Grand Lake, CO

After a few days in Denver, we headed into the Rockies, over the continental divide to Grand Lake, Colorado. Grand Lake is the state's largest natural body of water, and together with several nearby man-made lakes, it helps provide water for other parts of the state. It was formed when glacial action dammed several local streams. The indigenous Utes called it Spirit Lake as they believed the souls of the dead called its cold waters home. The waters were indeed cold - cold enough for this Southern boy to stay out thus avoiding a swim with the departed.

The Ute's crossed the mountains from the prairie each summer to hunt here, but had enough sense to head back before winter came with its heavy snows and cold. Non-natives began settling here permanently in the late 1800's and the town of Grand Lake began to take shape. From its infancy the town depended on tourism, but when Rocky Mountain National Park was formed and the town became the Western entrance, this reliance became concrete. The main street is Grand Ave., and it has wooden sidewalks, many of which are covered and remind me of a scene from an old western (except I don't recall seeing such colorful hanging baskets and planters in the movies, or Lupines growing in the streets). I think I saw only one saloon, many of the businesses were selling dubious and serious western themed art, lamps made from antlers, blankets, t-shirts, post cards and such. There were a few places selling nice stuff, and one in particular had a great garden out back that overlooked the lake.

Away from Grand Ave., down by the lake shore is a scenic old yacht club, a municipal park and a small swimming beach (for people from Greenland). Also near the lake is the Kauffman House, which is an old hotel made from logs that has been restored with many original furnishings and is used as the town museum. It offered a nice break from all the commerce half a block away and gave us a good look into the area's past.

One of our intrepid hostesses, Sherpa Girl B. found us a lovely cabin on the outskirts of town near Lake Columbine. However, the word cabin is a bit misleading, this place was bigger, more well appointed, cleaner and generally nicer than our own house. The gardener in the group was as equally pleased with the cabin's landscape, or lack thereof. Nearly all of it had been left natural with Lodgepole Pines and Blue Spruce coming up through a very thick carpet of mostly unfamiliar wildflowers.

Potentilla fruiticosa - Shrubby Cinquefoil

Hordeum jubatum - Foxtail Barley

Ipomopsis aggegata - Western Scarlet Gilia

One of the other attractions of the cabin was being entertained by the ever-changing skies, especially at dusk and at night. After dark the clean, clear air made it possible to see the Milky Way, fast moving satellites and shooting stars.

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