Part Two: Mount Evans and a Farewell to Echo Lake Lodge

In last week's blog post, Above the Clouds on Mount Evans Part One, I showed what it looked like to drive up North America's highest paved road to 14,260 ft (4,346M) on a rainy, cloudy day.

 After taking some quick photos in the rain at the summit, at a cold temperature of 40 degrees (4.444 C), we were on our way back down the mountain to go back to drier and safer ground.

Please click on this to enlarge

As you can see in the upper section of the photo collage above there is a  U.S. Geological Survey brass plaque on one of the highest boulders on the summit of Mount Evans, placed there in 1955 which states "Elevation Above Sea level 14,258." 

The bottom photo in the collage shows an infographic located at Summit Lake, which is located at 12,840 feet (3,913.632 M) on the mountain. It describes the five life zones one will drive through on their way from Denver, Colorado to the summit of Mount Evans--from mile-high grasslands at 5280 ft to alpine over 14,000 feet. It really is amazing to see the different terrain.

The alpine environment is where mountain goats, marmots, and bighorn sheep call home year-round.

On the drive back down I could see the 14,065-foot summit of Mount Bierstadt in the distance,  It is also located in the Mount Evans Wilderness area.

As we descended I could see the fog lifting up from below.

The lower we traveled back on the switchback road the higher and greater the fog seemed to appear.

We were definitely still above the clouds!

It was still raining and the road was slippery and wet.

We could see a deep fog approaching...

...closer...

...until we were engulfed inside it! 

At this point, my husband drove very carefully as he could barely see the road in front of us.

I took photos of the clouds in the distance off to the side.

We slowly kept descending...

Although the views on a clear day are spectacular, it was also magical to see all the vistas covered with clouds this day.

The heavy cloud cover filled the sky above as we drove lower in elevation...

...it still felt like being in heaven!

Finally, we were back at tree level.

Echo Lake at the base of the mountain was still very foggy.

We stopped for lunch at the historic Echo Lake Lodge.

Please click on this to enlarge

Echo Lake Lodge, built in 1926 by the City and County of Denver, was designed to provide accommodations to Denver Mountain Parks visitors. Today, it is used only as a gift shop and restaurant.

The initial construction was the octagon-shaped part of the lodge and the rest of the building was added in 1927.  At 10,600 ft elevation, Echo Lake Lodge was used as a high-altitude training camp for the military during WWII.

In 1965, Denver Mountain Parks leased Echo Lake Lodge to H.W. Stewart Inc. H.W. Stewart is a fifth-generation family-owned family company that still operates Echo Lake Lodge to this day.  Sadly, this is their last year as Denver Mountain Parks did not renew their contract!  The lodge infrastructure needs heavy repairs.  Its indoor bathroom has been unusable since last summer, so Portosans had to be brought into the parking lot.

Every time we drove to Mount Evans in the past--almost once a year since living in Colorado--we would stop at Echo Lake Lodge for either a slice of homemade pie or to have lunch. Their Buffalo Chili was one of our favorites, so we made sure to order a bowl of it one last time.  I also enjoyed shopping in the well-stocked gift shop. 

 It's sad to know that this is its last year of business.  Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs had an ultra modernization of all its facilities a few years ago and I have a suspicion the same will happen for this structure when its replacement reopens in a few years.  We bid it a fond farewell--a piece of the Colorado past disappearing! 

Mount Evans Scenic Byway is open approximately from Memorial Day to Labor Day, weather permitting--a reservation is required and must be made before your visit and printed or downloaded as the area has no cell phone service.  Please remember to leave no trace! Take only photos, leave only footprints (on the trails).

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