Moments in Dirt and Ink

White River National Forest We have Tuesday morning off, so I picked another mountain to climb. A little easier than Quandary this time. This one is a couple hundred feet short of 13k instead of a couple hundred feet taller than 14k. There is trail all the way up to facilitate that climb with a time limit, but it is only 2.6 miles long. I will not have to hit the trailhead at 6AM this time. I was aiming not all that much later at 7AM, but lost a half hour somewhere. I did a looping hike around it two years ago. Now I will climb it. First to find the trailhead. The roads are not straightforward, but I hit it on the second try. Actually, the trail off the end of Royal Buffalo Drive would probably have worked too, but the parking situation is not as clear. Signs and kiosk at the start of the Buffalo Cabin Trail. The start is familiar, past the clear cut of "defensible space" and into a rather dense and young forest. There are tents scattered in the trees ...

White River National Forest Map link. I want to be in the Denver area in the evening, but until then, I can enjoy most of the day hiking. Two trailheads leave off from the road near each other to circle around the 12,777 foot peak of Buffalo Mountain via an 11,900 foot pass at the far end. Taking the loop clockwise allows the option of heading up to the top of the peak at the end if there is time. The total length is just under 12 miles, if I believe the map mileages that are often a little short. (Actual length: 14 miles.) The spur up the mountain is 2.1 miles. Arriving at the parking, the two trailheads turn out to be on either side of it. There is even a stop for the Summit Stage, the free bus service that Summit County runs. The start of Lily Pad Trail. The Summit Stage provides opportunities for one way hikes as it stops by many trailheads. The trail starts off on a wide roads next to some houses, but soon comes to some utility infrastructure and shrinks to t...