James Peak Wilderness Lakes

Home , Boulder Creek (Colorado), James Peak, James Peak Wilderness, Rollins Pass

FISH SURVEY AND MANAGEMENT DATA Benjamin Swigle - Aquatic Biologist (Fort Collins/Boulder) [email protected] / 970-472-4364

General Information: The James Peak Wilderness encompasses 17,000 acres on the east side of the Continental Divide in Boulder, Gilpin, and Clear Creek Counties of Colorado. There is approximately 20 miles of trail. The area's elevation ranges from 9,200 to 13,294 feet. Stocking the lakes is primarily completed by CPW pilots that deliver 1 inch native cutthroat trout. Location: Nearby Towns: Nederland, Rollinsville, Tolland, Winter Park. Recreational Management: United States Forest Service Purchase a fishing license: https://www.co.wildlifelicense.com/start.php Fishery Management: Coldwater angling

Amenities Sportfishing Notes Previous Stocking High Mountain Hiking 2014 Cutthroat Camping sites available Native Cutthroat Trout Following ice off, trout enter a Backcountry camping 2-3 month feeding frenzy to available with permit June 1 – 2012 fuel themselves over long September 15. Native Cutthroat Trout winters. Consult a quality map for Scuds make up a large portion further information. 2010 of their diet. Primitive restrooms at some Native Cutthroat Trout Fly anglers and spinning rigs trailheads generally offer equal success. 2008 Regulations Native Cutthroat Trout Brook Trout  Possession or use of live fish In some James Peak for bait is not permitted. 2006 Wilderness Lakes brook trout  Statewide bag/possession Native Cutthroat Trout severely outcompete native limits apply (see regulation cutthroats. brochure for more information).

Ave. Ave. Lake S. Acres Year #CUTTs Range #BRK Range Notes Length Length Arapahoe (Lower) 11 2008 5 11.2 8.5-14.4 0 - - 1 net Crater Lake, Mid-North 12 2012 0 - - 21 10 6.7-12.5 1 net Crater Lake, Mid-South* 6 2012 0 - - 38 8.6 3.7-13.2 1 net

Crater Lake, Upper 7 2012 21 13.1 5.4-16.9 0 - - 1 net

Clayton Lake 4 2012 5 8.8 7.0-10.3 0 - - angling Forest Lake #1 5 2008 0 - - 11 11.4 8.5-15.7 1 net Forest Lake #3 3 2008 0 - - 19 9.1 6.3-10.7 1 net Heart Lake 15 2012 17 12.6 5.8-17.1 0 - - 1 net Iceberg North 9 2013 9 9.9 7.7-13.1 0 - - 1 net Iceburg South 6 2013 0 na na 0 - - 1 net James Peak Lake 7 2013 27 9.2 4.5-16.1 0 - - 1 net Jenny Lake^ 6 2008 0 - - 8 9.6 7.8-10.6 1 net Little Echo Lake$ 11 2013 0 - - 0 - - 1 net Lost Lake (Hessie TH) 5 2013 0 - - 49 9.6 5.7-12.2 1 net Roger's Pass Lake 5 2012 10 9.1 5.9-11.6 0 - - 1 net *Splake present as well ^49 Rainbow Trout @ 9.9" $ Splake and Lake Trout Table (above). Summary of the gillnet surveys for lakes within the James Peak Wilderness. Five species of trout were found in the James Peak Wilderness Lakes – native cutthroat, rainbow trout, brook trout, lake trout, and splake. Although I do not endorse any particular map, trails illustrated by National Geographic (#’s 102 and 103) are a good source while fishing the James Peaks Wilderness. Stream angling is also available below many of these lakes and belly boats are also permissible.

South Boulder Creek Trailhead – Crater Lakes, Clayton, Iceberg, Roger’s Pass, Heart. Mammoth Gulch Trailhead – James Peak and Little Echo Lake. Rollins Pass Road – Jenny, Yankee Doodle, Arapahoe, Forest Lakes.

Lower Arapahoe Lake

Upper Forest Lake, a 10 minutes hike from the trailhead. This lake contains numerous brook trout.

Roger’s Pass Lake About 500 feet below Heart Lake, this water contains smaller cutthroat.

Heart Lake This lake contains rather large cutthroat trout and can be accessed via the South Boulder Creek trail or dropping in from the west slope via Winter Park.

Iceberg Lakes The nets produced no fish from the Southern Iceberg Lake and stocking this lake has ended. The Northern Iceberg Lake had cutthroat upwards of 13”. The hike into these lakes is difficult. Clayton Lake is situated about 1,000 feet below the Iceberg

Left. Setting the gillnet on Little Echo Lake, August 2013. The hike into Little Echo is relatively easy however, the road to reach the trailhead is extremely rough. Both Mackinaw (Lake Trout) and splake were identified.

Below: Jenny Lake where brook trout and rainbow trout were surveyed in 2008. Jenny Lake is also stocked annually with rainbow trout by truck. Tiger trout were added to the stocking schedule in 2013. In general, aerial stocking is the preferred method to deliver fish into the James Peak Wilderness.