Indian Peaks Wilderness

Hiking at 10,800 feet while eight months pregnant? Why not?

J and I took advantage of one of his few days off and made a trip up to to the Indian Peaks Wilderness in Arapahoe National Forest. We passed through the town of Golden along the way and happened upon the Sherpa Restaurant, an amazing restaurant/museum owned by a family of Nepali sherpas, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch.

Our ascent into the mountains turned treacherous, as visibility was nearly zero due to the heavy fog and intermittent rain. I was starting to become skeptical that we'd be able to see anything when we reached the forest, but was pleasantly surprised when we suddenly emerged from the opacity and found ourselves at the park entrance.

One of the best parts of my day (other than getting to spend quality time with J)? Moose everywhere! We encountered several enormous bull moose on the side of the road, quietly munching away only a few feet away from us, before we made our way to the Isabelle Glacier Trailhead. Dark clouds rolled in and rained on us midway through our hike, but we still reached Lake Isabelle fairly quickly. Our persistence paid off as the skies cleared shortly afterward and we were rewarded with stunning, sunlit views of waterfalls and wildflowers. Definitely one of my favorite hikes.