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Backpacking Trip Up To Challenger Point Via The Willow Lakes Trail

7/30/2020

I have been trying, for years now, to get a group of girls together to go on a camping trip. Finally, after waiting for so long, I was able to get a great group of chicks together for a weekend of not only camping in the mountains but climbing them as well!

Three ladies, Kassi, Natalie, and Rachel, trusted me to take them through the Sangre De Cristo Mountains up to Challenger Point via The Willow Lakes Trail. This would not only be each of their first times backpacking but their first times summiting a Colorado 14er (a mountain higher than 14,000 feet above sea level) as well! Based on our group chat, everyone was a little nervous but more excited about trying out the new activities!

You can watch more from our entire trip on my YouTube Channel or in the video below!

We all meet up on Thursday night at the UFO Watchtower outside of Moffat, Colorado, to allow the girls to get acquainted with one another and hopefully see some aliens!

The watchtower has been on my Colorado bucket list for a long time. I have passed by every time I've visited Great Sand Dunes National Park, but I had never been able to stop before. When I discovered how close The Willow Lakes Trailhead is to this quirky little spot, I asked everyone if they were comfortable camping there. Luckily, no one was scared of the martians, and everyone said yes!

The entrance sign to the UFO Watchtower.

Standing among the UFO Watchtower's offerings.

This weird place (which you can read all about HERE in a separate blog post) was the perfect spot for us all to meet. We had so much fun planning our routes and looking at maps while also scouting the sky for lights or anything else out of the ordinary in the middle of the Colorado desert.

The next morning before we packed up, we actually walked around the Watchtower and saw all of the offerings others had left to the beings that are rumored to inhabit the area. We left our own offering hoping for a great and healthy trip ahead of us then took off to the trailhead!

The explanation of the offerings and the energies felt here.

Literally everything is martian themed.

One of the statues in the garden.

Willow Lakes was our goal for the first night so that we could set up base camp just off the trail to Challenger Point. Our maps and the trailhead sign said it was 4.5 miles to the lakes with a constant incline and gain of over 2,700 vertical feet. We all looked at each other, took a deep breath, and strapped on our packs to start walking.

The Willow Lakes Trailhead sign.

It was roughly 10 a.m. when we left our cars behind and entered into the woods. Fortunately, it was cloudy, so the sun wasn’t beating down on us. The heat would have made this hard hike even harder to handle.

Within the first mile of the trail we started to see the mountains.

The first mile was a struggle. Maybe it was because we were all getting adjusted or maybe because of the sandy trail, but we took a good many stops before we really found our pace. By the time we reached the overlook of the valley below and our first stream crossing, we were moving along steadily getting happier and happier the further we walked into the mountains.

The trail, though it was tough, was beautiful. It cuts in and out of the woods, over and around Willow Creek, and turns and weaves through boulder fields and valleys of bright blooming flowers. It was magical.

Kassi on the trail surrounded by wildflowers.

Our first major crossing over Willow Creek.

A thistle plant that was abundantly growing in the area.

When we got closer to the top, the weather turned against us for a few minutes, and it started to rain. We knew we weren’t far from our end location, so we put on our raingear and kept trucking. Fortunately, the afternoon thunderstorm was short lived, and when we arrived at Willow Lakes, the sky had cleared up.

Putting on our rain gear!

Our first view of Willow Lake.

The lake was much bigger and more beautiful than I had anticipated. The waterfall on the far side was glimmering as it poured into the crystal clear water below it, and where we were standing, there was another waterfall pouring down into the creek. We all stood and took it in, proud that we had made it up to the lake.

View from above Willow Lake from the Challenger Point Trail.

It took us roughly 5 ½ hours to make the 5-mile trek to the lakes. I say five miles, because once we got to the lake, we scouted all around it looking for a campsite, but couldn't find one. We ended up having to backtrack a bit to the campground below.

Our campsite just below the lake.

Rachel cooking food for the first time in the woods - she was so proud it all worked!

