The Zirkel Circle, just outside of Clark, Colorado, is an 11-mile loop with views reminiscent of the mighty Swiss Alps. The loop can be done in a day or broken up into a lax backpacking trip. On the journey, we conquered mountain passes, danced on a carpet of aspen leaves and gawked at Mount Zirkel and Big Agnes Mountain.
The landscape quickly transitioned from fall to winter when we hit 10 inches of snow on the Gilpin Ridge right before the lake. We cruised down some snow-laden switchbacks and eventually reached Gilpin Lake — the absolute highlight of the expedition. Vast peaks sprinkled with snow surrounded the lake so it’s a great spot for a lunch break and or to watch the sunset. Suggestion for the backpackers: fit as many people in a four-person tent as you can. We fit 10 and we’re proud.
Postcards From the Weekend is our weekly photo series showcasing images and stories from our adventurous and outdoor-loving contributors at Elevation Outdoor Magazine. Follow along and see where our team of adventure-seekers like to spend their weekends.
