The Continental Divide trip traverses the “backbone of the North American continent”. We start on the east side of the Rocky Mountains- commonly called the Front Range- and hike over the Divide and towards the west side. You truly see all the Rockies have to offer on this trip- glacier carved valleys, clear glacial run-off lakes, waterfalls, along with wildlife sightings. Plenty of stops along the way for rest, pictures, trail lunches, and to simply enjoy the majesty of nature. Nights under the stars, camped along lakes, streams and flowering meadows. We start in the beautiful green forests of the Rockies, hike above the tree line- which is another ecosystem altogether- and drop back down the eastern slopes into the Grand Lake Area.
We will start our Rockies adventure by gathering at our Estes Park hotel and double-checking guest gear, pack fit, and supplies. We'll pick up a to-go breakfast from a local restaurant, and head up the hill for a quick ride to the trailhead. A short 1-mile climb reminds us we are indeed in the Rockies and helps the group acclimate to the elevation. The trail flattens out a bit, and we hike along the Roaring River. Keeping an eye out for moose and black bear!
We awake in the gorgeous forests of the Rockies — an awesome reminder of the adventure ahead. We have a slight uphill day, hiking about 4 miles to camp. After camp set-up, we'll lighten the load and side-hike to Crystal Lakes, a wonderful area and an exhilarating 3 mile hike with less gear. An early dinner and good rest for the fun challenge tomorrow brings!
Today is a classic alpine start for Rocky Mountain peak baggers! After a pre-sunrise breakfast, we'll leave our camp intact and head towards the wonder of Mummy Mountain. Mostly off-trail, this 6-mile round trip hike will test our group but is definitely doable. A nice pace gets us above the tree line with an absolutely incredible view of the world in all directions. A small amount of scrambling and some winds will fight us, but the challenge is worth the reward. At 13,400', it feels like the top of the world.
The rewards after summiting Mummy? A nice long downhill hike. After a Rockies morning breakfast, we'll load up and depart our mountain camp. We'll drop about 3000' along a beautiful trail with plenty of rest along the way for pics, snacks, and a trail lunch. Some sun exposure on the second half of today's hike reminds us of the importance of preparing properly for outdoor adventures. We'll settle in to Peregrine for our last night in the Rockies and camp under the stars.
A leisurely morning awaits us on Day 5, and really, who wants this to end? We will have a nice camp breakfast, pack up, and hike about 2 miles to a junction. There we will remove our packs and head up to Bridal Veil Falls — a remarkable waterfall and a wonderful send off for this adventure. After we get those packs back on, we wind our way to the trailhead. Seeing the famous McGraw Ranch is a reminder of the area's 140 years of ranching in the high country.
