Beginner/Intermediate Rocky Mountain National Park Backpacking Experience

About Gravity Haus Overnight Experiences

Gravity Haus creates best-in-class experiences that welcome our community to spend time in reverence of the great outdoors, where you’ll embrace your inner adventurer, disconnect from the grind of daily life, and develop relationships with your fellow Gravity Haus members as you create memories outside, together.

About The Trip

• Overview – This 3-day itinerary – led by Gravity Haus friend and partner, Carly Moree – an expert guide certified in Wilderness First Aid – will take you into the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park, where you’ll earn your trail snacks by covering 17+ miles of hiking, passing by (and spending time at) stunning lakes and waterfalls, enjoying delicious backcountry meals, and creating memories with fellow members under the untouched Colorado night sky!
• Experience Level – Beginner to Intermediate Backpackers! This hike is for anyone who wants to spend a weekend in the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park.

• Before Your Trip – In the months leading up to your trip, we will reach out to you to discuss the trip, answer any questions you might have, and provide with you digital copies of risk and health waivers.
• Altitude – We will be at high altitudes for the duration of the trip, beginning our hike at 8,500 feet and camping at close to 10,000 feet. Lake Verna and Spirit Lake are above 10,000 feet. If you aren’t accustomed to these elevations, it’s wise to stay near Grand Lake a few days before the trip begins.
• Weather – The summer months in Colorado have frequent afternoon thunderstorms. These can sometimes alter our itinerary i.e. waiting until a storm passes to proceed with our hike to a lake, etc. The afternoon temperatures could reach the 70s and 80s and the mornings and evenings could be in the 40s or lower. You’ll want to pack for a range of temperatures (both cold and warm).

Highlights

• 2 Weeks Prior – Virtual pre-trip orientation meeting, where you’ll “meet” your host and fellow adventurers, and review all details in preparation for your trip.
• Day 1, August 16th (6.5 Miles, 1,900′ gain) – We’ll meet at the East Inlet Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park at 8 am and begin our 5.5-mile hike to the Gray Jay campground, which is technically an island! This hike is uphill and can be considered strenuous, so we’ll take our time. We follow the East Inlet creek for almost the entire hike, which gives us plenty of places to take snack breaks! After arriving at our campsite, we’ll set up camp and relax. This island campsite also has some nice foot-soaking spots! For dinner, we’ll stroll up to Lone Pine Lake and eat our hot meal while perched on rocks above the water.
• Day 2, August 17th (6 Miles, 900′ gain) – The morning will start off with a hot mountain breakfast and coffee and tea, and then we will begin our day hike to several alpine lakes. We’ll be leaving all of our gear behind for this hiking adventure so that we can fully enjoy everything the hike has to offer, without carrying extra weight. After hiking up to Spirit Lake (at 10,300 feet) we’ll eat lunch at Lake Verna (weather permitting), which feels like you’re at a beach in Rocky Mountain National Park! After lunch, we’ll make our way back to our campsite, keeping an eye out for any moose sightings (and pikas!).
• Day 3, August 18th (5.5 Miles, minimal gain) – On our last morning of waking up under the sky and listening to the creek flowing around our island campsite, we’ll sip on coffee and tea while eating our hot breakfast. After breakfast, we’ll pack up and hike back to the trailhead (which is mostly downhill!). Just before arriving at the parking lot, we’ll take a very short side trip to see Adams Falls.

What’s Included

• Two Expert Guides, Certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR
• RMNP entry pass
• Backcountry camping permits
• 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
• Snacks for 3 days (please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions)
• Coffee and tea
• Trowel
• Baby wipes/toilet paper
• Sunscreen
• Bear canister
• Jet Boil stoves and fuel
• Cup for coffee
• Spork
• Bowl for breakfast
• Bug spray
• Water filtration system
• Electrolyte powder
• Hand sanitizer
• First Aid kit
• 2-way GPS communication

What to Bring

• Backpacking Pack – your pack will need to be able to fit a BearVault 450 bear canister, we provide the bear canister.
• Sleeping Bag (we recommend a 10-degree bag or 20-degree bag)
• Sleeping Pad
• Tent – your tent must be a single-person tent in order to fit at the campsite, as space is limited. The only exception is if you are sharing a tent with another person, in which case you can bring a 2-person tent, but not larger.
• Water Bottles (with a total capacity of 3 liters)
• Hiking Poles
• Headlamp with batteries
• Hiking boots or trail runners
• 2 to 3 pairs of socks (one pair for sleeping, the other pair for hiking)
• 1 down jacket or warm winter hiking jacket for cold weather
• 1 pair of gloves (for cold weather)
• 1 warm hat (for cold weather)
• 1 pair of shorts for hiking
• 1 pair of leggings or pants for hiking in the cold
• 1 T-shirt for hiking
• 1 sports bra (if applicable)
• 3 pairs of underwear or less
• 1 pair of thermals for sleeping
• Sun hat
• Rain jacket (rain is likely to occur in the afternoons)
• Rain pants (if rain is in the forecast, rain pants are highly recommended)
• Pack cover for placing over your pack if it rains
• Pack liner for the rain (unscented compactor trash bags work great as pack liners, or weather-resistant stuff sacks)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Any additional personal items or clothing items you prefer (cold mornings and cold evenings are likely)
• Bug spray
• Bug head net (optional)
• Book for reading during leisure time (optional)
• Notebook and pen for writing (optional)
• Swimsuit (optional)
• Backpacking pillow (optional)
• Earplugs (optional)
• Camp shoes (optional)
• SPF chapstick (optional)
• Electrolytes (optional – we’ll provide this but you can also bring your own)
• Prescription medications
• EpiPens (if applicable) – we do not carry EpiPens – you are responsible for carrying your EpiPen if you have a prescription.