Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado, Fifth Edition. John Peel
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The Needles and Wilsons didn’t make the cut. The Needles are best climbed either by hiking down Purgatory Flats, up the Animas River to near Needleton, and up to Chicago Basin, or by taking the train to Needleton; plan to spend 2 or 3 days. Mount Wilson and El Diente are about as difficult as Colorado’s fourteeners get and really are better to incorporate into a backpacking trip. Wilson Peak as a day hike is best from the north, but that’s a long drive and still a long hike.
HEADINGS
“Distance” is relatively straightforward. The more often you hike, the better you will know your capabilities. One caveat is that miles where you’ll make a big elevation gain or where you’ll be hiking at high altitude are more difficult than flat miles or trails at low altitude. However, as your body adapts to high altitude, those miles will become easier (note that I did not say “easy”).
“Elevation” is also self-explanatory, again with a caveat or two. Some trails climb steadily and even though they don’t seem all that steep, by the time you’ve gone a few miles you’ve gained a lot of elevation. Others are continually steep and you’ll gain 2,200 feet in less than 2 miles. The most potentially frustrating trails climb steeply, lose altitude, and climb again. That aspect hasn’t been figured into the total elevation-gain figures here, but it usually will be pointed out in the trail descriptions.
“Rating” is fairly subjective. The ratings used are Easy, Moderate, Difficult, and Very Difficult. One person’s difficult hike is another person’s very difficult hike. One hike that seems moderate in June may become easy for you by August. I tried my best to be consistent, but undoubtedly some you will return from a moderate hike and say, “That was easy!” So be it. Factors considered in the ratings were length, altitude, route finding, and degree of difficulty on the route.
“Time allowed” considers the entire trip, whether it’s out and back, a loop, or a one-way, and is an estimate for an average hiker, but what is an “average hiker”? Also, if you’re making frequent stops for photos, lunch, naps, or sightseeing, you’ll need to add that time to the estimate. All factors considered, if you’re moving at an overall speed of 2 miles per hour, you’re generally keeping pace with the estimated time allowed.
“Maps”—the fold-up kinds you carry on the trail—are no longer included in this book’s headings, but maps still appear in the book alongside each trail description. By all means, learn how to read maps and their topography. When you stop for a break, look at the map and make sure you know where you are. Many people use the maps function on their phones, and that can be helpful. Many hikers also download topographical maps onto a phone app. However, a phone screen–sized view makes it difficult to get an overall perspective on your location, and some hiking routes may not feature perfect cellular phone service. Not that long ago, the best resource for hikers was the US Geological Survey’s (USGS) 7.5-minute series. You’d walk into an outdoor shop and buy the necessary “quad” maps that showed the features and topography of a specific quadrant, ranging about 7 by 9 miles. They’re still available, and you can download and print any part of them yourself for free at usgs.gov/corescience-systems/ngp/tnm-delivery/. I still have a huge collection and use them, but that’s no longer the norm. There are other printed maps available. National Geographic issues a popular set of maps calls Trails Illustrated, for instance.
TRAIL DESCRIPTIONS
Use the descriptions as you see fit. If you have a mileage counter—perhaps a phone app or GPS unit—follow along. Or just match the description with where you are (or think you are) to estimate how far you’ve come.
GPS coordinates and elevations are included at many trail junctions, passes, summits, and various other geographical points. These can help plan a route or allow you to double-check your location.
The road abbrevations should be obvious, but don’t confuse CO and CR. CO is a Colorado (state) highway, and CR is a county road. US is a U.S. Highway, and FR is a Forest Service road.
A huge effort has been put into making these trail descriptions helpful and accurate, but it is possible that there is an error somewhere in this text. Lean hard on this book for accurate information, but if you find a mistake, please share that with me so that future printings can be corrected.
RESOURCES
In the back of the book you’ll find a list of additional resources that provide further information. If you don’t find answers to all of your questions in this book, one of these appended sources might help.
There is a worry that pika habitat may be dwindling with global warming as one possible cause, but the rabbit-related creatures are still prolific on rocky slopes in the high country.
Moose were reintroduced to Southwest Colorado in the mid-1990s. They’re common around Silverton, and at least one has ventured near Durango.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The following is a miniature survival guide, offering advice on dealing with conditions and elements you’ll encounter on the trails. Use these tips to prepare for your hikes and so you’ll know what to do when things go wrong.
OTHER TRAIL USERS
You will bump into other animals on the trails that aren’t like you. Some, like dogs and horses, will be cheating by walking on four legs. Others will travel using two wheels, and some of those will be powered, either by gas engines or even electricity.
Do your best to get along with all of them. Be nice and smile, because mutual respect among all users goes a long way. (See Ethics on page 229.)
Dogs are great trail companions, be they yours or someone else’s. If dogs are part of your group, be mindful of what they’re doing. Don’t let them harass and chase wildlife. In certain places, you could be fined. The legal precedent is a bit cloudy here, but ranchers can even go as far as to shoot your dog if it is endangering their livestock (cattle or sheep, for example).
Horses have the right of way, so look for a good spot to pull well off the trail and let them by, in the meantime talking to the rider (or horse) in a calm voice. And make absolutely sure that your dog does not get near that unpredictable horse’s hooves.
Mountain bikers are usually very considerate, but they have their bad apples like any user group. As a hiker you technically have the right of way with bikers, but if it’s easier for you just to step out of the way for a second to let the cyclist ride past, do it. Note to mountain bikers (including me): What irks hikers more than anything is when you don’t even act like you’re thinking of slowing down. If you’re going downhill, it’s easier for you to apply the brakes and pull over than it is for a hiker to dodge you.
Motorbikes are only allowed on a handful of trails in this book. Hikers, as much as the noise might bother you, it doesn’t last too long. Let them by. It’s generally pretty difficult for a motorbike rider to pull off the trail; that’s a heavy, unwieldy beast they’ve got.
E-bikes are part bicycle, part machine, and their classification is unclear. However, they’re becoming increasingly popular; look for them to show up soon on a trail or two near you.
HAZARDS: WEATHER, ALTITUDE, AND MORE
Hikers in higher altitudes in the Rockies must always be aware of the weather. It can change from beautiful to dangerous very quickly. This is especially true from early July to early September, when afternoon thunderstorms are frequent—the monsoon season. During this period, it is best to plan to reach the highest altitude in your hike by noon. These storms can be severe, even if they are short lived. They can bring wind, cold, rain, small hail, or all of the above. The greatest