Snake Lake - Red Feather Lakes Colorado

This is a watercolor of Snake Lake.  It was always the landmark for the end of the drive to the cabin.  I always was confused by this lake's name.  I was really young but my mom saw a snake at West Lake and she is very scared of them so everyone and the fish knew their was a snake there.  I then always associated that lake with snakes and thought it should have been named after them.  We never saw snakes at Snake Lake.

Evenings

Evenings in the Cabin at Red Feather Lakes, where usually pretty quiet for me as I was pretty young.  We would fry up the fish with canned potatoes.  Dad would be drinking Coors, me a bottle or Kool Aid.  I remember my parents playing cribbage as I drifted off to sleep.  The late night run to the outhouse was  always interesting and fragrant.  Mornings would be the lighting of the wood burning stove followed by the eggs, bacon, and OJ.

Dead Man's Hill Fire Tower

Dead Man's Hill Fire Tower was a diversion we would go and drive to to take a break from fishing.  I do remember we tried to drive up there one time after an early snow.  Bad idea, we got stuck in the Cougar and so did a Mustang.  I remember getting the Cougar pushed out of a snow bank and beating a hasty retreat to lower elevations back by the cabin.

Shagwa Lake - Red Feather Lakes Colorado

In the continuing story of childhood memories, Shagwa Lake is a pretty small lake with great sunsets and pretty good fishing.  The earthen dam on the left side of the watercolor is where we would fish and I remember this lake as being heavily populated with Bullfrogs and their deep chorus.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout were the fish we usually caught while fishing at Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.  They were so numerous, I can remember the few times we did not catch them and caught Brown or Brook Trout.  I did not even know there were any other fish like Bass or pike till I was much older.

First Fish at Red Feather Lakes Colorado

This is a watercolor of my first fish, which was a crawdad.  I caught this on my first pole with my first reel, he fought pretty hard.  He was a definite catch and release.   We would see a lot of these babies in the lakes.  It was not until later I ate some in New Orleans, Louisiana, if only we knew, they would have been in trouble.

Hiawatha Lake - Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hiawatha Lake is just to the west of the Hilltop Store featured in yesterday's post.  I remember this lake for our two fishing spots.  This one is where I caught my first fish, a Rainbow Trout and trying to get my feet wet while wearing my Wellington boots.  I use to like how the rubber would get darker when wet.