We recommend the Trails
Illustrated "Silverton,
Lake City" map, which has all but miles 41 to 44 marked
very clearly. For mile 41 to 44, please study the description
and use
extra caution
as you cruise this wooded section.
Be prepared to cross swollen streams in Alpine Gulch, and numerous snowfields,
especially above tree-line.
Study this Description!
The following loop, except for Segment
5, is obvious on the Trails Illustrated
map. Please do
take a few
minutes to study that map.
Segment 1 -
Alpine Gulch: From the town park, up Engineer Pass road
for 2.7 miles.
Water refill here, if you want.
Left and south up Alpine Gulch trail. Way up! Aid is
five miles up, just below treeline. Please remember that
the aid is not at the top of the climb! From aid, proceed
up and SW to huge saddle. Turn hard right, NW and go
all the way up to the top ridge. Traverse generally west
until the obvious descent into Williams Creek. Don’t
descend off the high ridge until you see the obvious
trail. Emerge at aid #2, 15.7 miles, on the Cinnamon
Pass road next to Williams Creek Campground.
Segment 2 -
Carson: Go west up the county road for 2.5 miles, turn
south onto Wager Gulch jeep road, and go
way up, 3.6 miles to aid #3, 22 miles, at just below
Carson ghost town.
Segment 3 - The Divide: Head
south up the jeep road to the Divide, turn hard east
and then NE, and go for
Coney Peak, along the Colorado Trail. From here until
mile 35, you’ll be on the CT. Along the Divide,
stay left if ever in doubt. This segment is 9 miles long,
so carry plenty of water and food. Be vigilant and watch
those clouds. If it goes electric, get off the ridge!
You may parallel the trail from the underside, either
N or S, along this section, should the weather become
untenable. Keep your eyes open for a left turn toward
the yurt and aid at mile 31.
Segment 4 - Sawmill Park: Continue east along CT, which
becomes a jeep road. Turn left (N) at Rambouillet Park
(the first large intersection of jeep roads - mile 35),
and within a mile begin descending NE. Emerge on the
Slumgullion Pass road at mile 40. Aid station is here.
You will cross the highway here and descend via a trail,
NOT the pavement! Please watch for cars when crossing,
the road is open to traffic.
Segment 5 - Vickers’ Ranch:
Run down new trail segment for exactly one mile, then
turn right (east,
and up) onto a trail going through BLM onto private land.
NOTE: Please don’t train
on this section, and please be REALLY courteous to
people you might meet or
cows that might chase you. This family usually does not
let the public onto their land. We would like to maintain
the great relationship that we have going with the Vickers.
This first hill in the Vickers
is a doozy, heading up 1,700’ to 11,000, so be ready for it! There's some
bushwacking, and you have to pay really close attention
to the markers; if some are down, eaten or trampled by
cattle, then figure that the loop is cruising up NNE
to just under the big rise you see, called Mesa Seco,
at which point you’re heading N, connecting some
trails, jeep tracks, and various amounts of bushwacking,
so that you end up at one of the highest pastures. Aid
here at mile 46+.
From this aid, you will merge
and turn left and down onto the Waterdog Trail. One
mile down you'll turn right
into the aspen trees, and now it’s a no-brainer,
down to town for 2 miles. When you emerge into the residential
area, follow the markers to the 5th St pedestrian bridge,
and use 5th Street to cross over Hwy 149 to Silver Street.
Only two blocks back to the park!
|
|
