Mt Elbert

THE PRE-MEET:

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THE DRIVE TIME INVOLVED TO ARRIVE ON TIME FOR THIS HIKE!

We will meet at the trailhead by 7:30am(NOT at The Golden Burro) , by 7:45am we will start driving in high clearance vehicles to a smaller parking area near the true trailhead- See directions to Mt Elbert below.

Call or Text Bryce at 303-258-6223 if problems or delays getting there but likely no signal at Trailhead.

DIRECTIONS:

A)From Denver to Leadville:

From Denver take I-70 west to exit 195, Merge onto CO-91 S toward Scenic Byway/Copper Mtn/Leadville.

B) From Leadville to Mt Elbert:

Take US Hwy 24 South out of Leadville

Once it starts heading true South go about 10 miles to Colorado Hwy 82.

Take Colorado Hwy 82 West and go about 4 miles to Lake County Rd 24 Junction on the North side of Colorado Hwy 82.

There should be a sign at this Junction for Mt Elbert Trail.

Go about 1 mile on Lake County Rd 24 to the Lakeview Campgrounds. The Trailhead is at the Northwest end of the campground. This is called the South Mt Elbert Trailhead.

There is Parking Lot there that can accommodate about 20 vehicles.

THE TRAIL:

Starting elevation: 10,440 ' Ending Elevation: 14,440' Elevation Change: + 4,000' net elevation gain Difficulty: Moderate plus to strenuous depending on your fitness level
Total hiking time: Approximately 5.5 to 6 hours
Round Trip Length (from upper trailhead): Approximately 7.6 miles http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/e/d/6/event_140660182.jpeg

Mt Elbert is the highest of all 14ers in Colorado (14,440 Ft), and second highest peak in the contiguous United States, but likely one of the easiest 14ers to hike from a technical perspective. It's a gentle giant...kind of like the whale shark...and I saw one of those face to face! Heck I even saw some guy Mtn Bike up & down it once...not the shark.

At 7:45 we will take High Clearance vehicles (hopefully some of us have these) about 2 miles further into to a smaller Parking area much closer to the true Trailhead. This road can only be driven with vehicles that have approximately 1 foot of clearance or more.

The official Colorado Trail runs very close to this parking area. We will hike along for the Colorado Trail in a Northward direction until we see a sign for Mt Elbert with an Arrow pointing more or less Westward. We take this all the way to the top!

We may split into 2 parties at the top. Those that want to return the way we came, and those that want to walk the saddle over to 'South Mt Elbert' (but please, do not do this on your own!). From South Mt Elbert we would more or less bushwack it down to a dirt/gravel road that runs through a private hunting park. As long as we stay on the road, we should not get shot! You might want to wear some bright colors just to play it safe. I've hiked along this road a handful of times and so far I have no crossfire wounds to prove it. The road takes us back to where we started. It's a big loop.

THE APRES HIKE: http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/d/4/6/event_140659782.jpeg

The Golden Burro (719) 486-1239 710 Harrison Ave
Leadville, CO 80461 We will meet at the Golden Burro in Leadville starting at approximately between 3 and 3:30pm. Bryce will call ahead with a head count for the restaurant prior to leaving from the trail head. If you do not plan on going to the restaurant, please let Bryce know. NOTES (PLEASE READ!!):

1. PLEASE READ, UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO OUR GENERAL RULES, PHILOSIPHY AND LIABILITY WAIVER ON THE MAIN PAGE

2. Bring extra water, as high elevations dehydrate the body at a faster rate.

3. Arrive early to secure parking, avoid crowds and afternoon thunderstorms. Be mindful of changing weather patterns and leave the summit well before storms develop. Expect cooler temperatures, strong sun and wind in the open tundra. Carry versatile layers with sun, wind and rain protection.

4. Hiking poles are highly recommended to assist with steep grades and uneven terrain.

5. Please remember that mountain hiking, especially high altitude hiking is going to mean that we will end up spreading out according to our pace and fitness levels. If you do split off ahead from the group, please wait at the summit for most of the members to arrive. If you feel that you will be in the tail end of the hike, we will provide a walkie-talkie to one host to communicate with the advance group (cell phones will not be of much use).

6. IF you run a carpool, or participate in a carpool, please coordinate with each other as to your individual pace!

7). Bring a change of shoes for the restaurant. I suggest some sort of flip-flops. Your feet will thank you!

8. Have fun!!