South San Juan Wilderness - 5 day high country backpacking trip

Big Mountains in the Summertime! This will be a 5-day, 4-night backpacking trip (plus 2 travel days) in the scenic South San Juan Wilderness in SW Colorado. It's known as Colorado's wildest corner with 45 miles of the Continental Divide Trail going across it. We'll depart from the Three Forks trailhead (near Platoro reservoir), hiking up the Conejos River drainage and El Rito Azul to scenic Blue Lake (11,500ft elevation), where we will camp for 2 nights, have an opportunity to acclimate and do some high country trout fishing. I also scoped out a day hike scenario to summit Conejos Peak (13,172 ft) on day 2 to round the trip out and provide higher mileage opportunities for those who want it. The next 2 days will consist of hiking along the top of the Continental Divide and provides endless breathtaking views. There will also be an opportunity to climb Summit Peak, at 13,300 ft the highest peak in Archuleta County. We will descend below the treeline in the evenings to camp. The last day will be an easy descent down Adams Fork back to the trailhead, from which we will drive over to Pagosa Springs and stay at the Springs Resort hotel and soak our sore muscles in those famous natural hot springs. A $100 non-refundable deposit will be required from each participant to cover the lodging expense we will have on the last day. This hike is for fit and experienced backpackers only. All participants must be pre-approved by the hike leader. The ability to hike for long periods of time at higher elevations is essential. To qualify for this hike you must have experience hiking at elevations approaching 12K ft and demonstrate your ability to function well and maintain a reasonable pace. You must also be well versed in the techniques of hiking and camping for extended intervals in rainy weather. It is almost guaranteed that we will experience rain on a daily basis. You must be willing to invest in the appropriate gear for this trip. Although this is a summer trip, you need to be prepared for the possibility of cold weather. Although rare, snow storms have been known to happen in July up there. There is also the possibility of thunder and lightning occurring when hiking along exposed ridges that can be very dangerous if you do not take the necessary precautions. Water availability above the treeline is scarce. You must be able to carry enough water to last you most of the day while hiking if necessary. Your body's need to consume water will increase at higher elevations. We will schedule some training hikes in the weeks leading up to this trip where people can acclimate and acquire more experience in higher elevation hiking. More information on this hike is available on Google Docs at the link below, with schedule and route details. I will continue to add more information to this page as it becomes available. This will be a 5-day 4-night backpacking trip, with a travel day on each end to/from Colorado for a total of 7 days overall trip duration. http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dc577jv6_8ht9q6xdr