Colorado Guided Backpacking and Multi-Day Hiking

Colorado Backpacking

Colorado guided backpacking and multi-day hiking trips at their best! Whether this is your first guided backpacking tour or you have done many trips around the world, our Rocky Mountain National Park backpacking trips are truly unique!

We are the original guide service to offer and guide the unique trips listed here. The trips were specifically chosen and designed from our in-depth local knowledge of hiking trails and from more than 20 years of guiding backpacking trips on seven continents. No one else knows them better, or can customize them more, to give you the trip of a lifetime! Why go with non-locals, non-originals or large booking travel agents, when you can go with the best (most personable, professional, and knowledgeable) local guides and guide service around?

These amazing trips are sure to give a taste of ‘A Wilder Colorado’ and a rare experience into hiking and backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Front Range. We have set dates for our backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park and we can create a trip for you any time during the year but availability in Rocky Mountain National Park is very limited. Our most popular backpacking trips are the 3 day trips that we offer.

We design our guided backpacking service for groups of 2 or more who want to explore the wilderness with the knowledge and expertise of a private guide. Our expert guides are trained in wilderness education and safety, and provide a more in depth understanding of the geography, history, wildlife and vegetation of the local area. We will plan an itinerary that meets your group’s goals and objectives. We have a multitude of different backpacking trips and locations in the park from which to choose from. Whether your focus is on wildlife viewing, majestic vistas, geology or fly fishing, we can design a trip that exceeds your dreams. We will also plan based upon your group’s time requirements, physical fitness level, and desired level of exertion or challenge.

Our guided Colorado backpacking trips allow for increased education and dialogue about the area, from hiking Boulder, Colorado to hiking Rocky Mountain National Park. It also provides an additional level of travel safety and knowledge in the prevention of injury and altitude sickness. Our backpacking guides reduce the many risks that can be associated with mountain travel, such as misinterpreting terrain and weather and/or losing one’s bearings. Colorado is known for weather that changes quickly and dramatically. Being lost in a thunderstorm or summer snowstorm can pose a real danger and certainly isn’t much fun.

Participants will require no technical gear or equipment. Our main goal is for you to have a safe trip and the best experience possible. Through Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides guided backpacking Colorado program, your group receives roundtrip transportation to and from Boulder, Denver, or Estes Park Colorado and an expert local guide who remains with you from the beginning of your day to the end. All trips are all-inclusive. We are a one-stop shop and the only guide service permitted in Rocky Mountain National Park that has authority to transport passengers from the State of Colorado and the Park Service.

AREAS OF OPERATION

Rocky Mountain National Park, Roosevelt National Forest, White River National Forest (Flattop Wilderness Area), Indian Peaks Wilderness Area

GENERAL INFO

Included in our rates: The services of a professional guide; Colorado national park permit and back-country Colorado camping permits; transportation between Boulder and the wilderness trail heads; all food during the backpacking trip; a re-supply drop, if necessary; gear for water purification and cooking, bear canister, tent, and medical kit; and CB radio and contingency and emergency support.

Not included in our rates: Meals while in the front country (breakfast on Day 1 and dinner on the last day); laundry; alcoholic beverages; hotel overnight before your trip and at trip’s conclusion; personal equipment (sleeping bag, pad, backpack – these items are available to rent); and gratuities for your guide(s) – while this is at your discretion, the recommended amount is 20%. We also offer optional trip cancellation insurance.

Note: Please note Rocky Mountain National Park does not give outfitter dates until March 1^st. We do our best to try to get the dates, but sometimes dates change. If you have specific dates you’re interested in, please let us know and we will try our best to get those dates.

Transportation to and from Boulder at the beginning and end of the trip. If you arrive from Denver International Airport, we will arrange transportation for you for an additional charge. If you are staying in Estes Park, we can pick and drop you off from a central location. If you are staying in Denver, we will help arrange transportation to and from Boulder from a central location. If you arrive by car, we can arrange for your car to be left, while we are out on the trip.
Rentals cost for 3-day backpacking trip: personal backpacking back gear: backpack ($25); pads ($14); sleeping bags: ($25).

Option A: Fly fishing ($100 per person). Extra cost due to guide and equipment needed

Additional trip options: fly fishing license ($9 – $27 pp).

Extras:

Denver International Airport, we will arrange transportation for you for an additional charge. If you are staying in Estes Park, we can pick and drop you off from a central location. If you are staying in Denver, we will help arrange transportation to and from Boulder from a central location. If you arrive by car, we can arrange for your car to be left while we are out on the trip. Transportation between DIA and / or Railroad. (Extra $50 each way per person – 4-person minimum for our vehicles to drive); if take buses ($12 pp each way from airport and $6 pp each way from downtown Denver to Boulder).

Transportation to and from Boulder at the beginning and end of the trip. If you arrive from

Group Size:

2-10 participants. Maximum guide to participant ratio (1:8). Maximum group size is 12 including 2 guides.

Meals:

We take pride in providing excellent meals in remote settings. Remember, we are far from the road and trailheads, so out foods are not right out the refrigerator. We make accommodation for any dietary restrictions and preferences.

What is the food like?

Mornings will consist of cereals, bagels, burritos, etc. Lunches with include meat and non-meat sandwiches, hummus, veggies etc. Dinners will include protein and carbohydrates to recover and refuel for the next day.

