Backpacking in Colorado… in March? In most years that would be a full winter outing but not this year. Anyway, I was itching to try out some new gear, bought in anticipation of Big Things this summer, so I threw that gear and more into a pack and headed for Lost Lake.

The trail was clear for the first 1.5 miles but with continuous packed snow above that. The lake was nearly melted out and mostly the campsites were clear. Unsurprisingly, I had my pick of sites. Cool! Tent pitched, dinner prepared, bear bag thrown, moose observed, inner peace sighted in the far distance (just past the moose, no doubt).

The nights in March are very long and I put off going to bed as long as feasible, but I was still tucked in by 8:30 looking forward to ten hours until first light. At around 11 the wind kicked up pretty well and things got loud. At about midnight I was considered just getting up and hiking back to the car. But the slick trails, darkness, moose, general exhaustion… I’ve read enough mountaineering accident reports to know how many of them start out with dumb choices like that. So I hunkered down and got what sleep I could before semi-triumphantly hiking back to the car in the early morning having successfully shown the flag and tested gear.

As a gear test, the trip proved excellent. The new tent (Six Moon Lunar Solo) is great and comfortable. The new pad (Sea to Summit Ultralight XR) is pretty comfy, but my hips hit the ground when side sleeping; my foam sit-on pad slid under my hips solved that problem nicely. The 55L climbing pack I’d pressed into service was the right choice for the new lighter-but-bulkier gear, though this particular pack clearly wasn’t the best (being sized for a small woman).

GPS track: https://www.strava.com/activities/17901998187

This entry was posted in backpacking, gear, Uncategorized and tagged backpack, backpacking, camping, colorado, eldora, gear, Hessie, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Lost Lake, lunar solo, moose, sea to summit, six moon design, solo. Bookmark the permalink.