Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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Hungry Jack wrote:Is the section of Lost Creek that turns away from the Wigwam trail and drops into the basin northwest of McCurdy Mtn and through Refrigerator Gulch impassable? How nasty of a bushwhack is it?
Has anyone traveled the drainage from Lost Creek Park to the north down through Refrigerator Gulch?
I have followed Lost Creek from where the McCurdy Park trail crosses Lost Creek (about 2 miles upstream from Refrigerator Gulch) up Lost Creek to East Lost Park, where the Wigwam Trail leaves Lost Creek. There is a social trail much of the way, except for areas that are all rock. The crux of this route was a spot not too far above where it leaves the McCurdy Park trail where it was necessary to crawl on hands and knees along a ledge with overhanging rock. There were also a few areas of boulder hopping (class 2 to 2+). I did this in the '80's on a multi-day solo backpack loop from Lost Park Campground, down the Wigwam Trail to the end of the Goose Creek trail, to the McCurdy Park trail (near Refrigerator Gulch) along the McCurdy Park trail to where it crosses Lost Creek. and up Lost Creek back to Lost Park Campground.
The McCurdy Mountain trail parallels, but does not closely follow Lost Creek from Refrigerator Gulch to where it crosses Lost Creek before it starts climbing out of the Lost Creek valley up to McCurdy Park. The only portion of Lost Creek that I have not followed is this section, which I suspect is quite difficult, if not impossible to follow. Note that the routing of this part of the trail shown on the McCurdy Mountain quad is not quite correct. It is definitely possible to follow Lost Creek down to connect Lost Park Campground with Goose Creek trailhead for a car shuttle hike. I have not done this, but I have hiked all of it on various trips.
Hungry Jack wrote:So here is a question: What can I expect to find in terms of surface water in the LCW? I imagine Lost Creek has plenty. Will there be water up in McCurdy Park? (I would expect so). How about in the basin west of Bison Peak?
There is water in Lost Creek, as well as many small tributaries.. I would definitely recommend filtering or otherwise disinfecting water from Lost Creek, as there are a lot of cattle grazed in the upper part of the drainage, both outside the wilderness above Lost Park Campground and within the Wilderness in the Indian Creek drainage (runs into South Fork Lost Creek just above Lost Park Campground; it's the drainage that the trail to Bison Pass follows). There is a perennial stream running through McCurdy Park. I have not hiked all the trail from Bison Pass to McCurdy Park. I suspect that this section is pretty dry, except possibly in spring or early summer when snowmelt might be running through it. The section of trail from McCurdy Park, through Lake Park to Hankins Pass is mostly dry. The "Lake" in Lake Park is a shallow, stagnant pond, not close to the trail, and probably pretty nasty. There is usually a small stream running below the pond (not close to the trail at all, but a possible emergency water source).
rdp32 wrote:I've been wanting to try hiking in the LCW but am somewhat nervous to because I typically hike alone and stick to well-established trails (no bush-whacking for me) and I have the impression that the LCW might not fit the bill. Does anyone have any recommended hikes in LCW that involve no offtrail route-finding? Perhaps Bison/McCurdy Peaks?
There are plenty of good trails. A good route for a two-three day backpack (or very long day hike) is the loop from Goose Creek Trailhead, to Hankins Pass, then through Lake Park and McCurdy Park, down to Refrigerator Gulch and back to Goose Creek Trailhead (works in either direction). This is 20-25 miles total.
There are also several trails out of Lost Park Campground, and good loop hikes can be put together on these. Although there is a lot of spectacular terrain in LCW that makes for epic bushwhacking, there are plenty of good trails available, if that's your preference.
rdp32 wrote:I've been wanting to try hiking in the LCW but am somewhat nervous to because I typically hike alone and stick to well-established trails (no bush-whacking for me) and I have the impression that the LCW might not fit the bill. Does anyone have any recommended hikes in LCW that involve no offtrail route-finding? Perhaps Bison/McCurdy Peaks?
There are plenty of good trails. A good route for a two-three day backpack (or very long day hike) is the loop from Goose Creek Trailhead, to Hankins Pass, then through Lake Park and McCurdy Park, down to Refrigerator Gulch and back to Goose Creek Trailhead (works in either direction). This is 20-25 miles total.
