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Dave Spates

Dave Spates

Hiking. Adventure. Photography.

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You are here: Home / Lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado / Cony Lake (11,512′)

Cony Lake (11,512′)

  Cony Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

  • Date hiked: 06/29/2020
  • Hiked from: Pear Lake
  • Distance hiked: 5.5 Miles RT from Pear Lake. 18.6 Miles from Finch Lake Trail head
  • Total elevation gain: 1,250 ft from Pear Lake.
  • Maintained trail: NO
  • Overall Difficulty: 9/10 – Route finding and bushwhacking skills are needed. Major elevation gain. Class 2 scrambling.
  • Overall Views: 8/10 – Towering views of Ogallala Peak and the ridge to Mt. Copeland.

Cony Lake elevation 11,512', in Rocky Mountain National Park in summer. Part of the lake is still frozen, with Ogalalla and Copeland Mountains in the background

There’s something special about high elevation lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Cony lake is no exception. Tough, long, hike. We camped at Pear Lake and it took us two attempts to reach Cony Lake as the day prior we turned around due to bad incoming weather.

Video Clip of us Arriving at Cony Lake Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Reaching Cony Lake requires crossing Upper Hutcheson Lake. We’ve crossed this lake two times and have not been able to find a clear route to cross. Pick your rocks very carefully, walk over vegetation, and you can cross the creek without getting your shoes soaked.

Cony Creek, looking into Cony Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Summer time, snow covered mountain in the background with a few ice sheets left on this high elevation lake

Once across Upper Hutcheson Lake the boulder hopping begins. Pick your own route, we found going up high, then down towards the lake, and back up was our best option. There were a couple of difficult Class 2 scrambling sections that I don’t know if they were avoidable or not.

After getting through the field of boulders we had to cross an extremely steep snowfield. Check for any avalanche risk here before crossing. Fresh snow and crossing mid afternoon may be sketchy.

High alpine lake landscape, partially frozen Cony Lake, Ogallala mountain and Mt Copeland, continental divide, Rocky Mountain National Park, USA, ColoradoRoute to Cony Lake in RMNP

 

Our recorded route to Cony Lake from Pear Lake. Use at your own risk.

 

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