Labor Day Rocky Mountain National Park Backpacking Experience: Thunder Lake

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 20+ 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 – Intermediate Backpackers – this hike is for more intermediate backpackers (or beginner backpackers who are ready for higher mileage and more strenuous hiking).

• 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, typically around 10,000 feet and up to 11,000+ feet.
• 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 30th (6.5 Miles, 2,500 feet of gain) We’ll be starting our 6.5 mile hike from the Wild Basin Trailhead in the early morning, hiking the Thunder Lake Trail and following the North St. Vrain creek up to Thunder Lake. After arriving at Thunder Lake (10,600 feet), we’ll set up camp for our two nights in the wilderness. If the skies are clear at night, we can get some fun photos of the stars before getting into our tents!
• Day 2, August 31st (9 to 10 Miles, 2,500 feet of gain) Day two starts with a hot morning breakfast and coffee/tea. This is a good time to soak up the quiet vibes of the wilderness, away from our email and phones. Today we’ll be spending most of our time above 11,000 feet, visiting alpine lakes. We’ll hike 4 miles (one-way) from our basecamp at Thunder Lake to the pristine Lion Lake along the Lion Lake Trail. The hike up through the trees is rewarded by views of this beautiful, remote lake! If the weather allows, we’ll continue another mile up the trail to Lion Lake #2 and Snowbank Lake. After a day of hiking, we’ll return to camp, relax, and enjoy a hot dinner!
• Day 3, September 1st (6.5 Miles, 2,500 feet of gain) After our second night of sleeping under the stars, we’ll spend the morning chilling + chatting over coffee and tea, and soaking up the final hours in the wilderness next to Thunder Lake. Once we’ve packed up, we’ll meander back to the trailhead, taking a slightly different way than how we hiked in so that we can see Ouzel 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.