Bowman's Cut

Distance: 6.2 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,883 ft - 11,744 ft
Elevation Gain: 861 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #hiking
Nearby hikes: Shrine Mountain, Shrine Mountain East, Wilder Gulch, Ptarmigan Pass

Gore and Tenmile Ranges from the top of Bowman's Cut

Bowman's Cut near Vail Pass takes you through the trees to a long open meadow. A short off trail walk to the top a small knoll capped with a campfire ring enchants with a north-south view of both the Tenmile and Gore Ranges. To the south Mount of the Holy Cross is visible.

Trailhead

For those who like walking in the forest, Bowman's Cut has a lot of appeal. The trail itself is covered in pine needles and generally soft. The forest is open and airy allowing dappled sunlight to highlight varied forest undergrowth and wildflowers. Additionally, large decaying logs dot the landscape providing an attractive window into the importance of death to a forest ecosystem. Note, if the forest is not for you, the nearby Shrine Mountain trail spends much of its time above tree line.

Typical segment in the trees

Unfortunately, the preponderance of decay seems to breed Snipe Flies, whose larvae are thought to live in downed trees where they feed on other insects until they emerge to suck your blood with a vicious bite you won't forget. Because of this, long pants and long-sleeved shirts plus a little chemical warfare in the form of DEET is recommended in summer.

The long meadow

At 2.6 miles the trail breaks out into the meadow. At 3.1 miles is a small wooden post marking the end of the meadow. From this point on the trail returns to the trees until it descends to Two Elks Pass. We chose to turn around at the sign. Note the knoll with a view is to the right just as you enter the meadow. There is no trail, just wander across the tundra. A large campfire ring marks the spot.

The wooden sign marking the end of the meadow

Bowman's Cut is also used by mountain bikers, which use it as a connector to the Two Elks Trail that travels from Vail to Minturn. The few who passed us were all very polite.

Even in late summer, the meadow contained wildflowers

To get to the trailhead drive west on I-70 to exit 190 for Vail Pass. Turn west onto Shrine Pass Road, a dirt road passable with passenger cars. At 2.3 miles pass the trailhead for Shrine Mountain and Shrine Mountain East. There is a bathroom at the east side of this lot. At 3.7 miles, pass the Holy Cross Scenic Viewing Deck and at 3.9 miles turn right onto Lime Creek Road. This road is a little rougher but still passable with a low clearance vehicle. At 4.4 miles total the trailhead will be on the right marked by a small wooden sign. Park along the side of the road. There is space for around 5 cars.

Shrine Mountain East

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,100 ft - 11,888 ft
Elevation Gain: 788 ft (net), 1,135 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 16 June 2012
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #vail, #travel, #hiking, #tundra, #wildflowers
Nearby Trails: Shrine Mountain, Wilder Gulch, Ptarmigan Pass

A hiker lounges on Shrine Ridge.  Just another ghastly day in paradise!

Shrine Mountain near Vail, Colorado is perhaps one of the most scenic hikes in the whole state. This area has eye-popping views of two mountain ranges plus carpets of wildflowers in late summer. Shrine Mountain exist on a long east/west ridge. To the west is Shrine Mountain proper. This post covers a hike to the east.

Mt. Holy Cross from the saddle

Looking at our destination,  the green hill in the distance,  from the saddle.  You can't quite tell from this picture, but there are two approaches.  This trail will lead you along the right hand side of the ridge.  On the return, we came back over the middle.  Both are nice. 

Part of the route passes by crumbling rocks 

Green meadows and blue skies...how miserable! 

Alpine Sunflowers

I won't repeat my earlier discussion on how to get to the trailhead or how to get the ridge.  Please review my previous post on Shrine Mountain for those details and return here.

Destination in sight

Looking east from a perch on the ridge

Large cairn on the summit ridge

Looking at the trail as it continues on to Wilder Gulch

Once you cross the snowfield and reach the ridge, you can go right to Shrine Mountain and "Aircraft Carrier Rock" or go left and up along the ridge itself.  This latter route is all in the tundra and the views just keep getting better.  If you are a flatlander,  you should be able to do this hike unless your idea of fitness is a vigorous game of bingo.  Just remember that breathing is not optional.  Stop and suck wind  as required.  

Chipmunk

Heading back along an upper route which will take us to that small promitory

Interesting rock formations and stunted Sub-alpine Firs 

Heading back to the saddle

So what do you do when you reach the apex of the ridge?  Well, you can continue on until the intersection with Wilder Gulch and make day of it or like me you can lounge about thinking of all the poor slobs in the world who have had to pay big bucks to travel to Colorado.

