4th of july weekend at lawn lake (Summit Mummy Mtn + work on new route + Fishing + exploring + camping)

Other routes I've climbed on Mummy Mountain: 
Other times I've been to Lawn Lake: 
Lawn Lake snowshoe (winter)    •    4th of July weekend at Lawn Lake
Category: Colorado (RMNP)Summit Elev (Mummy): 13,425 ftElev (Lawn Lake): 11,006 ftRock Type: Granite
Date: July 2-4, 2022 (Sat-Mon)Trip Report #: 553Partner: Nate Arganbright

4th of July Weekend at Lawn Lake (Summit Mummy Mtn + Work on New Route + Fishing + Exploring + Camping)

A great way to escape the crowds for the holiday weekend. Plus two pitches on a new route we are working on!

Intro

The 4th of July fell on a Monday this year, so we had a long weekend. In interest of escaping the crowds for the holiday weekend, Nate had secured backcountry permits at Lawn Lake. This is one of the premier backcountry sites in RMNP. 

We hiked in on Saturday and established camp. This was forecasted to be an inclement day (although it ended up only sprinkling lightly for about 5 minutes), so we spent the afternoon fishing at Crystal Lake. This area has some world-class alpine lake fishing. I caught my first trout!

On Sunday we explored some granite crags on the south/southwest slope on Mummy Mountain. The main objective of the trip was to begin developing a new route on the cliffs on the south/southwest slope of Mummy Mountain. The guidebook shows no climbing, despite the fact that the entire south slope is studded with 100-500' high buttresses of granite. Nate had noticed this area in 2012, had put up a few single pitch routes in 2013 and a four-pitch route in 2014. In June 2021, we put up a 6-pitch first ascent (which we called "Alien Rollout"). So, on Sunday, we scoped the south/southwest slope on Mummy Mountain for potential. In the process, we found ourselves a mere 300 feet below the summit, so we summited Mummy Mountain as well. After our summit bid, we descended back to some crags we had scoped out, located a nice line, and started up. Unfortunately we had to retreat two pitches up because of some thunder and threatening clouds on the horizon (it was a good thing we did because it soon began to hail and then rained for three solid hours). We were psyched about the line we had located and the potential for a 6-pitch route to the top of a big tower. 

On Monday we attempted to climb Honcho Boncho Buttress on Fairchild, a 5.7 adventure route that ascends the prominent buttress in the middle of the wall. However, we bailed off due to loose rock and high objective hazard. We explored the area between Crystal Lake and Lawn Lake on the way back to camp. We arrived back at camp just after noon, and after some discussion (the mosquitos being one topic, the potential to do a day of hard cragging another), we decided to hike out, even though we had camp permits for that night as well.

It was a trip full of exploration and adventure in a beautiful mountain area, and sans the 4th of July crowds. Sometimes I need to let go of my innate yearning for an objective and just enjoy being out in the mountains exploring. The following page gives photos and route overlays from the weekend. Enjoy!

Approach

The hike from Lawn Lake Trailhead to Lawn Lake is 6.3 miles and gains about 2500 feet of elevation. The trail is never very steep, but heavy packs (overnight gear and climbing gear and food) made it feel like a good workout.

The Lawn Lake trail climbs through pleasant forest.
I found a 20 dollar bill a few miles up the trail. 
The erosion along the Roaring River.
Dandelion.
Arriving at Lawn Lake.
Happy to be almost there! Photo by Nate.
Our packs were quite heavy with all of our camping and climbing gear. 59 lbs for Nate, 55 lbs for me.

Climb mummy Mountain

While scoping out crags on the south/southwest side of Mummy for new route potential, we ended up a few hundred feet below the summit. We decided to summit. The route we took to the summit was a worthy one, straight up from Lawn Lake and full of class 3 scrambling on solid rock with some cool features along the way.

Starting up the southwest slopes.
We went through here.
We called this section the "Grassy sheep trail."
Just follow the sheep poop. The sheep know the easiest way to go.
Above the initial cliff band.
Some nice rock along the way. Photo by Nate.
Some towers. Perhaps these features are part of what gives Mummy Mountain its name. Photo by Nate.
Primrose.
Forget-me-nots.
King's Crown. Photo by Nate.
Summit of Mummy.
Nate on the summit of Mummy.
Steph starting back down the same way we came up. Photo by Nate.
A view of Fairchild from near the summit of Mummy.
A marmot had chewed out the heel of my sock the previous night.

