Thatchtop

Thatchtop may be the longest 9 mile hike, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Sitting between Glacier Gorge and Loch Vale, it commands a view of the entire front range. One little gulley, the S couloir, gives access to the tundra covered north side of the mountain.

Well, it may look like it is covered with tundra from afar, but from close up, there are lots of rocks interspersed with the tundra.

Unlike last year, when the view was obscured by the smoke from a fire near Ft Collins, today was clear. A storm was heading toward the Mummy Range, but we got caught only with sprinkles a few times. Scott and Tom are at the top here, signing the register.

The view into upper Glacier Gorge is magnificent. Solitude Lake lies below, Blue and Green Lakes off in the distance. Longs Peak, Keyboard of the Winds, Pagoda, Chiefshead, and a hint of McHenrys fill the skyline.

Our group at the top of Thatchtop - Wendy, Marie (with Muneca), Scott, Tom, Steve, Henry, Mary Margaret, Cory, Neil, and Maggie.

After an hour or so of downclimbing the rocks on the south side of Thatchtop, we reached Solitude Lake. Snow still lingered on the rocks between Solitude and Shelf. We followed Tom's special route to include Shelf Creek Falls on the way down and eventually across Helicopter Rock and back to the main Black Lake trail and civilization.