If there’s one thing that’s characterized this spring here in Colorado, it has been the lack of snow. While this has some far more serious implications, we can’t discount the impact it had on our weekend trips to the mountains and our ability to write post-ski food reviews. Eager as we are, we came up with a solution to this problem: to tackle a 14er and scope out the surrounding food scene. The mountain in question was Mount Sherman, a 14,036-foot mountain located in the Mosquito Mountain Range shortly outside of Leadville.
While we had prepared for this Saturday-morning endeavor by making it a tame Friday night and preparing a cardboard sign, the universe had other plans: Anya’s phone died in the middle of the night, despite being plugged in and never revived itself to remind us of our planned 4:30 a.m. departure. Waking up to a risen sun and dozens of missed calls (including one on Snapchat audio) was certainly a setback. Nonetheless, we were still intent on getting our steps in and finding some good grub.
Our updated plan was to hit the trail at Le Deux Reservoirs Trailhead in Palmer Lake, a short 25-minute drive from campus. Located just a few miles west of Monument, the small town of Palmer Lake felt like a true escape, giving more “cute mountain town” than “Front Range suburb.” The trail was a 4.1-mile out-and-back that wove into the mountains and lacked switchbacks, resulting in a generous incline on the way out. Along the way, we passed two lakes that, along with the blue skies, made for beautiful scenery. On the downhill-sloping way back, we ran into fellow Catalyst-er Margaret Freeman ‘28. She evidently has great taste in hiking trails, and she’s also known to write some great articles.
While we didn’t accomplish a 14er, the trail did its job in working up a good appetite. Palmer Lake’s downtown consists of one main street along a nice park with just a few local businesses. After consulting the menus online, we opted for Lake and Lantern Cafe. We went inside briefly to get a table, but quickly returned to the sunny day awaiting us on the lovely patio out front. Right off the bat, we were warmly greeted by the hostess and the waiter, who we later found out was the owner, so we knew this was going to be a great brunch.
While we weren’t planning on getting coffee, after seeing the beautiful color of the matcha one table over, we changed our minds and ordered a strawberry matcha to share. We also ordered the Citrus Grove Salad, the Chilaquiles Benny (with eggs over hard), the Crispy Garlic Potatoes and the Berry Brioche. While the service wasn’t exactly lightning-fast, the time passed quickly as we people-watched and soaked up some rays. Evidently, Margaret also has great taste in post-hike food stops. As the server finally set down the beautifully presented plates in front of us, he exclaimed, “Wow, that’s a lot of food for you two gals. ” We took his remark as a challenge and quickly began our brunch, cleaning each plate with ease.
The Chilaquiles Benny was delicious with well-seasoned green chile pork and great flavor. The brioche featured a generous amount (especially for this economy) of gorgeous fresh berries and a drizzle of honey, all atop a wonderfully tangy, fluffy cream cheese. These two alone would have scratched the itch for a sweet-savory breakfast combo, but taking it a step further with the sides was absolutely the move. The arugula salad was fresh, and the potatoes had the perfect crunch. The whole menu was pretty well-priced, and the outdoor atmosphere made us feel like we were on vacation.
We made it back to campus, our cardboard sign sitting alone on the dining room table as a grim reminder of our failed plans, but with copious energy remaining to tackle the day we might not have otherwise; maybe the universe knew what it was doing. Additionally, to know that a beautiful lake trail and a quaint foothill town with great food is just under a thirty-minute drive from campus is a well-kept secret, but one we’re excited to share. We hope one last storm hits the Rockies soon (#prayforsnow #miracleapril?), so we can return to our regularly scheduled column, but regardless, this is not goodbye. Stay tuned!