Around Colorado Summer 2022 - Plans C and D

[ttora4runner]

Where to start, at the beginning of last year I had started making plans to head back to California to hike White Mountain and Mt Shasta and get some getting exploring in around Coyote Flats and do some mountain biking in the Mammoth area before heading up to Idaho to drive another section of the Idaho DBR and do some more mountain biking before heading home.

Sometime around the May timeframe I went under contract for a new construction build and start having second thoughts about the trip since I needed to conserve some money for the new so I started on plan B which cut out the northern half of the time. Once gas prices started going up even more the California section of the trip was cancelled and I started plan C which involved staying in Colorado and explore some parts of the state I haven’t been and to revisit an area I have seen in almost 10 years.

Plan C would take me into northern Colorado, NW Colorado and then to SW Colorado and back home but as things would unfold about mid trip I started on plan D due to weather in SW corner of the state.

Days 1 and 2 – Rocky Mountain National Park was spent hiking around various areas of the park and trying to avoid the rain on day 1.





Why take a paved up to the visitor center when you can drive a dirt road.

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 2 – Hiking around the park.




Visitor Center


Herd of Elk in the background

 

[ttora4runner]

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 3 was spent mountain biking Emerald Mountain in Steamboat Springs and Seedhouse Campground for two nights.

Moose on my way out of Rocky Mountain National Park




Rabbits Ears area, at some point I’ll plan to return to hike around the area.


Emerald Mountain at Steamboat Springs – trying to make the biggest loop I could around the area.
















After grabbing some lunch back at my truck I headed over to Seedhouse Campground to setup camp for the next two nights and then I made my way over to Steamboat Lake to check it out.


Can you spot the lookout on top of the summit?


Camp


I normally don't post up food at camp since I keep my meals pretty basic but I decided to give this ago for dinner and it wasn’t half bad. I found it interesting how the system heated itself up.


Heading back this way in the morning for a hike - motorcyclist park his bike along the road and make camp down to the right.

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 4 involved a bit of hiking to Gold Creek and Giplin Lakes (I had a big grin on my face when I saw this lake from the saddle of the trail) and then up to the lookout at Hahns Peak. If I can swing it this year I want to head back up that way to explore even more.













Gold Creek Lake










Gilpin Lake

 

[ttora4runner]

I spent some time at the lake just enjoying it to myself before heading back to camp for lunch and to relax some before heading back out to hike to the lookout on Hahns Peak.









Steamboat Lake
















Needless to say I was pretty beat after hiking around all day so I was glad the next day I mainly be driving on my way over to Dinosaur National Monument for the night.

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 5 would take me back out to Dinosaur National Monument and Yampa Bench an area I haven’t been to in over 10 years. This would also be where I started working on Plan D as SW Colorado was forecasted to get quite a bit of rain and I was not comfortable traveling in the backcountry down there.








I had missed this the old cabin on my last trip but not this time.

 

[ttora4runner]

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 6 took me over to Crystal Mill an area I had only seen from other people trips / photos. In lieu of driving back to the Mill I opted to park just outside of town and bike back to the area while a storm was threating to rain on me.

At some point I’ll drive out Lead King Basin.
















Days 7 and 8 I spent back at home to relax and do some pre-cleaning of my townhome rental and some packing.

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 9 on the recommendation I made the drive up to Cloverdale Mine on the recommendation of a co-worker. I would have the trail to myself minus three people of two ATV’s. This trip was cut a little short since another storm was brewing and I didn’t want to get stuck in a storm coming back down. I’m planning to head back up that way this year to finish exploring.

 

[ttora4runner]

Day 10 was the final day of the trip. I had been wanting to mountain bike the Monarch Crest trail for a number of years but for one reason or another things never worked out but this year I finally made it. Again, I plan to go back and bike it again one of my favorite trails I’ve ridden. I debated the entire trip if I was going to extend into day 11 (had my gear to do so) and loop three, 14ers on a hike (16 miles) I decided that after 36 miles or riding I’d just go home and relax.





















The final descent back to town.






The old mine.


Despite having to make changes to my original trip and some of the minor changes along the way this trip did not disappoint.

On a side note one thing I've learned over the past 3 years is that I really don't like tenting camping in the rain, if I could ever swing it a Go Fast Camper would make it may to the back of my truck.

 

[AggieOE]

Great pictures and write-up! Thanks for posting.
I've learned Plan Z is still better than sitting at home. It looks like you made it out there with some gorgeous greenery too! Any plans on when you'll go back after Plan A?

Also, did you stumble on any cabins that you're allowed to sleep in overnight?

 

[ITTOG]

Looks like a great trip even with the plan changes.

 

[ttora4runner]

Great pictures and write-up! Thanks for posting.
I've learned Plan Z is still better than sitting at home. It looks like you made it out there with some gorgeous greenery too! Any plans on when you'll go back after Plan A?

Also, did you stumble on any cabins that you're allowed to sleep in overnight?

No I did not.

Agreed, plan Z is always better.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Thanks for posting this. I'm planning on spending a week in Ouray this July and hope to do a couple of passes.