Auntie Trailer is teaching me about the car. Photo by my Dad.

By Guest Author Gibby Stieg-Lampe, Senior Water Correspondent

About the Author: Gibby Stieg-Lampe is a senior chocolate Labrador specializing in aquatic recreation, stick acquisition, tennis ball recovery, and food location services. His hobbies include swimming, picnics, supervising home improvement projects, and consuming cat food whenever security protocols fail. Earlier in his career, he was known for eating dashboard buttons, though he now considers that phase of his life to be "experimental."

Dad holding me when I was a baby. This was in California somewhere. Photo by Mom

Mom Asked Me to Write About My Favorite Lakes

Some say Labradors are not the sharpest knife in the drawer. I say we are vastly misunderstood. I prefer the idea of not “how smart are you?” but instead, “how are you smart?” I may have, on occasion, been accused of being someone about whom you might not ask how smart I am, but I beg to differ. I also beg on occasion, but my Mom and Dad highly discourage it. But I digress. I am here today at the request of my Mom, Wendy. Mom wanted me to review the lakes in Colorado from the best perspective on lakes that there is, from someone who regularly swims in them, which would mean me.

Dad is throwing a stick for me at Twin Lakes, Leadville, CO. Photo by Mom

Let's start with cat food.

Talking about food is my favorite subject. Wait! A talking Labrador? You may question my abilities, but I assure you we talk. You humans just may not listen. Food? Did someone say food? Speaking of food, I need to try to understand something: Mom and Dad have decided to give the cats their own eating area. I have offered my services more than once in order to do some quality control tasting, but my offers have been rebuffed. Wait, weren’t we talking about lakes?

This is me when I was told no more eating the car. Photo by Mom

O.K., about the Lakes.

Me with the Auntie Cheyenne, the Colonel, and Mom. Photo by Dad

My favorites and why. I will tell you about them, and then I will rate them. Don’t question my method of explaining to you because that’s how I do things. Tell you what I am going to do and then do it. This happens all the time at home; for example, yesterday I went outside to check on the yard. My original mission was to inspect the fence line for squirrels. On the way to the fence, I noticed a stick. Naturally, I picked up the stick. While carrying the stick, I remembered that I had left a tennis ball near the bushes three days ago. While searching for the tennis ball, I spotted Gumdrop heading toward the cat food area. This reminded me that the cats have food and I do not currently have food. At this point Mom called me back into the house because apparently I had forgotten to do whatever it was I went outside to do in the first place.

The Colonel was an ankle-swimmer. How is THAT a Labrador? Photo by Mom

I believe this demonstrates excellent focus. Humans disagree.

#10 The Leadville Fish Hatchery

OK, back to lakes. I remember there being lots and lots of them when we lived in Leadville. Mom reminded me of the time when I jumped into the fish hatchery, because my Auntie Cheyenne did it too. A lot of people were shouting, and there were fish, and it was lovely. I don’t know why people started to get upset, and Mom made me get out of the fish swimming pool, but I would give that one two paws, mainly because I didn’t get a chance to check it out again.

This is me, ready to go back to the Leadville Fish Hatchery! Photo by Mom

**Editor’s Note:** The Fish Hatchery People were not excited to meet Gibby.

#9 Mini-Lakes in the Leadville Cemetery

One of my all-time favorites was the daily walks through the Leadville Cemetery. It changed how it looked during different times of the year. In winter, there was a lot of snow. This meant spring was the best because then these mini lakes formed all over the cemetery. To get good and wet, one had to go in and roll around, but what a wonderful experience! A lake that was right by the house! The only downside of the Leadville Cemetery Mini-Lakes was the bath I was forced to have immediately after getting home. I keep trying to tell Mom, I’m wet already; why are you washing me off? I gave these lakes four paws because of the forced bath afterwards.

Mom says I look so GOOD after my bath! Photo by Dad

**Editor's Note:** The "mini-lakes" were approximately three inches deep and consisted mostly of mud.

Because Mom Asked Me

Did I remember to tell you I love water? I love water! Photo by Dad

Oh, by the way, why am I writing this for Mom? Because she asked me to. How am I writing this? That is privileged information. Mom asked me to review the lakes of the American West from the best possible perspective: that of someone who regularly swims in them.

That someone would be me. Wait, did I already tell you that? I digress.

Over the course of my distinguished aquatic career, I have explored mountain lakes, reservoirs, rivers that humans insist are not lakes, and one ocean that was considerably larger than advertised. I have chased sticks through calm water, splashed through snowmelt-fed lakes, and conducted shoreline inspections throughout Colorado and beyond.

Just me and Dad, looking at the water! Photo by Mom.

The rankings represent a lifetime of field research. Mom and Dad have conducted additional questionable expeditions in We Could Be Lewis and Clark, If Lewis and Clark Were Obsessed with Bikes, Giant Cacti, and the Neighbors.

You are welcome.

Oh and there are snacks every time I do a review. I asked for cat food but all I got was a mint apple cookie. I’ll take the cookie.

Now, what were we doing? Oh yeah! Sticks! We were talking about the best sticks! No, wait, Lakes. Ok you want more lakes? Fine. But I still think we should talk about sticks.

