An Alpine Garden in Colorado | by Lisa Ballard

For many years, my favorite way to destress was packing up my tent and fly rod and trekking to a remote alpine tarn filled with trout. However, over the last few years, my backcountry forays evolved into either one-day outings in my local mountains or epic international expeditions. With the new “normal” curtailing travel abroad, I dusted off my big pack and drove with my husband and two friends, Bill and Alex, to the trailhead for Sloan Lake on the shoulder of Handies Peak, a 14,000-footer in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains.

Sloan Lake (12,920 feet) is a classic alpine lake, filled with Colorado cutthroat trout and framed by jagged rocky cliffs. In addition to hooking a few fish, I hoped the alpine wildflowers would be blooming. I’ve always had a thing for wildflowers, especially the rare, hearty beauties that blossom in high, wild places.

Lady Luck smiled on me as we climbed up American Basin, the enormous, elevated meadow en route to Sloan Lake. Endless acres of alpine blossoms carpeted the basin and with such variety! Purple larkspur grew by crimson, cream, pink and red Indian paintbrush. Blue and white Colorado columbine contrasted with fuchsia Elephanthead lousewort. Marsh marigolds, bluebells and Parry’s primrose bloomed by every streamlet. Higher, moss campion and valerian sprouted among the rocks.

Climbing to the lake was not a speed hike carrying a 50-pound pack and with so many wildflowers to ogle. A few times, I had to just sit for a few minutes to marvel at the multiple hues that freckled the flanks of the magnificent mountains.

By the time I arrived at Sloan Lake, my husband and our two friends had already set up the tents and were casting into the clear green water. As I dropped my backpack, Alex’s rod tip bent toward the water. A few moments later, he landed a 14-inch cutthroat. The fish, colored up for spawning, was as beautiful as the wildflowers, it’s belly, gill plates and lower sides glowing cranberry red.

Our group caught several more cutthroats, all equally colorful. As the sunset, spraying the surrounding cliffs with red, gold and orange, I couldn’t help thinking this was social distancing at its finest.

Photos and content courtesy of LOWA Ambassador Lisa Ballard.