Woking on a new route

The main objective of the trip was to start working on putting up a new route on some cliffs on the south/ southwest slopes of Mummy. We climbed two new pitches before iffy weather encouraged us to rappel. We will come back soon in hopes of completing the route. It will probably be 6 pitches to the top of a big tower. Looks like it could be good!

High resolution image will be posted when the route is finished.
The crags on the south/southwest slopes of Mummy.
Pitch 1. This was 5.10 climbing.
Steph following Pitch 1. Photo by Nate.
Pitch 2. This was harder than it looks (several moves that felt 5.11).
Looking up above the top of Pitch 2. We will continue up next time.
We rappelled from the top of Pitch 2 off slung chockstones.
Rappelling. We'll be back.

Fishng

This area has some world-class alpine lake fishing. It is primarily catch and release, since the native greenback cutthroat trout must be released. We spent an afternoon fishing in Crystal Lake and an evening fishing in Lawn Lake. I caught a beautiful greenback cutthroat (and put it back in unharmed except for a small lip puncture). Other than that both Nate and I had a few bites but the fish would slip off the barbless hook before we could get it in. It is quite a unique experience to fish in these lakes.

Sign reminding fishers that this area is catch and release for the greenback cutthroat.
Hiking towards Crystal Lake.
Trail junction for Crystal Lakes.
Fishing at Crystal Lake.
What a place to fish!
I caught a beautiful greenback cutthroat. I quickly put him back into the water and he swam off, hopefully nothing more than given a good scare for the day.
My catch! Photo by Nate.
Fishing at Lawn Lake in the evening light. We both had a couple of bites but they got off the barbless hooks before we could reel them in.

Exploring

We explored around the area. Below is a map of our explorations.

Hiking down the drainage between Crystal Lake and Lawn Lake (instead of just taking the trail).
Morning light on the mountains above a shady Lawn Lake.
Alpine columbine.
Asters.
Building stormclouds. Despite the "50% thundershowers" forecast for every day of our trip, it rained for a few hours the second day of our trip, and just sprinkled the other two days.
Snowshoe hare on the trail.
The snowshoe hare seemed quite attached to Nate.
The snowshoe hare seemed quite attached to Nate.
It seemed to like me as well.
Snowshoe hare.
Tree by Lawn Lake.
Elk poop (I think) near camp.
Honcho Boncho Buttress on Fairchild. We set out to climb the 5.7 adventure route up this buttress, but ended up bailing when we decided the consequence of loose rock on the route was too high.
Approaching Honcho Boncho Buttress on Fairchild.
Approaching Honcho Boncho Buttress on Fairchild.
Approaching Honcho Boncho Buttress on Fairchild. Crystal Lake below.
Nearing the start of the Honcho Boncho route.
Nearing the start of the Honcho Boncho route. With the wetness and the fatal consequence of a fall, it did feel a tad sketchy here.
The start of the Honcho Boncho route.
We bailed off a hex.
Evidence of some pretty big rockfall hitting the snow down and below the buttress (this was well to the left of the approach route, which was fairly sheltered from objective hazard).
Biotite crystals. Photo by Nate.
Some cool moss formations. I wonder why they form like this. Photo by Nate.
Meese spotting!
Globeflower.
Exploring the west shore of Lawn Lake.
Exploring some boulders on the west shore of Lawn Lake.
Some cool rock. Photo by Nate.

Camping

Back in March, Nate had secured us the weekend at the backcountry site on the east shore of Lawn Lake. This is one of the primo backcountry sites in RMNP.

Sign marking the location of the backcountry sites at Lawn Lake.
Our campsite.
Collecting water. We did treat it with Aquamira.
A privy at the backcountry sites.
An old rusty can.
This marmot had a nice snack.
The second day of our trip, it rained for a few hours straight in the evening. Fortunately, Nate had set up a nice tarp, so we hung out under the tarp and stayed dry.
I worked on a nonogram. Not sure what this is supposed to be a picture of.
Some Canadian candy my mom had brought on my parents' recent visit to Colorado.
Nate's dinner. Photo by Nate.
As usual, I ate unusual food. I had oatmeal for dinner.
Hot chocolate is an after-dinner must when camping. Photo by Nate.

previous and next adventures