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Letterboxing Northeast Colorado Letterboxes Sapphire Point, Breckenridge Colorado Colorado has some of the most magnificent hiking in the world! And, for us sea-level folk, some of the hardest. A few tips: Allow a day or two to adjust to the altitude before hiking. Bring sunscreen, dark glasses, lip balm, and water. Remember that hydration best begins the day before your hike. Lightning is a real threat in the Rockies: leave the mountains by noon. These are all summer-fall hikes. We learned a lot about Colorado hiking from: Hiking Colorado (1991, Caryn & Peter Boddie) 100 Hikes in Colorado (1995, Scott S. Warren) http://www.parks.state.co.us These hikes aren't necessarily the "best" of Colorado, although they were certainly a treat for us. They are based, instead, on the family we visited in Keystone, Pagosa Springs, and Carbondale in the summer of 2000. Enjoy! Hanging Lake, Carbondale Colorado Hanging Lake Distance: 2.4 miles round trip. About 2 hours of hiking. Elevation: 6,100 to 7,250 feet. Difficulty: Locals: strenuous. Tourists: "are we there yet?" The first box is missing. Our second letterbox, Spouting Rock, was last found 10/29/03 by TDG. Map from Topozone.com A gem of crystal clear alpine freshwater hanging on cliff's edge, with lovely waterfalls. The hiking is steep and rocky, straight up the vertical sides of famous Glenwood Canyon, but the trail is well maintained and has numerous benches if you need to rest. There are two letterboxes on this terrific hike. Directions: On I-70's famous stretch through Glenwood Canyon east of Carbondale, take the Hanging Lake rest stop area (exit 125). Since you can only enter Hanging Lake from the eastbound lanes and exit onto the westbound highway, you'll need to turn around either coming or going at the Grizzly Creek rest stop (exit 121). It sounds a bit more complicated than it seems when you're there, driving through the canyon. The Climb: Park at the visitor's center and warm up with a short level eastwards walk up the Colorado River on the recreational path. Turn in at the Hanging Lake Trail and climb. Climb! The trail is steep and rocky, following the music of falling water the whole way. About 1/3 of the way up, skip the Dead Horse Creek Trail, staying with the main Hanging Lake Trail. Close to the one mile marker lives a bench which once sheltered the Hanging Lake Letterbox, now missing. Make your final surge steeply uphill using the steps and handrails to discover jewel-like Hanging Lake. Please stay on the board walk to preserve this amazing place. After breathing deep of this incredibly beautiful spot, continue uphill on the Spouting Rock Trail. It is only a hundred yards or so to this wonderful second waterfall: watch for a crossing on a level causeway of stepping stones on the way up. After visiting Spouting Rock return down the trail, and just at the northern end of that rocky bridge make a right hand U-turn back towards Spouting Rock onto an unmarked path with the vertical wall on your left. At the first level spot in this side trail, turn a couple steps right and look in the east face of a low tree for your second letterbox of the day. Now return as you came, letting gravity help or hinder, depending on your legs. Dedicated with love and great esteem to Mark and his gals. Lenawee Trail, Montezuma Colorado Loveland Distance: 7 miles roundtrip (4.5 miles roundtrip to the letterbox). Elevation: 10,400 to 13,204 feet (letterbox at 12,000 feet). Difficulty: Moderate for locals, strenuous for newly acclimated hikers. Map from Topozone.com The Lenawee Trail climbs in the Arapaho National Forest to the summit of Lenawee Mountain, with magnificent alpine views of Loveland Pass, the Ten Mile and Gore Ranges, and Dillon Reservoir. This is an out-and-back hike for two letterboxes. We saw a wealth of wildlife, including Elk, Bighorn Sheep, and Mountain Goats. Directions: On CO Rte. 6 at the east end of Keystone Resort, take the Gondola Rd exit if eastbound from Dillon (or, the Montezuma Rd exit if westbound from Loveland Pass). At the intersection of Gondola and Montezuma Roads, follow Montezuma 4.6 miles to a sharp left hairpin at the Western Sky Bed & Breakfast. Turn left into the parking area and pass through the Forest Service gate onto the dirt road, and follow it about 1 mile to the Peru Creek crossing. Another 0.6 miles from the crossing will bring you to the well-marked Lenawee Trail trailhead. Hiking: Begin with a steady westward climb of about 1,000 feet over the course of about one mile. You'll pass some old mining relics on the left and make an easy small-stream crossing before reaching a switchback leading to fantastic west-facing outcrops over the Snake River watershed. After the trail makes it's first distinct right-left switchback, you'll emerge onto the first viewpoint. At this first lookout, take a moment to catch your breath from the climb. Then, from the highest spot, with the Gore and Ten Mile Ranges off to the west and the funky town of Montezuma to the south, look east to a copse of evergreen just across the trail. Hummingbird, the first letterbox, is in the middle of this little bunch of trees. After a second rocky ledge, the trail turns northwards and continues a moderate grade uphill. You'll pass a transition zone of smaller trees and eventually climb into the alpine rooftop of the Continental Divide. Please stay on-trail as the high country environment is quite fragile. Above treeline, the trail will eventually turn southward for a brief level stretch. About 100 yards before a large, almost cabin-sized outcropping of layered stone that is off-trail on the mountain's edge to your right, find a medium sized rock cairn on the left side of the trail. Reach