If you ever get the itch to stretch your legs above Estes Park, the Gem Lake Trail is one of those classic climbs that rewards you the whole way up. It is a moderate hike with steady elevation, enough to make you feel alive but not enough to make you question your life choices.

The views along the way are worth every switchback. You get clear looks at the valley, Lumpy Ridge, and the kind of rolling granite that makes this corner of the Rockies feel like no other. The trail winds past odd rock formations that look like Mother Nature got creative on a slow afternoon. When you reach Gem Lake, you find a small, mirror bright pool tucked right into the rock basin. On a quiet day the lake sits so still you can hear your own thoughts echo off the granite

Remember to bring plenty of water, take your time on the granite steps, and give wildlife the room it needs. Around here that is just good trail manners.

If Gem Lake is on your list, consider this your nudge to go. It is a local favorite for a reason, and Buck approves.

Tuesday night was the real showstopper. The sky opened up in bright reds and sharp greens that looked like someone painted the whole valley with a giant holiday brush. The wind cut through the ridgeline, but nobody seemed to care. Cars packed the pullout by the Estes Park welcome sign on Highway 36. Folks leaned against their bumpers, zipped their jackets higher, and stared at the sky like they were trying to memorize it.

You could hear the wind, the clicking of phone cameras, and every so often a quiet “wow.” When the reds brightened, people pointed. When the greens deepened along the horizon, everyone shifted to get a better angle. It felt like half the town showed up to watch the same moment unfold.

Wednesday was a different kind of beauty. Softer, quieter. The clouds drifted in and muted most of the color. What we did see came through as light pinks and pale greens brushing the sky. Not as vivid as Tuesday, but still enough to make you stop for a second. The kind of glow that feels like a secret shared with whoever stayed out past dinner.

Mo Pass said Tuesday was the main course and Wednesday was the dessert. I told him that was the first time he has ever compared science to a meal, but he was not wrong.

These storms do not come often, and when they do, they remind you how lucky we are to live under a sky big enough to surprise us twice in a row.

Buck’s takeaway: Some nights roar, some nights whisper, and both are worth stepping outside for.