Alberta Falls, The Loch and Timberline Falls

The forecast was for thunder showers and it's been overcast all day.  I really wanted to get out early but I got off to a much later start than I had hoped.  After setting up the tent, I was met by a herd of elk just outside the campground.  I had to stop.  Like the bison in Teddy Roosevelt National Park and the prairie dogs at Devil's Tower, the elk is the star at Rocky Mountain National Park.

The shuttle bus dropped me off at the trailhead at 3pm.  Wherever I am at come 5pm, I will turn around.  It already began to drizzle.  Like yesterday, I am surprised at the number of people on the trails.  I reached Isabella Falls in just under a half hour.  Lots of people stopped here.  It's mostly a cascade but does plunge a good 20 feet.

I expected the crowds to thin out, but there would be quite a few people out on this rainy day.  They were a bit smarter, since most of the people I met were going the other way (back to the road).  After an hour and a half I reached the Loch where I met a guy wearing jeans, sneakers and a regular shirt.  At this point, the steady rain has turned to a downpour and my hands are freezing.  It never ceases to amaze me what people wear out here.  He continued on towards Timberline Falls but must have turned around, since I never saw him again.

The walk to Timberline Falls was in a complete downpour.  I chose to not put on my rain pants, which at this point I regretted.  The trail became a bit muddy, so my feet finally became soaked.  The trail left the woods and came out into an opening.  I could see Timberline Falls.  Not the most visually pleasing waterfall I've seen, but still, it had some height.  It's setting was also quite good, located in a gorge.  I walked up some wet rock steps and chose not to walk up the very steep rock steps to Sky Pond.  It was a complete downpour and it was 5 o'clock.  Time to head back.

By the time I reached the Loch, the sky had cleared.  The sun was out, but I noticed it still raining.  I thought, "Perfect conditions for a rainbow."  As I looked up, sure enough, there was a rainbow stretching across the sky above the Loch.  And I had my camera: