebell

Wildflowers along the trail


11:40 抵達Diamond Lake Trail岔路，海拔約10,750呎(3,277公尺)，距登山口1.15哩；左往Diamond Lake Trail不取，右彎續走Arapaho Pass Trail。

The trail is well- marked Follow the signs for Arapaho Pass


此時還是高山野花盛開的季節，沿途野花綻放，美不勝收。




Wildflowers along the trail


12:00 抵達一開闊展望點，視野極佳，此點已接近稜線。

This viewpoint is beside the trail near the flat ridge

Matthew & Jacob at the viewpoint

Matthew & I at the viewpoint

Jacob & I at the viewpoint


12:12 步道抵達較為平緩的稜線，海拔約11,100 呎(3,383公尺)，距登山口約1.5 哩；此後步道趨於平緩且有開闊、極佳視野的展望。

Damp, open areas near the Arapaho Glacier Trail split

Jacob at the flat ridge

I'm at the flat ridge

Mountain view from Arapahoe Pass Trail


South Arapaho Peak from Arapaho Pass Trail


12:30 抵達Arapaho Glacier Trail岔路，海拔11,200呎(3,414公尺)，距登山口約2.05哩；

Arapaho Pass Trail and junction with trail leading to Arapaho Glacier Overlook


右轉為Arapaho Glacier Trail往South & North Arapaho Peak，取直行續往Arapaho Pass Trail，前行不遠右側有一處“Fourth of July Mine”礦場遺址(海拔11,250呎)，該礦場在1870年代是以開採銀礦為主，現在僅留下一兩具大機具供人憑弔；參觀後再切回Arapaho Pass Trail。

The abandoned Fourth of July Mine

Jacob at the Fourth of July Mine ruins

I'm at the Fourth of July Mine ruins

Matthew at the Fourth of July Mine ruins

Jacob & I at the Fourth of July Mine ruins

The upper valley is crossed by snow fed streams and tarns


12:50 進入石子路路段，雖然是亂石，但步道整理得平整寬闊，坡度是緩坡上升。

Arapaho Pass Trail

Looking down the valley that we came from

13:00 本想到Lake Dorothy再用餐，但貝貝餓得有點走不動，只好停下來用餐；看貝貝那副狼吞虎嚥的模樣，既好笑又不捨。





13:30抵達Caribou Pass Trail與Arapaho Pass Trail 岔路，海拔11,906呎/3,629公尺，距登山口約3.2 哩，此處是一鞍部，也是大陸分水嶺(Continental Divide)；

Arapaho Pass

Matthew, Jacob & I at the Arapaho Pass


Indian Peaks from Arapaho Pass

右往Arapaho Pass Trail，直行Caribou Pass Trail，取直行一段路後即轉為西行朝Lake Dorothy前進，Lake Dorothy位在Mount Neva及其向北延伸稜線山腳下，鞍部的西邊山腳下是Caribou Lake。


Mount Neva & Lake Dorothy from Arapaho Pass

Caribou Lake & Satanta Peak seen from Arapaho Pass


13:55抵達Lake Dorothy，海拔12,061呎/3,672公尺，距登山口約3.65 哩，此湖是Indian Peaks Wilderness範圍內有命名的湖泊中海拔最高的湖泊，正好位在離大陸分水嶺(Continental Divide)不遠的Mount Neva山腳下的凹谷裡，如同一般高山湖般，湖水冰冷湛藍，湖中的鱒魚(Trout)是釣客的最愛。

Lake Dorothy




At 12,061' Lake Dorothy is the highest named lake in the Indian Peaks







14:35 循原路下山。
14:50 回到Arapaho Pass 岔路口，取右下山。

Elephant Head Flower

This tree is hidden behind the rock; the wind is coming from the right, the tree's branches grow to the left.





16:50 返抵登山口，計費時6小時。

Jacob came back to the trailhead

★ 行車路線圖(Boulder→Fourth of July Trailhead)：

  ★ 登山路線圖：

★ 點此看放大圖