Legs & Lungs - Big Hikes and Backpacking

Four peaks, including a 13er. Perfect loop hike. A mix of bushwhacking, established trail, alpine tundra, and class 2. Oh and it's a fairly short drive. Let's do it!

We'll meet at Wooly Mammoth and carpool out to the hike on the southeast side of Copper ski resort (off 91 on the way to Fremont Pass). We'll be bagging Tucker Mountain, Jacque Peak, Union Mountain, and Copper Mountain.

A less-visited part of Rocky Mountain National Park, the Mummy Range sits at the northern end and features several 13ers and a few lake drainages with long approaches. This is a 3-day 2-night backpacking trip with lakeside camp sites and high elevation off-trail stretches to connect them in a perfect loop. Be prepared for epic views, bouts of isolation, and class 2 or 2+ bouldering with gear.

Friday - Meet at the Cow Creek Trailhead once I've picked up the permits, and we'll start hiking westbound. With a couple of name changes from Dark Mountain to Black Canyon, the trail takes us to Lawn Lake where we'll make camp. It's about 9 miles and 3,300 ft from the car. After setting up our tents, we've got options. The first choice is to scramble up the eastern slopes and ridge of 13er Fairchild, and then take the standard way down to the Saddle, Crystal Lake, and back to camp which would be a big day. Alternatively, you could just go up to Crystal Lake or the Saddle without doing the peak.
Day totals up to 16 miles and 6,200 feet of gain.

Saturday - Tear down camp and backtrack about a mile to the standard climb up 13er Mummy Mountain's SE slopes. From the summit, we'll continue along the high point to bag 13er Hagues peak and then descend to Rowe Glacier. It's a quick out and back to summit Rowe Peak as well, and then we'll start to make our way down the drainage, passing several lakes such as Scotch, Whiskey, Dunraven, Louise, and Husted. Depending on which route we take, this could involve slowly navigating boulder fields and loose rock, but it shouldn't have any exposure. Our campsite is located at the beautiful Lost Lake (pictured), where some congratulations will be in order! Almost done.
Day totals 10 miles, 3,700 vertical.

Sunday - Tear down camp and take the North Fork Trail down to the North Boundary Trail, and back to the cars.
Day totals 11 miles, 1,200 feet of gain (3,000 of loss)

Turner Peak is a 13er out by Buena Vista that I've driven past many times but never climbed. Fall is a perfect time for this one since the leaves should be looking really nice up Cottonwood Pass. From the Denny Creek Trailhead, we'll share the trail to Yale for about 1.2 miles before heading left toward Hartenstein Lake. At the lake, we go off trail and make a bit of a loop up one drainage, along the ridge to the summit, and down another drainage back to the lake. It's about 10 miles and 3,400 feet total, so not too bad. Class 2, a little easy class 3 at the top.
https://www.summitpost.org/turner-peak/552331

Let's meet at the Denny Creek Trailhead and 9am. Late enough that you can drive that morning from Denver, or people can camp nearby if they want. I'll be continuing west later that afternoon, so I'll drive separate. Also, Cottonwood Hot Springs is right there if you fancy a soak after the hike.