Trip
BPX Trip – 3-Day Never Summer in RMNP from Colorado River TH
This trip is for BPX members only. This backpack is in a remote section of RMNP where we will most likely see more moose than people. We see fields of wildflowers in subalpine meadows and the high alpine meadows of Thunder Pass. In the area we will see remnants of the silver mining boom years when backpacking along down the Colorado River for four miles from near its source. This is a 3-day loop trip where we will begin and end our trip at the Colorado River Trailhead.
Contacts
- Tue, Jul 16, 2024 — Thu, Jul 18, 2024
- Backpacking Section
- Backpacking
- Adults
- Moderate
- Moderate
- Mileage: 17.5 mi
- Elevation Gain: 1,987 ft
- High Point Elevation: 10,480 ft
- Pace: 1.5 to 2.0 mph
- 4 (4 capacity)
- FULL (2 capacity)
- Cancellation & Refund Policy
In order to secure parking spaces, we should all plan on being at the Colorado River Trailhead at 7:00 am.
We will meet at Wooly Mammoth Park and Ride, section BB, across from the Exxon gas station, at 5:00 AM for the drive to the trailhead. Here’s a Google Maps link to Wooly Mammoth: Wooly Mammoth Park-N-Ride · 18560 US-40, Golden, CO 80401
The Colorado River Trailhead is 10.2 miles from Kawuneeche Visitor Center inside RMNP.
Car pooling will be arrange within 3 to 2 weeks before this trip.
Reservations for the below two RMNP wilderness campsites have been secured, which includes time entry permits for everyone. The leader will picked up the campsite permits within two weeks of the trip. A RMNP entry fee will be charged for each car not having either a senior or annual pass.
Day 1:
Follow the Colorado River Trail, the Red Mountain Trail, and the Grand Ditch Trail to the Valley View camp site. As the name implies, we will have a grand view of the Kawuneeche valley from our campsite near the edge of a wildlife rich meadow. We will backpack 3.32 miles with a 1,384’ elevation gain. On Day 1 we will have a casual moving pace of less than 1.5 mph considering the elevation gain we will have for the day.
Day 2:
Follow the Grand Ditch Trail and Thunder Pass Trail to the Box Campsite. We will have the exclusive use of this campsite, which is next to a large subalpine meadow. We will backpack 5.44 miles with a 329’ elevation gain. The majority of Day 2's backpack will be on the Grand Ditch trail, which is very wide and level, allowing us to have a moderate moving pace of 2.0 mph.
Optional: From our campsite, on Thunder Pass Trail hike up 1.1 miles with an 832’ elevation gain to Thunder Pass through subalpine and alpine meadows with great views of the Never Summer Mountains and American Lakes. We will have a casual moving pace between 0.5 to 1.0 mph considering the elevation gain we will have.
Day 3:
Follow the Thunder Pass Trail and the Colorado River Trail back to the Colorado River Trailhead. We will be following the Colorado River for four miles starting near its headwaters and will walk through LuLu City, a ghost town. We will backpack 6 miles with a 274’ elevation gain and a 1745’ elevation loss. The majority of Day 3's backpack will be descending on a trail along the Colorado river where we will have a moderate moving pace.
Required Equipment
10 essentials
RMNP requires everyone to use bear canisters.
There are no pit toilets in our camps. RMNP recommends using wag bags. Using Cat holes dug 6 to 8 inches are acceptable at our camps. Pack out toilet paper in airtight container. Carry small garden trowel.