Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Backpacking – August 2015
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness – Buena Vista, CO
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AUGUST, 2015
As a follow-up to the epic July 2015 Four Pass Loop hike, I teamed up with Christian, Jaden and Bailey for another Colorado hike in August. The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness near Buena Vista would be our destination for this one. The hike would be one of three Colorado hikes I was planning for that single road trip. Specifically, I was planning/hoping to do hikes in the Lost Creek Wilderness, Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, and Collegiate Peaks Wilderness areas in Colorado. But which hike we would do first and in which order we would hike them was undecided as we drove west.
Driving west on I-70 with a shaky plan
I was slightly unsettled as we drove west on I-70 from Indiana. Never in my relatively short backpacking career had I entered into a trip with such a shaky plan. As I drove through Illinois, I still needed to decide where our initial destination would be once we got to Colorado. Somewhere in east Kansas I decided to head towards Pueblo in southeast Colorado and start with the Sangre de Cristo hike. The plan was to make the first of our three hikes the Venable-Comanche Loop near Westcliffe. It was a two-day, 20-mile hike that would be the perfect ‘warm up’ for the next two hikes we had planned. I’ll leave the story of the Sangre de Cristo hike for another article, but it did turn out much more difficult than I envisioned.
Car camping before the hike – Collegiate Peaks Campground
The Sangre de Cristo hike did not go as planned. Altitude sickness hit me six miles into the first day of the hike on the Venable Trail. We decided to camp where we were, at Venable Lake, and hike back down the mountain to the car on day #2. Our shortened Sangre de Cristo hike did not inspire confidence in our remaining hiking plans! I decided to cancel the third of the hikes we had planned for the trip, the Lost Creek Wilderness. We would focus the rest of the trip on the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness hike. After leaving the Venable Trailhead, we drove to Buena Vista and up the mountain to the Collegiate Peaks (car) Campground. We would spend the night there and start from the nearby Denny Creek Trailhead the next day.
The Plan – Collegiate Peaks Wilderness hike
Our plan was to do a 3-day, 2-night, 16-mile hike starting from the Denny Creek Trailhead. I had come up with the plans for the hikes on this trip from David Day’s fantastic book ‘Colorado’s Incredible Backcountry Trails’. It was published in 2009 so even at the time of our hike – 2015 – some of the trail information was getting a bit dated. But it is still a great reference for anyone planning Colorado backpacking trips. We would spend the first night at Hartenstein Lake, located on a spur trail a mile in each direction off the main Browns Pass Trail. The second day we would go uphill and over Browns Pass, then downhill on the Kroenke Lake Trail to Kroenke Lake. The third day we would retrace our steps and head back to the Denny Creek Trailhead.
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness day #1 – Hartenstein Lake
Uphill on the Browns Pass Trail to Hartenstein Lake
Our night at the Collegiate Peaks Campground was relaxing, refreshing, and enjoyable. It proved to be the perfect break between two rounds of backpacking. It was less than a mile from the campground to the Denny Creek Trailhead, so we arrived early and quickly completed the pre-hike gear preparations. Clouds were already building up, letting us know that we could expect some typical Colorado monsoon-season thunderstorms later in the afternoon. But the weather was still fine that morning as we started climbing on the Browns Pass Trail. The hiking was pleasant as we ascended through the forest along Denny Creek. We crossed the creek many times, occasionally on makeshift log bridges. Shortly before the turnoff to Hartenstein Lake, the views started to open up. It was nice! Soon we made it to the Hartenstein Lake turnoff and, after one more uphill mile, got our first view of the lake.
Hartenstein Lake – Backcountry Camping at its Best
Our afternoon and evening at Hartenstein Lake was backcountry camping at its best. The weather was perfect. Our campsite was huge. There were comfortable sitting logs. We had a roaring campfire, and our site was on the lake. Mount Yale loomed over us like a painting, and we didn’t have to share it with anyone else. I’ve rarely had a more perfect backpacking afternoon and evening than that one. Christian set up his hammock in an excellent spot to soak up the views and took a nap. Bailey decided to join him. As the afternoon wore on, there was little to do except relax, explore, and immerse ourselves in the setting. But, as is typically the case in the Rockies in mid-August, the perfect weather gave way to afternoon thunderstorms. They built up right over Mount Yale, giving us a spectacular ‘nature TV’ show.
Nature TV at Hartenstein Lake
When you arrive in a new campsite there often isn’t a lot to do after the initial setup chores are completed. A ‘dead time’ occurs with no activity or outside distractions, especially if you are in an area with no cell connectivity (which is often the case). It can be a little unsettling for those used to the constant hustle and bustle of the ‘real world’. But eventually the mind settles down. The quiet and relaxed pace offers a mindfulness unique to backpacking. That quiet, peaceful feeling is one of the main reasons I love getting into camp early. The only distraction is typically the simplicity of what we call ‘nature TV’ – a crackling campfire, mountain views around camp, and perhaps gathering weather. Our night at Hartenstein Lake had it all!
