Never Summers (RMNP) Backpacking

The Never Summers! They're in a corner of Rocky Mountain National Park on the other side of Trail Ridge Road and the other side of the Continental Divide. Plenty of peaks, lakes, and a fraction of the people compared to the rest of the Park. Pretty happy to have snagged an overnight permit at the Box Canyon backcountry site so we can go check out this scenic area as a 2 day 1 night trip on a Fri - Sat.

Friday
We'll meet at Wooly Mammoth and carpool to the Grand Lake Kawuneeche Visitor Center to collect permits. If you're coming from FoCo, you'll probably want to take Trail Ridge Road and just meet us at the Colorado River Trailhead at the bottom of Milner Pass. But I will need your license plate number in advance. The hike starts on the gently graded Colorado River Trail, then merges with the scenic Little Yosemite, and finally the Grand Ditch which takes us to headwaters of the Colorado River! From there, we climb the steeper Neota Creek Trail which disappears at around 10,400 feet. We'll keep following the creek anyway all the way up to the saddle between Iron Mountain and Thunder Mountain. Climb up Thunder's northern slope to its 12,028 ft summit, and then follow the ridge to bag 12,202 Lulu Mountain as well. After descending Lulu's west ridge, we'll find ourselves back on trail at the top of Thunder Pass. From here, we can either make a short descent to our site at Box Canyon to the south, or we can go for some bonus to visit Michigan and Snow Lakes before reclimbing the pass to get over to camp. Day's totals with bonuses:
16 miles
4,500 vert
(less if we skip the bonuses)

Saturday
Wake up, breakfast, pack up! We'll continue to work our way south along the Grand Ditch Trail until we come to the turnoff for Lake of the Clouds. This optional spur is quite steep, but well worth it once we make the lake! We can lap the lake, or cache our stuff and try for two more 12er summits of Howard and Cirrus, or just head back down to continue on the Grand Ditch. The last few miles split off on the Red Mountain Trail which gradually lowers us to the cars. Probably a coffee and ice cream stop in Grand Lake before driving home.
Day's totals with bonuses:
15 miles
3,200 vert
(less if we skip the peaks)

Here's the route:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-march-3-2025-d5da28d
Let me know if you want me to email you a gpx.

Reminder
Bear Canister required, and no dogs.
Limited number of spots due to permit. Put yourself on the waitlist and we'll go from there. Also, there's a $5 fee per person.