Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 20, 2020 5:42:28 GMT -8
I see no reason not to backpack. None. Unless of course a given area is closed. But I don't BP in National Parks, so that's not a concern for me. My backpacking plans were to a remote area in Shawnee National Forest (Southern Illinois, a 5 hour drive) but that travel was frowned upon here due to the possibility of needing services should my fairly new car or aging body have some kind of breakdown. I almost pulled the trigger on that trip 10 days ago, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Now that window has pretty much closed, as I'm not to keen on warmer buggy weather. I'm working full time from home and have been doing a lot of dayhikes on the weekends in the forest preserves southwest of Chicago, which has been quite enjoyable with some nice weather and spring flowers. The waterfalls must be spectacular right now, given how wet it has been. Smokey and I usually would make a visit in late March or April, which was ideal. We would often return in October or even November if we had a good weather window. Hope you can get there this fall.
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driftwoody
Trail Wise!
Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on May 20, 2020 6:45:03 GMT -8
The waterfalls must be spectacular right now, given how wet it has been. Smokey and I usually would make a visit in late March or April, which was ideal. We would often return in October or even November if we had a good weather window. Hope you can get there this fall. My hike was going to take me past Jackson Falls, which is underwhelming as a waterfall in dry weather but is in a beautiful area of sandstone bluffs and a mecca for rock climbers. I had a trip all planned for late March with my cousin's son (age 38) and his 10 year old boy. I plunked down a $200 deposit on a cabin rental near Garden of the Gods a couple weeks before the statewide shutdown. Nonrefundable, but can be applied at any time. We will go later this fall, winter, or early spring next year. My companions have never been to Southern Illinois, which as you know is worth multiple visits for great hiking.
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Post by cweston on May 20, 2020 7:35:44 GMT -8
Thank you all for talking me down. Hopefully my despair is premature.
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Westy
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Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
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Post by Westy on May 20, 2020 8:05:35 GMT -8
trinityFWIW, I'm still planning my June trip to the Sangres. My plans for 2020 are FUBAR at the moment. Good news is Montana has lifted the non-essential, out-of-state traveler 14-day self quarantine, so I can finish that pesky CDT once and for all in July. Have reservations at motels, drivers, airlines booked. Whatever plan I make, it will be incompliance with state and local recommendations, masks, social distancing, etc. At the moment rather tired of my local 9 mile, 2,000 foot custom, trail that I've hiked a dozen times. My 2 different Maze permits went belly up. I need a quick fix and the fix is Colorado. The official state guidance is below. Not very clear for out-of-state visitors. Very, very gray. CO is currently on Safer at Home - Phase 2 status. I communicated and received a response from the director of the official Colorado Tourism department. Still a bit of foggy answer, however she recommended that it's the counties that count. CO Safer at Home Phase 2 So I am aggressively planning a 7-10 day peakbagging venture, seeking alpine snow climbs on south facing aspects. Might reminisce with a 14er but focus on is on bicentennial peaks in the Sawatch and Sangre de Cristo's. Have contacted motel in Salida, they will take me, also the campground host at the Angel of Shavano CG has informed me that they will open June 1st on first come first serve basis. My research has divulged that it's the counties in Colorado that are driving the re-opening and can be stricter than the State standards. Below are two links that are of particular helpful. Colorado Trail ExplorerCO County Public Health OrdersUse the former to determine if your TH is open. Use the later to review the county directives. In the Sangre de Cristo's my targets are two back-to-back overnighters to summit Colony Baldy and Rio Alto. The trailheads are in Custer County. The remainder of my hikes are in Chafee County in the Salida, Monarch Pass area. cweston Hang in there. Don't give up. Check out Idaho! Idaho was my next fill in if Colorado was not feasible.
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Post by cweston on May 20, 2020 8:27:53 GMT -8
In the Sangre de Cristo's my targets are two back-to-back overnighters to summit Colony Baldy and Rio Alto. Thanks for all that good info, Westy. Colony Baldy is an awesome climb. I had a beautiful camp on the high side of the lower Macy Lake. Quite a marmot playground. The middle and upper lakes are above the trees, not far from the lower. It's a minor scramble up to the middle lake where the Colony Baldy route begins. The route-finding is easy--just stay east of/above the obvious saddle on the west ridge of CB: it's very steep below that saddle. (I learned that the hard way.)
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Post by trinity on May 20, 2020 8:39:21 GMT -8
That's extremely helpful info, Westy , thank you! Sorry about your blown up plans, but hope the Sangres and CDT work out.
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Post by cweston on May 20, 2020 8:45:20 GMT -8
Or maybe you were planning to climb from the car via the northeast ridge? I haven't done that.
