• Getting near to the top

    Getting near to the top — Day 8 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Looking southwest. A glimpse of the trail is visible at the bottom of the frame. It’s looking quite rugged, and it was. It was somewhere around here I met the woman on her mountain bike again. It looked a tad easier going down, but only slightly easier.

  • Time to head back up the ridge

    Time to head back up the ridge — At least it’s only 300 ft. on this side. But I still have 900ft. to descend on the other side. Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Heading back

    Heading back — Look carefully, and in the middle distance, you can see the ridge I’m going to climb. Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Turnaround Point, and stopped for lunch

    Turnaround Point, and stopped for lunch — Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    According to my calculations, I was about three-and-a-half miles into my hike, and this log offered a great view and spot to eat lunch. The weather for this entire trip has been fantastic, it’s just as well I brought some shorts along. It’s not been the cold and snowy trip the original forecast was promising when we left Missouri.

    My calves are looking the part, even if I say so myself, and a shoutout for my Bedrock sandals too.

  • Descending

    Descending — Nearly down the south side of the ridge, and the trail is leveling out. It was quite rugged in places. I met a woman pushing her mountain bike up the trail, it looked like very hard work. Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • I could almost be in Hercules Glades

    I could almost be in Hercules Glades — If the Glades were at around 10,000ft, that is. I’m following the trail as it runs along the northern side of the ridge. Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Looking over the other side of the ridge

    Looking over the other side of the ridge — I’m facing roughly southeast. The drop on this side of the ridge is only 300ft. Hopefully not a very rugged descent, and not too far for me to climb up on my return. Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Under an hour later and I’m on the top of the ridge

    Under an hour later and I’m on the top of the ridge — Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    And what a view! The fall colors and mountains are spectacular. That was a lot easier than I expected, but it was very steep in places. It was worth it for the views.

  • On the Colorado Trail

    On the Colorado Trail — Day 8 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Okay, I did a tiny bit of this trail yesterday, but I’m counting this as my first hike on a major through trail. I’ll only be going a total of seven miles or so, but that’s enough for me with all the elevation I’ll be gaining.

  • Chalk Cliffs from the Colorado Trail

    Chalk Cliffs from the Colorado Trail — Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    Of course, they are not chalk. They are white quartz left behind after other minerals have been leached from the original rock by hot water (there are hot springs here). The cliffs are very friable, and landslides are common. The Agnes Vaille Trail I was on a couple of days ago had to be rerouted due to a major rockfall.

  • Day 8. Colorado Trail Segment 14: Chalk Creek to US Hwy 50

    Colorado Trail Segment 14: Chalk Creek to US Hwy 50 — Day 8 – Road Trip, October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    And, as is appropriate, heading south, the trail starts with a crossing of Chalk Creek. The complete segment is 20 miles. I’m only going three or four miles and then turning around to come back. However, this includes a 900+ foot climb, it’s going to be the most elevation gain I’ve ever done in a single climb and starting out at 8,700 feet or so too. Hopefully my altitude acclimatization and hiking build-up plan will pay off today.

  • Cascade Campground

    Cascade Campground. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    The final leg of my hike back to my campsite. As it was still early, I then drove to St. Elmo, a Ghost town ten or so miles away. The unpaved roads were in the process of being regraded, and they’d been dumping and wetting topsoil on the road, making it sticky, slippery, and muddy.

  • Approaching Cascade Campground

    Approaching Cascade Campground. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
    Approaching Cascade Campground. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Trail Sign, the western end of Narrow Gauge Trail #1432

    Trail sign, the western end of Narrow Gauge Trail #1432. Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    With my short road hike and excursion up a brief bit of Section 14 of the Colorado Trail, I managed six and a half miles for my second hike.

  • The western end of Narrow Gauge Trail #1432

    Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Chalk Creek Cascade

    Chalk Creek Cascade. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

    This is just the start. The cascade runs for a tad under half a mile and drops over 250 ft. The Cascade campground is just around the corner on the left.

  • This trail is really easy going

    Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail — Heading west. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Mt. Princeton from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail

    Mt. Princeton — from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • Looking west up Chalk Creek Canyon. Mt. Princeton on the right

    Looking west up Chalk Creek Canyon. Mt. Princeton on the right. View from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

  • View from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail — Looking northwest

    View from the Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail — Looking northwest. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. Copyright © 2025 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.
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