BPX Trip – 3-Day: McCurdy Park from Lost Park TH

Learn about the CMC's Backpacking Section (BPX) and become a member here. 

Participants will be emailed meetup directions prior to the trip. 

Anticipate an early start on Day 1, and return to Denver on the evening of Day 3. 

I will be talking to all participants in the 2 weeks before the trip to ensure you're prepared for this trip, and reserve the right to remove people who don't seem quite ready for it. Please keep an eye on your email for this correspondence! 

We'll be accelerating this from a 4 day to a 3 day trip, with ~12 miles on Day 1, ~12 miles on Day 2, and 9 miles on Day 3 including the summit of Bison Peak. I have not camped near Bison Peak previously, so will be researching water sources as we get closer to the trip and will finalize the itinerary then. 

This is a SUPER COOL loop in the Lost Creek Wilderness, starting with a lovely creek walk, then a mild and mellow meadow along Wigwam Trail, down a fantastic section of Goose Creek with epic valley views as you head south, then you turn onto the McCurdy Trail which will take you through Refrigerator Gulch with its simply jurassic setting, wild rock formations, and the famed spot where Lost Creek gets lost by going into a cave. We'll then pass into higher, exposed country as we approach Bison Peak. This area has grassy balds and bizarre rock formations that look like Easter Island statues. On the morning of Day 3, we'll have the option to summit Bison Peak, a 12,424 foot peak with more wild rock formations up top, then head back to the trailhead to call it a day. 

We won't be hiking fast, but the days are long and we need to make time on Day 2 to get across the section above treeline before afternoon, so plan to be in good hiking shape, able to do 12+ mile days, and to keep a moderate pace.