Flattops Wilderness, CO - Trip Report

“This'll be a bit of a work in progress between bits and pieces of work. But this past weekend myself, TMac, GoBlueHiker and Spindle took a trip up to Flattops Wilderness.

We crossed the Devil's Causeway, (not nearly as scary as some websites and touron trip reports would have you believe) a very cool geological feature, traversed a high plateau - spending the better part of the day Saturday above 11,500 feet - mostly trailess with scattered snowfields.

Camped at West Lost Lake where we saw three people who were camped on the other side of the lake - the only people we saw until we got back close to the trailhead.

All told we covered 24 miles - not a ton of elevation gain/lost except at the very beginning climbing up onto the plateau and then back down to the basin at the end of the day. Then again we had to climb up and over the plateau arm to exit the area.

Awesome trip - spectacular area - if you ever get a chance go see it. Lots of little lakes in the basin.

I'll do a more complete job later - and pics! Even some video!”

“Hey! You can't just post that and leave! We need visual stimulation too damn it!

:-) Glad you had a good trip.”

“Hmmmmm, maybe I'll get a "flat top" haircut this summer.”

“We gathered at my place to head out - leaving Denver around 7:30 pm. After dinner in Idaho Springs we headed out over the Divide and just beyond Vail. Travel up a windy two lane highway as it finally got dark and the stars started popping out. Since there was virtually no moon and the sky was remarkably clear the stars just kept showing up until it seemed like we could see the ENTIRE universe.

We arrived in Yampa, CO (population probably 6) and felt like we had passed thru a time warp - the main street isn't paved.

After 15 miles of gravel we finally reached the end of the road at our landing spot for the night. Taking a few minutes to stretch out after the long ride we decided to camp sans tent/tarp under the gazillions of stars. We bedded down in our bags (it was about 35 degrees) and watched the sky.

In all my nights outside over the past 30 years or so I've only seen the sky like this maybe twice. The Milky Way was visible from horizon to horizon and there were so MANY stars visible that it was really difficult to pick out all but the most major and common constellations. It was really incredible - words can't describe it.

Eventually the waterfall and stream we were laid out next to put us to sleep.”

“Yay! Can't wait to see pictures, video and reading more!

Glad ya'll had a good time!

Now, is Spindle coming home?”

“I had a terrible time getting her in the car to leave the wilderness!

She's somewhere in Boulder today - terrorizing the street performers on Perl Street no doubt.”

“Waiting.....”

“We all woke up as the sun was just beginning to shed light on our surroundings. Noone else in the campground was conscious.

Since we never really made camp in the first place we were out of the campgroung and on the trail pretty quick. The trail wound around Stillwater Resevoir and up past Causeway Lake to where we could finally see the wall we had to ascend - mostly covered with snow.

Reaching the wall, I opted to kick steps in the snowfield - really well consolidated still early in the day - rather than pretending to see a trail. Once up on the flat top, 1,500 feet above Stillwater Res., we only had about 200 more feet to go up so as to be on the infamous "Devil's Causeway" itself. Once up there we were pleased to see that it really wasn't all that narrow - around 50 - 75 feet or so at this point, it did slope away from the trail which was right down the middle, but its plenty broad. The drops on each side are rather dramatic, about 200 feet or so. The whole thing was a little more than a quarter mile long - a really long skinny arm to the greater mesa that was ahead and stretching northwest.

Now - about halfway across there is a seciton that for about 75 yards is only about 6 feet wide - composed of blocky, fractured basalt rock - stable, but skinny. This part was neat! Depending on your tolerance for exposure it might be FUN or SCARY. For us - it was mostly fun. I've read stories about people crawling across but that seems a bit silly. Allthough - for one ten foot section the thing is only about 3.5 feet wide - plenty wide to stand on, but it is a long way down!

Cross the causeway we gained the main plateau - all of this terrain now is about 11,600 to 11,800 and we start looking for the junction that turns northwest. Not finding it (buried in a snowfield perhaps) we opted to strike out cross country. Navigating up here is easy - don't walk off the cliffs on either side - so we followed the contour of the mesa and did our best to avoid the slushy rotten snowfields (knee deep).

Lunch was had on the edge of the mesa looking down over Little Causeway Lake, about 1,300 feet below us. Spindle and I played "Knock off the Cornice" for a while, which was interesting and we all took a quick little nap in the sun.

Rain threatened briefly, but never did materialize as we proceeded past Lost Lake Peak (11,925) and on toward the northwestern end of the mesa and our descent back into the trees. I had hoped we make it back into the trees before 3:00 or so and it looked like we would.

Now, there never was a well defined trail so we used topography and the map to guide our line of descent back into the trees. The slope on on the end of the mesa was pretty steep and we walked the side slope for about a mile angling downward and towards a clear area on the far ridgeline that we suspected was about the right place to cross over the ridge and access the basin that we'd walked above all day. Due to either superb navigation or just plain dumb luck (or maybe a little bit of both) we walked right into a trail bed just as we got close to the clearing area that we were aiming for.

