HIKE: COURTHOUSE MTN &/or STEALEY MTN TRAIL...with options

This is an ambitious 12 mile hike to summit Courthouse Mtn by Ridgway, then descend the west slope on the Stealey Mtn Trail to then turn north to reach the Owl Creek Pass road at Vista Point. About 2400 ft elevation gain and 3000 loss. If we omit Courthouse summit, elevation gain would be 1961 and loss 2600. This trail traverses the very scenic foothills of Courthouse and Chimney Rock. If conditions (ie snow) make the upper access impractical we'll do a different hike in the neighborhood. Montrosians meet at the south end of Target parking lot at 7:30 am. Those from parts south meet at the junction of County Roads 8 and 10 at 8 am. Bring microspikes & poles for snow, and hunter's orange (the deer hunt is still on).

REQUIRED on RSVP: Full name, email, cell, and emergency contact. Fit and well behaved dogs welcome, bring leash and poo bags.
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By RSVPing YES and participating in this activity you acknowledge that you and your guests have read and agree to the statements below, and will abide by them while participating in this or any Western Slope Adventurers meetup activity. Outdoor activities involve risk of injury or death. You are responsible for your own safety and staying within your own comfort limits. All Western Slope Adventurers events are peer to peer and are unguided events. By participating in a WSA event, you acknowledge that you have a personal duty and responsibility for your own safety. Western Slope Adventurers MeetUps are organized to provide a venue for outdoor enthusiasts to meet and have fun while sharing in experiences and adventures.

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By your participation, you acknowledge that you have a personal duty and responsibility to (a) assess your own skills, honestly and accurately, to determine your suitability as a participant for each event, (b) seek adequate information to assess the difficulty of each event to determine if it is within your fitness and skill level, (c) seek adequate information about the current conditions in each area and the weather to assess potential risks to you by participating, and (d) evaluate other prospective event participants and to use your own judgment to determine their suitability for the event and how their participation may affect you. All participants are encouraged and expected to: • honestly assess your skills to ensure each activity is within your ability • assess your prospective fellow event participants • accept responsibility for your own safety and comfort • do your share of any teamwork involved • share your ideas for situation assessment before and during an event • speak up if you're having a problem • speak up if you question what's going on or something that is being done, no matter who's doing it • have all of the clothing, equipment and any other special items needed for the activity • inform the event organizer or other designated participant if you are using medication (prescribed or otherwise) or have any medical condition that may affect your full participation in the event • on any biking, canyoneering; or, river event that is class II difficulty or higher, wear a helmet • have fun