Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness

Let the Games Begin!
Left to right: Longs Peak, Pagoda Mountain, and Mount Meeker.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION (get your maps out!)
7/30/01 Dad dropped me off at the Zimmerman Trailhead at the end of Crown Point Road. Entered the Comanche Peak Wilderness. Hiked south all day alternately following the trail and my nose over Comanche Peak, crossed into the National Park, and arrived at Mirror Lake to camp. (11 miles) 7/31/01 Hiked south and east to Mummy Pass, south over Flint Pass and up the Hague Creek Basin to The Saddle. Over Fairchild Mountain (13,502') then south past upper Fay Lake and on to Ypsilon Lake to camp. Field trip to Spectacle Lakes. (11 miles) 8/1/01 Left west out of camp up Mount Chiquita (13,069') and on to Chapin Pass. Hiked up Fall River Road about 1/2 mile before being taken in by a family from Kansas for a ride to the Alpine Visitor Center atop Trail Ridge Road. Southwest to Forest Canyon Pass then traversed around to the Continental Divide and South to Timber Lake for camp. (10 miles--11 with the ride!) 8/2/01 Up to the Divide and south east over Mount Ida, Chief Cheley Peak, Sprague Mountain, across Bighorn Flats, then south to Ptarmigan Lake and below tree line to camp. (9 miles) 8/3/01 Up to the Divide (again!) and over Taylor and Powell Peaks to the Mc Henrys Notch. Fearful of 5th class climbing with a full pack, so headed south down a steep gully to Lake Powell. Blasted the Glen Canyon Dam and proceded south up to the Divide and then west over Chiefs Head Peak (13,579') and down to Keplinger Lake. Up Mount Meeker's (13,911') southwest ridge, over the knife edge east and down the trough to Meeker Park. (15 miles) 8/4/01 Resupply and family fun at Happy Thought (the cabin). 8/5/01 From Meeker Park west to Sand Beach Lake and South 1/2 mile to camp. (6 mi) 8/6/01 West up to The Divide and south up the shoulder of Mount Alice. Chased away by early lightning and headed down past Thunder Lake and all the way to Allenspark for something to do on a rainy day and maybe some real food! Got nothing and headed west up to Pear Lake to camp. (22 miles-left or lightened my pack in strategic places!) 8/7/01 Traversed north around Copeland Mountain (I don't recomend this route!), then west past Bluebird and Pipit Lakes. Up to the Divide, south, then off the Divide west and south and over an unnamed pass (Brad's Pass?), out of The Park and into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, and down to Upper and Stone Lakes to camp. (9 miles) 8/8/01 East up to the Divide and southeast to Buchanan Pass. West to Thunderbolt Creek to camp. (6 miles) 8/9/01 West down Buchanan Creek and southeast up Arapaho Creek to Coyote Park to camp. (11 miles) 8/10/01 South over Arapaho Pass, below Mount Neva, and up to the Divide. Proceeded south in a thick fog, losing my way only twice, over Devils Thumb Pass and on to Rollins Pass. West down to Moffat Road where I hiked about 1/2 mile. Was picked up by three rocket scientists from Lockheed Martin up for opening day of marmot season! Out to Rollinsville. (12 miles-more than double that with the ride. Thanks guys!)
Rams above Ptarmigan Basin. The day before I crossed Bighorn Flats where I encountered a herd of 200 elk! I wish they'd get the names right!
The Mc Henrys Notch.
Me on the Mount Meeker summit at dusk. I'd hoped to spend the night on top, but a late storm approached from the southwest with flashes of lightning. Made it to Meeker Park by midnight. I began my hike at 6am that morning--what a day!
Bluebird Lake on a bluebird day.
In my travels in the lower valleys of the Indian Peaks Wilderness I encountered many berries. This is a shot of my breakfast of maple and brown sugar oats doctored with my sister's dried apricots and wild huckleberries I picked myself. My day on Buchanan and Arapaho Creeks was bittersweet: I was frustrated to not be on the high peaks because of rainy weather, slippery wet rocks, and poor visibility, but sweetly surprised to find huckleberries, thimbleberries, raspberries, oregon grape berries, kinnikinik berries, and rose hips to snack on along the way (Never, ever eat anything out in the woods unless you are absolutely sure you know what it is!). It was also nice to walk a maintained trail, pass through old growth forest, and watch the creeks cascade over giant boulders and deadfall. The peaks south of Buchanan Pass and north of Arapaho Pass are some of the most rugged in the state. I'd planned the easiest route through I could find and it still looked like I was in for plenty of excitement. I'd looked forward to getting a close up glimpse on some of the more challenging peaks. I guess I'll have to go back!
The Continental Divide between Arapaho Pass and Rollins Pass, I think. I only got disoriented twice, once actually hiking in a circle. Feeling the wind change direction and looking down on the same ice filled lake a second time finally tipped me off! It is extremely hard to reorient yourself once you are turned around in a fog. Thank goodness for compasses!