Did I mention that the trees held substantial snow drifts? yeah - snowdrifts were a hindrance in the trees. We were trailing an elk that was being shadowed by a bear - fairly fresh tracks in the snow drifts - probably from that morning. Anyway - crossing the drifts used up a lot of energy and goretex only holds up for so long in the snow slush so we had wet feet.

Finally we angled around the nose of the ridge and dropped down into the basin towards West Lost Lake where we intended to camp. As we approached the lake, bogs and marshy areas wet with runoff appeared and the spring peepers were peeping - (I love that sound).

We made the lake and darned if there weren't PEOPLE there. A small group of fisherfolks were at the lake. One man asked me when I said "Hello" - "where are yall headed"; "Pretty much right about here", I said :)

These were the first people we had seen since we left the trailhead - gotta love the solitude this area provided.

We meandered around the lake to the opposite shore from the fisherfolks and found a nice spot to camp. A little over 12 miles and all those snowdrifts had kicked our butts! Making camp, eating a bit, getting fresh water, losing the wet boots - all helped restore us for the evening.

GoBlueHiker got out his boat (yeah, he brought a BOAT) and blew it up to tool around the lake for a bit - he also brought out the adult beverage refreshments - which also helped restore spirits for the evening!

As the sun set and the sky lit up we were hoping for a repeat performance from the night sky, but the clouds took over and all we got was a bat show - ever seen a trout try to catch a bat?

We slept pretty darn good Saturday night - 12 miles at 11,500 + with slushy snow drifts will do that to ya!”

“Very nice! Get those photos up.”

“A boat? Hah. Gotta see that.”

“Sunday, we slept in a little more - we pitched shelters that night, I used just my tarp for the first time this season - love the airy open feel to it.

Today was a 'basin walk' - up the basin, below the mesa that we had traversed on Saturday. While Saturday had been dry - today would be wet - lots of little lakes and ponds and runoff streams.

Lots of pretty scenery.

Walking along the base of the wall was interesting - as we traveled down the 6 or 7 mile length our perspective on it changed and it was funny/interesting how it looked different as we kept going.

We passed several stunningly beautiful lakes along the way and stopped for breaks accordingly. Actually, we were simply delaying the buttkicking climb up the wall at the southern end of the basin that kept getting closer and was in fact inevitable.

Along the way as we approached a meadow I spooked a couple of elk who promptly sprinted away never to be seen again - they were (sadly) downwind of us or we might have gotten a better look at them.

Climbing the last 600 feet up the wall wasn't as bad as we thought it might be and coming down the other side was simply a blast! That's coz we sat on our butts and slid down most of it in the snow! Snow slides in June rock!

Quote of the day: while looking at the giant wall from a vantage point that let us see a couple of lakes as well.... spindle says "this definitely doesn't suck"

she was right, it didn't suck one little bit.

Flattops was probably the most remote hike I've done in CO and the most unique scenery. Not the typical jagged, dramatic, snow covered peaks you think of when you say "Rocky Mountains". They are volcanic basalt matierial eroded into mesa formations by glacial action, very flat on top, (duh) with vertical walls all around, roghly 1,200 to 1,500 feet of relief to the basin floor..... beautiful.... remote - we saw only the three people at the lake the whole time we were out.

I highly recommend it.”

“Great Trip Report!

"slushy rotten snowfields (knee deep"

Conversation b/w TMac and Adventurist.

Adv: What you up to this weekend?
TMac: Going to Flattops with Roam.
Adv. Hmmm, I wonder how the snow will be.
TMac: Roam said there shouldn't be any.
Adv. Hmmmmmmm”

“I didn't say there shouldn't be any snow - I said we wouldn't need snowshoes!

Snowshoes would have been more of a hindrance than the snowdrifts were. But the snowdrifts sucked plenty!

:)

This was my first trip since OCTOBER 2006 that I didn't carry snowshoes on.”

“lol.. I was just mess'n! Based on some the hikes we've been on lately there sure is a lot of snow still in the mountains!

Look'n forward to pics.”

“Yet another place on my to-do list, along with the Maroon Bells circuit someday!!

I hear the fishing is quite good in the Flattops too?”

“West Lost Lake was FULL of fish! they were surfaceing and grabbing bugs, going for the little bats and splashing like crazy.

We had a BIG snow year - this time last year the snow was pretty much gone - there was a LOT of unmelted snow up there.”

“I hear that the Flattops are quite popular with the fishermen.

I just wonder how crowded, it could become after the 4th of July tourist season begins?

You did your trip fairly early, where as later in the season, I'd suspect things to be a little more crowded?

BTW, I'D be interested in a 4-5 day trip, in Colorado next year, maybe some of us could hook-up for a trip?

Since its your neck-of-the-woods, you could do the planning?

