Spruce Mountain Loop

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 7, 127 ft - 7,658 ft
Elevation Gain: 816 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 19 June, 2011
Dogs: On leash only
Bathroom at the trailhead: port-o-let only

A view from one of the many overlooks on the Spruce Mountain Trail in Douglas County

The Spruce Mountain Loop in the Spruce Mountain Open Space in Douglas County traverses a large sandstone mesa within spitting distance of I-25 but it feels worlds away. South of Castle Rock and west of Larkspur, this was a total find for someone who lives north of Denver. I loved this trail and can't wait to take others on it. This would also be a great trail run for those who also enjoy such things.

The parking lot

Example of the trail signage. This is the junction with the Spruce Meadow Trail where I took a left.

The vegetation on the mesa is a unique combination of Scrub Oak, Douglas Fir, and Ponderosa Pine. Once on the mesa, the route navigates the edges with many overlooks on sandstone promontories overlooking pastoral ranch land. For those who love alfresco dinning this Open Space has more places to choose from than you will ever need.

The Oak Shortcut Trail

A screen shot of the trail system from the Douglas County web site.

I had a hard time finding the trailhead for this open space because a prominent guide book mentioned that it was 1.25 miles out of Larkspur on Spruce Mountain Road. It is actually 3.5 miles beyond the railroad bridge at the edge of the city limits. I kept turning around thinking I had missed it. The moral of the story is keep driving. The trailhead is very obvious with a large metal sign.

A view to the east. That open grassland is perfect for horse back riding.

20 yards beyond the western exit from the parking lot is a sign pointing out trail options. While the Spruce Mountain Loop technically starts straight ahead, I chose instead to take an immediate left, which is on the Spruce Meadow Trail, and head up the hill that everyone seemed to be coming down. It is a short 0.1 miles to a well marked trail called the Oak Shortcut. This trail quickly ascends another 0.1 miles through a gauntlet of Scrub Oaks to a junction. Take a left here and you are on the stem of the lollypop loop that traverses the mesa.

A typical trail segment through the early switchbacks

Picnickers on one of the many spots on Greenland Overlook

The next 0.7 miles is a series of switchbacks that wind gracefully up to the top of the mesa through a pleasant Douglas Fir forest. This trail is popular with equestarians who add on this loop the much larger Spruce Meadow Loop (which lazily wanders through the open grassland below), as well as mountain bikers. Everyone was amazingly polite and shared the trail in a most pleasing manner.

Looking south at the rest of the mesa from the Greenland Overlook

Upon reaching the top of the mesa at 0.88 miles, the main trail heads straight while a series of social trails head onto the first set of overlooks, the Greenland Overlook. I did this hike on Father's Day and every nook and cranny, and there were plenty, of this pleasing area was filled with picnickers.

Paddock's Point

The view of Eagle Mountain from Paddock's Point

From this point on the trail stays on top of the mesa. The trail itself is broad and soft on the paws, again a great place to run. At 1.19 miles was Paddock's Point, a lovely overlook gazing down on more ranch land and Eagle Mountain, a sandstone formation to the west.

A typical trail segment on the mesa. There is a family standing on the rock outcropping in the distance.

A view of ranch land from the rock outcropping in the picture above

1.33 miles is the start of the loop portion of the hike. I chose to take this clockwise. Much of the mesa is the same, open Ponderosa and Douglas Fir and occasional piles of rocks to climb on and admire the surrounding scenery. At 2.26 miles is a nice picnic area with tables and at 2.66 miles is Windy Point at the apex of the loop. Ironically, this area was quite windy, and since the weather had been threatening to rain all day, I finally had to don my rain coat to block the wind. 3.11 miles is the junction with a service road, that could form part of a an Eagle Pass Loop (see map). At 3.83 miles I was back to the stem of the lollypop and 5.2 miles back to the trailhead.

Another view of the sandstone cliffs. This trail reminds me a lot of Castlewood Canyon State Park.

I am a typical selfish Coloradan, I like to be up high with views all around. The Spruce Mountain Loop did not disappoint. Wandering from outcropping to outcropping and their associated views was most pleasant. In the spring or fall when the surrounding ranch land is bathed in the colors of the seasons, seems the best time to visit. I suspect that on a sunny day in the middle of summer, the mesa could get quite toasty.

