Pear Lake Backpacking Trip 8/20-21
Day 1: 7.3mi 3200' EVG
We stopped at the RMNP backcountry office to pick up our permit, and the rangers reminded us that the Wild Basin area is often frequented by bears which will visit sites if campers aren't serious about food storage. They also said that there were storage boxes at the Allenspark Trailhead, which there weren't. We headed up the trail with our gear(I was carrying somewhere between 50-60 pounds, which seemed like a lot for just an overnighter!) with an approximate 2mph rate. The trail to Finch Lake climbs pretty gradually overall, but there are short steep sections that slow down backpackers. Passing through the 1978 Ouzel Burn it was nice to see the regrowth of the pine forest. Dropping 200 feet to Finch Lake we encountered a 3-man trail maintenance crew replacing waterbars and chipping rock steps. At this point we encountered 12 people total, but after Cony Creek the people disappeared. The final two miles to Pear Lake went quickly, and we set up camp at the backcountry site.
Mike wanted to give Copeland a shot despite it being mid afternoon. We cut around the side of the lake to an outlet stream, which we followed through lush meadows to the first of two small ponds beneath the long ridge up Copeland. We bushwhacked through rock and forest up to the more open ridge top. Heading up I climbed some outcrops to see below, and above clouds began to form. At about 11600' we called it off due to weather, as the rain began to fall and the wind picked up. On the descent we made a more straight-line route back to camp.
We stopped at the RMNP backcountry office to pick up our permit, and the rangers reminded us that the Wild Basin area is often frequented by bears which will visit sites if campers aren't serious about food storage. They also said that there were storage boxes at the Allenspark Trailhead, which there weren't. We headed up the trail with our gear(I was carrying somewhere between 50-60 pounds, which seemed like a lot for just an overnighter!) with an approximate 2mph rate. The trail to Finch Lake climbs pretty gradually overall, but there are short steep sections that slow down backpackers. Passing through the 1978 Ouzel Burn it was nice to see the regrowth of the pine forest. Dropping 200 feet to Finch Lake we encountered a 3-man trail maintenance crew replacing waterbars and chipping rock steps. At this point we encountered 12 people total, but after Cony Creek the people disappeared. The final two miles to Pear Lake went quickly, and we set up camp at the backcountry site.
Mike wanted to give Copeland a shot despite it being mid afternoon. We cut around the side of the lake to an outlet stream, which we followed through lush meadows to the first of two small ponds beneath the long ridge up Copeland. We bushwhacked through rock and forest up to the more open ridge top. Heading up I climbed some outcrops to see below, and above clouds began to form. At about 11600' we called it off due to weather, as the rain began to fall and the wind picked up. On the descent we made a more straight-line route back to camp.
Day 2: 9.93mi 3200' EVG
We woke up early and had breakfast before tearing down camp and hiding our stuff in the bushes. We decided to climb over the boulderfield as a more direct route to the second pond, and up to treeline by basically retracing yesterdays steps. The weather on the exposed slopes of Copeland was much better than before, and I took to the rocky and steep slope near the edge while Mike took lower, more central grass routes up. At the 11600' outcropping I stopped for a few handfuls of delicious raspberries from a large bush below the top of the outcrop. Focused on the berries, I turned around to the sound of a helicopter and saw what looked to be a SAR chopper on the way to Grand Lake.
Farther up the slope the rocks got bigger, and as I approached the bottom of the 12000' outcropping I needed a few tougher class 3 moves to go the way I wanted up to the top. Looking up the slope, I prepared for a long stretch of climbing. I lost Mike for a bit as I crested some of the horizons on the slope and came to a flatter slope with smaller scree fingers at around 12900'. The summit area was beginning to come into view, though it wasn't possible to see the windbreak and cairn until topping out at 13150. The summit had great views down into the drainages on both sides and the impressive peaks to the north and south. There were two registers, and it looked like not many people had summited in August despite the mountain's popularity.
We descended the way Mike ascended, as the rocks were smaller and you could pick your way down by the many grassy patches. Back at treeline we dropped down to the second pond, then the first and followed the meadows back to the lake. Hiking out went by much quicker since most of the food in the bear canister I had to carry had been eaten, and other than the 200' reclimb at Finch Lake, most of the trail back to Allenspark TH was flat or downhill. On the first day we encountered 12 people, but on the way out we only passed two backpackers at Finch Lake.
We woke up early and had breakfast before tearing down camp and hiding our stuff in the bushes. We decided to climb over the boulderfield as a more direct route to the second pond, and up to treeline by basically retracing yesterdays steps. The weather on the exposed slopes of Copeland was much better than before, and I took to the rocky and steep slope near the edge while Mike took lower, more central grass routes up. At the 11600' outcropping I stopped for a few handfuls of delicious raspberries from a large bush below the top of the outcrop. Focused on the berries, I turned around to the sound of a helicopter and saw what looked to be a SAR chopper on the way to Grand Lake.
Farther up the slope the rocks got bigger, and as I approached the bottom of the 12000' outcropping I needed a few tougher class 3 moves to go the way I wanted up to the top. Looking up the slope, I prepared for a long stretch of climbing. I lost Mike for a bit as I crested some of the horizons on the slope and came to a flatter slope with smaller scree fingers at around 12900'. The summit area was beginning to come into view, though it wasn't possible to see the windbreak and cairn until topping out at 13150. The summit had great views down into the drainages on both sides and the impressive peaks to the north and south. There were two registers, and it looked like not many people had summited in August despite the mountain's popularity.
We descended the way Mike ascended, as the rocks were smaller and you could pick your way down by the many grassy patches. Back at treeline we dropped down to the second pond, then the first and followed the meadows back to the lake. Hiking out went by much quicker since most of the food in the bear canister I had to carry had been eaten, and other than the 200' reclimb at Finch Lake, most of the trail back to Allenspark TH was flat or downhill. On the first day we encountered 12 people, but on the way out we only passed two backpackers at Finch Lake.