Looking at Shrine Mountain.  If the weather is nice, don't hesitate to head in that direction.  It will only add a mile to your trip. 

Wilder Gulch

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,662 ft - 11,279 ft
Elevation Gain: 617 ft (net) 708 ft (cum)
Date Hiked: 28 June 2009
Update Hike: 2 July 2015
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash

Verdant Wilder Gulch near Vail Pass

The Wilder Gulch Trail off of Vail Pass is a private oasis of green grasses, giant spruce trees, stunning wildflowers, and hair-frizzing humidity. All that green comes with a price, so get a haircut before you go! You won't see many people, blessed be,  and the gradual dirt path will be a great way to spend a few hours away from the hordes on nearby Shrine Mountain.

Vail Pass Rest Area. The Wilder Gulch Trail starts to the right across the road.

The start of the route. The stream crossing is in the depression just in front of the hiker. 

The trail starts just off the lower parking lot of the Vail Pass Rest Area. The lower lot is for the bathroom only and has a one hour time limit, so park in the upper lot and walk down and through the lower lot. A small forest service sign marks the start of the trail.

Segment that parallels I-70

Heading up the gulch. Ptarmigan Peak is visible in the distance. 

Twenty yards up the trail is a stream crossing that until late in the season is a boot soaker. You can bypass this spot by going a little further upstream or by avoiding the area all together and walking on the bike path (see appendix below). Most people rock hop or slog on through however. Conditions vary greatly, so walk on down and check the flow before deciding your route.

Jacob's Ladder was just one of the many wildflowers already blooming. 

It is 0.76 miles across several rolling hills before the trail turns sharply and enters the gulch itself. This initial segment parallels I-70 with all it attendant noise and distraction. Once in the gulch the trail weaves ever so slightly up and down, crossing numerous streamlets, many modified with large stones to make the passage easier.

Green, green, green!

Spruce trees get thicker towards the upper end of the route.

The vast majority of the trail is exposed to the stunning blue sky that always seems to look down upon Vail Pass. Storms may build, rumble, and rain but down in the gulch the threat of lightening is minimal.  Occasionally, the vegetation and trees encroach on the trail and provide some welcome shade. Views of Ptarmigan Hill (12,143 ft) are visible from many spots along the way. 

The trail officially ends when it intersects Forest Service Road 708. You can turn left here and travel another 0.8 miles to the top of Ptarmigan Pass, or turn around and head back down.

Some early wildflowers

Wilder Gulch is open to mountain bikers but they are few and far between. On this trip we only saw two and they were very polite. Unfortunately, we ran across three jeeps that were trying to travel down the gulch from FSR 708.  They quickly became mired in mud and downed trees. The trail is really much too narrow in places for motorized vehicles.

A shot from the return route that is mostly in the trees. 

The intersection with FSR 708. Turn left to hike to Ptarmigan Peak

Appendix A: Alternate route to bypass the stream crossing 

If the stream crossing near the beginning of the route is unpassable, another option is to travel along the paved bike bath to the base of Wilder Gulch. A small sign underneath an overpass marks the junction. The downside of this option is the extra distance (0.86 along the path and another 0.5 miles up the gulch), and the unattractiveness of the bike path itself. Cyclists on the path travel almost as fast as cars on I-70 and they don't appreciate pedestrians. The path itself winds down and along the valley and at times is perilously close to the highway itself.

Trail junction with the Vail Bike Path. The overpass is the east bound lanes (photo from 2009). 

Corral Creek Bushwhack Snowshoe

Distance:  5.6 miles available, we did a 2.2 mile bushwhack
Elevation: 10,662 ft-11,079 ft
Elevation Gain: 417 ft (net) 681 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes, in the parking area
Dogs: Off leash
Date Snowshoed: 22 December, 2012

Playing in the Corral Creek Basin

Corral Creek Basin is located north of Vail Pass behind a small ridge that separates I-70 from the southern extent of the Gore Range. Snowshoeing this area is surprisingly quiet, serene, downright worthwhile. The downside is the trail is part of the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area and there is a $6 per person fee to use it.

The trailhead is visible from the road and contains a small sign.

The trip begins at the Vail Pass Rest Area. During the winter there is a Forest Service kiosk and a handful of rangers standing by to collect your fee. Parking is authorized only on the south side of I-70 in the large parking lot that is part of the rest area. 

