Horsethief Falls & Pancake Rocks

The trail head sits at 9760 feet of elevation. No sign indicates your location, just the remains of the old road tunnel. The parking area accommodates around 25 vehicles. I'd advise arriving early, especially in the summer, so you can hike while it's still cool and the light is good for photos.

As the trail ascends, you'll feel as though you're in an arbor. The filtered sunlight is soft and soothing, both in summer and winter. The two pictures here are only 65 days apart; because the trail runs along the north face of the ridge, the snow hangs around a long time.

After walking a mile and ascending 400 feet, you'll arrive at a sign indicating a split in the trail. Straight ahead lie the falls; to the right about 2 miles (and another 800 feet of altitude) is the Pancake Rocks area. Just north of the trail is a meadow and a pond made by beavers taking advantage of the flatter terrain.

For this hike, I chose to continue on to the falls. When I return, I think I'll do the Rocks first, while I still have some oxygen in my blood stream. When you reach the falls, be careful. The decomposed granite slab down which the water flows is treacherous. You should still climb up as high as you like to the top of the water source; just be cautious.

The falls is really more of a "flow." Here the stream descends across the granite face at the foot of Sentinel Point. The high moisture content of the soil makes an ideal location for Colorado Columbine. You can climb around and enjoy exploring quite high up the rock formation. However, be careful, the decomposed granite here can be treacherous.

To the north (left as you face the falls), through a small copse of trees, is another granite face. It only rises about 75 ft above the forest floor, and it's not steep nor is the footing loose. When you reach the top, you'll find a chair sized knob perfect for propping you up while you gaze westward toward the inner range of the Rockies.

After I enjoyed the falls, I headed up the trail toward Pancake Rocks. UP is the correct term. The trail tops out at 11,088 ft, where the air density is 67% of what you'll find at sea level, and your body is operating with about 88% of the blood oxygen level you'd have there. ... Sucking wind is not a bad thing, it slows you down so you can enjoy the scenery more. ... Along the way be sure to enjoy the views of the mountains to the west.

Another spot to catch your breath and enjoy the breath-taking landscape.

When you reach the top, take some time to explore the rock formations. Here the granite fractures in horizontal patterns rather than the vertical ones you'd see at the Crags about three miles to the north. ... The hike down is a lot quicker than the hike up. But, be careful how you place your feet, because the granite gravel can be slick in places.