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February challenge: week 2 results
Hello, runners! This week we have traveled 142 more miles, putting us at mile 315 and 41% of the way to our goal.
We begin with a long stretch mostly eastward along the county line between Hinsdale and Mineral counties. We cross Snow Mesa around mile 200-208 and go over San Luis Pass at 214.2. This is a remote and very high stretch, rolling between 12,300 and 12,420 feet. As this is above treeline you can see long distances, but you will probably find breathing a little tough due to the lack of oxygen at this altitude!
That biggest peak in the picture there is Uncompaghre, one of Colorado's "fourteeners", or mountains over 14,000 ft. At mile 218.1 we will use some of our active hours to divert to climb one of them, San Luis Peak, which only makes it over that mark by 14 feet. Still, it's the 51st highest mountain in the state, nothing to sneeze at!
After this we take a long descent down Cochetopa Creek and get back below treeline. We even get below 10,000 feet for the first time in quite a while! At 251.5 we cross the paved CO 114 at North Cochetopa Pass and run through the Cochetopa Hills, which are not as dramatic as the San Juan Mountains we've just passed through. This area was a hunting ground of the indigenous Ute tribes.
At mile 297.5 we come to the Monarch Mountain ski area on Monarch Pass, coming out to the highway about 300 yards south of the gift shop. We use some more of our active hours to go skiing! (I realize that we can't be hiking this trail during ski season. But it's all virtual, so I say we can!)
At this point we have to walk along the road for a while before turning off again onto the trail. At mile 310.6 we cross Chalk Creek Pass at 12,140 feet, pass a few lakes, and 2.8 miles later arrive at the ghost town of Hancock. This town served the workers who built the Alpine (railroad) Tunnel, which was completed in 1881, and those who worked at nearby mines, but when the tunnel ceased operation in 1910 and the last mine nearby closed in 1926, the town was abandoned. The two mile hike on a 4WD road to the east portal of the old tunnel completes this week's journey.
Our progress in numbers:
frayadjacent - 39%
silveraspen - 0%
semielliptical - 60%
ilanarama - 26%
meri_oddities - 50%
alexseanchai - 29%
raininshadows - 47%
franzi1981 - 27%
temve - 39%
ell - 50%
liv - 35%
linaelyn - 55%
skuf - 63%
We begin with a long stretch mostly eastward along the county line between Hinsdale and Mineral counties. We cross Snow Mesa around mile 200-208 and go over San Luis Pass at 214.2. This is a remote and very high stretch, rolling between 12,300 and 12,420 feet. As this is above treeline you can see long distances, but you will probably find breathing a little tough due to the lack of oxygen at this altitude!
That biggest peak in the picture there is Uncompaghre, one of Colorado's "fourteeners", or mountains over 14,000 ft. At mile 218.1 we will use some of our active hours to divert to climb one of them, San Luis Peak, which only makes it over that mark by 14 feet. Still, it's the 51st highest mountain in the state, nothing to sneeze at!
After this we take a long descent down Cochetopa Creek and get back below treeline. We even get below 10,000 feet for the first time in quite a while! At 251.5 we cross the paved CO 114 at North Cochetopa Pass and run through the Cochetopa Hills, which are not as dramatic as the San Juan Mountains we've just passed through. This area was a hunting ground of the indigenous Ute tribes.
At mile 297.5 we come to the Monarch Mountain ski area on Monarch Pass, coming out to the highway about 300 yards south of the gift shop. We use some more of our active hours to go skiing! (I realize that we can't be hiking this trail during ski season. But it's all virtual, so I say we can!)
At this point we have to walk along the road for a while before turning off again onto the trail. At mile 310.6 we cross Chalk Creek Pass at 12,140 feet, pass a few lakes, and 2.8 miles later arrive at the ghost town of Hancock. This town served the workers who built the Alpine (railroad) Tunnel, which was completed in 1881, and those who worked at nearby mines, but when the tunnel ceased operation in 1910 and the last mine nearby closed in 1926, the town was abandoned. The two mile hike on a 4WD road to the east portal of the old tunnel completes this week's journey.
Our progress in numbers:
frayadjacent - 39%
silveraspen - 0%
semielliptical - 60%
ilanarama - 26%
meri_oddities - 50%
alexseanchai - 29%
raininshadows - 47%
franzi1981 - 27%
temve - 39%
ell - 50%
liv - 35%
linaelyn - 55%
skuf - 63%
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