Backpacking RMNP - Cathedral Lake
- Kristen Hodges
- Aug 27, 2017
- 2 min read
August 26, 2017 - Cathedral Lake, Aspen, CO 81611
For our second backpacking trip in Colorado, Austin and I chose Cathedral Lake, out near Aspen, Colorado. We chose it because we wanted to take some beginner friends with us, and it doesn’t require a pre-reserved permit. Though it was a shorter hike of 5.3 miles, the elevation gain made it a little aggressive at jus over 2,000 ft. Much of the first part of the hike is in the shade of an aspen forest, though at some point we got closer to tree line and though the shade faded away, we were rewarded with beautiful views of the surrounding area. We finally got to the lake in early afternoon, so we had plenty of time to relax and set up camp. The lake was a striking turquoise, and the grass was lush and green - it was beautiful! There weren’t many trees to set up our hammocks, but we made do anyways. We did start to get a bit of wind in the evening, so we set up where we were somewhat protected. The campsites were not clearly delineated, so we just set up where we felt was flat and easy enough. We had a great evening just catching up and enjoying the serenity of having the lake to ourselves.
We would recommend this trip as a day-hike or backpacking trip - especially if you are dying to get out there but have no permit. Check the weather though and be sure to read the pro tips below to set yourself up for success!
Lessons learned: this hike would be okay for beginner backpackers, but remember to pack light and take it slow. Remember the rule about how heavy your pack should be: not more than 25% of your body weight.
Pro tips: I would not recommend this trip if there were any chance of rain as there is no shelter at the top, and be sure to bring sunscreen as you are largely exposed for most of the hike and the summit.
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