Red Mountain Basin Trip Report

[copeg]

This past weekend the wife and I headed up to Red Mountain Basin out of Courtright Reservoir. We got a late start Saturday and made it to the Post Corral Creek crossing around 6, to find it well swollen. If it weren't for another very nice couple making the crossing look easy, we would have camped on the west side of the creek, but with their help forded without a problem. Ironically, we camped just on the east side and found the creek about a foot lower in the morning - a difference between waist high and knee high. The mosquitos were horrendous along the trail between 8000 and 9000 feet. Once above 9000 they all but disappeared - but above 9000ft everything was wet and muddy, a sign of mosquitos to come. We encountered some snow patches just below Flemming Lake and between Flemming and Disappointment lake (how it got that name I have no idea, amazing view, amazing fishing, remarkable alpenglow, and desolate). We hiked out Monday, getting an early start to try and get to Post Corral Creek early in the day.

Here are a few photos of Disappointment Lake (I took too many to count), with more here:

[doug395]

Beautiful pictures trailblazer, thanks for the reminder about planning river crossings early in the day. What elevation were you at on the lakes and what degree sleeping bags did you take? I’ll be on the east side next week, my plan was Sabrina to Hungry Packer, bringing wet suit booties to help with river crossings.

[rightstar76]

Glad you went to Red Mountain Basin. Beautiful place. The last time I was there it was late season so everything was dry. Thanks for posting the beautiful pictures. It was interesting to see how it looks early in the season. Green, lush, wildflowers. Got to get up there again one of these days.

[Snow Nymph]

Beautiful pics! Guess I better bring the bug suit this weekend!

[copeg]

Thanks for looking and the comments everyone!

Doug, it was relatively warm where we were. We camped at 10,200. I'd guestimate the rating on my bag to be 20C and it was plenty warm. I'd say it got as low at 40, but thats a guess. Hungry Packer is a gorgeous lake and has an awesome early morning alpenglow. Have fun.

[wingding]

Beautiful pictures Trailblazer - lots of snow in that area. The snow doesn't bother me too much when it's solid, but when everything is slushy and mucky I get frustrated.

[copeg]

Beautiful pictures Trailblazer - lots of snow in that area. The snow doesn't bother me too much when it's solid, but when everything is slushy and mucky I get frustrated.

Thanks wingding. That was just how it was, slushy, mucky, muddy, and wet. It was truly hard to find a spot to camp at Disappointment Lake because many of the campsites were flooded or had a creek going through it.