[FLASH] Afternoon Extreme Cardio Hike - Oso Ridge

Bring a headlamp.

[FLASH] "Extreme" Cardio hike going up Oso Ridge trail to the normal Embudito Trail Cardio Hike turnaround point.

Distance: 4 miles
Elevation gain: 1680 feet

We do an evening Cardio hike up the Oso Ridge Trail which connects to Embudito near our normal Embudito turnaround spot via a short connector trail. This is classified as an "Extreme" Cardio Hike because of the rate of climb of Oso Ridge. The ascent is very front loaded and climbs higher than the normal Embudito Trail (but offers better views). Also, note that the descent is comparably steep. The are points in the climb that might require a small amount of rock scrambling which require the same amount of scrambling to descend.

Because of the common Embudito turnaround point, hikers wishing to proceed up the standard Embudito Trail can start at the same time and rendez-vous at the normal meeting point. However, there will be no designated leader for hikers choosing this approach.

The "extreme" portion of this cardio hike is ideally suited for normal or faster paced hikers – the standard option of heading up the Embudito trail is for hikers of all paces. The goal is to have the opportunity to improve fitness and prepare for longer day hikes. You will likely find hikers with a similar pace, but may also find yourself hiking alone, particularly if you have not been hiking recently. Because of this, being familiar with the trail in advance is strongly encouraged. Please contact me directly or post in the comments if you have questions.