Best products from r/coloradohikers

We found 22 comments on r/coloradohikers discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 18 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

Top comments mentioning products on r/coloradohikers:

u/TrustyOneHit · 3 pointsr/coloradohikers

Pick up gear at the REI flagship in downtown Denver (maybe a little Sour Diesel while you are in Denver). Drive to Boulder, then Nederland. There are several lake shore camping options in the Indian Peaks and James Peak Wilderness. Indian Peaks requires a permit, but I don't believe it to be difficult or expensive. Options would include Diamond Lake, Jasper Lake, Woodland Lake. James Peak Wilderness directly to the south has Forest Lakes, Crater Lakes and rogers Pass Lake.

Bear Track Lakes in Mt Evans Wilderness is probably within your driving range in a southwesterly direction from Denver. I'm nat as familiar with that area. If you extend your range by 1 or two hours more stuff opens up. You should have plenty of options though. Have fun! Read up on mountain safety, i.e. bear country precautions, altitude sickness, being off high altitudes in the afternoon, etc. It's easy to be safe, you just have to be aware. My recommendation is to go between last week in June and mid August for the best weather, wild flowers etc. Best to do a good layer system with non-cotton layers and expect anything with the weather up there, could get down to 20-30 degrees in summer. I always use a 20 degree bag and sleep in merino long underwear.

Have fun, it is an amazing experience.

Edit, formatting
Edit: u/WeAreThePizza has a really good recommendation for Missouri Lakes, I think that is closer to 3hr drive from DIA though.

u/vibeee · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

Thank you so much. Thank you taking your time to explain it to me.

I have this Sawyer. I think we might have drank some water from one of the lakes in Titans but we survived that without getting sick. We also mostly boiled it as it was really cold outside(October).

I'm definitely going to get the tablets for treating. It sounds it's good to have them in your pack.

Lastly, which USGS maps do you use? I just went to their website and I am kinda lost. I have been buying the National Geographic maps where ever I go. Are those good enough? Would they show mining sites?

Thanks again. I really appreciate you typing all of this. It's super helpful.

u/bruhaha6745 · 3 pointsr/coloradohikers

I excerpted this from an email I sent to a buddy of mine. I used to guide hikes in and around RMNP.

The Completer Hiking Guide by Lisa Foster is the best guide to RMNP. She's a ranger there, or at least was when I was there.The only problem is that she doesn't really differentiate between hard scrambling and easy climbing.
http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-National-Park-Complete/dp/0615526845/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Hikes

Easy

  • Bridal Veil Falls
  • Lumpy Ridge
  • Circle of Lakes (Mills Lake, The Loch, Lake Haiyaha, Dream Lake)
  • Fern-Odessa Loop (start at the Bear Lake Trailhead. Use the shuttle to get back to the Bear Lake parking lot)
  • Cub Lake
  • Emerald Lake, good after dinner hike
  • Bighorn Mountain

    Medium

  • Lake of Glass/Sky Pond
  • Flattop, Hallets and Otis peaks ~Go up Flattop. Hike the tundra to Hallets and Otis. Glissade down the Andrews Glacier, b/t Otis and Andrews. Hike out on the Loch trail. Check the conditions on the Andrews Glacier before doing this one. Also if there's still a snow pack, you may want to go with a guide, i.e. a hikemaster form the YMCA of the Rockies.
  • Tyndall Tarn~This is above Emerald Lake at the base of the Tyndall glacier, which is a hanging glacier. To get there, find a route over the boulder field to the South, left, of Emerald Lake. I made it most of the way there and got turned around by a storm.
  • Timber Lake
  • Ptarmigan Tarns~There's a climber's trail heading toward the saddle between Flattop and and Notchtop Mtn, called Ptarmigan Point on the quads. You should look for it just past Two Rivers Lake, prior to heading down toward Lake Helene. It will be off to the left of the main trail. Follow it until your reach Ptarmigan Tarns. I think there are two.
  • Joe Mills Mtn. ~There's no trail once you turn off the trail to Odessa Lake. Scramble to the top and head to the west for the high point. You'll get a very nice view of Lake Helene.
  • Chasm Lake
  • Teddy's Teeth
  • Twin Sisters

    Hard

  • Mummy Mtn./Lawn Lake (very long hike)
  • Chapin, Chiquita and Ypsilon (high elevation, hike from the Fall River Rd. trailhead)
  • Mt. Ida, from Timber Lake
  • The Never Summer Range ~These peaks are characterized by long approaches over rotten, unstable rock. The advantage is they are are lightly visited, compared to other areas of RMNP.

    Restaurants

  • Smokin Daves
  • Poppy's
  • Kind Coffee
  • Breakfast place in Allenspark, CO ~can't remember the name of it. Really, really good breakfast. Find a local and ask them. They should know about it. Head about 16 miles south on CO-7. It's right in the main part of Allenspark.
  • Rock Inn ~don't remember much about the food. I went there for the live bluegrass every weekend. Here's the schedule: http://www.rockinnestes.com/
  • You should definitely spend a day hitting the breweries in Fort Collins. The tour at The New Belgium Brewery was a favorite.

