The Grand Pass trip gets us up and over the Continental Divide on a 4-day trip, and uses a different route than our 5-day Continental Divide trip. We’ll start in Estes Park and head to the gorgeous Wild Basin area to begin our hike. We’ll climb to Ouzel Falls, and spend time at Thunder Lake. We’ll hike along the Boulder Grand Pass, and it's a doozy- a challenging trail used by runners and hikers looking to test their skills. On Day 3, we’ll have the rare opportunity to literally stand on the spine of the North American continent- which determines whether water flows east or west from this point. Nights under the stars, campsites besides lakes, streams and flowering meadows. Open sky dinners in the Alps of the Americas. We’ll end in the charming town of Grand Lake before heading back to Estes along Trail Ridge Road.
We will start our Rockies backpacking adventure by gathering at our hotel and double-checking guest gear, pack fit, and supplies. We'll grab breakfast from a local restaurant, enjoy the ride to our trailhead, and fuel ourselves up for a great hike at the Wild Basin trailhead. We will begin a long slow ascent toward Ouzel Lake, break for lunch while appreciating this unique place, and head towards Thunder Lake. We'll set up camp and have a great dinner after a long day. The journey has just started!
We get to sleep in and relax a bit this morning, enjoy a great breakfast on the beach of Thunder Lake, and prepare for a relatively easy day-hike. We'll climb to a couple of secluded alpine lakes, and take in the views of tomorrow's trail, the Boulder Grand Pass. Lunch beside the lake while marmots check out the high alpine visitors. Keep an eye out for elk in this area, and wildflowers will start to pop around mid-summer. After some high mountain relaxation, we'll hike back down to Thunder Lake for a great camp dinner and time to rest for a big Day 3.
An alpine start greets us this morning, as a big day awaits. We'll start with a morning breakfast and some coffee to get us going, then break camp and head towards Boulder Grand Pass. Today brings off-trail conditions — rocky terrain and high winds. We'll be above the tree line and exposed to all the wonder and weather the Rockies bring. The last 1,000' are tough, and some scrambling will be necessary. Eventually we top the Pass and enjoy lunch on the Continental Divide. We'll kick back for a while to revel in the accomplishment and beauty, then start downhill on the Western Slope of the Rockies. Off-trail hiking is required here, which is rare and unique in the American wilderness. We'll finally arrive at Lake Verna, set up camp, eat, and sleep under the stars. What a day!
Another slower paced morning is in store today — we'll have breakfast, break camp, and navigate a slow descent. We'll hike along streams and meadows, surrounded by wildflowers. Elk and moose are common in this area, so we'll keep our eyes peeled. We'll stop for pictures, relax, and enjoy Adam's Falls. Our last section brings us to the East Inlet Trailhead, where our shuttle driver awaits. After a charming lunch in Grand Lake and a quick shopping spree, we'll drive along the scenic Trail Ridge Road back to Estes Park for our goodbyes.
