Alberta Falls a frozen wonderland

On a snowy winter morning after nearly a foot of fresh snow, I was eager to get onto a trail to enjoy the powder.

The parking lot at the trailhead for my first choice of a hike was not yet plowed.

No worries. I have plenty of trails to choose from in the Estes Valley area.

I went to the next trail that popped into my head. Nope, can’t go there either. The gate for the road was unexpectedly closed due to blowing snow creating drifts on the road.

Now I had lost almost an hour of my morning and the wind was picking up, whipping snow across the meadows and the mountain tops.

Just like the fairy tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, my third option was just right.

I headed for Alberta Falls. A trailhead that fills before sunrise in summer was now vacant enough that I could take the first spot. The parking lot was already plowed, and it appeared a couple of other hikers already broke trail through the fresh snow.

This trail also passes through forest for most of the hike, helping to shield me from the wind on what was already a single-digit temperature day.

I had not hiked this trail in winter, so I was unsure of the conditions, but I was familiar enough with the route from summer hikes that I knew what landmarks to look for along the trail.

The outing was a pleasurable hike to enjoy the fresh snow while being short enough to still have a full day when I finished.

The Alberta Falls Trail starts at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Bear Lake Road about 10 miles from the Beaver Meadows Visitor Center.

This 1.6-mile easy outand-back trail rises only 225 feet. But don’t let that minimal elevation gain fool you. This trail navigates along terrain between 9,175 and 9,400 feet, which can still make you catch your breath if you are not used to the elevation. The trail starts from the southwest end of the parking lot at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Follow the gentle, narrow path as it goes down slightly in elevation before starting to rise. You will cross three bridges on this route, with two of them already having snow reaching as high as the railing.

Shortly after crossing the first bridge over an unnoticed frozen Chaos Creek below the deep snow, you will reach a trail junction with the Glacier Creek Trail at about 0.2 miles from the trailhead. The Glacier Creek Trail heads down to the left. Stay to the right of this junction to follow the trail to Alberta Falls.

In less than a tenth of a mile, the trail splits again with the trail to the right heading up toward Bear Lake. Follow the trail to the left as it starts a steep climb up the side of the mountain. At a little more than a half mile, the trail arrives at an opening in the forest to reveal a canyon where Glacier Creek flows farther below. Because of deep snow and the inability to see the edge of the canyon wall under the snow, avoid getting too close to the edge to look into the canyon where un- stable snow can fall out beneath your feet.

Continue up this sunny section of the trail through more aspen trees before arriving at frozen Alberta Falls at slightly less than one mile from the trailhead. If you have the energy, and have brought enough water, food and warm clothing, the trail continues up to The Loch, Mills Lake, Black Lake and Sky Pond.

The hike to and from Alberta Falls should take about 60 to 90 minutes, an ideal length for putting some trail below your feet while not filling up your day.

Snowshoes are definitely necessary to navigate the soft powder snow. Hiking sticks are also helpful for balancing between the packed trail and softer snow along the edge of the trail. And remember to bring sunglasses and sunscreen to protect your face from the sun.