Segment 1, Colorado Trail, CO21
Segment 2 is a very dry and exposed section of the Colorado Trail. In 1996 the Buffalo Creek fire destroyed the pine forests and turned a portion of segment 2 into an arid, almost desert like environment. An unexpected area within the mountains of Colorado. But Segment 2 doesn't start until reacquiring the South Platte River and that was still almost 8 miles away.
After a restful night of sleep I awoke sometime after 6. I lingered in camp until 8 and then started hiking. Took a few pictures before my first break at some rocks with a nice overlook. I thought this was the 'ridge' as listed in my Colorado Trail Atlas, which is the high point before descending to the South Platte. I was not as far as I though I was but it was a nice place for a break after more than an hour of hiking. I took some zoomed in pictures of houses on far away mountains as well as Littleton. The scenery was beginning to be fantastic. There was a campsite behind the rocks, but no nearby water source.
I left this spectacular viewpoint and wandered past the 'ridge' approximately 45 minutes later. It seemed like I was moving slow. It took about 3 hours to hike less than 4 miles, including the break. It was mostly uphill though.
Finally going downhill, toward Segment 2 and the South Platte. Of course, there were nice views along the way including a peak or two of the river. There seemed to be about 50 switchback but going downhill I was hiking much quicker ... 3.9 miles in about 1 1/2 hours. It was 1250 and about 90f, the South Platte Canyon Trailhead was a welcome break.
It was already hot (and promised to be hotter through the burn area) so I took a nice long break, about 2 1/2 hours. The trailhead is on a dirt road, but there were plenty of cars here. One of the hikers from the night before caught a ride into town to reorganize and possibly come back out. There is also a privy here.
Segment 1, Colorado Trail, CO21
Segment 2 is a very dry and exposed section of the Colorado Trail. In 1996 the Buffalo Creek fire destroyed the pine forests and turned a portion of segment 2 into an arid, almost desert like environment. An unexpected area within the mountains of Colorado. But Segment 2 doesn't start until reacquiring the South Platte River and that was still almost 8 miles away.
After a restful night of sleep I awoke sometime after 6. I lingered in camp until 8 and then started hiking. Took a few pictures before my first break at some rocks with a nice overlook. I thought this was the 'ridge' as listed in my Colorado Trail Atlas, which is the high point before descending to the South Platte. I was not as far as I though I was but it was a nice place for a break after more than an hour of hiking. I took some zoomed in pictures of houses on far away mountains as well as Littleton. The scenery was beginning to be fantastic. There was a campsite behind the rocks, but no nearby water source.
I left this spectacular viewpoint and wandered past the 'ridge' approximately 45 minutes later. It seemed like I was moving slow. It took about 3 hours to hike less than 4 miles, including the break. It was mostly uphill though.
Finally going downhill, toward Segment 2 and the South Platte. Of course, there were nice views along the way including a peak or two of the river. There seemed to be about 50 switchback but going downhill I was hiking much quicker ... 3.9 miles in about 1 1/2 hours. It was 1250 and about 90f, the South Platte Canyon Trailhead was a welcome break.
It was already hot (and promised to be hotter through the burn area) so I took a nice long break, about 2 1/2 hours. The trailhead is on a dirt road, but there were plenty of cars here. One of the hikers from the night before caught a ride into town to reorganize and possibly come back out. There is also a privy here.