A typical trail segment on the western side of the loop

Red Fox at Silver Queen West

A new resident to my condo complex, a young Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

We have a Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) living at my condo complex in the mountains and I finally got to see it having gotten up at 5:30 am to walk the dogs, dang them. This specimen looks much younger and much more scrawny than the Red Fox I photographed back in 2009 in Boulder, CO. That post continues to be one of the most popular posts on this blog.

At 6:00 am this Fox was ready for bed, she finally curled up and started yawning.

The Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). It is the most common as well as the largest species of fox and is usually a rusty red with black ear tips and legs. There are actually four species of fox in Colorado, however. Gray Foxes have reddish ears and feet and prefer the Mountains. The Swift and Kit Fox are much smaller and have a coloring similar to the Coyote. They are rare and live out on the eastern Plains.

I kept shamelessly stalking this poor mother who would dart around pine trees to avoid me. The Foxes in Boulder are far more used to people and will even sleep on the hood of peoples cars.

Our condo manager has told me someone saw this fox pluck a Raven out of the air and corner a rather large (e.g. 40 pd) Raccoon in a small stand of Aspens. As scrawny as this one is, she must be giving all that food to her kits.

Grays and Torreys Peaks

Distance: 8.25 miles round trip
Elevation: 14,270 ft (Grays) & 14,267 ft (Torreys)
Elevation Gain: 3,200 ft
Date Hiked: 23 August, 2006 (some photos from 2010)
Dogs: Off Leash

View from the summit of Grays Peak (2010)

I lost my 14er virginity on Grays Peak and even dropped trough on the summit in celebration, but I get ahead of myself. Grays has been the site of many deflowerings because it is an easy Class I (walk up) ascent and is close to Denver. If you tend towards exhibitionism or don't mind sharing your panting climaxes with 200 or so of your fellow adventurers then by all means join the herd and head to Grays and its sister Torreys for your first ascent.

A photo of the route up Grays and Torreys from the 14ers.com website.

I was fortunate in that I took a day off of work back in August of 2006 and so I only had to smoke the proverbial cigarette with 7 other people. I learned a thing or two about mountaineering that day and fell in love with 360° views.

The stream near the trailhead (2006)

The trailhead to Grays and Torreys Peaks is up Steven Gulch Rd off I-70 near Bakersville. Bring a 4WD because the road is filled with SUV consuming potholes. The parking lot is also small, so join the rest of the smart ones and get there before 7am, which brings me to my first mountaineering lesson: Start early. In Colorado, most summer days are filled with afternoon thunderstorms. You really need to consider being off the mountain before 1 PM. If the weather gods are kind, you'll have clear skies and can linger on the summit but don't plan on it. Start out too late, and you will be dodging lighting bolts as you tumble head over heels down the mountain.

The sparse landscape and high valley walls (2010)

The route up these two mountains starts off crossing a small creek and then heads up a broad valley bordered on each side by long ridges. There is not much to see here but some low willows and piles of talus. The route continues this way for quite a while before it finally starts to climb upwards over and around series of large shoulders. It is here that Torreys comes into view since it lies directly at the end of the valley.

The terrain from the end of the valley (2006)

It wasn't until I was past these bumps and entered the many switchbacks that head up the face of Grays did I really consider myself on the mountain. From this point on it is back and forth, back and forth, inching ever higher. Grays is a gray, dreary, monotonous experience. The only view is back down the valley. It is however, an accessible experience for those who want a taste of altitude.

Torreys comes into view at the end of the valley. The route is going to ascend the large pile to the left (2006).

The summit came surprisingly fast and I was suddenly surrounded by views for what seemed to me at the time to be little effort. I immediately had to put on the several layers I fortunately packed in my bag. This was lesson number two: It really is cold Virginia, up there on the craggy bits. Plan for it by bringing layers.

On the slope of Grays, looking back down the valley (2010)

We ate lunch on the summit and then I waited in line for a clear spot for a bio break. My companions were all the way back down to the saddle (at 13,707 ft) between Grays and Torreys by the time the honeymooners near me were done taking pictures and moved off so I could have 30 seconds of privacy. When I was done, I raced down and started up Torreys way too fast as I tried to catch up with my friends. Half way up Torreys, the altitude hit me like a ton of bricks. My vision became blurred and my breathing erratic. Here was lesson three: Don't eat if there is more elevation gain in the schedule. All that blood and oxygen needed to keep your brain functioning goes right to your stomach and is not available for other things like foot placement and lung function. Note honeymooners, the same thing happens during other activities.

