Seniors Outdoors! Summer 2010 Outing Schedule Outing Description Day, Date, Difficulty E-mail schedule changes and updates to: [email protected]. Departure Time Rating, & Total Length Meeting place abbreviations: ACP: Animas City Park TC: Trimble Crossing Departure & Tam: Tamarron DMR: Durango Mountain Resort RC: Rec Center Place Elevation SRP: Santa Rita Park Gain Schedule changes and trip updates are in red on online schedule. Wed June 9 WW hike: Telegraph to Pautsky Point. The trail begins by following the old Moderate 8:30 am Horse Gulch road, now closed to traffic, and links another trail that goes 6 miles 3rd & 8th Street through a meadow before connecting with the Telegraph Hill where the trail 1,000’ Horse Gulch then ascends to Pautsky Point. The trail is well marked and most elevation Trailhead gain is from the start of the trail up Telegraph Hill. Leader Dennis Aronson 259-5045 RSVP non-members only Thurs June 10 Hike the Dry Fork – Hoffhein Connection Loop. A pretty loop hike with Moderate 8:00 am consistent and mostly gradual elevation gain up to the Colorado Trail and a 8.5 miles SRP slightly steeper return on Hoffhein Connection with views of Perins Peak, 1,290’ Barnroof Point and the La Plata Mountains . Carpool $1. Dogs OK. RSVP Leader David Wright 259-5978 [email protected] Fri June 11 Cave Basin Trail to Emerald Lake Overlook. The trail starts north east of Hard 8:30 am Vallecito off of Middle Mountain Road. We will climb through fairly open, 9 miles ACP exposed alpine Meadows to an unnamed ridge overlooking Dollar and 1,600’ Emerald Lakes to the east. Great views to the west over the Vallecito valley include Sheep, Emerson, Amherst and Organ Mountains. We return on the same path after lunch at the overlook. Carpool $5. RSVP Leader Rich Butler 403-3185 [email protected] Sat June 12 Hike Jacob’s Cliff. Hike off the backside of Animas City Mountain. Some Moderate 8:30 am bushwhacking is required. 5 miles ACP RSVP Leader John Martin 247-2581 [email protected] 1,500’ Sun June 13 Hike Vallecito Creek Trail Hike to first bridge (6 miles round trip) or for the Moderate – 8:30am hardy to the second bridge (11 miles round trip). Easily marked trail. Go at Hard ACP your own pace and early turn-arounds are OK. Elevation gain is around 700 6 - 11 miles feet to first bridge, 1,000 feet to second bridge. Follow Creek through beautiful 700’ or 1,000 canyon and into the wilderness. There is one stream crossing to first bridge, two more to second bridge. May need to wade through the streams if the water is high. The falls should be beautiful. Carpool $3. Dogs OK. RSVP Leader Sherry Suenram 259-5259 [email protected] Mon June 14 Hike “Larkspur Lane” This is an annual favorite named by John Montle in Moderate ACP 9:00 am 2001 for the larkspur and other flowers carpeting the meadows. We follow the (or Easy if TC 9:10 am well-established lower Engineer Mtn. Trail part way up and back through turn back DMR 9:30 am woods and meadows with great views. Lunch at a view spot. Early turn-backs early) OK. Carpool $3. Dogs OK. 6 miles RSVP Leader Betsy Petersen 259-5417 [email protected] 1,850’ Wed June 16 WW hike: Missionary Ridge to Radio Towers. This is an “in and out” hike Moderate 8:15 am that begins in the Durango Hills area, accessed from CR240. 6 miles RC Leader Warren Levingston 769-1437 RSVP non-members only 1,100’ Wed June 16 Cascade to Coal Bank Training Hike Hike to Engineer Plateau via Engineer Hard ACP 8:00 am Mtn. Trail from FS work center near Cascade and then down to Coal Bank on 8 miles TC 8:10 am Pass Trail. Good views from plateau. Carpool $5. 2,700’ DMR 8:30 am RSVP Leader Bill Cagle 385-4566 [email protected] 1 Fri June 18 Hike in the Upper Hermosa Drainage . Destination TBD. Most of this hike Hard ACP 8:00am will be off regular trails. 4WD nice. Carpool $5. 