Fall Tour of Golden Gate Canyon + Windy Peak Summit

The short of it: ~9 miles, ~2,500' of vertical gain, a super pretty state park.

Details: This approximately 9-mile hike will take us on a sweeping tour of the eastern (Jefferson County) side of Golden Gate Canyon State Park. If we're lucky, we'll still catch some fading fall colors! We'll hike the Mountain Lion trail counter-clockwise, forming a perfect loop that begins and ends at the Nott Creek TH. The hike will also include a summit of Windy Peak (9,000'), the highest trail-accessible summit in the park. Expect about 2,500' of vertical gain through dense forests and open valleys. Our pace will be strong and steady but not extreme.

Directions: From Route 93, take Golden Gate Canyon Road west out of Golden, past Mount Galbraith Park. About 4 miles in, turn right onto Crawford Gulch Road. Follow Crawford (which becomes Drew Hill Road) for 7.5 miles. It eventually turns to dirt, but it doesn't get rough. Around the 7.5-mile mark, you'll see the red barn picnic area on the left side of the road. The turnoff for the upper Nott Creek TH is immediately on the right after the red barn. Look for the state park sign. (If you pass the barn and this turnoff, there is a lower Nott Creek lot. Don't park here.) You can purchase a daily park pass at the sign ($7) if you don't already own an annual pass. Bring cash! Follow the dirt road up to a large parking area. This is where we'll meet. Look for the bright blue Subaru Crosstrek.

Weather: The National Weather Service is calling for sunny conditions with a low of 32 and a high around 41 degrees. Wear plenty of adjustable layers, and throwing a pair of microspikes in your bag could also be wise, just in case we encounter any ice. Bring plenty of calorie-dense snacks—we'll take snack breaks at the Quarry, Windy Peak and Tallman Ranch. This is a training hike for 14ers, and everyone is encouraged to bring a full high country pack with the 10 essentials: http://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/ten-essentials.html.

Feel free to use the comment section below to carpool/coordinate, or to ask any other questions.