Continental Divide Trail: Indian Peaks to RMNP

Does anyone have experience/info on the Continental Divide Trail from Rollins Pass through the park? A best bud of mine is turning 50 this year and we're looking for a grand adventure in celebration.

Thanks, David

There is a good description of a trail to that effect in Gerry Roach's guidebook for the Indian Peaks. He calls it the Pfiffner traverse.

He describes his own attempt in which he passed from Berthoud Pass to Milner Pass, because these points had road access. It took him 16 days and he had to alter his plans somewhat in a few instances concerning permits and camping.

Thanks Tyler. Looks like I finally need to buy Roach's IP guide.

Roach's book is worth buying, but he did not follow the CDT. He tried to follow closely the Divide itself. Very different. In fact, I suspect he was only on the CDT up to Jasper Peak--if this map is reliable.

I did the traverse that followed the Divide closely (but not so close that I was doing mountaineering traverses). In the Indian Peaks, it was exciting to bushwack over trailless passes to the next trail system.

However, one very long day just inside the Park invovled hour after hour of climbing over and under large downed trees. My traverse started SW of Eldora and ended over Flattop to Bear Lake. I should of had an ice axe and crampons the second day descending a pass.

Kevin Friesen wrote:one very long day just inside the Park invovled hour after hour of climbing over and under large downed trees.

Do you remember more details? In my recollection the Divide from Ogalalla to Flattop is all well above treeline.

EDIT: Never mind, I missed the part about avoiding mountaineering traverses.

Yes, I was going down a deep, trailless valley. I looked on Google Earth, but can't remember the location of that day.

Thanks for the additional info, guys. We are more interested in following the actual Divide than the CDT. Info I've found on the web indicates that the official NFS conception of the trail follows the Divide much more closely than the versions put forth by the two CDT associations.

Kevin-what month did you do your trip during?

Just did the traverse from Mines peak (Berthoud) to Eva yesterday. LOTS of snow up there, and not very stable either.. We only had to take our skis off in a couple of spots, I've never seen this much coverage on that ridge before, with cornices everywhere. There was one spot where the cornice switched from one side of the ridge to the other, and we had a 50 foot sidewalk traverse that was super exciting :)

I've also done the section from Korona pass over to Lake Granby, that was on the trail in the summer, and it was very mellow and enjoyable walking. Try to get on devils thumb if you're out that way, it's a spire to top out, views are spectacular and climbing is easy. Lower down, I seem to remember having to do a section on the road to get from Granby to Shadow Mtn, or somewhere around there.. this is all a moot point if you're doing the divide proper. Have fun out there, sounds like an epic adventure!

Sorry for the thread drift, but I do a lot of volunteering with the CDT in the summers doing trail-building projects - they're super fun. Thought this would be a good plug for 'em. cdtrail.org/page.php

Carry on :)

kdavis- Did you secure permits or just go renegade? Did you camp high or drop down to sites?

David, You might want to post this question on BoulderTrailRunners@yahoogroups. Lots of ridge runners over there.

kdavis- I know that Boulder is extremely strict about the watershed. I was referring to permits for the other portions of the Indian Peak Wilderness and RMNP. If you just stayed on the divide, I'm guessing not. Thanks for the tips about the short rope and tarp.

kdavis105, I'm disappointed that you felt like trespassing in order to fulfill your desires to complete a route, but I'm even more disappointed and dismayed that you want to tell people about it, and how to get away with it themselves. That's Boulder's water supply up there, and it's closed for many other reasons as well. Shame on you.
Do you also poach climbing routes that have closures during seasonal raptor nesting? I hope not.

Watershed, lol