Diamond Lake and Arapaho Peak

We started at the Hessie trailhead and made our way along the 5.7 mile hike to the Diamond lake campground. We set up camp at one of the spots near the lake. We packed along falafel mix and were able to make gyros with peppers, mushrooms, and hummus. If someone tells you that you can't have good food in the backcountry they are clearly lying to you.

The next morning, we left most of our gear at the camp site and took a day hike up to the top of Arapaho Peak. It was about a 3,000 foot climb to the elevation of 13,356 feet over 7 miles. Staying hydrated and nourished along the way allowed us to not make any terribly silly decisions while at that elevation. The trail was well maintained and easy to follow. There were plenty of Marmot buddies along the way and the peak had some great views of the surrounding peaks. We made it back to the campsite about mid-afternoon where we shared a Bo-bo bar next to the lake. It was a little too cold to jump in the water otherwise we would have.


We slept at the same spot that night. Neil wanted to be even more adventurous with the food and decided to also bring pancake mix along for breakfast. Although, we did not pack a spatula or a non-stick pan. This lack of tools mixed with the intense heat from the stove caused the pancakes to be a bit burnt but still manageable. Matt, claiming to like them, was nice enough to eat most of the particularly crispy bits of pancake. After our breakfast adventure we packed up camp and headed back to the car. We considered stopping in Nederland for lunch but decided we would prefer just making it back to the apartment.

Total mileage: 26
Net elevation gain: ~4,000 feet