#7 Twin Lakes, Leadville, CO

There are sticks there; it has a dock for jumping off, and there are not a lot of humans around. I like this lake a lot because there is a dock. Back in my younger days, I was very good at jumping off of docks and chasing sticks. I gave this one four paws because I was so good at jumping off the dock. And there were sticks.

Dad is telling me all about it. Photo by Mom

Gibby's Rating: 4

Editor's Note: Several readers have asked why Gibby's rankings go from #4 directly to #2, with no #3. Gibby would like it noted that he was told there would be no math.

#8 Timberline Lake, Holy Cross Wilderness Area

This is where I really learned how to swim. Auntie Cheyenne and Auntie Trailer taught me how. Mom says I started out swimming like Frankenstein. I don’t know who that is but I remember my two aunties showing me how to swim. One day it was like the most freedom ever. There were lots of sticks and the lake was cold. Mom and Dad took us up there a lot. We got to hike, then we would have to try to find Auntie Cheyenne because she never stayed with us, and then Auntie Trailer brought us a deer leg. Perfect day in my book

I found the perfect stick at Timberline Lake, near Leadville, CO. Photo by Mom

**Editor’s Note:** Trailer and Cheyenne were two older labs. Trailer was a chocolate Lab, and Cheyenne was a yellow Lab. They taught Gibby everything he knows.

#6 The Columbia River Lake, Hood River, OR

These were the days when we had the Colonel with us. Auntie Cheyenne was with us too. Sometimes Mom and Dad called the Colonel “Koda.” I just remember he was mean to me and he was pretty bad at swimming. I am not sure how you call yourself a Labrador if you don’t swim. The Colonel did not look like a Labrador, but he seemed to be with us all the time. What was I talking about? Oh yes, that winding lake they call a river. I still think it’s a lake. But this one was great because I would go in it and the Colonel would not be anywhere near me. I give this one 5 paw prints.

The Colonel! Up to his chest in the Columbia River Lake in Hood river, OR. Photo by Mom

**Editor’s Note:** Gibby was not a fan of our Shiba Inu, Koda. He is right; he was also called The Colonel, and he was not very nice to Gibby. He is wrong; Koda is not a Labrador. Koda was a Shiba Inu and hated water. Koda also belonged to Taylor, the Editor’s son.

#5 Ridgway Lake, Mom says it sits along the Uncompahgre River, another lake if you ask me, in Ridgway State Park, Ouray County, CO.

This one day we got to do TWO lakes in one day. One was The Uncompahgre River, which is a lake in my book, and then Mom and Dad brought me to Ridgway State Park Lake. We got to go there the other day too, but there was a mean lady there who wanted me to wear my leash. Mom and Dad made me leave early, and I was not done swimming yet. But we got to come back. I almost gave that lake four paws, but I think it deserves to have three paws because that mean lady could come back.

Me going after the stick Dad just threw! Photo by Mom.

**Editor’s Note:** The lady was correct. Dogs are required to be on a leash in much of Ridgway State Park. Gibby disagrees with this policy. Ridgway showed up again in *A Beautiful Evening Accompanied by an Annoyed Paul*.

#4 Lake Dillon, with a dock, and in Summit County, CO

Mom and Dad used to take me here a lot. Then we moved to Leadville from Dillon. But we still got to come down here and go swimming. I remember going there with Koda’s Dad, Taylor. Mom says he is her kid. Is that kind of like a puppy? Anyway, we used to get to jump off the dock after sticks. Those were my best days. I loved that. I have to give Lake Dillon more paws.

Gibby’s brother Taylor is throwing the stick; Koda the Colonel was nowhere to be found. Video taken by Wendy, Gibby’s Mom.

**Editor’s Note:** Gibby was very good at jumping off of docks. Koda and Taylor also appear in *March's Experience: A Memoir*.

#2 The Arkansas River Lake, Salida, CO

The Arkansas River was Auntie Trailer’s favorite. She showed me how to swim in these winding lakes that made it hard to find the stick after Dad just threw it in the water. But it was fun to swim in because the water swirled you around. I miss swimming with Auntie Trailer and Auntie Cheyenne. They taught me how to swim. I have to give this one a lot of paws too.

This is how we traveled in those days. Me and Auntie Cheyenne taking a rest after swimming. Photo by Dad.

**Editor’s Note:** Gibby really did learn how to swim in rivers from Trailer. He learned how to swim in lakes from Cheyenne.

#1 The Pacific Ocean Lake, Ocean Beach Dog Beach in San Diego, CA

Dogs in a pile: Ocean Beach Dog Beach, San Diego, CA. Photo by Mom

There was hot sand, lots of towels, and a crazy lake where the water moved in weird ways! But this was the best place ever to chase a tennis ball! There were a lot of tennis balls! I could go and get one from any dog I wanted! It was also even better because The Colonel wouldn’t go near the moving water. Best day ever! Tennis balls and snacks!

**Editor’s Note:** Ocean Beach Dog Beach is one of the best places to take your dog if you want them to experience the ocean. It was a magical day.

The New Rules:

So now that you know about lakes, go get yourself a good stick. Ask your Mom and Dad to take you to a lake near you. Tell them to give you cat food. Now you know which lakes to go to. You’re welcome.

Gibby's Top Ten Lakes in the American West (But Mostly Colorado)