We had just enough time to set up our camp, cook some food, and hang up our bear bags before another storm rolled it. Luckily, we had shelter to retreat to this time, and although it was early in the night, we all went to bed and set our alarms for early the next morning.

It stormed all throughout the night which caused us to have a later start than anticipated, but once it was dry out and we were all packed and ready, we made our start to Challenger Point. Unfortunately, the day before's hike had worn Kassi out, and she decided to hold back from submitting with us. At 8 a.m. on the dot, Natalie, Rachel, and I set out toward the trail.

The trailhead sign not far from our campsite.

The map and routes said it was only 1.6 miles from our campsite to the summit, and we knew it was going to be steep. Willow Lakes is the exact halfway mark, as far as elevation gain goes, from the trailhead to the summit, so even though it was a shorter hike, it was much more difficult. It would be nearly twice as steep as the day before’s hike.

The fog rolled in around 8 a.m.

The trail started out on a gradual incline as it led us around and behind the lake. It was so peaceful to walk through, because the sun hadn’t quite peeped out over the mountains yet, and the morning fog was still rolling in and out of the valley.

Crossing the waterfall above Willow Lakes.

Once we reached the Challenger Point trail marker, the terrain took on a different persona. From here on out, the trail is a steep, scree filled, rock climb all the way to the summit.

Here and there, we walked through patches of grass and wildflowers but mostly just rocks and more rocks. About halfway up, we encountered a very curious family of mountain goats who stood in our way on the trail for a few minutes but eventually let us pass!

The start of the Challenger Point Trail.

Wildflowers along the Challenger Point Trail.

A family of mountain goats passed by.

We stopped to give them space, and because they blocked the trail!

Approaching the ridge line.

Once we made it to the ridge line, the fog had started to roll in. The ridge was the coolest yet scariest part of the trail, primarily because it was super windy, but also because I couldn't see what was below me!

To add to it, Rachel and Natalie had gotten a little ahead of me, and I wasn't able to see them any more. Fortunately, other hikers were catching up, and I was able to walk the route with another group, and a group coming down said my friends were waiting. That motivated me to hustle up to the top!

Just as I came up on the summit, the clouds started to clear, and I could see my friends standing at the top! I yelled and cheered their names as I finally caught up to them. We all hugged and high-fived when i got there, and I expressed how proud I was of them for beating me to the top!

The fog rolled back through and made the trail difficult to see.

The summit marker sign dedicated to the Challenger Space Shuttle.

The fog and clouds decided to cooperate and cleared up as soon as I got to the top. Literally, the sky opened up, and the clouds parted. We could finally look down on the trail we had just traversed. It was actually so clear at the summit that we could even see Great Sand Dunes National Park!

Shoutout to the group who let us use their sign!

14,080 feet above sea level!

We didn't stay long, because even though the clouds had left, the wind and the cold hadn't. Once we got our pictures and finished our summit beers, we started our journey back down the mountain.

Hiking the ridge line back down.

The hike down took no nowhere near as long as the hike up, but we had to be extra careful not to knock rocks loose onto hikers below us. The steepness really took a toll on our knees, and Natalie was very thankful to have her poles. We made it down safely, and before we knew it, we were back at our campsite

The clouds rolled in and out the whole time down.

We encountered more mountain goats on the way down!

We only had this view for moments at a time because of the fog, but it was spectacular to look down on the trail when we could!

It took us 6-hours to hike from our campsite, to Challenger Point, and back to our campsite. It was roughly 2 p.m. when we got back, and we were starving. We all cooked lunch and tried to recover from the last two days’ strenuous hikes.

A waterfall near out campsite where we filled out water filters and someone was fishing in.

Once I got some energy back, I decided to head up to Willow Lake to do some fly fishing. There was another angler near the waterfall below who said he had already caught two, so I had some inspiration to try!

Sadly, I only saw one fish in the lake, and he wasn’t intrigued by the flies I was casting. I believe the water was too cold, since it was cloudy and chilly outside, so I only fished for a few hours before calling it a night. It turns out that I quit at the perfect time, because right when I got back, it started to pour!