Looking over to Torreys. Note we are not alone on the mountain (2010)

The trail up Torreys is a vertical calf-burner with limited switchbacks. It is only 560 feet of elevation gain to the summit, but is slightly more difficult because of the terrain, and the fact you cover this in only 0.5 miles. Anytime you can bag more than one peak in a day, is a good day in the mountains, however, and we were lucky that the weather held and we did not have to head down.

Another view near the summit (2010)

The route down from Torreys is straight forward. Once back down to the saddle there is a spur trail that connects with the trail coming up Grays so it is a simple route. I experienced my fourth lesson at this point of the trail: Going down is not nearly as much fun as going up. Not only is it harder on the legs, but the thrill is gone and there is nothing but the parking lot as motivation. Mountain climbing is the only sport that celebrates at the half way mark. In the case of more dangerous routes, this trend is amusing because getting down is often more life threatening than getting up. I am not in that league, however, so it is more ennui that is the biggest threat to my existence.

My friends on the saddle between Grays and Torreys (Lynn Johnson, 2006)

The slog back down the valley was particularly tedious and I was low on water. Here was my final lesson of the day: On bare mountain slopes there is no water and you have to carry everything you need, which is no fun because water is very heavy.

There is one denizen of the mountain who lives there year round (2006)

As a parting shot (pun intended), I would like to give a note of thanks to the photographers I have so shamelessly stolen from to make this post possible. I climbed these peaks two years before I started this blog and did not bring a camera with me. None of my friends on my ascent took a full trail profile, so I have not been able to blog this popular trail. Recently, however another friend, Sarah Meyer, reached the summit of Grays and took a bunch of pictures that have finally enabled me to share my impressions with my fellow hikers. Her pictures are labeled 2010. The others are given credit if I know who took them, otherwise they are just labeled 2006.

Golden Banner

Golden Banner (Thermopsis montana) is an early string flower that grows in open woodlands, meadows, as well as around Aspen trunks. A member of the pea family, it is often confused with Lupine, which is purple. Golden Banner has been quite prolific this year. This specimen was found on the Evergreen Mountain Trail.

Chief Mountain

Distance: 3 miles round trip
Elevation: 10, 720 ft - 11,709 ft (USGS measurement)
Elevation Gain: 989 ft
Date Hiked: 16 June, 2011
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the trailhead: No, closest is the Starbucks in Evergreen

The view of the Continental Divide from the summit of Chief Mountain

If you have ever wanted to see what it is like to climb a 14,000 ft peak (14er) but have no desire to carry supplemental oxygen or slog tirelessly upwards for miles on end, the stunning jaunt up Chief Mountain is for you.

The trailhead

A typical lower trail segment

A small 11er on Squaw Pass Rd near Evergreen, Chief Mountain is short and delightful (e.g. easy) climb up through a stand of sub-alpine firs and the rare Bristlecone Pines to a bare summit with interesting rock formations and jaw dropping views of Mt. Evans. At the top is a small pile of talus (large rocks) that require a scramble to reach the top. The Fir trees, the views, and the talus are all features of a 14er adventure.

The sign at the cross roads of Old Squaw Pass Rd. Don't trust the mileage.

The trailhead for Chief Mountain is approximately 12 miles up Squaw Pass Rd out of Evergreen and the parking area is directly next to the ski lift for the Echo Mountain Ski Resort. The parking area is just a broad shoulder on the right hand side of the road that can handle perhaps 8 cars. The trail starts on the opposite side of the road. A small vertical forest service sign and several rock steps are the only visible features that you are in the right spot.

View to the northwest part way up the route

The trail travels upwards sharply for the first quarter of a mile and then eases up into a nice gradual ascent that almost anyone with a baseline of fitness can handle. At 0.3 miles the route crossed the Old Squaw Pass Rd. On the other side is a large sign that says Chief Mountain is 2 miles away. This is incorrect. The one way route, from the parking lot to the summit is 1.5 miles.

The trail begins to creep above treeline

When the trail pops above treeline, the topography changes. The route becomes more rocky and the few remaining trees are stunted and wind blown. Small tundra flowers dot the landscape with splashes of white, yellow, and blue. The summit pile comes into view along with several other angular rock formations that just beg to be photographed.

Squaw Mountain and Bristlecone Pines near the border of treeline

The last few switchbacks wander through these formations and it is difficult not to linger to admire the lichens and flowers. On this trip, the weather was pressing and I did not know if I would have any time on the summit at all, so I pushed on to the final scramble.

