Backpacking Colorado Wilderness

I am flying into Denver mid June and have a completely open schedule for 16 days (two weeks and three weekends). I am going to plan on at least two, 3-4 night backpacking trips and then some day hikes and rock climbing. I would like some ideas for backpacks. I am not married to any particular location. Here are some criteria, etc:

• Solitude and wilderness, solitude and wilderness

• I am NOT super great with elevation. Get a bit wacky at 10-12K. I would like to start with a lower elevation trip and maybe later in the trip, test out something higher

• I LOVE canyons and desert

• I am in good shape, but not on a competitive level

• experienced in canyons and other terrain

• will be a group of three, all similar shape and health

• will have only one car

• gear options are endless

Any help, ideas, concerns are welcome. I am eyeing Flat Tops for one trip.

Thanks!

Hey miehoff! Colorado ha? You'll find lotsa terrific suggestions for Rocky Mountain NP and 14ers by searching vftt but here's a canyon fer yer. Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

The Gunnison River eventually flows into the Colorado River so, if things take a turn for the worse, you could wind up in the Grand Canyon hundreds of miles away. How bad is that?

There are no published trails to do a traverse of the Black Canyon but there are routes, very few, and none very merciful of mistakes. So maybe two of your group could do the rim to rim and the other take the car around to the other side, which is only a few hours away ... unlike the rim to rim at the other Grand Canyon ... but this'll be great preparation. You'll have to come up with something for that driver to do while she waits for you

Say, if you'll bring your mandolin, we'll count you in on the Grand Canyon rim to rim! Please bring your first aid kit, too.

Oh, yea! There you go Stan. I knew I would hear from you. I will dig up some maps.
In other news, been playin tons of gigs lately with some great bands. You should come out! Are you a facebookist?

Would recomend using the town of Salaida as a rest stop between outings. It is quite nice and big enough for resupplying. Most of my outings were to 14k peaks so no much to say for backpacking trips.

Maybe Steve will chime in, but in any case, I will post the link to his pictures/trip report from the Weminuche Wilderness a few years ago. His trip was also in June and I believe that's part of the reason he choose the Weminuche Wilderness.

Indian Peak Wilderness outside Boulder, south of Rocky Mtn Natl Park, is a great place to start, closer to Denver. Lots of 2-3 day trips to be had there, and not quite as high as other ranges. I'll second the Weminuche suggestion - absolutely fantastic place. There are endless possibilities in CO b/t Denver and the Weminuche, too.

weminuche!

pudgy_groundhog said:

Maybe Steve will chime in, but in any case, I will post the link to his pictures/trip report from the Weminuche Wilderness a few years ago. His trip was also in June and I believe that's part of the reason he choose the Weminuche Wilderness.

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I will second this. We did weminuche in 2008 and it was the most remote in CO. Simply amazing. Here was our itinerary.

Day 1: take durango-silverton train to elk pass trailhead and hike to beaver ponds.
Day 2: explore valley above with vestal, arrow, and the trinity peaks
Day 3: hike up elk pass to co tinental divide and down to the intersection of Johnson creek and the animas river?
Day 4: we hiked over. Columbine pass into Chicago basin.
Day 5: we rested in the upper basin.
Day 6: we climbed eolus
Day 7: we hiked out and picked up train back to Durango.

The Indian Peaks Wilderness is very scenic but overrun with people and regulations, same with most 14-ers but you're not looking for elevation. I'd almost say that anyplace that 2 people from New England have heard of won't offer real solitude.

If you go to RMNP stay on the W side, when you get your camping permit ask the ranger which areas have few issued. Of course the places with the most solitude are probably BLM areas with no rangers either

Miehoff,

Dont discount the Weminuche based on solitude alone:

It is the larest wilderness area in colorado.
It is also one of the farthest from Denver.

Its not far the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Durango is on the edge of the Desert Southwest.

This area's snow tends to clear a bit before the snow up in RMNP.

If you like the Desert the Sangre De Cristo Range is also nice, however its a bit more linear with less remoteness.

So, you mention mid-June, trouble over 10-12K feet, and solitude. Just a few thoughts:
1. Go south and west- Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes (crowded though), lower elevations of San Juans, etc. Snow will melt out sooner there and opportunities for solitude much better once you get south of CO Springs and west of Buena Vista/Salida.
2. Many posters here have mentioned a bunch of hikes that are way up high. Given typical melt-out times (and this year the snow is still accumulating nicely, with one more big storm slated for Mon-Tues of next week), I wouldn't count on much snow-free terrain over 11,000 feet till July 1. Biggest thing impeding a good backpack trip would be deep snow over passes that are often >12K. Last year was unusually snow-free (hence the current water shortages) and the year before I was thigh-deep on July 4th at 10,800'.
3. You may find that after a week or so, tolerance for elevation is better. So, so individual though. We've been here almost 3 years and my daughter and I are fine with anything at any elevation but my wife and son still hate anything over 10K.
4. You mentioned Flattops. That may well be a great choice. I have not yet been there.

Enjoy!!

Blacllab beat me to it, the train would provide a great adventure.

sierra said:

Blacllab beat me to it, the train would provide a great adventure.

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I took the Durango-Silverton train back when I was a kid. It is worth taking simply for the scenery whether one hikes or not.

All very good information. Thank you.