Olsen Lake - 11.2 Miles Round-Trip

Olsen Lake is located 5.6 miles from Grouse Creek Trailhead in the Holy Cross Wilderness.  This small lake is ringed by thick timber at the base of a steep ridge, just over which is the Beaver Creek Ski Area. Its open south shore is ideal for camping, with access to a rolling landscape of talus bowls and alpine ridges that see few people.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

While the lake is nondescript, the hike itself is compelling, especially the first two miles through long stretches of flower-studded aspen groves. Olsen Lake comes highly recommended in the fall for its brilliant colors and abundant berries along West Grouse Creek:

The Grouse Lake Trail heads SW across open grassy slopes to the Grouse Lake – West Grouse Creek Trail split (.52 miles : 8,145’).

The West Grouse Creek Trail veers right to a bridge (1.0 miles : 8,435’), then enters a long stretch of grassy aspen groves beside the creek. Young aspen coupled with the relative absence of mature conifers indicate a recent disturbance that renewed the arboreal cycle. This leafy, food-rich area is a good place to find wildlife.

The trail climbs steadily to an unmarked split for an old portion of the Meadow Mountain Trail (1.5 miles : 8,793’), and through a young lodgepole forest thinned by a blow-down (2.0 miles). The forest service has done an excellent job clearing the way, though some trees still cross the trail.

The trail rises in a thicker, healthier forest to a bridge crossing (2.6 miles : 9,481’), past which grades moderate across a long, open slope with good views back at the Gore Range. Note swaths of skunk cabbage in sunny areas along the damp creek bank.

Grades are variously moderate and steep on a more rugged path through 3.65 miles (10,130’), skirting a few large talus slopes that seem a bit out of place. Pockets of level terrain between the trail and creek are good places to improvise a campsite.

The trail graduates into a thick, moss-draped subalpine forest up to the Holy Cross Wilderness Boundary, where backpackers must self-register (4.7 miles : 10,675’). You’ll run just below Waterdog Lake before reaching the boundary, however it’s largely concealed by timber.

Despite great efforts to clear the way, deadfall still spans the trail in several places leading to the Olsen Lake Trail split (approximately 5.05 miles : 10,860’).

The Olsen Lake Trail breaks west and twists past talus bowls and small ponds, leveling on the final approach to Olsen Lake (5.6 miles : 11,268’). Pick your way to the open SE shore, which has good views of the immediate area and space to camp and fish.

Scale the unnamed ridge above to an unnamed 12,161’ peak that has excellent views across the Beaver Creek Ski Area and Holy Cross Wilderness.