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Check
the Lake City weather
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Course Description:
Please buy a map and carry it on this run. 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.
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. And do look out for The Bull(s).
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!
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Click
map above for enlarged course map - High Res JPG
or
Click here for printable version
- Low Res JPG
Click
icon above for enlarged profile.
Click
icon above for 360 degree course panorama.
Viewed
from the summit of Red Mountain.
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