Photo: Barbara Beaumont Wandering Mount Zirkel, Colorado Highlights:
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Trip Number: 08149A Price: $695 Deposit: $100 Capacity: 10 Rating: L Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Barbara Beaumont In the Mount Zirkel Wilderness you can see the effects of glaciers: Broad valleys, alpine lakes, and cirques. The mountain peaks here are not so high as in other parts of Colorado, but they make up for height with their rugged beauty. Elevations within the Wilderness range from 7,000 feet to 12,180 feet atop Mt. Zirkel. The wilderness runs along the Continental Divide for 36 miles. One of the five original Colorado wilderness areas designated by the 1964 Wilderness Act, Mount Zirkel was greatly enhanced by additions in 1980 and 1993. The 1980 enlargement added the Mad Creek watershed, among others, and the 1993 addition included 12 miles of the Encampment River near Davis Peak. This brought the Wilderness up to its current size of 160,648 acres. Vital low-elevation forests and rivers with the rocky alpine spine of the Park Range were added. The wilderness is named after Mt. Zirkel, the highest peak in the range, which itself is named after German Geologist Ferdinand Zirkel. Major rivers flow from countless glacial lakes along this northernmost stretch of Colorado's Continental Divide. This is a beautiful area with lots to see and do. Although any backpacking trip is strenuous, we plan to hike at a leisurely pace in order to check out the wildlife, flowers, and scenery. We will be starting at an altitude of 8,300 feet and hiking and camping at about that altitude for the week. We may hike up a peak or two over 12,000 feet. Days are usually warm, about 70 degrees, at this time of year. Evening temperatures can drop into the 30s occasionally. Afternoon thundershowers are to be expected. Hail and snow often occur at high elevations during these storms. We could experience several days of rain, or no rain at all. There will be opportunities for fishing every day. The lakes and streams contain rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and brook trout.
Our trip will start at the Encampment Trailhead. We will hike for a day through meadows in the river valley of the Encampment River, where birds are abundant. After a 600-foot climb we will camp at Manzanares Lake. Our route will continue south almost as far as Little Agnes Mountain, and we'll camp at another beautiful lake. We will day hike further south to climb Mt. Zirkel and eventually loop back to the Encampment Trailhead. We are planning two layover days for birding, fishing, climbing peaks, swimming, or just relaxing. Getting There We will meet in Walden, Colorado, on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. for an organizational and get-acquainted meeting. This is a beautiful part of the country, and participants may wish to arrive several days before the trip to explore other parts of the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness. The leader can suggest day hikes in the area. Walden is about 175 miles northwest of Denver and about 100 miles southwest of Cheyenne. Responsibility for getting to the trailhead is the responsibility of each participant. The leader will send a roster well before trip departure so you can arrange carpools.
All participants assist with camp chores, including taking turns with meal preparation and clean-up. We will divide the food and cooking gear Saturday night, with each person carrying an equal share. The first trip meal will be lunch on the first day and the last meal will be lunch on the last day. Trail snacks and lunches are distributed by the leader before the trip, so participants can choose what lunches and extra food they want to carry for the week. Vegetarians can be accommodated.
We will average five miles per day on backpacking days at elevations between 8,000 and 10,000 feet. Although this trip is rated light, any backpacking trip is strenuous activity, and participants need to be in excellent condition in order to find the trip enjoyable. Participants should plan to arrive in Colorado at least by Saturday. To attempt to start out backpacking on Sunday with no acclimatization period is to invite altitude sickness. Participants need to be aware that on backpacking trips they will be carrying at least 15 pounds of food and equipment in addition to their own gear. Like many wilderness areas today, the water in this area must be boiled or filtered to protect everyone from Giardia. The intensity of solar radiation is also a concern, and proper protection for the eyes (sunglasses) and for the skin is necessary.
The leader will provide a detailed equipment list to registered participants. The Sierra Club provides stoves and cooking equipment, rain tarps, trowel for toilet use, Ziploc-type bags for used toilet paper, matches, and, of course, food. The Sierra Club supplies water filters for group use only; individuals are expected to have their own purification system. The leader will provide iodine for those who wish it.
Books
Also see www.mountzirkelwilderness.com/. Maps Trails Illustrated #116, Hahns Peak or USGS maps Davis Peak, West fork Lake, Mt. Zirkel, and Boettcher Lake. Conservation This wilderness area in the Rockies is heavily used, and very fragile. Often, outdoor recreation is a catalyst for conservation, but we have to consider human impact on the wilderness. Polluted waters, displaced wildlife, eroded soils, and trampled vegetation are just some of the impacts linked directly to recreational activities. This is a "Leave No Trace" trip, which means, among other things, that there will be no campfires. We will send out information about "Leave No Trace" camping practices before the trip. We will talk about this low-impact ethic before the trip begins, and learn and practice the skills as we go. We will also discuss national and local environmental issues in the evenings, and talk about how to contact our legislators about issues that concern us.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Barbara Beaumont has been leading Sierra Club trips in Wyoming and Colorado for over twenty years. She loves hiking in the mountains and sharing that experience with others. She doesn’t fish but enjoys eating trout and promises to clean and cook any fish participants catch.