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  1. #1
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    Default Colorado Two Day Hike

    I need advice from Colorado hikers. I am trying to plan a two day/ one night backpacking trip in Colorado for July 5th and 6th. I need suggestions on locations to backpack and camp. Ideally at a location that is no more then a 3 hour drive from Denver and involves summiting a 14er. We also would need to do either and out and back or a loop because we would only have one car.

    There would be two of us on the hike. I have about 200 miles experience on the AT including a week in the Presidentials and my friend has experience doing 14ers in Colorado, but day hikes only.

    I would also appreciate tips on camping in Colorado (as opposed to the AT) and how to deal with those afternoon thunderstorms.

    Thanks in advance!

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    I would check out something in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, probably Mount Harvard. Or a classic overnight 14er experience is Mount of the Holy Cross, by its standard route. If you are set on hiking a 14er, be prepared to see TONS of people. If you prefer a more solitary wilderness experience, stay away from them and go to the Gore Range. It sounds like you are coming from the east coast. Will you be acclimatized at all?

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    You also might want to check out 14ers.com, as their content is more what you are looking for.

  4. #4

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    Given the tight timeframe, I'd drive to Copper Mountain resort - very quiet in the summer - and hike the Colorado Trail into the alpine country of Elk Ridge to Kokomo and Searle Passes. Absolutely gorgeous with colorful wildflowers, marmots, sparkling streams, snow patches, views all around. It's "only" 12K or thereabouts but very rewarding. Get an early start to beat the thunderstorms and after Kokomo Pass, you drop down below treeline where you're more sheltered. You can camp around Cataract Creek where there's sufficient water.

    You can access the trail from within the resort rather than back at Rt. 91 to save 2-3 miles.

    You can expect scenes like these:
    Colorado Trail 115 Columbine.jpgColorado Trail 123 Bill hiking to Searle Pass & Elk Ridge.jpgColorado Trail 125 snowfield on Elk Ridge.jpgColorado Trail 126 cairn on Elk Ridge.jpgColorado Trail 127 Marmot.jpgColorado Trail 130 hiking on Elk Ridge.jpgColorado Trail 134 Elk Ridge.jpgColorado Trail 136 Pinnate-leaved Daisy.jpg

  5. #5

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    If you're interested in a 14er within 3 hours of Denver, you might want to consider heading for Leadville. Two 14ers are accessible off the Colorado Trail from that area: Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert (2nd and 1st highest in the state, respectively). You'll want to try to summit around noon-ish so that you can be headed back down by the time the early afternoon rains start. If you pack in part of the way up the trail for either peak, that should put you in a really good position to summit early and break down your camp before the next day's round of rain comes. Typically rain develops around roughly 2:00 and is usually done by, say, 4:00PM. Camping anywhere along the trail should be OK, as the lay of the land allows. Please be mindful of the fragile alpine tundra, though, if you reach above treeline; try to camp on durable surfaces or sites that have been used before. Mt. Massive is in a designated Wilderness Area, so you would need to observe Wilderness regulations if you choose that hike. Both are popular hikes, so don't expect solitude. If you don't want to backpack in on the trail, there are numerous campgrounds in the Leadville area. Check for campgrounds that take reservations, though. That near to a holiday, many will likely already be filled. You can also check online with the Leadville Hostel -- they're a relatively inexpensive alternative to camping if they have a bunk available.
    Going to the mountains is going home. -- John Muir

  6. #6

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    All good suggestions above.
    I like Leadville.
    Another good idea is go to Creede and hike north through town and straight up to the CDT near San Luis pass and bag San Luis peak.
    It's an easy 14 er but, won't be easy as you're climbing all the way from Creede.
    But, it is a cool town (so is Leadville but Creede is about 1/8 the size) and on the way up, you'll pass old mines (gold? copper? )and lots of history.
    Mt. Elbert usually has crowds of people going up.
    I think the one time I was up there there were 30+ people on top.
    Massive would be less crowded as it's not the highest.