The first 0.5 miles is in the trees.  There were at least two tracks in this area and folks tried to find their way.

The trail head and kiosk is across the highway and 10 yards up a snowy slope. Pray that someone has been there before you because the blue blazes that are supposed to mark the trail exist for only the first quarter of a mile or so and many of these are old, cracked, and barely visible. At one point we saw 4 blazes dangling from the same tree like Christmas ornaments. This route could use a little maintenance!

The junction between the east and west spurs.  The first people through just decided it was here.  There was no markers.

On the map, this trail is a 0.5 mile slog up the ridge that connects to a 2.3 mile long trail that traverses both east and west along the Corral Creek Basin. The trail extends roughly 1.1 miles to the west and heads uphill while the eastward extent heads 1.2 miles and down into the basin. Depending upon your energy level, you can do all or part of this route.

Heading through the pristine snow on the westward spur

On this, our first trip we decided to head westward and uphill for maximum cardio. The trail was well tracked and the views down the basin of the the Ten Mile Range were pleasant indeed. It was not long, however before the track we were following headed across the basin and up the side of the ridge to the north. We debated whether to follow this trail or to continue westward and start breaking trail.  Without blazes we really did not know which route to take. The map shows the trail eventually curving northward but exactly where was difficult to discern.

Looking back down the basin at the Ten Mile Range.  With open spaces like this, who needs a trail?

We decided to take the the well tracked path because it descended into a beautiful meadow and headed up the far hill where we knew there would be views to the south. This turn was definitely off route but was a fun bushwhack none-the-less. It was not until we were half-way up the far hill when we looked back and could see a flat shelf continuing westward from the spot we had turned off. The trail undoubtedly stays on this shelf and we eventually saw some snowshoers head that way. 

Our bushwhack as we turned off the main trail and headed across the meadow to the bald hill in the distance.  Our turn around point was half-way up that hill just below treeline.  It was quite steep.

Crossing Corral Creek

When we returned to the parking area, we also noticed a small, bare hill further west, which is undoubtedly the destination for the northern extent of the route we were on. Without blazes or a tracked trail, staying on route in winter can be tricky but that can also be part of the fun. Normally I would not blog such an experimental experience but this area was so pleasant that staying on route is not necessary that important. With open meadows beckoning I am usually tempted to frolic anyway. 

Looking back across the meadow

Corral Creek is a snowshoe worth doing and I will return to try and stay on route as well as take the eastward route.  I may not do it again this year because I hate paying fees when there are so many free trails in the Copper Mountain area. A perennial favorite in the same area is Mayflower Gulch.

Looking at the Ten Mile Range from our turn around point

Shrine Mountain

Distance: 5 miles round trip to end of the right side of the ridge
Elevation: 11,100 ft - 11,888 ft
Elevation Gain: 788 ft (net), 1,135 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 31 July, 2011
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at trailhead: Yes

The unusual rock formations on the west side of Shrine Mountain Ridge.

Shrine Mountain off of Shrine Pass near the Copper Mountain Ski Resort has by far the best scenery I have seen in Colorado thus far. It beats out Mt. Thomas, which has similar views but a much larger effort, and Mayflower Gulch, which had here-to-fore has been the trail I returned to year after year, season after season. To think that this trail is practically in my back yard makes it all the more appealing. It is short enough for a quick after work jaunt to watch the sunset from the ridgeline.

Starting out on the gravel road that leads to the Shrine Mountain Inn

The official trailhead is easy to spot

I don't know if it is the 2011 season or this trail but the wildflowers in this area boggled the mind. There were so many colors and textures I wanted to wallow in them forever. This is summer in the Rocky Mountains at its best. Green meadows, flowers galore, and deep blue skies interrupted by fluffy white clouds and the occasional thunderstorm. If these characteristics don't want to make you jump on the plane or buy John Denver's Greatest Hits then there is just no help for you!

Looking down the valley towards Copper Mountain

The route up Shrine Mountain begins at Shrine Pass, which is located only a few miles up Shrine Pass Road from Vail Pass. In the winter there is a fee to use this area in summer there is no fee. The road, while bumpy in spots is passable with a passenger car. Don't be fooled by several of the smaller pull outs along the way. There is a 50 car parking lot at the Pass and bathrooms. You'll know it when you see it.

Bare roots can make for slippery step in wet conditions

Unfortunately, hikers have expanded the trail system beyond the original single track.