Late June early July? Flattops, Marroon Bells, Wild Basin?
last edited: 6/19/07 12:12:04 PM”

“That'll work - let me know when - late June works better for me just coz the company i work for is a June year end and it gets real busy in July and Aug.”

“Late June would be fine with me. I guess it will depend on the amount of snow you get too, as to whether June will be doable?

I've always thought hiking a section of the Colorado trail would be nice too?

I'll leave the surprise planning up to you. (8-10 miles per day for 4 days?)

I'd take 5 days off work (Mon.-Fri.) I'll need 4 days for driving, 2 there and 2 back. I'll be coming from Michigan, so I'd need to Acclimate for a day and a half. Part of Sunday and all day Monday, before we started to hike.

Might give me more time, to try and plan something within a few hours of Denver as well, unless I fly, which, I'm not crazy about?”

“Thank you Colorado folks for helping me check a bunch off my Firsts List. This is my favorite hike to date. You all are the best!

Got my pics up:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559537108plRWzb”

“dang! quick draw mcgraw on the pics!

I'm hoping to get mine up by the end of the day, but i havn't gotten started yet. :(

nicely done!
last edited: 6/20/07 9:50:06 AM”

“I'm sitting here, trying to inhale coffee and figure out what time it really is. ;)

Uploading pics filled the back-home foggy void.

Gosh that was a great hike.”

“Foggy-schmoggy!!”

“Hey guys sounds like another great trip.

How the heck could it not be with Colorado as the playpen and a bunch of Trailtalkers!

Only a little over 2 weeks now till I attempt Elbert again! I can't believe you guys were still having snow issues.”

“We sure were. Not unmanageable tho.

(Especially if you let two big guys lead and break trail. Thanks Roam & GoBlue!)”

“Awesome pics!”

“Only a little over 2 weeks now till I attempt Elbert again! I can't believe you guys were still having snow issues.”
bateauxdriver
9:08:49 AM
6/20/07

Good Luck!!

The snow was really more of a general pain in the arse than it was a hindrance to travel. Made the hike a little more of a cardio workout.”

“Thanks Adventurist. It's hard not to take good pics out there. It's so very not ugly, eh?”

“As Roam Around noted, I don't usually post over on this side, but I thought I'd add a few pictures, since Roam did such a great job with the trip report. (I posted the same photos over on the other side too.)

Here's the whole album, although I didn't take nearly as many pictures as I should've.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559539988HMxRMx

A few of my favorites:

Looking Over the Basin, from atop the pass:


Approaching the Devil's Causeway:


A Look Back on the Causeway:


Spindle & Roam Around, playing "Knock off the Cornice":


Enjoying the View, at Causeway Lake:


The Chinese Wall, overlooking Causeway Lake:


- Mike”

“Fan-Friggin-Tastic!!! Add a fly rod and some trout and it doesn't get much better!!!”

“The fish were jumping too. At everything.”

“Totally sweet! I am going to have to get out here one of these years.”

““The fish were jumping too. At everything.”

Yeah, it was funny watching a trout try to catch a bat flying over the lake at dusk. The burning question became: "What exactly is it gonna do when it catches that thing?"
last edited: 6/20/07 11:42:58 AM”

“How big would a trout have to be to eat a bat.

I wish we could have answered that. :)”

“Hey TMac...No more sheep for you!”

“Nice trip report and amazing pictures. Sounds like a great hike.”

“It was stunning. Bring a fishing rod if you go.”

“The lake looks nice to fish.”

“I would bring a pack Fly rod, without question.

Not sure though, when the trout season opens there?

My sons like to fish, so this would be an excellent place to take them!”

“The lake we camped at was loaded with fish. The campers across the way caught so many they had to stop. Chock full of very hungry fish.”

“I meant to ask, how far is the drive from Denver to the Flattops?

Also, any permits needed?

Thanks”

“From Denver its about 3.5 hours to the trailhead if you don't stop for Bison Burgers in Idaho Springs - from the airport its 4 hours (in good traffic across town)

No permits required, It's a National Forest Wilderness area, they don't even have a self registration box.”

“Hey Roam! You got the rest of your pics posted yet? Lemme know when you do... I wanna see 'em. :)

- Mike”

“I like that pic. it was a beautiful sunset.”

“Some random thoughts since Roam's already covered just about everything.

I can't believe nobody's mentioned GoBlue's monster pack - 57 pounds, I think. He was still a faster hiker than me and my 24 pound pack.

I don't get to cowboy camp nearly enough.

I broke one of my poles on a miniature self-arrest coming back down the ridge to the Causeway. SNAP! Better a pole than a bone.

This was a new two-day record for me out here. Hooray!

Pictures:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/559549938LkAEZM”

“By the way, TMac... you had the GPS keeping track. What was our final mileage on that trip, all said?

- Mike”

“

There are also TWO videos of crossing the skinny causeway and ONE video of the express route down the wall (butt slide on snow)

:)”

“I think the final mileage was 23.9”

“Awesome! Nice boat!”