Looking at the summit as the trees disappear and the tundra begins to rule

The trail becomes more rocky above treeline

From the summit, the views are stunning. To the west is Mt. Evans. I felt like a voyeur, looking deep into the back side of the Mt. Evans Wilderness Area, a zone one does not normally see. To the east is Squaw Mountain and Evergreen and Evergreen Mountain. To the north is Longs Peak and Mount Meeker along with the Indian Peaks.

Looking at the summit talus pile. It is a short 2 minute scramble to the top. The top of Mt. Audubon in contrast is a 0.5 mile scramble.

The summit itself contains a lot of nooks and crannies suitable for lounging, and if you don't want to scramble a small plateau just below the talus pile provides similar views without the final effort.

Looking at Squaw Pass Rd as it continues towards Mt. Evans.

Chief Mountain is going to become an annual hike for me. While higher peaks are still blanketed in snow, Chief Mountain is snow free. It can provide a tundra fix for those pinning away after a long winter. This is a short hike, however, so if you are yearning for more, try tacking on the Pessman Trail up the Mt. Evans Road. This trail will take you through another stand of much older Bristlecones. You will also get views of the place you just visited.

Below the summit is a nice plateau that contains excellent views for those who don't want to scramble over the talus to the top.

Utah Juniper

An attractive example of the Utah Juniper from Paradox Valley, CO.

The Utah Juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) is a surprisingly attractive, coniferous shrub, whose trunk grows into twisted forms of art. One of the 50+ species of Juniper in North America, it is one of the taller varieties, growing up 30 feet tall with a rounded canopy.

The distributed pattern of the Utah Juniper seen from the Dolores River Canyon Trail.

Its roots system is extensive, which allows it to compete for moisture in the arid plateau lands where it grows. This may also be the reason these shrubs spread themselves out in what looks like uniform patterns. Similar to the Bristecone Pine, the wood is very decay resistant and the trunks will lay about dotting the landscape like Mother Nature's sculpture garden (see my Rabbit's Ear post for some nice examples). This species can be found between 4,000 ft and 7,500 ft.

A close up of the needles and berries

Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Mountain Lion Trail + Windy Peak

Distance: 8.7 mile loop (7.7 without the Windy Peak add on)
Elevation: 7,646 ft - 9,106 ft (at Windy Peak)
Elevation Gain: 1,460 ft (net) 2,164 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 12 June, 2011
Dogs: On leash only (State Park)
Tags: #coloradostatepark, #goldengatecanyon

The view of Mt. Evans from Windy Peak and the Mountain Lion Trail in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

The Mountain Lion Loop in Golden Gate Canyon State Park near Golden, CO is harder than it looks, but the extra exercise is rewarded by a journey through three different ecosystems, and if you tack on a diversion to the top of Windy Peak (adds an extra mile), some stellar views of the Continental Divide.

Trails are marked with animal track symbols in Golden Gate Canyon State Park and appear on poles such as this. Junctions are well marked with wooden signs and full maps indicating where the hiker is located.

Heading up the initial dry hillside. Most of this route is on soft dirt.

The confusing part of Golden Gate Canyon State Park is the plethora of trailheads, which are really nothing more than pullouts on the side of the road. There are at least three along County Rd 57 (right at the Visitor's Center) that label themselves as Mountain Lion Trail trailheads and none have rest rooms, so plan accordingly. If you find the trailhead on Nott Creek Rd, there is a bathroom and plenty of parking. This is probably the best place to start.

The initial ridge

I traveled the loop in a clockwise direction. Since the hot side of the loop is to the left and the cool Riparian side is to the right, this was a good choice on a hot day. I don't know how the cumulative elevation gain differs if you take the route in a counter-clockwise direction but the net elevation is the same since the destination is Windy Peak no matter which way you travel.

The lake and cabin in Forgotten Valley. Camping is permitted here.

Taken clockwise, the trail heads across an open hillside filled with wildflowers and dotted with Ponderosa Pine. It climbs 443 ft in less than a mile, so it will get your heart rate pumping early. After reaching a ridge at 0.89 miles, the route travels another 0.33 miles until it reaches the junction with the Burro Trail (at 1.23 miles) with the official split happening around 50 yards further up. At 1.97 miles is Forgotten Valley and a pleasant lake and cabin. The day was already getting uncomfortably warm, so I took this opportunity to rest in the shade, dunk my head in the water and wet my bandana.

