PEAR LAKE AND BEYOND: ALONG CONY CREEK TO CONY LAKE

Trailhead: Finch Lake Trailhead, Rocky Mountain National Park Starting elevation: 8,470 feet; Highest elevation on the hike: 11,512 feet Route: Day 1 - Finch Lake Trail to Finch Lake and Pear Lake, with a backcountry campsite at Pear Creek. Day 2 - Unimproved route past the Hutcheson Lakes to Cony Lake, and return to Finch Lake Trailhead. Total trip distance: About 18 miles. Weather/trail conditions: Early July; mostly sunny with afternoon storms; trail mostly dry with some snow crossings above timberline

I was joined on this Rocky Mountain adventure by my friend Matt Haubrich of Ames, Iowa. We set out from the Finch Lake Trailhead mid-morning, with the plan of following the Finch Lake-Pear Lake trail system to Pear Lake. Loading heavy packs to our backs, we made progress along the trail to Finch Lake, stopping often to catch our breath and enjoy occasional views through clearings. Warm sunshine poured down on us as we made our way through the forest-fire damaged area east of Finch Lake, causing us to reach repeatedly for our water bottles. Skies turned from clear to overcast, however, as we reached Finch Lake. This lake is about 4 miles one-way from the trailhead, and is surrounded by dense forest in a broad valley.

Finch Lake

Elk Tooth and Copeland Mountain

The grade of the trail became steeper as we continued west from Finch Lake toward Pear Lake. Overcast skies lingered, but no rain threatened us as we trekked through dense forest and past some small ponds. Just east of Pear Lake, we reached our campsite location at Pear Creek, and enjoyed the relief of removing heavy gear from our backs. Quickly setting up our hopelessly small tent, we had found our home for the night. Matt opted for a short nap while I decided to continue to Pear Lake. His decision proved the better option, as I was quickly pelted with rain as I reached Pear Lake.

We spent most of the evening at Pear Lake, and enjoyed our packaged dinner along the shoreline. The overcast skies lingered throughout the night, spoiling the sunset photography I was hoping for, but we enjoyed the setting at Pear Lake nonetheless. There were several other groups of campers in the area, and several people were fly-fishing for elusive trout in the lake. We enjoyed the tranquility of the mountains along the sandy shoreline of the lake. Soon, Matt and I returned to the Pear Creek campsite, struggled for "personal space" room inside the miniscule tent, and fell asleep to the sound of Pear Creek rushing near our tent.

Sunrise at Pear Lake

12,848' Elk Tooth from Pear Lake

I left the warmth of my sleeping bag at first light on Day 2 and headed for Pear Lake, while Matt remained in the comfort of his own sleeping bag, undoubtedly pleased to have me out of the tent. The most obvious casualty of the cramped tent conditions was that my right leg, having been wedged up against the edge of the tent all night, was protesting each step with a sharp pain. I hobbled my way to Pear Lake, where I was welcomed by alpenglow on Copeland Mountain and the Elk Tooth, resulting in a wonderful scene at the lake. The red and orange colored light soon changed to the more familiar daylight tones, when I was then treated to a perfect reflection in Pear Lake. Eventually tearing myself away from the beauty, I plunged in to the forest south of Pear Lake, following faint fisherman paths toward the Hutcheson Lakes. The lower of the Hutcheson Lakes, similar in size to Pear Lake, soon came in to view.

Reflection in Pear Lake

Cascade at Pear Lake

Elk Tooth and Lower Hutcheson Lake

The second of the Hutcheson Lakes

Feeling an occasional dull pain in my leg, I continued up the Cony Creek drainage. From this point on, there was no trail to follow, so I picked a route to follow Cony Creek and minimize damage to vegetation. The second of the Hutcheson Lakes came in to view, again with several fishermen along the shoreline. Passing the smaller lake, I proceeded toward what my map showed as the larger third lake, which was actually a pair of lakes with a wonderful view to the Continental Divide. Following the northern shoreline, I continued west on rocky slopes toward Cony Lake. The route through the Hutcheson Lakes area was at an easy to moderate grade, and did not present too many natural obstacles, although I did need to cross some larger talus fields and negotiate through some krummholz traps.

Ogalalla Peak and the Continental Divide

The third and largest Hutcheson Lake

Beyond the last of the Hutcheson Lakes, I crossed a large snowfield and continued to navigate along Cony Creek. Just past a small waterfall, I climbed above a rocky section with some snow patches to reach the eastern shoreline of Cony Lake. Unlike the numerous other lakes I had seen on this hike, Cony was partially covered with ice and snow. Huge snow banks swept down from the surrounding peaks into the lake, and Ogalalla Peak, Elk Tooth, and Cony Pass all rose impressively out of the Cony Lake basin to dizzying heights. Tucked against the surrounding peaks, Cony Lake's remote and dramatic setting was a great place to sit and enjoy some solitude.

Cascade near Cony Lake

Elk Tooth and Cony Lake

Cony Pass and Cony Lake

Ice-covered Cony Lake

After exploring the Cony Creek drainage on this perfect morning, I headed back to Pear Lake. Matt had spent the morning hiking around the entire lakeshore of Pear Lake, enjoying some solitude of his own. Pear Lake, like a few other lakes in the park, is a former reservoir that has been returned to its natural water level. The result of this change is a lake with a large, sandy shoreline where vegetation has not re-grown after the removal of the dam and resulting drop in water level. Matt took advantage of the sandy shoreline for his hike, although he reported that a cascade, tumbling down the south slopes of Copeland Mountain, had made for a tricky crossing along his hike.

We returned together to the Pear Creek site to gather our gear, and began the long hike out to the trailhead. It was an exhausting two days, but we both enjoyed the journey to this scenic area at the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park.

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