Scheduled Hikes for 2010
 Chapin Pass to 12,454' Mount Chapin and/or Old Ute Trail - Trail Ridge Road to Poudre Lake in Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park


Above: Mount Chapin Trail
Date:  Sunday, September 26th, 2010  09:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Hike Group:  Rocky Mountain Trail Tramps
Info. URLs:  Rocky Mountain Nat. Park - National Park Service
Maps for this hike (Directions at bottom of this page.)
Local Weather Report for Mount Chapin Area
Location: 
 Rocky Mountain National Park
 Description:  Rocky Mtn. Nat. Park - Hike from Chapin Pass on Old Fall River Road up to 12,454' Mount Chapin

Day Hike, Hike Elevation Gain: 1,814 feet, Distance: 3 miles roundtrip, Degree of Difficulty: Moderate, Things To See: Creeks - Forest - Wildlife - Alpine Tundra - Spectacular Mountain & Valley Views

The hike includes magnificient vistas of the valley of Chapin Creek, the Mummy Range (including Mount Chiquita, and Ypsion Mt.), Horseshoe Park and Estes Park far below to the SE.

From the Chapin Pass Trailhead on Old Fall River Road, it is a 1.5 mile hike up to the summit of Mount Chapin. For the first .25 mile, the route climbs steeply to a ridge, and, at the top, turns sharply right to the east. it then leads through a dense forest of fir and spruce. About a mile later, the trees are shorter and the forest opens up.

The trail eventually climbs above the timberline and the view becomes expansive as the trail crosses fingers of talus. The trail becomes indistinct as an ascent of an extra few hundred feet takes you to the summit of Mount Chapin, with it's remarkable views of Mt. Chiquita and the valleys to the southeast.



Above: Mt. Chapin view


Above: Chapin River Valley



Above: Mt. Chapin Trail thru talus

As usual, we suggest that each hiker bring their own appropriate hiking gear, food, sports drinks, and a lite rain poncho for those afternoon rain showers that may pop up. Be sure to do your "carb loading" before the hike by eating a good breakfast/healthy snack and drinking liquids, avoiding dehydration and fatigue, especially at altitude. Carb loading the day before is useful, too. And if you leave the hike early, please notify the hike leader directly, so there's no question that you may have gotten lost or injured along the way. Remember... Safety first.


DIRECTIONS:

This hike is located in the Rocky Mountain National Park, which charges an entrance fee ($20 per vehicle). Riders, please share the cost of fees when carpooling. (Some hikers already have annual passes, and are willing to share with those they carpool with.) Because parking is limited on weekends, carpooling is recommended. Carpoolers will meet at our Loveland meeting site, in the middle of the JAX Outdoor Gear parking lot on 950 East Eisenhower Blvd., at 7:45 am, then depart by 8:00 am for the Park.

We'll drive up Highway 34 to Estes Park, and stop at the Estes Park Visitor's Center to meet up with any other hikers in the area who wish to join our carpool. We'll then depart at 9:15 am and proceed on into the RMNP on Highway 34, via the Fall River Entrance to the National Park. Follow the road into the park, and turn right at Horseshoe Park onto the paved Endovalley Road. At the Endovalley Picnic Area entrance (on the left), continue past it, onto the one-way only Old Fall River Road. This rutty, dusty dirt road winds for 8.5 miles, with multiple hairpin curves, up to the Alpine Visitor's Center.

The trailhead is about 6.9 miles up the road from Endovalley, on your right. There are parking spaces on the left in a small parking area and along the shoulder of the road. Park well off the narrow road. Parking spots fill up fast in the morning. We'll aim to arrive at the trailhead about 10:00 am and begin our hike at 10:15 am.

If we have time after this hike, and wish to hike some more, we'll continue up Old Fall River Road to the Alpine Visitor's Center, then carpool down to Poudre Lake, at Milner Pass, on the Continental Divide to leave a pick-up vehicle. We'll then drive (or hitchhike) back up to the Visitor's Center, then take an easy hike downhill thru alpine tundra, along the Old Ute Trail for 4.2 miles, with an elevation loss of 1,050'.