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Destination: Backpacking to Ice Lake Basin, San Miguel Roadless Area, San Juan Mountains, Colorado
Colorado Locator Map
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"Ice Lake Basin" is a misnomer. What sounds like a single basin is actually a collection of alpine basins, cirques and lakes located in a 2-mile wide valley surrounded by dramatic 13,000 peaks and serrated ridges. Situated between Molas, Ophir and Lizard Head passes, the Ice Lake area occupies some of the most scenic terrain in the San Juan Mountains. It is offically part of the San Miguel Roadless area, a relatively small alpine playground sandwiched between the Lizard Head and Weminuche Wilderness areas. Steep hiking trails offers the only access into what is some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of Colorado. There is an abundance of activities for the backcountry explorer to enjoy, from hiking to climbing to fishing. One of my guidebooks hinted that the summer wildflower display rivals the famous show put on by nearby Yankee Boy Basin. Just one story of hikers wading through a sea of columbines under breathtaking waterfalls immediately had me hooked. I was excited to have discovered what promised to be another memorable trip into the backcountry of Colorado.
As I asked around, I began picking up more details about the awesome Ice Lake Basin wildflowers. My goal for the summer of 2005 was to find and photograph Colorado's finest wildflower displays, ideally in places I hadn't explored previously. A visit to Ice Lake Basin seemed like a no-brainer. I quickly planned a late-July backpacking trip that would take me into the Ice Lake area during what promised to be primetime for wildflowers. My buddy Kevin quickly signed on after I relayed the stories of the glorious scenery.
As previously mentioned, Ice Lake Basin is not as simple as the name suggests. 13,000 foot peaks enclose a lower basin — a rocky area that features a marshy lake, several waterfalls and vast fields of waist-high wildflowers. There are several forested camping sites that sit adjacent to these colorful meadows. Large numbers of columbines, larkspur, paintbrush, cow parsnip and chiming bells comprise a large majority of the flower collection in the lower basin. A very steep trail takes hikers from this already scenic area to an even more impressive tundra paradise that is the upper basin. Ice Lake is the first body of water encountered after cresting the tundra shelf. Above and beyond are numerous other lakes, tarns and waterfalls just waiting to be discovered around every turn. The upper basin is lined with even more colorful and dramatic 13,000 peaks — including Fuller Peak, Vermilion Peak, the Golden Horn and Pilot Knob. Old mining structures still line some of the higher lakes, on private property (probably one of the reasons this place does not lie within wilderness boundaries). The upper basin can be full of snowfields deep into summer, which eventually give way to flourishing fields of paintbrush, buttercups, columbines and other alpine wildflowers. All of the ingredients promised an unforgettable alpine experience.
Instead of writing one long trip report, I've decided to present extensive comments with each photo in the following slide show.
Note: There are 54 pages in the following slide show.
Additional resources:
100 Classic Hikes in Colorado
The Complete Guide to Colorado's Wilderness Areas
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All photos © copyright Jesse Speer
Map courtesy of National Geographic Topo!
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