LODGING: FYI, here is the breakdown by person:
Gunnison KOA: Nick, Kathy, Pam, Chris
Gunnison Inn: Bonnie
Old Town Inn (downtown Crested Butte): Deb, Patty, Kim & Ken, DeLana, Cindy, Vici, Debbi, Becky
The Grand Lodge on Crested Butte Mountain: Wendy
Airbnb on Crested Butte Mountain: Paula
Lake Irwin Campground: Sherry & Tad
Rosy Lane Campground: Jane
MONDAY HIKE - MEET AT TRAILHEAD AT 6:45AM - WEST MAROON BELLS PASS TRAIL (8 miles & 2200 feet elevation gain). See the trail on alltrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/west-maroon-bells-pass. To get there, you can click on the alltrails link and click directions. If you use Google maps, you can type in “West Maroon Trail Head” for directions. WE WILL MEET AT THE TRAILHEAD AT 6:45am. The entire group will do the same hike, but to the extent we have hikers who prefer to hike at a faster pace and some who prefer a more leisurely pace, we will split into 2 groups where I will host the faster group and Nick will host the more leisurely group.
CARPOOL FROM GUNNISON: Nick will carpool the 5 people staying in Gunnison to the trailhead (Kathy, Pam, Chris, Bonnie). Meet him at the Gunnison KOA office for 5am departure. The Gunnison KOA is at 105 County Road 50.
CARPOOL FROM CRESTED BUTTE: Sherry & Tad and Wendy & Paula will drive to The Old Town Inn and meet up with the 9 people staying at The Old Town Inn for the carpool. Meet at The Old Town Inn at 5:15am. The Old Town Inn is at 708 6th Street.
Jane will carpool herself to the trailhead as she will likely end the hike early.
TUESDAY HIKE - MEET AT VISITORS CENTER AT 6:00AM - THREE HIKE CHOICES.
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Rustler’s Gulch (9 miles & 1800 feet elevation gain). Reviews on alltrails indicate multiple creek crossings so waterproof boots and Teva-type sandals in your pack may be helpful. See AllTrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/rustlers-gulch. Nick will host this hike. To get there, you can click on the alltrails link and click directions. The road to this hike is especially rugged with a potential creek crossing per alltrails reviews so definitely an AWD vehicle with clearance will be necessary. Per recent reviews on alltrails, there are downed trees and you cannot access the trailhead and have to park on the road and hike the “road from hell” to get to the trailhead. If the trees are not removed, Nick may cancel this hike. This hike is about a 40 minute drive from Crested Butte.
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Copper Creek Trail to Copper Lake (12 miles & 2400 feet). AllTrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/the-copper-creek-trail-to-copper-lake. To get there, you can click on the alltrails link and click directions. If you use Google maps, you can type in “Judd Falls/Copper Creek Trailhead” but from there go up the side road to the smaller upper trailhead parking area that you can see on alltrails map. To the extent there is parking available at that smaller upper trailhead, we will park there for the hike. However per recent alltrails review, you need AWD with clearance to get to the smaller upper trailhead. The hike itself has 5 creek crossings and some could be over your shoes, so waterproof boots and Teva-type sandals in your pack may be helpful. This hike is about a 35 minute drive from Crested Butte.
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Snodgrass Mountain (5.8 miles & 1600 feet). See alltrails here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/snodgrass-mountain-trail. To get there, you can click on the alltrails link and click directions. If you use Google maps, you can type in “Snodgrass Trailhead” for directions. This hike looks like any car can get to the trailhead and is only a few minutes from Mount Crested Butte.
We will all meet at the Crested Butte Visitors Center Public Parking Lot (601 Elk Ave) at 6am and jump into cars for the carpool. You can decide that morning which of the 3 hikes you prefer to do. I understand this is a free public parking lot at the Visitors Center, but there may be limited parking…so if you can, please walk or carpool to the visitors center unless you plan to be a driver. It is only a 7 minute walk from Old Town Inn. Keep in mind that AWD is recommended to most all of the trailheads and the road to Rustlers Gulch is especially rough. But it does look like the drive to Snodgrass Mountain can be done in any car. Those with AWD and clearance should consider driving to the Visitors Center so that we have enough AWD clearance cars to get to the trailheads.
IMPORTANT: This is a participate at your own risk event! Life is risky. I am not a professional guide and am simply hosting this event. By signing up for this hike you acknowledge that you are capable of performing this hike and that you are solely responsible for your own safety.
WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING: Water, snacks, layers of clothing, hiking shoes/boots, Teva-type shoes for creek crossings, sunscreen, bug repellant, sunglasses, hat, hiking poles, and anything else you deem essential.