Flattop Mountain

After a couple days of acclimating I was ready to get in a good hike. Paul was planning on getting up at 4am and doing one alone and then I was going to do one with my sister, mom & Keith when he got back. Mom & Sam didn't think they were ready yet for Flattop, as it's rated a strenuous one. They wanted more time to work up to it. Mom generously volunteered to watch the boys so Paul & I could do it together. Yay! We were counting on them helping out so we could do a big anniversary hike alone later that week, so this was just a bonus hike. We took her up on her offer. Keith decided to tag along, too as he was excited to try it.

We forgot to charge our camera the night before so we ran out of juice about halfway up. So no gorgeous summit pictures. It is about a 9 mile round trip hike. We summitted in just over 3 hours. The elevation starts at 9,475 and ends at 12,324. It is a lung-buster at that altitude, but was doable. I didn't think it was any harder than Chasm Lake (where Paul & I got married) even though it was a little longer and higher altitude. The top was big and flat and has views of the Continental Divide. You continue walking over this big flat area and at the ledge you are right next to Tyndall Glacier. The valley and mountains at this view are stunning. You feel on top of the world. Just another 30-45 minute hike from here is Hallet's Peak. If we weren't planning on doing our big anniversary hike a couple days later we would have gone. Also the fact that mom was at home with the boys we didn't want to take too much extra time. But, next year, I want to climb even higher to Hallet's Peak.

This was taken from the car on our way up to the trailhead. I love the alpenglow and the clouds sitting on the mountains. It was totally clear when we summitted.

This was us at the Bear Lake Trailhead just before starting

One of the amazing views on the way up the mountain. And then, poof, camera died.

This was taken the next day from Sprague Lake. The white snow in the middle is Tyndall Glacier. The flat mountain top on the right is Flattop Mountain. We sat on a ledge just to the right of the glacier and picnicked. Hallet's Peak is the highest peak on the left only about 1/2 mile up from Flattop.