Bemrose Ski Circus Snowshoe

Distance: 3.6 miles round trip
Elevation: 11, 541 ft - 11,989 ft (highest)
Elevation Gain: 1,173 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off Leash (National Forest)

The views looking west from the Bemrose Ski Circus can't be beat

The Bemrose Ski Circus is a series of winter trails on the west side of Hoosier Pass near the Breckenridge ski resort. For the most part, the trails are unmarked and the skier or snowshoer can go where they will. We were in the Ski Circus to try out the Flume Trail, a flat trail that bisects the area. Our plans changed dramatically upon arrival, a fortunate event because the best views in the area are up high and NOT on the Flume Trail.

Trailhead sign

Map of the area courtesy of the US Forest Service

Both guide books we were using indicated that the Flume Trail was the only marked trail in the area and was marked with blue diamonds. Additionally, the National Geo and Forest Service Maps both showed the Flume Trail splitting off from the right border trail a couple of hundred yards from the trailhead.

Starting out directly behind the trailhead sign. Blue diamonds could be seen in the trees.

The reality is the Flume Trail starts right at the trailhead with an immediate left. The right border trail, in contrast, starts directly behind the sign and is marked with blue diamonds. Of course we did not know this until much later.

There were lots of interesting views to the south from the trail

We followed the blue diamonds as anticipated, continually looking for when they might split off to the left and start the Flume. We never saw this and kept climbing higher along the right border of the area. One other party had broken trail for us, so it was not terribly difficult to keep climbing. We knew we were not where we were supposed to be but the views of Mt. Lincoln, North Star Mountain, and Quandary Peak that were filling the sky line behind us, which drove us higher.

Out of the trees now and heading upwards. We knew we had missed our turn off by this point but the route look too interesting to back track.

The tracks we were following cut north near 12K feet and headed for the top of a small rise. Below was a Sprint cell phone repeater. The rise was covered in willows that made for rough going as the snow collapsed around them. The tracks headed back down the mountain via the antennas but we decided to turn back around and retrace our steps to see if we could find the Flume Trail.

Higher up both North Star Mountain and Quandary Peak form a winter tableau.

Once back down we kept looking for any blue diamond that might lead off to the right. Finally, we saw one on a telephone pole out in the middle of a meadow. We could see no others but dove into the knee deep snow to see.

Our tracks coming down the unmarked but highly inviting hillside that finally dumped us on the the Flume Trail

Standing beneath the pole the meadow dipped down sharply in two directions. One followed the transmission right of way and the other headed down into some trees. Deciding to just play, we headed down the slope, sliding, laughing, and enjoying the fresh powder. After a bit we could see a well trod trail heading north. We figured this had to be the Flume. Blue diamonds were quite plentiful for 50 yards or so.

The recessed Flume Trail. The ditch reminded me of a Civil War era sunken road.

After a quick lunch we headed up this trail that immediately dove deep into the trees in a sunken ditch that is the flume. 5 minutes of this monotonous scenery, and we were ready to turn around and go up again. Fortunately, the Flume Trail crossed a drainage and we immediately turned up it, breaking trail as we went.

Our second journey upwards

We kept going right up the gut until we crested a small rise where we could look down onto the Bemrose Creek Drainage. To our right was a ridgeline that looked easily scalable. Our GPS told us we were farther east than our turn around point on the other side. Had we the time we might have gone over the ridge to make a loop. We'll save that for another day.

The open meadow through which we climbed was bordered by a ridge to the south and trees.

Back down to the Flume Trail, we retraced our steps and at the junction where we came into it, we took the obvious turn to the right and followed this out to the trailhead. We did not see any Blue diamonds in this section, so who knows what the real route is supposed to be.

Our final turn around point. A small pass with Mt. Lincoln (14,286 ft) and North Star Mountain (13,614 ft) in the background.

The Belmose Ski Circus turned out to be a nice surprise. The view above the trees is stunning. The routes one can create are varied in both views and difficulty. Unless you are a total novice, do include a route that goes up the hillside, you won't regret what you see.

Our GPS track. We started on the lower part of the map then did the upper.

Altitude Profile

Gold Hill Trail (the one near Breckenridge)

Distance: 5 miles round trip to the summit
Elevation: 9,100 to 10,315 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,215 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Date Hiked: 16 June 2008

Views of the Tenmile Range at the beginning of the trail

Gold Hill is an easy trail near the Breckenridge ski resort that I do whenever I go up for our annual climate conference. I have never made it to the summit because I am invariably doing this trail in the evening after work. I have a general idea of things, however, and feel I can describe it sufficiently.

Clear cutting

The clear cut area was filled with log piles and heavy equipment. That is Mt. Baldy in the distance.

The photos in this post are actually from 2008. I have held off blogging this trail because it is too disturbing for me. Like the proverbial ostrich with its head in the sand, I am trying to ignore the fact that that vast majority of the Ponderosa Pines in Summit County, and the rest of Colorado for that matter, are dead and or dying. The cause of this destruction is the Pine Beetle. This diminutive little creature, no larger than the nail of one's pinky, is responsible for the death of over 7 million acres of prime forest and it is not done yet.

Looking back down the trail to the east

Standing in the clear cut looking south

While a natural part of the forest ecosystem, drought and overly dense forests have added to the beetle's potency. Huge strands of forest along all the major road ways, throughout the ski resorts, and deep into the wilderness are now a sickly brown. The beetle, sometimes thousands of them, burrow under the bark. The feed, live, and breed there. This chokes off the nutrient supply for the tree, quickly killing it. Since the beetles prefers live trees, they quickly move on, only to kill again.

A close up of the Tenmile Range

Downed trees from a previous attempt to thin the forest

Management of the beetle is impossible over the many acres affected and may not even be a wise choice considering the natural aspect of the outbreak. Restoration now seems to be the main effort. Gold Hill is a prime example of what I have been observing in other parts of the state. The first portion of the trail takes the hiker through a clear cut area in which every tree is being removed. The bare hillside is stark, foreboding, and cluttered with piles of logs. When I hiked this trail in June of 2008, I could not help but ask myself if this was the future of all of Summit County. If so, the future is dire for the locals who live there and the transients who come and spend a lot of money to enjoy Colorado's bounty.

One of the few places on the trail with a view

After transiting the clear cut zone, the Gold Hill trail winds its way through thick forest. Tree trunks litter the ground in droves. These dead trees are not beetle kill but are the results of an earlier attempt to thin the forest. Even with that effort, the forest is like a wall. Only occasional glimpses of peaks can be seen from the dark, sinister interior. The trees still standing are visibly dying, however, like all the others in the state. Their crone-like branches droop, lifeless and austere. A good wind, and they will be flattened, or so it seems.

Crossing a slight open area in the forest. You can see how tightly packed the trees are

We wandered continually upwards through the dark forest until we ran out of time and had to turn around. I am guessing we were within a quarter of a mile of the small bump that is the summit of Gold Hill. It was actually a blessing to be able to escape from the darkness and back out into the clear Colorado evening.

A clear view of Mt. Baldy

While Gold Hill is considered a classic Colorado Hike, there are so many other incredible hikes that I am hesitant to recommend this one. Its primary advantage for me is that it is snow free in June, while other trails like Quandary Falls can be a soggy mess. I have also done this trail as a hiking interlude while biking between Breckenridge and Frisco. The trailhead is right on the bike path. Certainly the earlier downed forest is interesting to see.

Heading back down the logging road and returning into the light