Yesterday, Sept 26, 2009 was Beth's 16th Birthday. After our Saturday work was all done, we went to Rocky Mountain National Park for lunch and the afternoon. Jeffrey was not able to go with us, as he had to work all day, so we really missed him.
The changing aspen trees "quakies" were in their prime this weekend. We saw many beautiful vistas!
We ate our lunch by a picturesque brook (green circle on map below), which Beth, Jason and Emily enjoyed boulder-hopping in and around.
After enough of that kind of relaxing time, we drove on up the Bear Lake road to the trail head to Bierstadt Lake (red circle on map above), which we hiked in its entirety. You can see from this topographical map contour lines
that it was a steep climb for us flatlanders. We climbed from about 8,800' - 9,400 in 1.3 miles on the trail.
We ate our lunch by a picturesque brook (green circle on map below), which Beth, Jason and Emily enjoyed boulder-hopping in and around.
After enough of that kind of relaxing time, we drove on up the Bear Lake road to the trail head to Bierstadt Lake (red circle on map above), which we hiked in its entirety. You can see from this topographical map contour lines
that it was a steep climb for us flatlanders. We climbed from about 8,800' - 9,400 in 1.3 miles on the trail. 
(More pictures later, as it won't let me upload them right now)
All of us were fatigued at some points, but we all made it to the top and back. The lake itself was a bit disappointing, as the natural grasses were quite grown up in and around the water, as it was very late in the season.
Here we are at the top of the trail, with Bierstadt Lake behind us.
