EDIT* I need to clarify that I'm only looking to hear what goals others have had off trail, where you started, and how long it took you to get there. If someone recorded a GPS track they could share, even better. We're looking for a little guidance/recommendation at what goals might be a good place to start rather than me picking something at random.

I have a group of friends who don't live in CO that I've been backpacking with for years. We've done a ton of well established trails, the most difficult being Mount Olympus in Olympic NP. We are hoping to gain some experience navigating on an offtrail route using a map and compass. I live in CO and do dayhikes every weekend. I've had a few offtrail experiences here but nothing multi day.

I tried searching the sub, but couldn't find anything. I found a list linked below with some suggested routes, but this info is more than a decade old and they don't seem too long. I would love to hear about some more recent experiences and share a map if possible.

We are looking for a route that would take about 5 days and is more than 50% offtrail. I think something around 30-40 miles would be reasonable. We could use the phones/GPS to navigate in an emergency, but this is more about building skills. We are looking to avoid any terrain more than class 2, though we are all comfortable class 3 scramblers. I'm not concerned with reaching any peak on this trip, though that would be nice. At least coming across some cool alpine lakes along the trip would be good.

Would love to hear any suggestions for where you have gone offtrail backpacking and any resources you can share for us to prepare. We're looking at going this summer so long as we won't run into issues with permit availability.

http://www.joeandfrede.com/colorado/top10lists/top10offtrail.htm

Hey All !!

Trying to get out for the morning/afternoon tomorrow. In Fort Collins. Any areas near? Is Rocky Mountain our best bet?

TIA !

Winter conditions 😉

Hi Colorado! I’m driving from California to Fort Collins and currently on my way to Wyoming. Last time I came to high elevation, I flew directly to Fort Collins and got pretty wrecked by the altitude, since I didn’t have much time to acclimate. This time, I stopped in Utah for a night to adjust, and I’m wondering if it would help to spend an hour in Wyoming (which has a higher elevation) before heading to Fort Collins. Do you think this brief stop will make a difference, or should I just go straight to Fort Collins? Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

P.S. last few times I flew in I tried to stay properly hydrated with water and electrolytes, and diamox for acclimating but I was still dizzy, fatigued, low appetite.

I have a cousin I may be going to visit in Westminster the first week in March. I’ll have 3 full days. Can someone suggest some cool hikes I could do while I’m there? I’ll have a car and don’t mind driving. I’ll be by myself though. I’ve been out west a bunch backpacking just never around this area. Thanks.

I’m coming to RMNP this summer and was wondering if I would want trail running shoes or actual hiking boots. I plan on doing Longs Peak as well as some of the more chill hikes with lakes and ect. I’ll take any recommendations as well as anything that might be helpful out in RMNP that’s not part of the normal hiking gear.

Hey y’all. My partner and I plan to go to Colorado in mid-February and hike in Bear Lake for a day. My partner and I have hiked in Lake Placid before, but we've never really hiked in the winter, so after asking a friend for a beginner hiking suggestion, they suggested snowshoeing near Bear Lake. My follow-up questions are:

1. Is Bear Lake a beginner-friendly trail in the winter? From what I've seen, it seems like a well-maintained trail, but I'm not sure how the winter component affects its difficulty
2. Are snowshoes required, or would microspikes do the trick? Renting snowshoes vs. buying microspikes might be what my friend was referring to, but if the trail is well-maintained, snowshoes shouldn't be needed, right?
3. Should we still be concerned about parking at that time of year? I had read that Bear Lake fills by 8-9, and someone had suggested either coming by early (~7 am) or later (1-2 pm) to avoid the crowd? And would somewhere closer (like the Brainard Lake area) be a better option to avoid this problem?

Hey fellow Sasquatch’s - looking for a good hiking boot that comes in size 15 and wide!

Anyone out there? Tried some on at rei (Merrel moab only one we could find in area to try) and wasn’t wide enough. Concerning since merrel usually is on the wider side.

Looking to avoid ordering a bunch only to return them. Next up is lowa renegade to try

Thanks for any insight in your journey

Friends are doing a ski trip and staying in Salida next week. I’m going with them, but will not be skiing. I’m bringing my snowshoes and plan to do that during the day and will have my car.

Looking for something with an hour of Salida, but can be flexible on that if there is something worth driving a bit more for.

Any advice is appreciated!

Just a quick question. How deep is the snow up there right now?

Weather dependent (first weekend of Feb) Looking to hit...

Stanley Canyon at USAF Or Daniel's Pass to Mt. Muscoco

Leaning toward Stanley for the views. Thanks in advance!

Im an experienced hiker and camper. Looking to knock out something that has been on my bucket list for quite some time now, which is taking a 3-4 day solo backpacking trip through the colorado wilderness. I've heard Colorado Trail is a good one for beginners but I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thank you!

Hi, I am a regular Colorado hiker who lives in Boulder, and hikes a ton in the summer. Now that it is winter, I would like to continue hiking but need gear. I want some type of snow/ice traction and can only get either spikes or crampons. Which would you suggest if I can only choose one? Thanks for the help

I will be in the RMNP the second week of May and I want to hike the Emerald Lake trail while I’m there. I know May is a transitional month for you guys so its hard to tell what the weather will be like. I wanted to know if there are there certain shoes I should bring? Any suggestion on clothes to pack? What is the best time to be at the trail? Anything I should do to prepare? Any other tips/advice? I will be there in the middle of the week and I am staying in Estes Park. Thank you!!!