Rocky Mountain National Park Backpacking Report

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Map for Reference:






I just went on a trip backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park off Bear Lake Road. The direct flights from New Orleans through Southwest are early in the mornings and cheap, so overall the trip just makes sense. I went last year dayhiking and had such a good time that two of my friends and I decided to go again this week for four full days and three nights.

I got two nights at Andrew’s Creek Campsite for late July of this year. I got the reservations through Recreation.gov when they opened in early March. As the link above indicates, the campsite is among the most coveted in the National Parks, so I was lucky to get the spot. The ranger in the backcountry office told me that I was extremely lucky to get two nights in a row.

This was going to be my first backcountry trip, so I’ve been accruing gear all year long. My wife would normally take on the adventure with me, but she is pregnant. Needless to say, she has been nervous about me going on the trip and told me I could only go if I had someone with me.

About a week before the trip, one friend backs out because he just got a new job. Oh well, at least I have one friend coming still...

As part of our acclimatization, my group was going to stay Wednesday, our first night, in a campsite in Moraine Park (car camping campsite). At the last minute, we snagged a night at Odessa Lake on the first night, but decided not to stay out there because…

We get to Denver and my friend is in the middle of a flu bout. Great. We pick up some supplies and head to Estes Park. We get to the park, get our backcountry permits, and go check in to Moraine Park. Our plan for the day was to drive Old Fall River Road to the Alpine Visitors Center and continue on Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake for lunch. We were going to pick up a pizza and bring it back to the campsite bear box for dinner and catch an evening hike on the Bear Lake Road. We start up Trail Ridge Road.



My buddy sleeps the whole time up to Alpine visitors center. I make the Executive decision to stop and get lunch there. It was basic Aramark style stuff but not bad under the circumstances. There was a good view.


We then headed back to Moraine Park to set up our stuff.





After we set up our campsite, we packed up our stoves, lightweight chairs, and trail dinners and hiked to Nymph Lake. It’s a short half mile hike for dinner.



My buddy then decided he would catch the shuttle to Denver International the next morning at 4:30 and head back home. I decided to hit the backcountry by myself the next evening. We both slept poorly and woke up at 3am Thursday Morning.

We pack up and I drop him off at the shuttle at 4:30. I then went to hike Chasm Lake. Chasm Lake is the lake at the base of Longs Peak, the highest peak in the park.




I was able to get an early start.





The first 2.5 miles was below the tree line





And then there is a tough climb over the next mile in exposed tundra. Here is a picture of the boulder field and a hiker at the top.



The last mile and a half of the hike is semi-flat but is along the side of the neighboring mountain and was a real treat.






I arrived at Chasm Lake a little after 10 and spend about a half hour there. I made some tuna sandwiches and drank some filtered glacier water for lunch.



View from the top looking down at the valley on the way back down



Hike Summary


I get back to my car about noon and head to town and get lunch. Got a club from Notchtop Cafe and went to Village Laundry for a shower. I was pretty wiped out, as we only got about ten hours of sleep in the previous two nights combined, so I took a nap in my car.

After my nap, I called my wife. She is just getting over Covid and the kids have been tough. I told her since I was alone I would look for an earlier flight back home. I booked one returning Friday evening at 8:55 rather than Saturday evening at 5:45. I could stop get all my hiking accomplished.

I went to the trailhead to start my hike for Andrew’s Creek at about 5pm. It was later than I would have liked but I was dragging arse after the morning hike. I’ve been off the Glacier Gorge trailhead twice before, but never in the evenings. The sunset light was just as beautiful as the morning light on the mountains.



Alberta Falls



Loch Vale was every bit as beautiful in the evening as it is in the mornings.







My Campsite for the Night





I had my tent set up and had eaten by the time it got dark. I got into my tent and put on James Bond, put in my headphones, and slept like a baby. My alarm went off at 5am. Unfortunately, I forgot my head lamp, so I couldn’t get an ultra early start. However, my plan was to hike to the base of Timberline Falls for breakfast and coffee.



Friday Below...