There are also several trails out of Lost Park Campground, and good loop hikes can be put together on these. Although there is a lot of spectacular terrain in LCW that makes for epic bushwhacking, there are plenty of good trails available, if that's your preference.
I want to add that many peaks in the LCW, such as Lake Park Peak and McCurdy Mountain for example, are quite short off-trail excursions with fairly straightforward routefinding. I'd also encourage you to start familiarizing yourself with off-trail routefinding/bushwhacking, as many of the best places in the wild are not found alongside a trail.
I'm still considering doing either Bison or McCurdy peak... are these good hikes for fall colors? If so, what do you think the optimal week to do them would be?
rdp32 wrote:I'm still considering doing either Bison or McCurdy peak... are these good hikes for fall colors? If so, what do you think the optimal week to do them would be?
The lower section of the trail up Bison has some nice Aspen groves, if I had to guess I'd say the last week in September would be best. I believe the lower section of McCurdy also has aspen - that's a bit more of slog (I think it was 15+ miles round trip the way we did it)
If you're looking to do a peak that has some colors both are good options. If colors are your main goal then hiking from either side of Kenosha pass is best - you'll be in aspens the entire time (albeit with hundreds of other leaf peepers if you go on a weekend during peak color).
The big loop out of Spruce Grove campground is a great fall hike.
I don't have my map in front of me, but you go up to Hankins Pass, hang a left to Lake Park and then loop it back down.
Just did the 30 mile loop last weekend: Lost Park campground, wigwam trail, to goose creek trail, down to refrigerator gulch, to McCurdy Park Trail, to Brookside-McCurdy (summited one of the rocks on McCurdy), then past Bison to the Indian Creek Trail back to Lost Park. Plenty of water in every valley. I was really tempted by the obvious but unmarked trails leading from Lost Park that followed Lost Creek to the south down into the valley, then again at the spot where McCurdy Park trail crosses and leaves Lost Creek.
Aggie_05 wrote:Just did the 30 mile loop last weekend: Lost Park campground, wigwam trail, to goose creek trail, down to refrigerator gulch, to McCurdy Park Trail, to Brookside-McCurdy (summited one of the rocks on McCurdy), then past Bison to the Indian Creek Trail back to Lost Park. Plenty of water in every valley. I was really tempted by the obvious but unmarked trails leading from Lost Park that followed Lost Creek to the south down into the valley, then again at the spot where McCurdy Park trail crosses and leaves Lost Creek.
Apparently there is trail down into the canyon from Lost Park. My plan was to use that trail and then bushwhack to the crossing in Refrigerator Gulch to gain the Goose Creek trail into McCurdy Park.
climbing_rob wrote:Yeah, as Jim says, get Roach's book and have fun!!! Hard to pick, either Bison or McCurdy are our all-time favorite LCW peaks, probably done them a dozen times each, but there is so much more in there... we just returned from a little 40-mile loop this weekend, enjoying the entire place.
One fun thing to do if you like a physical challenge is what Ddog and I dubbed many years ago the "11sie-twelver" hike; all 11 12ers in the LCW in one swell foop. 39 miles, 19 hours. Sharon and myself have since done it as a single overnighter as well. Requires a car shuttle, holler for details.
One little gem: point 11,180. Very near bison, but harder to reach and has one very short, not-exposed 5th-class (or high 4th) move near the summit. Another gem: "Catamount". both of these last two mentioned peaks are rarely climbed, but so worth it. THEN, there are the "Twin Eagles". Wow. check out Kane's page on summitpost for some incredible photos.
Some more favorites: Lake Park Peak, Tarryall Peak (not North Tarryall, very blah), X/Y/Z/Zephyr combination (already mentioned). So much to do in there! Ever hear of Harmonica Arch? Dare you try to find it?
One thought: The LCW is fantastic, but is particularly special in the spring and fall; it can get hot and dry in the summer (even though we just returned from there in August!).
Harmonica Arch is actually visible from the Goose Creek trail. Getting to the arch is an interesting little bushwhack. I won't say any more.