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Day #2 – Kroenke Lake
Hartenstein Lake to Browns Pass
Day #2 started with angry clouds and threatening weather. It was dark and gloomy as we ate breakfast before starting the climb to Browns Pass. We were lucky to watch the storms from a safe distance yesterday – we wondered if we’d be as lucky today. Despite the gnarly skies, the hiking was enjoyable heading up to Browns Pass. The trails were smooth, the grade wasn’t too steep, and the view back down Denny Creek was fantastic. It was only three miles from our camp to Browns Pass, so it didn’t take long to get there. The Pass was underwhelming – basically an open grass field with not much to see. But the views in both directions were awesome. We took the trail beyond the Pass down to Browns Cabin but it was just ruins – a disappointing expenditure of extra energy.
Surprisingly long and steep climb after Browns Pass
Typically when you reach a pass, it represents the summit of a climb. That was certainly not the case with Browns Pass. The steepest part of the climb came after the pass. We hiked a series of switchbacks along the Continental Divide another 600 vertical feet up from the pass. Thunderstorms had built up in the valley we’d hiked up from, and lightning could be seen below us. Lightning coming towards you while you’re above the treeline in the Rockies is exceptionally ‘motivating!’ We quickened our pace, hoping to get back down to shelter in the treeline as quickly as possible. The views were fantastic, but we only stayed briefly to enjoy them. At 12,600 feet, we finally reached the true summit of the climb and began the descent down toward Kroenke Lake.
Downhill to Kroenke Lake
From the summit, we could see heavy rain falling at Kroenke Lake a few miles ahead. Visibility was excellent in all directions, and everywhere we looked, rain was falling in the distance. Thankfully, no rain fell on us. The trail ran right along the actual Continental Divide. We were ‘on top of the world’ and entirely exposed. Temperatures had dropped to the mid-40’s and a steady 20+ MPH wind blew. If rain had been added to the mix, it would have been hypothermic misery. Thunder continued to rumble steadily nearby, reminding us not to dawdle. Hiking right on the Continental Divide in thunderstorms is sublime, but it sure makes you feel ‘small.’ The trail steepened as we neared Kroenke Lake and, thankfully, we got back below the treeline.
Stormy Collegiate Peaks Wilderness – staying dry at Kroenke Lake
Our best move of the afternoon was to set up the tarp as soon as we arrived in camp. The rains we miraculously avoided all day finally caught up to us. They announced their arrival with a lightning bolt and stupendous coincident thunder about 100 yards up the main trail from our camp. But we were dry and felt a (certainly unjustified) sense of security under the tarp and in the protection of the trees. We had built a fire just outside the tarp opening and the warmth built up nicely within the tarp confines. The rain fell in a sleety, icy mix but we were comfortable and dry in our warm cocoon. When you get the ‘setup’ correct ‘chillaxing’ in camp with thunderstorms pounding you is actually one of my favorite backcountry experiences.
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Day #3 – Back to the Trailhead
Last morning in camp at Kroenke Lake – promise of good weather
Sometime during the night, the storms finally moved away. It looked like we were going to have perfect weather for our last day of hiking. With the clearing skies came falling temperatures. It was cold – probably mid-30s as we started the camp teardown chores. Christian and Bailey got in one last swing in the hammock. I walked the short distance to the lakeshore and filtered some water for the day. The whole area around Kroenke Lake is gorgeous, and I was surprised that we once again had it to ourselves. There were no other people camped around us. After a couple of cups of enjoyable and necessary hot coffee, we finished tearing down camp. First on the hiking agenda was climbing up the steep hill out of camp up to the Continental Divide.
Retracing our steps from the first two days – back to the trailhead
The climb out was miserable. Not only was it the steepest section of trail we hiked over the entire three days, but it was also lined with what I call ‘car wash plants.’ (Like wet squeegees). There was no staying dry on that climb. But the weather was perfect, and the sunshine and amazing views boosted our spirits. Hiking in ideal weather on the Continental Divide is far more relaxing and enjoyable than hiking in lightning, thunder, rain, and foreboding weather. The plan for the day was to retrace all the hiking we had done on the first two days, a total of about seven miles. After the initial climb to the Continental Divide, it was all downhill to the trailhead. Our pace was fast, and we made it back to the car in a little over two hours.
Conclusion – Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Backpacking
The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness hike was a great ending to an otherwise bizarre and somewhat disappointing backpacking trip. As we drove west from Indiana at the start of the trip, I was enthusiastic about the prospects for what we would accomplish over the coming week. Making three separate backpacking trips in seven days would be a piece of cake. Nothing could be further from the truth! Logistically, physically, and emotionally it is difficult to make even a single Rocky Mountain backpacking trip, let alone three in seven days. I was still on a ‘high’ from my successful Four Pass Loop hike, and my confidence was clouding my rational thinking. In the end, the trip was a great ‘learning experience.’ Lessons from the 2015 Colorado trip would be applied to all my future hikes, making them safer and more enjoyable.
