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Backpack – BPX 3-Day: North Crestone Lake from North Crestone Lake TH

Trip

Backpack – BPX 3-Day: North Crestone Lake from North Crestone Lake TH

This will be great opportunity to not only see, but to hike and camp in fall colors in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness. We'll hike up to and camp below the alpine North Crestone Lake. The backpacking part of the trip will be shorter, hiking halfway up to the lake, drop backpacks, set up camp and then hike to the North Crestone Lake. Day 2 is choose your own adventure with several options (see leaders notes).

Contacts

George Vandyke
George Vandyke
Primary Leader
  • Fri, Sep 27, 2024 — Sun, Sep 29, 2024
  • Denver
  • Backpacking
  • Adults
  • Moderate
  • Challenging
  • Mileage: 7.0 mi
  • Elevation Gain: 1,800 ft
  • High Point Elevation: 12,000 ft
  • Pace: 1.0 - 1.5 uphill, 1.5 - 2.0 downhill

Here's the suggested BPX itinerary from the CMC website. Day 2 is a choose your own adventure. The recommended day hike (no backpack) on Day 2  looks pretty grueling and I would be inclined to substitute it with a more moderate day hike. We can work this out as a group once we see who signs up. More details to follow...

Suggested Backpacking Section (BPX) itinerary for 3-day trip to be used for CMC trips led by BPX leaders for BPX members:

Day 1. Hike on the North Crestone Creek Trail, #744. Establish camp below treeline, about a mile above the big trail intersection (3.5 miles 1750 ft). Day hike to North Crestone Lake  (4.4  miles/+1600 ft round trip to camp)

Day 2. Fish, relax in camp, or day hike the scenic, west side Comanche Pass/Phantom Terrace/Venable Pass loop (12 miles +/- 4200 ft)

Day 3. Return to trailhead (3.5 miles/-1750ft)

We'll meet at Wooly Mammoth parking lot section BB at 6 AM. We'll carpool as much as possible and will work out details as the roster shakes out. We'll leave for hiking out on Sunday about 9 AM, which will put us back at Wooly Mammoth about 4 PM.

Route/Place

BPX 3-Day: North Crestone Lake from North Crestone Lake TH

Roster
Required Equipment

Required Equipment

10 essentials

The weather will be about 42-60 at this elevation, so prepare for cool nights. Poles were also recommended in some of the trip reports for stream crossings and steeper parts.

Depending what you want to do at the lake you can bring a fishing pole,  swimsuit, a good book or just yourself :-)

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