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Mt. Meeker from 7 HWY
昨天和家人本來要進去落磯山國家公園走一趟Trail Ridge Road,該條高山公路往年都是在The Memorial Day假期前開放通行,但出發前上網一查才得知由於上週在落磯山國家公園的暴風雪,導致Trail Ridge Road的開放將延遲,不會在The Memorial Day假期開放,因此臨時改變行程到國家公園的Wild Basin Area走走Ouzel Falls Trail。
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步道名稱:Ouzel Falls Trail (Wild Basin Area)
登山口:Wild Basin Trailhead(海拔約8,500呎/2,591公尺)
步道終點:Ouzel Falls (海拔9,460呎/2,883公尺)
步道里程:來回5.4哩(8.64公里)
爬升高度:約300公尺
登山時間:含午餐休息計4小時
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Hot Air Balloon
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Mt. Meeker from 7 HWY
Ouzel Falls Trail位在落磯山國家公園東南隅的另一個分離的園區Wild Basin內,該登山口在Estes Park南邊約15哩、Allenspark北邊約4哩的7號公路西側,由該登山口起登可到多處的高山湖、瀑布和高山,每到夏天遊客絡繹不絕,停車場往往車滿為患,所以夏天、尤其是假日到此登山口還是早點出門為妙!
我們在早上九點左右抵達停車場,09:18由登山口起登,太座時差尚未調整過來不打算走完全程,我和貝貝先行,女兒則陪他老媽隨興走走。
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Wild Basin parking lot
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Wild Basin Trailhead
Copeland Lake--海拔8,300 呎(2,530公尺)。
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Mount Copeland reflects on Copeland Lake 2
Wild Basin Trailhead--海拔8,500 呎(2,591公尺)。
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Ouzel Falls Trail
Copeland Falls--分Lower Copeland Falls和Upper Copeland Falls兩處,距離登山口約0.3 哩,爬升高度約15 呎。
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Lower Copeland Falls
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Upper Copeland Falls
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Ouzel Falls Trail
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The creek along the trail
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The creek along the trail
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Jacob on the bridge
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Ouzel Falls Trail
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Ouzel Falls Trail
Calypso Cascades--海拔約9,200呎(2,804公尺),距離登山口約1.8 哩(2.88公尺),爬升高度約700 呎。
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Calypso Cascades
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Ouzel Falls Trail
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Longs Peak (L) & Mt. Meeker (R) from Wild Basin
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making a face
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take a rest
Ouzel Falls--海拔約9,460呎(2,883公尺),距離登山口約2.7 哩(4-32公尺),爬升高度約960 呎。
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Ouzel Falls
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Ouzel Falls
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chipmunk
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New wood bridge across the creek below Ouzel Falls
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Jacob on the bridge below Ouzel Falls
此行除了健行外尚有一個期待,希望能不能找到此步道特有的野生蘭—Calypso orchid (Fairy Slipper Orchid)-- 仙女拖鞋蘭,依據往年經驗此稀有物種是在5~6月開花,但今年因為融雪較晚,相對的影響到Fairy Slipper Orchid的花期,祖孫倆努力尋找全程才找到一株,盛開期估計要再半個月左右!
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Calypso Orchid(Fairy Slipper Orchid)
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Early Larkspur
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Blue virgin's bower