Leaving the lake and heading up the next valley

After the lake, the route heads up a long valley and then starts up a series of switch backs that gain 500 feet in 1.2 miles. The views of the rolling hills to the south is quite pleasant and would be lovely in the fall when all the leaves are turning. At the top is a saddle (at 3.18 miles) deep in a grove of Lodgepole Pines.

Three quarters of the way up the switchbacks on the way to Windy Peak and looking back down the valley to the tree covered hills deep within the park.

From this point the trail heads sharply downward and looses at least 190 feet before the intersection with the Windy Peak spur at 3.3 miles. From this point it is 0.5 miles to the Peak, which is a series of rocky outcroppings, covered in lounging hikers and voracious chipmunks who scurried to and fro hoping to steal a sandwich from an unsuspecting hand. I am not sure where all the hikers came from, because I was practically alone on my trip up. They may have come up the Burro Trail, which is a more direct route. At this point the cumulative elevation gain was 1,581 ft and I recorded an approximate elevation of 9,173 ft. An more official measurement may be 9,106 ft.

Park of the short but steep trail up to Windy Peak.

The trip down from Windy Peak and to the rest of the Mountain Lion Trail is a long series of switchbacks through a Lodgepole forest. Finally, the route empties into a valley and closely follows the stream, crossing it at least a dozen times. The stream crossings are all on small log bridges. Some of these are in better condition than others. If you don't like narrow crossings, this is not the route for you. It became very tedious after a while.

Hikers lounge on the summit of Windy Peak

A close up of Mt. Evans from the summit

The valley narrows half way down and the walls and their many nooks and crannies encroach on the hiker making the area feel confined, scenic, and wild all at the same time. I confess that I started day dreaming about Mountain Lions in this stretch because there were a thousand places for a Mountain Lion to hang out and watch the trail. I found myself turning around periodically to gaze behind me to see if I was being followed. It did not help that I knew of someone who had been stalked by a Mountain Lion in Golden Gate Canyon State Park. It was not until I got through this section and finally ran into another hiker that my unease dissipated. Was this a sixth sense or mere lone hiker paranoia? I'll never know for sure.

An example of the overgrown and wild Riparian side of the Mountain Lion Trail

Once the route leaves the stream, it climbs again up a broad road to reach the hillside that parallels County Rd 57. This was my least favorite part of the trail. I was overheated, tired, and did not want to ascend any more. From this point it was a seemingly long slog until I reached the trailhead at Nott Creek Rd (at 8.3 miles) and then had to travel an additional half mile to my car (at 8.7 miles).

A photo of the most deteriorated stream crossing. I ended up taking the lowest log on the left, which was several feet lower than the others and used the other logs to brace myself as I crossed.

Looking back up the route after regaining the hillside. I believe the route comes down the left cleft on the distant hillside.

Despite the length, I really liked this hike. It was so varied that it was impossible to get bored. I chose to do it on a very hot day and only had 1.5 litres of water with me. I chose this amount partially because the park advertises this loop at 6.2 miles. My GPS recorded it as 8.7 miles, including the add on to Windy Peak. Had I known this in advance, I would have carried more. Water weighs a lot and I have gotten in the habit of carrying just enough.

Continuing along the final stretch to the trailhead at Nott Creek

This Colorado State Park is a pleasant oasis close to Denver and yet worlds away. The drive to the park itself is scenic and the many trails in the park allow for varied adventures of all levels and for all sorts of visitors. Check it out if you get the chance.

The views of the hills to the east from the final stretch. This hike was pleasant indeed.

Common Collared Lizard

This Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) let us walk right up to it and shove a camera in its face on the Dolores River Canyon Trail.

The Common Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) is shocking to see. A little larger and it would cause unprepared hikers to run screaming in the opposite direction. Wildly colored, the male can range from bright blue to bright yellow. Like their Dinosaur cousins, this lizard can run on its hind legs up to 16 mph. I don't care what size it is, I might run over a cliff if this bad boy started sprinting towards my enticing ankles! They are able predators after all, but fortunately feed on insects and worms and not people-Phew! Total sun worshipers, the Common Collared Lizard prefers to bask in temperatures over 105°F, which is probably why we were able to walk up the specimen in this post. It was only around 80°F; and he was probably sluggish. The defining feature, of course, is the large black collar that is visible on both the male and female.