It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten properly hailstormed during a hike, so we were lucky enough to reset that counter.
The intent was to hike to the Shelf Lakes, a beautiful backcountry hike in the Snowy Range of the Medicine Bow Mountains. Food, water, gear, early start, check check check.
In the Rocky Mountains, you always want to be off ridgelines and peaks before the daily afternoon thunderstorms. Today we got a little surprise with an early storm far before our afternoon cutoff time.
We waffled a little bit between turning back and waiting it out, finally deciding to wait it out.
We donned our rain gear, put our rain covers on our packs, and found a spot under some willows to sit and wait.
Three, count em, three separate hailstorms later, we emerged from under cover and started making our way up the trail.
As we crested the ridge between South Gap Lake and North Gap Lake, we saw a low, dark storm moving in and decided that the old saying "Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor" made sense here, and turned back.
It’s amazing to see clear blue sky in one direction, and bad news when you turn 180 degrees!
I Do Believe
That there’s a storm a’comin. As we closed in on South Gap Lake, the clouds became blacker and blacker. We debated turning back, but decided to find cover and wait for the blue skies behind it.
Under Shelter
We spent 30-45 minutes huddled under these short spruce scrubs while three different hail storms blew through. A storm would come through, we’d wait 5 minutes for the thunder to pass, then another storm would blow through.
In a Lull
The storms seems to be dying off, so we continue along. Colette takes a minute to enjoy South Gap Lake.
Next Storm
As we crested the ridge to North Gap Lake, we saw this crazy system coming in and that’s when we decided to turn around and head back.
Ideal Mountain Setting
Looking west, you would never know there’s a massive storm behind us.
Sneaking Up
Some thunder boomers sneaking up from the North.
Outrunning the Storm
We high-tail it out as the clouds build behind Browns Peak.
And it Hits
The clouds open up on Medicine Bow Peak.
North Gap Trail
Google Earth visual of the North Gap Hike
Here Comes The Hail
A short little video from our hidey-hole while we wait out the weather.