    Lastly, some general tips for hiking there. Most of the rock there is granite. It is very hard on footwear. There will be perpetual construction on Trail Ridge road. This can lead to very long delays in both directions (hours). Plan accordingly. Much of the park is at high elevation. Afternoon thunderstorms are very common. If you're attempting a summit, or heading to a high elevation lake, you should be on your way down by around lunchtime. Plan on early starts. 3, 4 or 5 am starts aren't uncommon. You will probably have to acclimatize. Start with easier stuff and work your way up to more difficult hikes.The best source of information will be the rangers. They know their park and what goes on in it. Sorry for the wall of text. Enjoy the trip, RMNP is an amazing place.
u/definitelysome1else · 2 pointsr/coloradohikers

Glad to help! An excellent book for looking up hikes is Lisa Foster's guide: http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Mountain-National-Park-Complete/dp/0615526845

It's comprehensive. It hasn't been updated since the flood, but it's still very accurate.

Be sure to take a look at the flood scar on the side of Twin Sisters, too. It's visible from Highway 7. Twin Sisters can be a fun hike - and you get to hike across the flood scar - but it's not something I would recommend if you only have time for one long hike.

Check out the Alluvial Fan too.

u/ForwardBias · 2 pointsr/coloradohikers

Keep in mind pretty much everything you see there is above the treeline.

For spikes these are the ones I have. I have seen them recommended a lot and they have been fantastic for me. Easier to walk on ice with them than on the ground without.

Kahtoola MICROspikes Footwear Traction - Black Medium - 2015/16 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXXJ0V2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kL64ybA640QM5

u/AbsentMindedMedicine · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

I have the Ice Trekkers.

http://www.amazon.com/ICETrekkers-Diamond-Grip-Traction-Cleats/dp/B00BEQKM7K?th=1&psc=1

They work very well in icy conditions, and I've yet to break a pair. In the winter I can make it up the first Flatiron faster than in the summer.

As one would expect, they're not great on solid rock (like rubber shoes are). It actually becomes easier to stick to the ice. They work well in hard pack snow, but they're obviously not snow shoes, and won't work in the deep stuff. Absolutely worth having a pair.

Buy one size up for boots. I'm a 10.5, and the large fits all my shoes better than the medium.

Also, at the Boulder REI garage sale they sometimes have some at a discount.

u/Massless · 3 pointsr/coloradohikers

Check out this book. It has tons of hikes within an hour of Denver, Boulder, or Fort Collins. They range from laughably simple to serious undertakings.

You can look for clubs in the area. The most popular are meetup.com, the Colorado Mountain Club, and the Sierra Club.

Finally, once you're here, start asking people for trail recommendations. You'll meet people with similar interests and have more recommendations than you can manage in a short time.

u/carbonclasssix · 2 pointsr/coloradohikers

I haven't, but I do a lot of hiking in the colorado rockies.

You don't need a laundry list for clothes, though, that's what I'm saying.

Bring 1 pair of hiking pants/shorts/whatever you want, wear them the whole time.

For backpacking, I have a long sleeve merino wool shirt; merino has the advantage of not taking on much smell, so you might be able to get by without washing it the whole time (four pass is only like 2-3 days usually), depending on how much you sweat. If you do have to wash it, do it at the end of the day when your stuff is unpacked, and wear your midlayer (yes, you want layers; I use a north face fleece) while it dries/overnight/to bed. Boxers or whatever, you could bring an extra if you want, or you could just wash them at the end of the day and go commando (or wear some baselayer long underwear, I usually bring a pair) while they dry.

Edit: This isn't clothing, but DO NOT FORGET SUNGLASSES. The sun is relentless at high altitudes. And bring a case, because if they break your eyes are going to be very upset.

u/gooberlx · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

Pants, long sleeves, hat, as mentioned.

Douse your clothes and gear in permethrin and let it dry out. Should last through a few to several washes. Be careful around cats if you have any.

Also, which Deep Woods Off were you using? The Repellent I has like 98% DEET (which should last longer, but isn't necessarily more effective), but the others are like 25% or 30% (maximum effectiveness). You can also try picaridin, which doesn't melt plastic/synthetic gear and clothes.

u/bentripin · 2 pointsr/coloradohikers

I picked up one of these at a general store in the area, its really nice and detailed.. dont expect any mobile service. https://www.amazon.com/Latitude-40Crested-Butte-Gunnison-Trails/dp/B01019HXEK/

u/12GaugeSavior · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

Platypus Platy Preserve Wine Preserver, 800 mL/6.3" x 10.25", Red https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G7QUWI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tbXTBbWJKRA33

Bring the bar too!

u/wysiwyg23 · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

Bring a fishing rod (fly or spin). Find a lake or creek with brookies and cook some dinner or just fish for cutthroat.

http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Guide-Rocky-Mountain-National/dp/0984412301

u/Kujo_A2 · 1 pointr/coloradohikers

James Dziezynski's book Best Summit Hikes in Colorado has a full route description with a map and GPS waypoints. He says the route is off-trail most of the way, and calls it a Class 2+. It's 5.3 miles and 2,840' from the first parking area to the summit at 13,232' (4wd cuts off 1.4 miles rt.)