Another quick overnighter at the end of a chemotherapy cycle. I was a bit surprised to find a permit available for Finch Lake, but I jumped on it, as I am always happy to spend some time in Wild Basin.
There was also a permit available on one of the Wind RIver sites along the Glacier Gorge corridor. With the advent of Bustang service to Estes Park (it makes a stop in Boulder), I was thinking of doing a car-free trip: Bustang from Boulder to the Estes Park Transit Center, then take the RMNP Hiker Shuttle to the trailhead.
The problem with this plan is that you are required to get permits in-person at the backcountry office at the visitor center, but the hiker shuttle does not stop at the visitor center. You’d have to hitch or Uber the 3-4 miles from the transit center to the backcountry office and then back again. Not going to do that.
Given how much effort the Park spends on automobile traffic impacts (timed entry permits etc), you’d think they would make it possible to avoid driving altogether. But no. On the other hand, this is the first year of Bustang service to Estes, so not having the shuttle stop at the Visitor Center (it’s on the way) was perhaps just an oversight. I emailed them about this, but haven’t heard back.
I last visited Finch Lake 20 years ago. The lake was too shallow then to hold fish over winter, and it was likely to be more shallow on its journey of turning into a meadow. But the fishing at Pear Lake, 2 miles farther up, was excellent — a thriving population of Greenback Cutthroat Trout had established itself. Also there were abundant whortleberries in an old burn section along the trail. I could camp at Finch then day-hike it up to Pear.
There are two trails one can take — one zigs east to the spine of the ridge, then zags west up the ridge. The other zigs west up the N St Vrain creek, climbs up Cony Creek to Calypso Falls before zagging east to a junction with the other trail. Both routes are about 4.5 miles and 1200 feet elevation gain. The east route has far less dayhiker traffic and I headed that way.
The day was fair and the views of lower WIld Basin were very fine.
Lower Wild Basin with the Twin Peaks as a backdrop
The sun was hot and the 0.7L of water I brought ran low. But it was early enough in the season that Fox Creek, a wrinkle in the ridge leading down to Allenspark, was still running.
The whortleberries are pretty much gone. They have been shaded out by young aspens and Doug Firs. The upside was shade on the climb up. I made it to the lake mid-afternoon and picked the designated site closest to the privy, not wanting to make a long pilgrimage in the morning.
I’ve been thinking about doing long trails in the East, such as the Ozark Highlands Trail. Hammocks are often more suited in that terrain, and I’d decided to up my hammock camping game.
I’ve had a Hennessy Ultralight Backpacker hammock for a few years, but have never really been satisfied with it. The lay is a little too cramped, the tarp coverage is minimal and, most significantly, underside insulation is insufficient. I sold the Hennessy on eBay and got a new setup consisting of a Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock, a Hammock Gear Phoenix 30° underquilt, and a Hammock Gear Quest tarp. I’d tried it out in the back yard, but this was my first wilderness test of the system.
Maiden voyage for my hammock system
A thunderstorm rolled in just after I got it set and it rained on and off until midnight. Lying in a hammock, encased in down above and below, during a cold wet storm is a very pleasant experience. I also appreciated the relative openness of the tarp as compared to a tent. And the ability to cook or heat water for tea under the tarp was also well-appreciated.
Sitting in the hammock and making some tea during the storm
Of course such luxuries have their price. As is usual in backpacking, that price is paid in weight.
When I hike in a low-bug environment, my usual shelter system is a MLD Pro Poncho Tarp (12 oz), tyvek ground cloth (3 oz) and 1/2 of a Z-lite foam sleeping pad (8 oz) plus stakes (2 oz). That’s 25 oz for both shelter and rain gear.
When the bugs are out, I take a (now-discontinued) Zpacks Altiplex tent with a DCF poncho that doubles as a floor (20 oz), the Z-lite pad and stakes. That’s 30 oz for shelter and rain gear, still under 2 pounds.
The hammock system is considerably heavier: hammock + suspension (18 oz), underquilt (11 oz), silpoly hex tarp + stakes (15 oz). That’s 46 oz. Add the Z-packs poncho for rain gear and the total is 51 oz, over 3 pounds. Bummer.
I could cut some weight by springing for a DCF hex tarp (most are 5-6 oz, ~$350). That would get me back under 3 pounds. I’d need to be much more committed to hammock camping to spend that kind of money on a tarp.
That could happen. I slept very comfortably that night through intermittent rain and wind. The Blackbird hammock has a “shelf” to stash nighttime essentials (water bottle, electronics, extra layers), so I didn’t have to get out of the hammock to retrieve them. And by pitching the tarp reasonably high (about 5 feet) I was able to answer nature’s call from under the edge of the tarp, without having to don rain gear or pee in a bottle.
The morning continued wet and windy and I had breakfast (coffee and scrambled eggs) under the cover of the tarp. A few blue patches emerged above, so I packed my fishing gear, rain gear, snacks and water into my daypack dry bag and headed up to Pear Lake.
The terrain turned marshy and featured some nice ponds and water-loving flowers.
Plenty of lily pads but frogs were scarce
A Parry’s Primrose enjoying the damp weather
The weather got wetter and windier near the lake. When I popped over a low ridge into its basin I was greeted with gale-force winds driving the rain into my face. I gave up all thoughts of fishing, snapped a picture and turned around.
Blustery weather at Pear Lake
The skies began clearing when I got back to camp and began packing up. I took the Calypso Cascade route back to the valley. It featured some nice views of upper Wild Basin.
Looking Wild
And of course the falls, which were running strong at the tail end of melt-out
Calypso Cascades booming down the ridge
Overall, I was quite pleased with the hammock setup. I stayed dry and comfy in some fairly wet and windy weather. Given the weight penalty, I don’t see myself taking it on long hikes where I’d be walking 20+ miles a day, or where I might want to camp above treeline. But for out-and-backs I think it could become my go-to setup.