New Friend

I have had a lot of fun keeping my blog. I also started a group on facebook named Hiking Colorado Springs. To date there is 129 members. It’s open to everyone and they can post photos and stories. Hopefully it will catch on and we can get it going.

Well through this group I was able to make a new friend and hiking partner. We made plans to meet up at 5:30AM at the Gold Camp park lot and then head up to Mt. Rosa. I had told Candy what I was doing and she was ribbing me about making a date on the Internet. LOL.  Derrick and I met for the first time in the parking lot. We were both on time and after we exchanged initial greetings we were on our way. Luckily I think our hiking abilities were about the same. I was concerned as you never know the pace a new hiking partner will keep. But we seemed to be pretty evenly matched.
There are two ways to get up to Mt. Rosa but this route is the longer of the two. My GPS tracked that the route we took today was 15.2/Miles. From the Gold Camp parking lot up to Mt. Rosa it is 7/Miles with a 4K elevation climb. The following are the trails that we took today:

Gold Camp Road (GCR), 624, 673, 672, 701, 668, 622, GCR. On our way up 624, we took time to go to the base of Saint Mary’s falls. Always a great place to check out. They have really done some nice work on the trail as well at the base of the falls. After a few photos we continued on up. We made the steep climb and finally found ourselves at trail 673 to make our way up to the summit of Mt. Rosa. We worked our way up and at 9:45AM we had reached the summit.

This was the first time to the summit for Derrick and the fourth for me. Be it your first or fourth, it is always a great experience. We pulled out the cameras and snapped some pics. While at the top we had two other hikers join us. We all took pictures, we took some pictures of them and we had them take pictures of us, showing we had reached the summit.

Once we had a quick bite and some water we started our way back down. We took trail 672 down to Frosty Park and then took 701 to trail 668 aka Pipeline Trail. Had a first for me on the trail today, as we were coming down 668 and around a corner I look up and there is a girl putting her bikini top back up and I could tell she was embarrassed. She had what I am guessing was her boy friend with her. I am guessing they were doing a little candid photography, we said hello and kept on moving.

It was hot today and luckily we had a breeze and for the most part shade. In the areas where we didn’t have shade it was hot! We didn’t start running into people until we were back on 622 aka Seven Bridges. The closer to the bottom we got the more families we came across. I think most of them are tourist but I didn’t check that license plates in the parking lot. Today we spotted two deer, a snake and numerous squirrels and birds. I came across the first columbine that I have seen this year. Two different color varieties of columbine, I had not seen the yellow colored ones before but the blue are common.

Happy Hiking

St. Mary’s Falls Trail (624)

This morning the wife and I drove up to the GCR parking lot. Headed out to do St. Mary’s Falls trail. To the base of the falls from the parking lot it is 3.12 miles. Round trip 6.24, so a decent hike as one of the sections is difficult. We made it up to the falls and to my surprise several changes had been made.

A little over a year ago, a hiker had fallen and it killed him. A memorial has been created where he had fallen at the base of the falls. The trail has been reworked around the base that allows you to cross on logs and to stand at the base of the falls. A nice plaque has been added as well. The individuals name was Eddie Murphy.

The water was running fast coming down and the temperature was probably 20 degrees cooler than on the trail up. We stood at the bottom of the falls and took a few pictures. If you have not been up to the falls or have been. I would strongly suggest you make your way up as it is beautiful and with the new editions it’s even better.

we are doing Williams Canyon tomorrow and we should be able to see some great wild flowers.

St. Mary’s Falls and up to Mt. Rosa

I had set the alarm for 4am as I wanted to be out the door early morning. Two reasons, first I wanted to get done before it rained and secondly I like being the first one on the trail. It’s nice to not run into anyone and you have the best chance of catching wildlife before they get scared off. The only problem with being first is you get a face full of annoying spider web. Spiders string from a tree on one side of the trail to the other. The strand of web is so fine, you don’t see as your walking, you just feel it on you face.

The alarm went off but I didn’t get out of bed until 5:20/am. Got dressed, double checked my pack and hauled ass out the door. I reached the Gold Camp Road parking lot at about 5:50/am and was on the trail by 6:00am. As I had planned, I was the first one up their and no other cars were in the parking lot yet.

When I packed last night I reviewed the map and decided to do the St. Mary’s Falls trail #624 up to Road 301 and then catch trail #672 that leads up to Mt. Rosa. By adding about 1.8/Miles to the trek, you can take the trail off of #672 that leads up to the summit of Mt. Rosa. You will be able to identify the summit trail as rocks outline a T shape intersection. I had passed it before, but this time decided to make the effort and it was definitely worth it. Then planned to finish trail #672 and catch the Pipeline Trail 668 to Seven Bridges and back to Gold Camp Road.

