Advice Needed: Camping in American / Ice Lake Basin

I plan on camping a couple of nights each in American Basin and Ice Lake basin and I have a couple of questions:

1. Is it necessary to use bear resistant food canisters here? Maybe I am naive but I haven't heard about encounters with bears in either location. I suppose it is always a possibility though. Besides bears I know that rodents can also be a problem. I will be carrying the dehydrated Mountain House meals. I ordered a solo bear vault food canister from REI and it is HUGE. It would take up a lot of room in my 70 liter pack. Are there alternative solutions?

2. I know that lightning is a significant danger this time of year and since both locations are above tree line what do you do for shelter during a storm? I guess I could just take shelter in my car in American Basin since my car will be near by. I know that much of the trail to lower Ice Lake Basin is at or below treeline and I assume there are campsites along this part of the trail. I would appreciate any recommendations you may have.

3. The final question that I have is about treading lightly through the wildflower meadows. I assume that most of the fine wildflower photos that I see here are not taken from right off of the trail. Is there anything specific that you do to minimize your impact on the landscape while still getting interesting shots?

I apologize if these sound like stupid questions, but hey, as one of my friends and co-workers likes to say..."there are no stupid questions; only inquisitive idiots." ...And in this case flat-landers.

Seriously though, I appreciate any input that you have.

Brian Schrayer

Don't worry about bears or rodents (marmots/pikas), they're rarely a problem in Colorado. Not sure where in American Basin you want to camp, but it's more a car camping kinda spot than a backpacking place. I'd use the parking area as basecamp. I haven't done Ice Lake Basin yet, but I've heard the safer alternative is to camp in the lower basin. Then again, people pitch tents out on the tundra all the time and I can't recall anyone getting fried in their tent. I'm too paranoid to do it, though, unless the weather is nearly a guarantee of no lightning.

Of course, Todd is correct re: American Basin. There are a few very choice campsites that you can drive right up to on the road that leads to AB before you get to the parking area at the end of the road where the meadows are located. get there before the afternoon to claim one. What kind of car are you driving? If not a good high clearance vehicle (4WD preferred), you'll end up having to walk along the road to that parking area. I don't have a map handy, so I can't tell you the distance, but it's not too far.

Jack B and I did Ice Lakes last summer and it was a zoo on a weekend. Pretty much a steady stream of people and Lammas, I'm not even kidding about that. Depending when you go be prepared to test your patience. But the pay off is so worth it! Enjoy

If the weather looks good for Ice Lakes just pitch a tent in the upper basin. If the weather spooks ya, pitch a tent in the lower basin and get up an hr earlier. Believe me, getting up an hr earlier is a way better option than losing 2-3 hrs of sleep crouched over on a air mattress. Also, that 70 liter container seems big for just food for a night, but be more concerned about the weight, you can always pack non food in that thing. Thus space shouldn't be an issue. I carry one of those things when I hike in RMNP (because of BEARS) and bitch about the weight (2lbs) rather than the space cuz I load it with food first then stuff my stove, pan and other space eating devices in it. You really don't lose too much space if you pack your backpack effectively. Bears around your tent at night are bad. Talk about losing sleep!

1. IMHO, you should always use bear safe containers in the backcountry. All it takes is one time for bears. If they score food in a location you can bet they'll return to the same location over and over again in search of another meal. So, if a bear happens to smell your Mountain House Chicken Teriyaki (personal favorite), not only will you have a nasty experience, but every person visiting that location after you may too. If you don't like the bulk of the canisters, look into the Ursack. I use mine when I'm traveling in areas that don't have specific regulations on canister use and want to save weight and space. When a canister is required (National Parks, etc.), I use the Bear Vault Solo. In American Basin, as mentioned above, just car camp and leave food and good smelling stuff in the car.

2. Lightning is a serious risk not to be taken lightly. But there are plenty of safe(er) depressions around the tundra areas in Upper Ice Lake Basin. Here's my camp above the upper basin. As Kane said, if its going to make you anxious to the point of losing sleep, just camp in the lower basin - plenty of great campsites there. Be aware that the hike into both lower and upper (especially) basins is fairly strenuous and oh, so beautiful. So plan extra time for rest and photography.

3. Its awesome that you even think about this! I do - always. And I'm always surprised when I see other photogs slogging through gorgeous fields of wildflowers, scuffing their boots and dragging their gear with no inkling of the trail they're leaving behind. As with any backcountry activity, leave no trace is the best practice. Just think (don't sing it out loud ), "Tip toe through the tulips!" and do as little damage to the flowers around you. Everyone around you and those who come after you will be thankful.

Have a great trip!!

Thank you to everyone who responded. I appreciate the helpful advice!!