    Good luck and have fun.

    ps.
    I'm going to climb a 4,000 meter peak myself in 2 weeks: Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo.
    It's only 13,000 something but I live at sea level and will only get there the day before.
    So, it should be interesting.
    Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams

  7. #7
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    I'd avoid 14ers over the 4th of July weekend, but that's just me.

    I like Cookerhiker's suggestion myself.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TribbleMom View Post
    If you're interested in a 14er within 3 hours of Denver, you might want to consider heading for Leadville. Two 14ers are accessible off the Colorado Trail from that area: Mt. Massive and Mt. Elbert (2nd and 1st highest in the state, respectively). You'll want to try to summit around noon-ish so that you can be headed back down by the time the early afternoon rains start. If you pack in part of the way up the trail for either peak, that should put you in a really good position to summit early and break down your camp before the next day's round of rain comes. Typically rain develops around roughly 2:00 and is usually done by, say, 4:00PM. Camping anywhere along the trail should be OK, as the lay of the land allows.
    good response. Massive would be a lot less crowded than Elbert, though still lots of folks. If you're willing to drive a bit further, like about 4.5 hours, the San Luis suggestion is excellent. San Luis is the least popular 14er because of its remoteness. There are excellent places to camp at or just below treeline along the standard route from the Stewart Creek t/h. Here's the 14ers.com link to San Luis routes, but browse around at the other 14ers. Excellent 14er resource.

    http://14ers.com/routemain.php?route...=San+Luis+Peak

    4th of July weekend is THE prime weekend in colorado; we always do a multi day climbing trip (this year it's down to the San Juans, but the San Juan range is roughly 6 hours from Denver). Nearly always good weather in early July. the monsoons start in mid-late July, typically. Don't let the prospect of "crowds" deter you. But if you really want a pristine experience, consider a high-100 peak vs. a 14er. The "high 100" start at roughly 13,800. There are 45 high-100 that are not 14ers, so much less popular (and 55 14ers). What difference does a couple hundred feet make? None, really. On the other hand, the trails up the non-14er high hundred peaks are less established. but many of the high 13ers do have good, established trails and that 14ers.com resource will tell you all about them.

  9. #9
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    PS: I think the 4th of July weekend is a bit early in most parts for Wildflowers, sorry. Some areas might have some though.

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    Thanks for all these great responses! I had not had a chance to respond because I was sailing all weekend. I have to take some time to do research on these and I am sure I will come back with more questions.

    "marktrumpet Will you be acclimatized at all?"

    I will be flying into Denver on the 3rd. I have family in Colorado and and I am usually in Colorado at least once a year. I have skied and climbed and so far have never had any problems adjusting to the altitude.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snakepit View Post
    I need advice from Colorado hikers. I am trying to plan a two day/ one night backpacking trip in Colorado for July 5th and 6th. I need suggestions on locations to backpack and camp. Ideally at a location that is no more then a 3 hour drive from Denver and involves summiting a 14er. We also would need to do either and out and back or a loop because we would only have one car.

    There would be two of us on the hike. I have about 200 miles experience on the AT including a week in the Presidentials and my friend has experience doing 14ers in Colorado, but day hikes only.

    I would also appreciate tips on camping in Colorado (as opposed to the AT) and how to deal with those afternoon thunderstorms.

    Thanks in advance!
    Quandary Peak is probably the easiest. There is camping near the bottom if you follow the roads dirt roads near the peak. They are undeveloped sites with no outhouses.

    I'd suggest staying overnight the night before your climb and either staying another night after the climb or heading home.

    The way to avoid the thunderstorms is to be below the treeline (around 11,000 feet) by 12:30. This means a sunrise start. You may get lucky and have a little more time, but start heading down when you see clouds or mackerel skies to the west.

    The mountain goats on Quandary Peak are friendly, so don't get far from your pack when you stop for a rest.

    There will likely be fire restrictions by then. Alcohol stoves are not legal.

    Have fun.

  12. #12
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gram cracker View Post
    There will likely be fire restrictions by then. Alcohol stoves are not legal.

    Have fun.
    Fire bans are in effect for what is essentially the first six sections of the CO Trail already. :O

    These are county restrictions, but county restrictions are in place for any USFS land that is within a sheriff's district.
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