8 miles TC 8:10 am RSVP Leader Bill Cagle 385-4566 [email protected] 2,000’ to DMR 8:30 am 3000’ Fri June 18 SO! Ladies Fridays A Field: Jones Creek Trail climbs through switchbacks, Option 1: Hard RC 8:00 am levels out, ascends, descends, and then ascends steadily until reaching Jones 8.6 miles TC 8:15 am Creek. The views are limited, but the trees provide plenty of shade for a nice, 1,560’ comfortable hike. The trail is popular with mountain bikers. Carpool $1. Dogs Option 2: on leash or left at home. Moderate RSVP Leader Julie Wilson 259-6775 or [email protected] 5 - 6 miles 800’ Sun June 20 Climb Hesperus Peak from Owens Basin We will start up the Owens Basin Most 7:00 am Trail, accessed via Echo Basin Road. At some point we will climb north, gain Challenging SRP the ridge, and hike east to the summit. Return the same way. Climb may be 13 miles postponed in case of heavy snow. Call Bob or check online schedule for 4,000’ change. High clearance helpful. Carpool $5. Dogs OK. RSVP Leader Bob Thompson 382-9271 Wed June 23 WW hike: Log Chutes Trail This trail system is in the Junction Creek area. Moderate 8:15 am We will follow the shorter of the two loops on an old road. The trail ascends at 4.6 miles RC the start and then generally levels out with some up and down along the way, 880’ eventually looping back to the trailhead. Dogs on leash or left at home. Leader Barb Hancock 764-4531 RSVP non-members only Thurs June 24 Annual Spud Mtn. Climb & Birthday Celebration Enjoy a fun hike/climb up Hard ACP 8:00 am a local landmark. No trail. Some steepness, rock scrambling and exposure 3 miles TC 8:10 am involved. Group must stay together. Option to wait at base of rocky peak to 1,840’ DMR 8:30 am avoid rock scrambling but you’ll miss the dynamite views! Help John and Connie celebrate their birthdays (10 years apart … which is which?) Limit 10. Carpool $3. Dogs OK, but not for the final rock scramble. RSVP Leader John Montle 769-6108 [email protected] Co-Leader Connie Webbe Sat June 26 Hike from Molas to Coal Bank We will start at Little Molas Lake Colorado Hard ACP 6:30 am trail trailhead parking, and hike down the Colorado trail to the Engineer 14 miles TC 6:40 am Mountain trail then to the Pass Creek trail to Coal Bank Pass. This will 3,460’ DMR 7:00 am probably be the longest and last conditioning hike for those going on the Colorado trail hike. Carpool $5. Dogs OK. RSVP Leader John Martin 247-2581 [email protected] Tues June 29 Climb Bear Mountain (12,987’) Hike up the Colorado Trail from Little Molas Hard ACP: 7:30 am Lake to the Bear Creek/Lime Creek saddle, then down Bear Creek a mile to 8.5 miles TC: 7:40 am the start of the ascent to Bear Mountain. There may be a little bushwhacking. 2,600’ DMR: 8:00 am Carpool $5. No dogs. RSVP Leader John Bregar 385-1814 [email protected] Wed June 30 WW hike: Twin Buttes Trail follows a road that ascends from the start Moderate 8:00 am eventually leveling out slightly before arriving at the base of Twin Buttes. 6 miles SW corner of Those interested may bushwhack to the top of the east butte. The return 1,100’ Albertson’s follows the same route. Recommend long pants for those who wish to parking lot bushwhack to the top of the butte. Please carpool, as trailhead parking is limited. Leader Ray Walker 382-7662 RSVP non-members only Thurs July 1 Hike McMillan Peak (12,804’) This loop hike begins above Red Mountain Moderate ACP 7:00 am Pass, continues into lovely U.S. Basin, climbs to the ridge and culminates atop 5.3 miles TC 7:10 am McMillan Peak. Wildflowers should be abundant! Descent will be by a different, 1,300’ DMR 7:30 am more direct route. Patches of snow are a possibility. 4WD necessary. Carpool $7. Dogs OK. RSVP Leader Betsy Petersen 259-5417 [email protected] 2 Sat July 3 Hike to Sharkstooth Pass with option to climb Centennial Peak (13,082’) Pass: Mod 7:00 am Trail starts in the forest and climbs above timberline to the Pass. The flowers 3 miles SRP should be great near the saddle. Hikers doing the shorter option may take their 900’ time while the peak climbers hike ahead. After the saddle, the peak baggers will have a short, steep talus climb and continue up the ridge another 0.7 miles Peak: Hard to the peak. There are great views of all the La Plata peaks. There’s usually a 5 miles strong wind on the pass and peak, so bring warm clothes and rain gear. 4WD 2,200’ helpful. Carpool $6. Dogs OK under control. RSVP Leader Dorothy Bregar 385-1814 [email protected] Co-Leaders Nancy Mead and David Wright Tues July 6 to Colorado Trail 5-day Supported Hike This will be a four-day hike (plus 1 Hard Sat July 10 driving day) along the Colorado Trail from San Luis Pass to Molas Pass, Moderate Meeting time breaking the hike into 4 segments, hiking one segment each day.