Trail Outlined in Red

According to my map, trails #624 and #672 are flagged as difficult. Hence part of the reason why I chose to go this way. It’s pretty much an up-hill climb and a couple of sections with multiple switch-backs up the mountain. You will definitely work up a sweat and if you don’t then “you the Man or Woman!” I stopped at the base of St. Mary’s Falls and snapped a few photos. As I continued up trail #624 I am pretty sure that I saw a large Elk. It was much larger than any of the Deer that I have come across and it addition the rack on him was much larger. That’s when I stopped and pulled out the camera and just decided to let it hang around my neck so next time I would be ready.

After passing the top of the falls, I found another small trail that lead down to the creek. It was mainly an animal trail but those are the best for exploration. Once down to the stream I found what was once a make-shift shelter that someone had built. No idea how old it was but it was pretty cool. I snapped off a few and headed back to the trail.

From trail #624, I reached Road 301 and turned right. You only need to go about 50 yards and keep looking to your left. You will see a couple different sets of rocks piled upon each other. Usually stacked about three high. Look further up from the piled rocks and you will see the trail sign. As you start up trail #672, you realize what you are in for. The first section is pretty tough and will take your breath.

After trudging up the loose gravel and larger boulders that make up the trail, you come out into an open area that flattens out. You actually have some pretty great views from this area to the west with Pikes Peak being visible and is great photo opportunity. Large dead tree stumps scatter the area, most are white/very light in color. Actually there is lots of dead tree debris up most of the trail. This section has fewer living tree’s, with some wide open space. As you follow the trail you will see to your left a formation of rocks that someone has placed. The rocks are placed in a large circle with rocks running across the north/south east and west. In the center is another smaller circle of rocks. I took two photos; you would have to look at them to get the idea. I have no idea if it was made by Indians, Hippies or some Cult, but it’s pretty slick to come across and wonder.

Shortly after the circle formation and on your left you will come to the T shape rocked outline intersection. Head off to your left and you are on your way to the Mt. Rosa summit. When you reach the top of Mt. Rosa (11,499 ft) you have a great 360% view of Colorado. I have updated the slide show on the blog and commented the pictures that I took. Lying at the top of Mt. Rosa was an 8-inch long tube and about 3-inches in diameter with a cable connected to one end and a screw off cap on the other. The cable was attached to the ground inside a pile of rocks. At first I wasn’t sure what it was, thought it might be a weather measurement tool, to collect temperature, hydrometer or barometric pressure. I had to look, so I picked it up and screwed off the cap and inside found a rolled up logbook and pen. I pulled out the rolled up paper and found the names, dates and residency of folks who had reached the summit before me. So like the others before me I put down my name, date and comment. It was pretty cool!

While at the top I rested for a few minutes, drank some water and pulled my trek poles out to make the hike back down. The gravel is loose and I try to move quick as I come down and they will help you keep your balance when you slip, and you will. Also remember to lift you feet as you are coming down. Rocks and roots stick-up and if you don’t lift your feet, the toe of your boot or shoe will catch and you are in for a header. Another reason the trek poles come in handy as they will stop you.

According to my GPS the entire hike was 15.8/Miles. Total hiking time was 6.5/hours and I had logged about 1/hour of stopped time, for breaks, photos and to catch my breath. The slowest portion was going up trails #624 and #672 as it is a fairly decent incline. The rest of the trails from that point are mainly down hill, so you can move pretty quickly and catch up on lost time.

On my way back down the summit trail to Mt. Rosa I ran into the first other hikers I had seen that morning. I think they were pissed that someone had already beaten them to the top. I shouldn’t say pissed but I am the say way that’s one of the reasons I leave so early. It appeared to be a married couple with their two dogs. I said hello and she said you must have started early this morning. I replied with yeah, I wanted to be the first one at the top.

I didn’t encounter anyone else until I caught the Seven Bridges trail on my way back to Gold Camp Road. I think some of the folks I came across were a little intimidated by me as we passed. I was moving pretty quick and came upon most of them by surprise to them. I had a 15/inch bowie knife strapped on my hip. Wearing an orange beanie with goggles, my hiking boots, hiking pants and a long sleeve spandex shirt with a full pack on.

Firstly the knife was probably a little scary to them and secondly I looked a little creepy like I had just come out of the mountains on a 15.8 mile hike. Most of the folks on the trail are out with their families and probably do two miles in and back. Not only that, I stank from all the sweat. I mean I could smell myself and I am sure as I passed folks that they caught a whiff as well.