Fly fishing at Lower Willow Lake.

The view from our fishing spot.

The rain never let up, and it stormed all night. It rained so hard that we heard rock slides and saw new waterfalls coming off the nearby rocks that had not been there before. Again, it was an early night in our tents, but the early night meant an early morning start.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped by the time we woke up, and we were able to pack up all of our gear without it getting too wet. Once our campsite was broken down and our packs were completely full, we were ready to head back down the trail to our cars.

The view leaving our campsite near Willow Lakes.

When we got back to our car, we were amazed how quickly it had all gone by. The whole weekend had seemed to be a dream. Everything had gone so smoothly and perfectly that things like our heavy packs and rainy nights didn't dampen our spirits in the slightest bit.

The view about a mile down from our campsite, 1/4 of the way down.

Everyone was so happy that their first backpacking trip and first 14er had gone so smoothly that once we got to the car, we started planning our next trip!! I couldn't be more proud of my friends (and myself), and I am overjoyed that they were as happy with the adventure as I was.

You can watch more from our entire weekend in the video below or on my YouTube Channel here!

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Backpacking The San Juan Mountains Mount Sneffels and Uncompahgre Wiilderness with Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

7/17/2020

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For our sixth anniversary, I planned a trip for Taylor and I to spend four days in Southern Colorado visiting a new National Park, mountain climbing, offroading, and camping.

We explored part of Black Canyon of The Gunnison during the work week, then climbed Mount Sneffels before spending two days camping in the Uncompahgre Wilderness.

The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is an incredible area in Western Colorado. Taylor and I were staying in Montrose at The Safari Tent in the Cedar Creek RV Park working for the week and took one evening to explore the Southern Rim of the canyon.

Our precious Airbnb "Safari Tent" in Montrose, CO.

Entering Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

The fist view we had of the canyon from Tomichi Point.

Attempting to hike the Tomichi Trail.

We attempted a trail down into the canyon, but it was too steep for our dog, Maria. Instead, we drove the length of the South Rim Road stopping off at each mind blowing viewpoint. From Tomichi Point, to the cross fissures, to Warner Point trail, we couldn’t stop discussing the canyon as we made our way back to our home away from home in Montrose.

If you would like to see more from out trip to the canyon please visit our blog post HERE!

The Painted Wall in the national park.

The Cross Fissures section of Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

After one more day of working remotely, Taylor and I would continue our Southern Colorado Road trip to Mount Sneffels. The Mount Sneffels Trailhead can be reached from Ouray, Colorado.

Taylor and I drove her Jeep Cherokee up the winding, narrow Camp Bird and Yankee Boy Basin Roads until the road became much more difficult around 2.5 miles its end . We found a place to pull off and set up camp before preparing for our summit hike the next morning.

Driving up Yankee Boy Basin Road.

Camping on Yankee Boy Basin Road.

Same campsite, different angle.

Hiking by moonlight up Mount Sneffels.

At 3:00 in the morning, we woke up to try to catch sunrise at the summit of Mount Sneffels. We set out on the hike, and after 2.5 miles of the steep road’s switchbacks, we arrived at the Mount Sneffels Trailhead at 5:30 a.m. From here, we had to endure roughly 1.5 more miles of trail which was littered with loose, jagged rocks. This last mile was steep, difficult, and dangerous.

You can watch more from our entire summit experience in our YouTube video below!

Nearly an entire mile of the remaining path is a rockslide so steep that Taylor and I had to use all fours at some points. We also had to dodge a melon-sized rock that the group ahead of us dislodged on their ascent. After reaching the top of the rockslide and another short rockslide, we had to lift ourselves up a nearly 15 foot long rock wedge. Our dog, Maria, could not continue up the mountain, so Taylor and I alternated summiting.

Approaching the ridge line of Mount Sneffels.

Summit selfie on Mount Sneffels!

