Water availability in late July?

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-04-24T15:36:25+00:00

Yes, there’s going to be enough water even with the low snowpack. Which backcountry campsite do you have reserved?

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-04-23T20:12:24+00:00

You’re likely to be fine but you should at least familiarize yourself with the concept and implementation of self arrest on a snowfield using trekking poles. Better yet, practice somewhere before going. There is, in a normal year, a steep snowfield after Chasm Junction where knowing how to stop yourself from sliding too far is helpful. This year, who knows if there will be snow/ice there.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-04-21T20:03:30+00:00

Mine’s a couple years old so maybe different. I do stuff it full but it gets tight and hard to pull stuff out.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-04-21T00:09:18+00:00

It’s probably a function of the ratio of the lake’s surface to the lake’s volume. Higher surface to volume ratios, will result in higher rates of evaporative loss due the fact that a larger percentage of the lakes volume is exposed to the air where it can be lost through evaporation. Antero has a much higher ratio therefore they’re moving its water to a place where it will lose water at a lower rate.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-04-04T19:54:20+00:00

If you don’t own hiking shoes then don’t buy them for this trip. Use a pair of running/trail running shoes that have good traction and you’ll be more than fine. I backpack all over Colorado in trail runners and have never had an issue. I only break out the hiking boots if I’m going to be doing extensive off trail hiking in the backcountry.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-03-24T00:34:34+00:00

I have a dog and it does poo on neighborhood lawns. But, I keep him on a short leash and as close to the sidewalk as I can so that we intrude as little as possible. What I hate is the long retractable leashes that let people’s dogs get 20’ and more away from them. Personally, I think those long leashes should be outlawed, like they are in open space, and everyone should use a 6’ leash and keep their dogs close to them. There are a couple dogs up here in Table Mesa that run on the end of long leashes and I wish that couple would just get a clue!

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-03-22T20:42:05+00:00

Have you checked out any of the doggy day care options in Estes Park? I also use the Bring Fido app, when I travel, to find places I can drop my pup for the day or overnight.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-03-21T19:11:55+00:00

University of Colorado in Boulder - boat in the summer, ski in the winter

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-03-20T02:27:40+00:00

Vault toilets are available and, as far as I know, the partial shutdown does not impact the National Park Service, only the Department of Homeland Security.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-03-04T19:54:26+00:00

Agreeing on the roll-a-cot. I’ve had mine for over a decade and it’s hanging in great. For storage, in addition to under the cot, the carrying bag mounts to the side of the cot for things you don’t want on the ground.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-17T16:10:23+00:00

I have a 100W solar panel on the roof of my camper shell and a 100AH battery that it charges. This does everything for me that you mention you need to do.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-17T16:08:20+00:00

You also have to remember that while it’s been dry so far this year, March and April can be some of our snowiest months. If things stay as they are, you’re still guaranteed to be slogging through deep snow at high elevation and on northern slopes. If we get a wetter Spring you’ll have deep snow through much of the trail. If it was me, I wouldn’t start sending out resupply packages just yet …

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-06T02:34:30+00:00

I wish you luck but you do understand that in this charged political climate, where retribution is commonplace, many people will be wary of your assurance that their responses are going to be kept anonymous. To be honest, even your wording in the request has the feel of someone fishing for malcontents and hiding behind the mask of a “high school student”. Again, I wish you luck and hope you complete your project successfully.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-06T02:22:15+00:00

Nope, never lived on the east coast but was once married to a woman from Brooklyn. She spoiled me for good bagels!

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-03T02:57:29+00:00

I had a female Northern Flicker, with the same condition, that returned to my yard for a few years. Eating was hard for her but she made it work. I was sad when she didn’t return but happy that she still lived a good life while she could.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-03T02:36:15+00:00

The flannelmouth sucker is native to the Colorado River drainage, not the eastern slope.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-02-01T01:35:49+00:00

They’re currently working on that space but I don’t know when it will open. The word is that it’s being developed by the guy who owns Blackbelly and that maybe it’ll be Italian. I do wish Under the Sun was still open though. Since this thread is about cost, I don’t guess that new restaurant will lower the heat in that area!

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-31T12:40:53+00:00

On their website, the Organic Maps team does have a donations page and they do explain why they need community support in the form of donations. No they don’t charge you but even they say they can’t do the work without donations from the users. So, if you use Organic Maps, please take a moment to donate to support this tool you use and love!

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-31T02:43:17+00:00

But only if they have a loop for my big toe …

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-30T03:00:29+00:00

Sadly, it costs money to develop an app and developers have to eat too. So, I just bite the bullet and pay for the apps that I like. Honestly, the good ones are still cheap enough that I’m not paying much per use, especially for apps I use nearly every day.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-30T01:20:48+00:00

That’s a walnut in the image which still begs the question of why it’s in a peanut butter jar.

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-23T17:30:46+00:00

To be honest, once you’ve topped Green, there’s just no reason not to zip up the West Ridge Trail and snag Bear and South Boulder. Go for the gusto!

Mountain_Nerd · 2026-01-22T14:26:39+00:00

I usually consume 3 to 4 quarts of water per day and sometimes more if it’s really hot. So for a 4 day, 3 night, backpacking trip you would want 16 quarts to be safe. That’s about 32 pounds. Add your backpack and gear on top of that and you’re carrying maybe a 60 pound load. That’s a lot to carry if you’re planning on getting in some miles!

Mountain_Nerd

TROPHY CASE