Been meaning to post this one for some time....my apologies....but we did manage to squeeze in several firsts, first hang for my wife, first trip into Indian Peaks, and oh yeah, I turned 50 along the way.
Indian Peaks Wilderness in early Sept can be challenging weather wise and we were very blessed to pick the days we did, it snowed a week prior and again the week after (my wife draws the line at hanging in snowOur 4 days were all spectacular, with light breezes and a few minor thundershowers, along with clear starry nights.
Our destination within Indian Peaks was Gourd Lake, about 8 miles in from the trailhead with about 3,000' of elevation gain (mostly in the last 2 miles) to just under 11,000'. Along the way were several places to refill water bottles and take in a view.
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This area is known for moose and elk, and on our hike out we heard reports of a moose on the other side of Monarch Lake at the trailhead, but we didn't get a chance to observe it (weather was rolling in quickly). We did however hear bugling a couple of early mornings while swinging in our hammocks.
The views at Gourd Lake are beyond spectacular.
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The only downside was we saw no trout at all, however, since there were no campfires allowed at the lake it wasn't exactly a total loss.
For this excursion I wanted to make sure my wife was warm at night (she's a cold sleeper). I set her up with my WBBB XLC with my 0 degree Wookie, paired with my 0 degree Mamba TQ. I added a 2QZQ UQP, and a HG CF Std tarp with Dutch bling to round out her bulletproof setup, she was not going to get cold (nights did dip into the upper 20's). The setup for her worked perfectly, she was very warm and in fact slept in her pj's quite comfortably. On the night it was rather breezy she dove under the TQ and was out for the count for a solid 10 hours. For a her first time sleeping overnight in a hammock she was truly impressed with the comfort and warmth of the Warbonnet setup and had absolutely no issues.
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For my rig I used an Eno knockoff (my daughter's hammock she bought in Australia) along with my 20 degree Yeti UQ & 20 degree Mamba TQ. This combo really worked quite well with just some minor fiddling. I added a ridgeline to the Eno, and extended my Yeti suspension slightly for comfort. By raising the foot end of the Eno about 12" it ended up being a pretty comfortable setup. Rounding it out I added my other 2QZQ UQP and a Mambajamba tarp with more Dutch bling.
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Our first full day at Gourd Lake was a hard combination of prepping hot drinks & meals (courtesy of PackIt Gourmet) and serious naps....oh yeah, and someone turned 50. We celebrated with an evening meal of Dotties Chicken & Dumplings with Lemon Cheesecake for dessert (both Packit). To say we were stuffed is an enormous understatement, and the evening tea/hot chocolate while watching the sunset was perfect.
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The next day we felt well rested/recovered and headed up the mountain on the other side of Gourd Lake to get to Island Lake. There is no trail, and sections are pretty steep but the views were awe inspiring.
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Once reaching Island Lake (above treeline ~12,000') the backdrop for lunch was beyond impressive. We enjoyed a lunch in full sun on the "island" jutting out into the lake.
There's snow around all summer just to remind you of how quickly things change up here.
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The hike back down affords views of our spot on Gourd Lake.
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And a secluded waterfall...
The trip turned out to be a huge success. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her rig and was able to rest very comfortably. I enjoyed a memorable 50th in style
Many thanks to Shug for teaching me all I know about hammocks....which was placed under the supreme test with a very successful first hang for my wife! I would have never even tempted such a trip without his expert instructions!
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