Mount Sneffels - 14,150 feet above sea level!

Making the descent through the scree field.

Once we had both reached the top, we started the hike back down. The way back down provided no relief due to the steep nature of the entire trail. Loose rocks are even more dangerous on the way down, and we were careful not to endanger any of the hikers making their way up.

We made it down safely and arrived at our camp right after 10 a.m. exactly 7 hours after we had left. We packed up our campsite and headed back down toward Ouray to continue on to our next stop. After a burger and a few minutes of sitting in the fresh Ouray air, Taylor and I started our drive to the Uncompahgre National Forest.

We had intentions to backpack for several days through the Wetterhorn basin and conquer Wetterhorn, Matterhorn, and Uncompahgre Peaks. We began at The West Fork Trailhead in a lush greenfield surrounded by large pine trees on each side. West Fork Cimarron River cuts through the valley on the Western side of the trail.

Entering the Uncompahgre National Forest.

Our campsite in the Uncompahgre Wilderness.

We would follow West Cimarron River to where it becomes tributary creeks pouring from the valley’s mouth. After following the trail up the Southwestern slope from the massive valley’s floor, Taylor and I climbed up several hundred feet up the valley’s wall and decided to set up camp. After a spectacular sunset display during our dinner we hung up our bear bag and called it a night.

If you want to see more from our time in the Uncompahgre Wilderness please look at our separate blog posts and YouTube videos HERE!

Taylor and I woke up more sore and exhausted than we’d expected, but our dog, Maria, was the one suffering most. Her paws had become extremely sore from the amount of hiking, climbing, and chasing squirrels she’d done the day before at Mount Sneffels.

Our dog on the Wetterhorn Basin Trail.

Hiking over West Fork Pass.

We decided that our best bet for the day was to relax, soak up the sunshine, and cross the pass later in the day with a single, lighter pack. Around 3:00 PM, we decided to take on the looming pass and discover the Wetterhorn Basin.

We had been told that the Wetterhorn Basin is, ‘better than the Canadian Rockies’, but we could never have imagined how picturesque and lush with life it actually was. Climbing the pass into the basin was the perfect amount of work to make the short visit completely worthwhile.

Looking down on to the Wetterhorn Basin.

Wetterhorn Peak with wildflowers in bloom.

As we crossed the pass, A sea of pine trees beneath us gave way to the sloped greenfield we stood upon. Crossed by tiny creeks and covered in colorful pockets of wildflowers, the lush grass covered the valley walls until rocky, gray peaks and ridges capped the landscape. Wetterhorn Mountain majestically sits alone at the mouth of Wetterhorn Basin.

Taylor and I explored in amazement and reverence until it was time to make our way back to camp. The walk back was even more beautiful, because it seemed that even more wildflowers had been enticed to show their pedals.

Hiking back up the pass.

The waterfall where we brushed our teeth and filtered our water.

We made it back to camp and had some dinner, but due to our prolonged exhaustion, we found ourselves laid down for bed before the late mountain sunset. The next morning, Taylor and I decided that driving across the country, climbing a 14er, and hiking a mountain pass was enough to make us miss our own beds.

We continued to look around in amazement as we packed our gear and enjoyed a breakfast backpacking meal. Luckily, we had recovered much of our strength, so the hike back to the car was a downhill piece of cake.

Still professing the entire trip’s incredibility, the three of us finished our weekend of climbing Mount Sneffels and exploring Wetterhorn Basin in Uncompahgre National Forest and headed back home, finally, to Denver.

Watch more from our entire week long journey below or on our YouTube Channel!

Similar Links:
Mesa Verde National Park - Durango, Colorado
Road Trip from Colorado Springs to Estes Park Colorado!
Spring Break Skiing in Breckenridge

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Backpacking Trip Up To Challenger Point Via The Willow Lakes Trail

Backpacking The San Juan Mountains Mount Sneffels and Uncompahgre Wiilderness with Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Talkin' 'bout Tacos:

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