Moments in Dirt and Ink

San Isabel National Forest Leadville National Fish Hatchery (map link) While pondering the mile or so interpretive trail at the Leadville National Fish Hatchery, I noted that there is a "Highline Trail" that starts near there. Does it deserve to be called Highline Trail? The map suggests that yes, it does, at least for a few miles near the other end. It can be done as a loop with a section of the Continental Divide Trail (and the Colorado Trail) with a road walk along Hagerman Pass to connect. There's also a trail shown on OpenStreetMap along Busk Creek which allows, for only a couple more miles, a loop entirely on trail. That's the option I went for. Disturbingly, even though the trail includes a numeric designation (1509) on OpenStreetMap suggesting its officialness, it does not show on my Forest Service topographic maps. I put it at the start of the day so it and any consequences from it could be dealt with most easily. The first difficulty was just finding ...

San Isabel National Forest (map link) In pondering what I might hike, I noted Galena Mountain was a prominent local peak (with over 1000 feet of prominence, in fact) and I noticed a couple of geocaches that had not been found in over seven years. One of them was at the other end of about 2.5 miles (on paper, anyway) of ridge from the top of Galena Mountain. I examined the contours carefully and decided that just might be 2.5 miles of walkable ridgeline. I could certainly check it out from the top of Galena Mountain. If I decided against, it would still be a worthy hike. If I decided in favor, I could easily continue down the far end of the ridge and get on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) for the return. The sketch of the route came in around 16 miles on paper, which would be a bit more once actually executed. It can be made shorter by using the Bear Lake Trailhead, but since I lack a 4x4 vehicle, I went with the Timberline Trailhead, which is paved to the last few hundred fee...

Gunnison National Forest San Isabel National Forest (map link) There seemed to be an astonishing number of backpackers coming south through Cottonwood Pass on the Continental Divide Trail given that it is still way too early for the southbounders, which isn't even the popular direction. When I got across the road, I found a post with a second crest and everything was explained. Of course! In this area, it is also the Colorado Trail. They're all Durango-bound, which is the popular direction, and it'll be time for them for a while. Starting off on the South Texas Trail from Cottonwood Pass, which happens to host the CDT and CT. Looking down the glacial valley of South Texas Creek. On the other side, the glacial valley of Middle Cottonwood Creek. The trail to Lost Lake can be seen wiggling its way through right in the middle. I didn't stay on the trail long. When I got to that first ridge, after enjoying the view, I took a use trail up to the first peak. ...

San Juan National Forest Click for map. I really want to go on the high trail, so I decided to just drive up as far as I could and thumb it and let the chips fall where they may. The chips are definitely going to fall. I have a 20 mile loop planned, which is getting a late start. I will definitely be getting back out after dark and almost certainly not be able to get a ride down. (That's nearly 6 miles.) Up is easy. Everyone is only going about 5 MPH so they don't see much problem with stopping a moment. Unfortunately, I decided to just park where I parked before and then was insufficiently clear, saying "the top" when I meant to say "the observation point", so I missed out on the first ride when they thought I wanted to go up 124A. They don't know I've already been. I would have arrived 30 minutes earlier and 2 miles fresher. Instead, I found a ride up with a wedding party that decided a bit of steep and wet wasn't something they want...

San Juan National Forest Click for map. In spite of seeming like a worthy trail to hike end to end, my actual knowledge of the Colorado Trail seems to be certainty that it goes through Breckenridge, where I've chatted with a few hikers on their first resupply after a week on trail, and a general thought that it might have one end sort of near Denver and another kind of near Durango. Well, here I am basically in Durango, so it must be around here somewhere. These very last (according to the direction most people hike it) miles of the trail seem to have their own names. The finish is Junction Creek, which comes after a short Sliderock section, which comes after some Highline. I was tempted to start at the parking a mile up, but decided out of some misplaced desire for completeness to start at the bitter end. The lot is large and nearly full. Someone has left a cooler for the hikers that has collected some camping gear beside it. I wonder what they've stuck in there for ...