Ashdown Gorge

Current conditions: The end of the hike will be a little hot, but the flow in the creek is very good right now, so cooling off will not be a problem. However, there won't be any cloud cover and the altitude is high, so sun protection will be critical. Light clothing and a big hat, along with sunscreen, is the order of the day.

Rating: 8+ total miles, half on high trails thru woods, then the rest along a very scenic highwall canyon with a shallow stream running over a rocky bed. Easy to moderate, but very tiring due to the length and the many many rocks. 6-8 hours. Altitude starts at 9000ft and gradually descends to 7000ft, with less than 400ft total climbing. No scary heights!

Be aware that while Ashdown Creek is quite shallow, it must be crossed about 50 times. We're in it quite a lot. The bed is mostly rocks mixed with finer gravel and sand, but luckily it's too high up for moss to grow on the wet rocks, so at least the rocks are not too slippery.

This hike is in conjunction with Mindful Scramblers.

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The hike begins at 9000 feet, in thick pine and aspen forests with natural open glades. It's a little up, and a LOT down, on a wonderful official trail that's more like the kind the elk make, in places anyway. :)

When that magnificent 3 mile descent ends, we step into the upper end of mighty Ashdown Gorge.

It's a well known, regularly visited backpack/dayhike route and we'll probably see others. Parts of this gorge are rather stunning, particularly at the upper end, where it's narrower and more colorful, if a lot less deep. There's even a big arch far up on the walls. Very pretty. :)

Hike: To start, we drive up to the outlet of the gorge and park in the usual spot near the highway, then car shuttle 5 miles up Rt 14 to the Crystal Springs Trailhead (includes 1 mile gravelled road).

From there we stroll along the trail to the spring, and thence onto the Potato Hollow Trail, which climbs a bit and then descends a lot. This trail is rarely used and a bit sketchy, but hey, it's downhill! :)

After 3.3 miles of mostly descending trail walking we arrive at the upper entrance to Ashdown Gorge. We'll then splash our way down the gorge to the end and the highway. It's mostly pretty fast except when there's rocks and stream crossings. Nothing too difficult, but it does add to the fatigue considerably.

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Overall, this hike goes along steadily on the high trails, and in the gorge it's so gorgeous that you hardly notice how long and tiring it can be. At the end you'll look back fondly on a full day in a place you never knew existed.

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Prep: 3 bottles water. Food. Bring shoes or water-shoes (not flip-flops) suitable for walking in a shallow rocky stream. Boots are best for the trail portion, but water shoes will do.

Along the stream there's plenty of rubble, so simple falls can result in hand gashes. Leather gloves reduce the risk considerably, and a pole helps a LOT during the numerous stream crossings. Two is even better.

At the very end of the hike it can get kinda hot, with a rather steep 150 foot steep climb to the highway, so you WILL need water late in the hike. Don't fail to bring a goodly amount!

See you there! :)

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Please Note The Following:
Meetup organizers are not tour guides and are not park rangers. Expect the same risks and take the same precautions you would if you were hiking alone. You are solely responsible for your own safety and well-being.
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