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 20, 2020 9:13:34 GMT -8
The waterfalls must be spectacular right now, given how wet it has been. Smokey and I usually would make a visit in late March or April, which was ideal. We would often return in October or even November if we had a good weather window. Hope you can get there this fall. My hike was going to take me past Jackson Falls, which is underwhelming as a waterfall in dry weather but is in a beautiful area of sandstone bluffs and a mecca for rock climbers. I had a trip all planned for late March with my cousin's son (age 38) and his 10 year old boy. I plunked down a $200 deposit on a cabin rental near Garden of the Gods a couple weeks before the statewide shutdown. Nonrefundable, but can be applied at any time. We will go later this fall, winter, or early spring next year. My companions have never been to Southern Illinois, which as you know is worth multiple visits for great hiking. I can send my unofficial guide to SNF if you’d like. Lots of great places on the east side, as you likely already know.
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ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
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Post by ErnieW on May 20, 2020 10:17:38 GMT -8
I second this. Backpacking is nearly perfect for social distancing, especially in less popular areas (e.g. most NF, BLM areas) I had grand plans for both solo and full family backpacking trips this summer but now they are all up in the air. Unfortunately as much as I wish it were true backpacking is not nearly perfect for social distancing. Traveling out of your own local area is a violation right there. Are you going to camp in designated areas that are high use and therefore higher exposure or reduce your LNT score by establishing new sites? In areas that have outhouses are you going to use them or bypass their purpose and put your feces out there somewhere increasing human impact. Will rangers and other trail support people have to work and expose themselves to support recreations activities?
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BigLoad
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Pancakes!
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Post by BigLoad on May 20, 2020 10:52:39 GMT -8
I'm sorry for the bad breaks. I can seriously relate. I'd been planning to retire this year, but my boss unexpectedly bailed out in January and instead of hiking, I'm running this place amidst the pandemonium. I'm on track to have lost three weeks of vacation by the end of June.
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Post by absarokanaut on May 20, 2020 10:52:54 GMT -8
CW,
I know a lot of boondocking places in Colorado and Wyoming if you want soe soically distant acclimitization.
I'm not going to the bar here in Jakson until at least the 2nd week of June, want to see hpow things shake out with any potential spikes, etc.
Keep you sticks on the ice folks!
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Hungry Jack
Trail Wise!
Living and dying in 3/4 time...
Posts: 3,809
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 20, 2020 12:18:48 GMT -8
I second this. Backpacking is nearly perfect for social distancing, especially in less popular areas (e.g. most NF, BLM areas) I had grand plans for both solo and full family backpacking trips this summer but now they are all up in the air. Unfortunately as much as I wish it were true backpacking is not nearly perfect for social distancing. Traveling out of your own local area is a violation right there. Are you going to camp in designated areas that are high use and therefore higher exposure or reduce your LNT score by establishing new sites? In areas that have outhouses are you going to use them or bypass their purpose and put your feces out there somewhere increasing human impact. Will rangers and other trail support people have to work and expose themselves to support recreations activities? We are not on travel restrictions here in Illinois, just recommendations of social distancing, and a mask requirement in retail places.
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Westy
Trail Wise!
Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
Posts: 1,954
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Post by Westy on May 20, 2020 12:20:19 GMT -8
cwestonOr maybe you were planning to climb from the car via the northeast ridge? Good call! I enjoy using crampons and ice axe but for Colony Baldy not sure. I imagine access to Macy Lake could be a trip to post hole heaven, since it's deep and on the dark side of the mountain. The southeast ridge is the target at the minute. I expect the ridge to be wind blown and the approach to the ridge fairly reasonable. Will do an overnighter to provide a mini-approach and more summit day hours. Of course, everything is subject to weather. Rio Alto is somewhat similar as the ridge is windblown and south facing. I am hoping that the forest service road which goes directly to the pass was well used by snowmobilers in the winter, thus providing a harder surface to hike on.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
Posts: 14,970
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Post by driftwoody on May 20, 2020 12:22:45 GMT -8
Thanks for the offer @hungry Jack, but I've been hiking in SNF 40+ years and have scads of maps and other info.
Still some places I haven't explored. Last spring I checked out Cove Hollow for the first time (the one accessed from East Trigg TH). An excellent loop can be made from there through Cove Hollow, under the tracks, skirt the north side of Bay Creek 5, and over the ridge into the miles of bluffs on the right leading to Jackson Falls. Then cross the tracks again, head north then west through Jackson Hollow to the road a little N of East Trigg.
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 20, 2020 17:29:06 GMT -8
Thanks for the offer @hungry Jack, but I've been hiking in SNF 40+ years and have scads of maps and other info. Still some places I haven't explored. Last spring I checked out Cove Hollow for the first time (the one accessed from East Trigg TH). An excellent loop can be made from there through Cove Hollow, under the tracks, skirt the north side of Bay Creek 5, and over the ridge into the miles of bluffs on the right leading to Jackson Falls. Then cross the tracks again, head north then west through Jackson Hollow to the road a little N of East Trigg. The only Cove Hollow I am familiar with is over by Cedar Lake, much farther west. I haven't hiked it, just read about it and it sounds like a good trail. I love the area around Bell Smith Springs, including Jackson Hollow to the east and Bay Creek / Lake to west/southwest. It is a great place to get off trail (in the fall or early spring) and go exploring.
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