A Boyes Adventures-Backpacking: Honey, can I go to America? Yea, but im going to Colorado!

So only after a week of my wife declaring she wanted to go to the states I had booked my flight to Denver.

I still don't know why I chose Colorado, I guesses like the rest of the world I have unconsciously gleamed years of information from tv shows from the USA.

I had a flight, now what. I trawled the internet for ideas of what to do. I stumbled across the Colorado trail. I bought the books and did loads of research, however, it quickly became clear this may be a bit of a leap for me from casual camping to a two week wild camping trip in the Colorado wilderness.

I then discovered the Rocky Mountains National Park. This seemed perfect, well organised, great free transportation (which kept the cost down) and a cheap transfer from the airport. From booking the flight in May to the day I flew on the 21st of June I had lived and breathed RMNP every minute of the day. Planning my walking routes, how to deal with the altitude, where to camp, where to fish, what to eat, what equipment I would need.

The major purchases before going were a Terra Nova laser Comp a Honey Stove and a trangia. I had all the clothes I needed already.

In a nutshell I was to spend the first week at the KOA camp in the town acclimatising and using the shuttles to take in as many lakes and mountains as I could, then my second week in the backcountry wild camping.

The following is my journal from my trip to the RMNP

Upgrades, free beer and altitude sickness

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Sunday, Jun 28, 2009

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oooooowwwwww, my head hurts.

First of all @Jo, my phone doesn't work and Skype won't log in. Have bought cheap mobile and will try and call you soon, its seven hours behind here so a bit hard to figure out when to call, love ya.

So after 24 hours of traveling I finally made it.

I had a free upgrade to economy plus so my lanky legs were OK on the flight.

Had 3 hours to kill at Denver so had a few Beers and got a free one for having a quaint accent.

Couldn't get to sleep at all last night had about 6 hours in the past 48, feeling a bit trippy.

Developed the worst hangover ever. The pharmacist reckons I have altitude sickness and the beer didn't help. I have to drink water constantly to get back to normal.

Estes park is beautiful and the fishing looks good right on my doorstep.

Hoping to venture into the park tomorrow if this altitude sickness subsides.

Its a bit strange being on my own but everyone is really friendly and being solo makes you approach people and start a conversation. My 'ey ups!' and 'ow dos' are going down a treat.

Check out today's pics

Cub Lake and Fern Lake/ Mosquito Hell

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Monday, Jun 29, 2009

Entry 9 of 20 | show all | print this entry

Woke this morning to find that my altitude sickness had gone. All the locals said drink water constantly, you can imagine what that was like through the night!

I walked from the Cub lake Trail head to cub lake and then up to Fern lake to do some fly fishing. As you will see from the photos there was a bit of snow still on the ground up at Fern lake which was weird because it was red hot.

I caught about 15 Colorado Cutthroat Trout, not the biggest in the world but they put up a great fight. Kept 3 for my supper, good job I put them in my rucksack because it turned out you can't take fish out of Fern Lake. I also fished the inlet stream into Fern lake. There were fish in the tiniest pools, really hard to catch.

While fishing I was constantly being attacked by mosquitos. When I returned to the campsite i must have at least a 100 bites all over. Everyone thought it was hilarious that the mosquitos like my english . Itching like buggery now.

88 degrees today and still no thunderstorm.

Will post todays pics in tomorrows blog.

Itchy itchy itchy arrrgghhhhhh!!!

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Tuesday, Jun 30, 2009

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Not funny at all I look like a dot to dot puzzel. Went straight to Pharmacy this morning to get anti itchy wossits.

After popping my pills I went for a hike. Today's hike went above 10 thousand feet, hard work but great views. Air still feels thin so had to go really slow. Temperature in town was 96 today and felt that hot up the mountain.

I walked from Glacier gorge trail head towards spruce lake and then up the really steep boulder brook trail and then down to Alberta falls.

Think I deserve a steak tonight, thing is there all as big as a dustbin lid in the market.

Link to day 2 and 3 pics

Beavers!

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Wednesday, Jul 01, 2009

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Woke up with altitude sickness again but bought the local super drug and felt ready to put my body through more hellish climbs up mountains.

Visited Mills lake today and then on up to Black lake where I saw two beavers. One came running down the path at me, we had a game of chicken and I won. The second was just sat at the side of the path eating lunch looking at me like I had a problem. Check out the beaver pics.

Also got some pics of a humming bird. When you see lots of pictures of random flowers that me trying to get a picture of the humming bird. The first pic in 'day 4' (link below) you can see the humming bird in the right corner, looks good zoomed in on the camera.

People here think im from Australia or New york because i'm wearing a NY cap.

Its 6:30pm at the moment and its 94 degrees, ouch.

Walked past a hotel today that looked really familiar. Turns out its the hotel from the Shining. REDRUM REDRUM REDRUM.

Anyway all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy. all work ad no play make Adam a dull boy...

Today's pics

Thunderstorms, y hell!

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Thursday, Jul 02, 2009

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Wednesday night there was an amazing thunderstorm over the mountains, never seen anything like it, anyway long story short it landed right on my head in my little tent, I thought I was going to be washed away but the kit did me proud.

Check out the pics from Thursday, tried to fit in as many lakes as I could, I did Nymph lake, Dream lake (Caught ten trout here while guided fishing parties were looking at me in awe, come on!), emerald lake, Lake Haiahya, the Loch and Sky Pond. It was a race to bag Sky pond because the sky was clouding in just as I scrambled up timber line falls the sky started to rumble. Took some pictures and legged it (sky pond is the pictures of the lake in the clouds). It was 11000 feet up here. As I got back down to the loch the heavens opened and the thunder and lighting began, didn't get ant pics as I was ting myself, it was scary but amazing. Most people were sheltering and waiting out the storm but I had to catch the bus back to town so had to keep going. Made it back to my tent like a drowned rat, and then the sun came out and it was roasting again. Someone had left me a load of logs for a fire, nice! Another family bought me ice cream.

Here are the pics

Sunshine, showers and huge fish.

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

Friday, Jul 03, 2009

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It was raining a lot today on and off so I went fishing on the river next to the campsite. Tried the local flies and nothing was happening, so I thought why not try some of the flies I use at home, pooped on three czech nymps and boom straight in to a giant rainbow trout followed by 3 good size browns and 3 more rainbow trout. Never caught rainbow trout in a river before, boy do they fight, once again I out fished the locals ha ha ha! Can't get my head in my tent now.
This will be my last report until Thursday when I return from the wilderness. I have had to build in some contingency plans as there is still freakish amounts of snow around, rangers told me to get crampons and an Ice axe, i know y hell. Basically I have to get over the boulder grand pass, If I cant then I will hike back down the mountain to the rangers hut and try and book out some differnt backcountry sites. On the last day I need to get down a glacier, they said boots and my walking poles should be fine for that but said the crampons and Ice axe would make it easier.

Hopefully i will have lots of great pictures, all the rangers say its a great hike I've got planned.

Forgot to mention I saw a coyote yesterday, couldn't get a picture it was more scared of me and running a way really fast