The trail follows the gravel road to the Shrine Mountain Inn for a short distance and then quickly veers left into the willows. The views already begin with a panorama down towards Copper Mountain. I suspect the willows will be stunning in the fall. The trail skirts the edge of the meadow and climbs slowly upwards. You can see people and the trail in the distance (around 0.8 miles up the trail) before it finally disappears into the towering Fir forest.

Looking back down the trail at the Gore Range

Leaving the trees and approaching the ridge

From the time you enter the trees, it is only a short mile all the way to the saddle. The route stays in the trees until it exits at the base of the ridge itself, which stands as a towering wall both directly in front of you and to the left. The route goes to the right and wanders through large red rock monoliths before gradually ascending to the saddle. Near the top is large cornice of snow that looks like it stays there all year. Hikers have trudged a route directly across it. While slippery, it is not dangerous in anyway.

Looking left you can see that the ridge curves around to the left

The trail follows the ridge to the right before ascending

Immediately greeting the hiker upon arrive at the saddle is an expansive view to southwest highlighted by the Mount of the Holy Cross, which dominates the view. Some people ascend to just this point for this view alone. To the left is a long, lazy climb through open green meadows and to the right is the summit of Shrine Mountain and the ridge beyond with its fascinating rock formations. A hiker familiar with the area said go right first. Had the weather not intruded, I would have done both.

One of the red rock monoliths that have fallen off of the ridge itself

The route to the right is relatively flat for a quarter of a mile or so. There is a large plateau here where other hikers lounged to admire Holy Cross and the teeming wildflowers at their feet. It was tempted to linger there for a while, but the clouds were building ominously, so after snapping a hundred or so flower pictures, I continued on.

Starting to ascend the ridge

The snow cornice. The saddle is just over that small incline.

From this point, the trail climbs steeply for another quarter of a mile. When I reached the apex of this section I did not realize that I had ascended a name "mountain". It really is just a hump on top of the ridge itself. I have never understood how some large mountains, like the peak just before Mt. Sniktau are unnamed while these lumps of rock are named. I am sure there is logic in there someplace.

Looking left from the saddle. There is a trail that heads up that plateau. I will have to return another day to do that segment.

The Mount of the Holy Cross (14,005 ft) and other peaks in the Holy Cross Wilderness dominate the view to the south.

Beyond the summit the ridgeline continues, which is the most interesting part of this section. It descends gradually and sometimes vary narrowly towards the northwest. To the left is a gentle slope full of trees, while to the right is a small gully overlooking the Gore Range. Sitting atop the other side of the gully is a long series of red rocks that are like a giant Rorschach Test. To me they looked like a giant fossilized aircraft carrier. Bring along some mind alternating substances and who knows what you will see.

A field of wildflowers of every shape and color greeted me as I head off to the right side of the ridge.

You can walk this ridge all way down until the trail officially ends. There was a very steep section that I almost just slide down on my tail near the end. I am not sure it was worth that extra 100 yards, but having never been on the trail before I had to check it out.

Continuing along the right side of the ridge

The summit of Shrine Mountain (11,888 ft) is just ahead

In the distance over Piney Lake and the Gore Range a large thunderstorm was booming, sending shock waves across the valley. I was taking a chance being above treeline in such weather, but since it was a short sprint to trees I felt safe enough pushing my luck. Alas, by the time I returned to the saddle, the weather directly above had turned ominous and it had started to rain. Time to descend dag nabbit!

Looking south towards Copper Mountain from the summit. You could follow that ridgeline down to Wilder Gulch for a nice loop if you had two cars.

The jagged peaks of the Gore Range from the summit slope

The hordes have discovered this fantastic trail, so I don't feel too guilty sharing it with the world. The day I hiked this, there was a continuous stream of folks going up and down. Many were significantly older than me (think Medicare) so this is obviously a trail accessible by many.

Aircraft Carrier rock comes into view. What do you see in its unusual shape?

The ridge begins to narrow. I continued despite the looming dark clouds and the sound of thunder ahead. It is a quick jaunt into the trees on the left.

I will say that this trail is being unfortunately loved to death. Instead of staying in the muddy single track route, the hordes have expanded the trail so that it is almost a multi-lane highway. He is a tidbit about hiking etiquette, get muddy folks, it preserves the area.

Looking back at the rock formation from the end of the ridge

So visitors to our fair State, if you any where near Vail, Copper Mountain, Frisco, Silverthorne etc and have only one day to hike, this is the trail for you. The views will border on a religious experience. You might just pull up stakes and move here permanently. John Denver would be proud.

I had to take only last stop at another field of flowers before descending.