Weather and Conditions:

We will be in the Rocky Mountains in July, August, and September. Our days tend to be long. The bugs (mosquitoes) will be present in July and early August, particularly in around water sources and on the western portion of the hike. August brings fewer bugs and cooler evenings. September generally has the fewest bugs, although, we did have some this past year, and cooler nights. The weather is warm during the day, 60’s. The evenings will be in the 30’s – 50’s depending upon the altitude and month. Afternoon thunderstorms are almost a daily occurrence. Storms are generally strong and brief lasting less than 60 minutes. Lightning often accompanies storms, so we make sure we are below tree line after 2 pm. Windy conditions can be common above tree line. As in any big mountain chain, snow can come as at any time or month during the year, even summer. There may be some snow patches around the continental divide in July, but not enough to warrant an ice axe or crampons.

Pack Weight:

Everybody always asks this question and for good reason too. It all depends on the equipment you bring and the care you take in packing. There will be an opportunity to drop gear 1⁄2 through the trip if you just brought too much. We will help go through gear the first day and get rid of any luxury items not needed. These items can be gotten at the end of the trip.

Personal and group gear should weigh less than 35 lbs. For women, we recommend all personal gear weighing under 13 lbs. and for men under 20 lbs. (this includes your backpack, sleeping pad and bag, and clothing) As for food weight, plan on 2-3 lbs. per person per day. So, 2 days of food will be 4-6 lbs. Tent and fuel should weigh around 4 lbs. per person. We will divide tent, food, and fuel out evenly. You guide will carry a tarp, group medical kit, water purification, and communication device. Everyone is required to carry a bear canister nowadays. Water weighs 2 lbs. per liter. Plan on carrying 2 liters throughout the day.

Note: For horse drop camp trips, you will only be carrying a day pack (food; water, day cloths)

Preparation:

We will send an exercise program and an outline designed for backpacking. Any questions about your fitness level or recommendations/questions about a fitness program, please call us.

Airports:

The best airport to fly to is Denver International Airport. Driving time between the airport and Boulder is 45 minutes to 1 hour. Travel time to Denver is 30 minutes and travel time to Estes Park is about 2 hours.

Directions to Boulder:

If you are driving, we will e-mail directions to you.

Meeting Date and Location:

Meeting Day: 06:00 am. Exact location in Boulder, Estes Park, or Denver TBA

1st Day/Day 0:

At that time, you will meet your guides and we will have our 1st briefing about the trip. Afterwards, we will make all arrangements for leaving the following day. This includes any questions about the gear list and food.

What to Expect on the Trail:

You can expect being tired at the end of the day. This is normal, especially if you’re not acclimated to the altitude and exertion at altitude. You can expect living in close proximity to other trip members and guides for very full days. All trips are different because each trip is made up of different personalities, weather conditions, etc. Your guides will gear each trip to suit the abilities and desires of the participants. You can expect a trip into the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park that you will remember for the rest of your life.

Equipment:

An equipment list will be provided when you book your trip. Please bring only what is on this list. The less weight, the better.

BACKPACKING DIFFICULTY RATINGS

Our Difficulty Ratings for backpacking trips are based on a scale of Easy to Extremely Difficult (Easy, Moderate, Difficult, Very Difficult, and Extremely Difficult)

Easy – On our easy trips, you will hike 2-4 miles a day with a 25-35 pound backpacks while hiking on maintained trails. Elevation gain/loss may be as much as but not more than 1500 feet. Altitudes range from 5,000 – 9,000’.

Moderate – On moderate trips, you will hike 3-6 miles with a 25-35 pound backpack while hiking on maintained trails. Elevation gain/loss may be as much as but not more than 2250 feet. For a moderate trip, you should be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles in hilly or mountainous terrain with a backpack.

Difficult – On difficult trips, you will hike up to 8 miles a day with a 25-35 pound backpack. Elevation gain/loss may be as much as 3000 feet on maintained trails, or up to 2000 feet on more rugged trails. For a difficult trip you should be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles in a day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack at altitudes of 7000’ – 10,000’.

Very Difficult – Very difficult trips take place on rugged, unmaintained trails with larger backpacks (30-40 pounds). The hiking is often steep and steady with daily distances of up to 10 miles and an elevation change of up to 4,000 feet. For these trips, you should be comfortable hiking for several hours (3 – 6 hours) without many breaks and have previous experience exercising and sleeping at elevations of 7000’-11,000’. Trips take place at altitudes of 7000’ – 13,000’.

Extremely Difficult – Extremely difficult trips involve hiking on very rugged trails or off-trail with backpacks of 35-45 pounds. These trips demand prolonged hiking with very strenuous, difficult sections. Terrain can be steep, loose, rocky and/or exposed (3^rd class terrain). If you are considering an extremely difficult trip, you must be able to exercise vigorously for long periods (5-10 hours) and have previous experience exercising and sleeping at elevations of 10,000‘ – 14,000’. Trips take place at altitudes of up to 14,500’.

Note on altitude: If you live at less than 2000’ in altitude, expect that at an altitude of 5,000’ you will need to increase your exertion by 15% to achieve your normal pace, at an altitude of 10,000’ you will need to increase your exertion by 25% to achieve your normal pace, and at an altitude of 14,000’ you will need to increase your exertion by 35% to achieve your normal pace.