around to the left to remove a single rock and discover one of the rewards of this hike. With the threat of lightening and un-acclimatized lungs (the air is THIN up here!), we turned back at this point. You can, however, continue another 1.5 miles up the trail to an intersection that turns right to Lenawee's peak and the defunct American Eagle Mine. It is also possible to continue on straight at that intersection to the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on Rte. 6. Continental Divide Distance: 2½ miles Elevation: 11,900 to 12,200 feet Difficulty: moderate hike at altitude, but very exposed. Map, courtesy of Topozone The Continental Divide Trail runs the length of the North American backbone: this out-and-back hike is along an easily-accessed portion. It took us a couple of days to get just the right weather for this traverse as the summer lightning here can be deadly. Please keep this in mind as you plan your trip. Directions: This hike follows the ridge above the Eisenhower Tunnel on US Rte. 70. Climb on CO Rte. 6 up to Loveland Pass and park at the well-marked summit. Hike west on the obvious trail past a stone wall to climb steeply to the first spiny top, and then walk along the cirque to gradually climb up to the next ridge. There are beautiful views south to the Ten Mile and Gore Ranges at a rubbly cairn. Thankfully, that last pitch tends to weed out the tourists, and you might find yourself alone on the edge of the world. Looking west along the trail, the next little peak ¼ mile away is our goal. Hike up to that knobby spot with a big cairn blocking the trail. A short way downhill west, find a jumble of rock on the right: rock-step to protect the fragile alpine plants and find the Continental Divide letterbox in the top of the pile, a little bit to the north, under a quartzy stone. Please rehide well for the winter gales and ice. Keystone Summit, Colorado 11 7 (Missing in action...) Distance: 2.2 miles Elevation: 11,700 feet Difficulty: Moderate for locals, strenuous for newly acclimated hikers. A beautiful high-altitude mountain bike trail with marvelous views of the surrounding mountains. Directions: At Keystone Resort near Dillon and Breckinridge. Hike, spin, or lift your way to the Keystone Mountain Summit (we rode the gondola). Letterboxing: Take a deep breath! Using your handy trail map, work your way south and east to the 11-7 trail, which is a great little family-oriented loop hike. We did the trail counter clockwise, as the local mountain bike guru told us that would be easier climbing. At the northeast corner of the loop, you'll find a fine, high meadow which is east-southeast of a rocky knoll. Look to the north side of the trail for a small cairn, and when you see it, walk 15 or so steps northwards off-trail into a clump of pine. The 11-7 Letterbox is to the right (east), under a tree. (This area is west of the many marked black diamond ski trails). It's all downhill from here! Well, almost... Fourmile Falls, Pagosa Springs Colorado Adopted Country Last visited September 7, 2003 Distance: 6 miles roundtrip, about 4 hours hiking. Elevation: 9,050 to 9,800 feet. Difficulty: Easy for locals, moderate for newly-acclimated hikers. Map from Topozone.com Fourmile Falls is a spectacular double waterfall in the Weminuche Wilderness Area north of Pagosa Springs, in the rugged San Juan Mountains. The hike itself is fairly level across lovely upland meadows with spectacular views of Eagle Peak. The trail is steep but brief at the far end before the single letterbox. Directions: On Rte. 160 in downtown Pagosa Springs, turn north onto the town road at the Subway Sandwich shop, and then bear left behind the shop onto County Road 400. After a scenic 8.4 miles on improved gravel (our little rental car did just fine), bear right onto Fourmile Road. In 4.7 miles find the road's end at the trailhead. On foot: At the trailhead, take the right hand fork for an out and back hike. Follow this trail heading generally north above Fourmile Creek for about three miles. You'll pass through stands of evergreen and aspen, with clouds of butterflies in the wildflowers. The views of the mountains grow enchantingly as you progress. Enjoy the first waterfall for a rest, then cross over the stream on the trail and climb steeply up to the second falls. Just at a viewpoint of this waterfall, find a big stump on the left side of the trail, perfect for sitting and enjoying. Scramble up the talus slope about 20 feet to a big hunk of conglomerate rock at bearing 240 degrees to find your reward cached in the northwest face. To return, simply retrace your steps back down the trail. Dedicated to Stephen & Christian, who have truly made this land their own. Fountain Valley Missing: removed by the Park Rangers in the best interest of this amazing location. We highly recommend this hike even without the letterbox. Distance: 2.2 miles. One or two hours, depending. Elevation: 6,000 feet. Difficulty: Easy. There is one letterbox here, last found on September 11, 2003 by Ewok & Trinity Jah. Dramatic red rock formations with niche ecosystems in a popular park just southwest of Denver. Directions: From I-470 take CO Rte. 121 (Wadsworth Rd) south paast Chatfield State Park. Turn left on Waterton Rd just before the entrance to Lockheed Martin and drive 1.6 miles to cross the South Platte River to the road's end at North Rampart Range Rd. Turn right for 2.3 miles, then left onto Roxborough Park Road. Stop at the gate to pay a fee and then continue to the Visitor's Center parking area. Sorry, no dogs or bikes in this fragile area. Letterboxing: Take the Fountain Valley Loop trail leaving north from the visitor's center. At the loop intersection, we suggest heading right for a counter clockwise loop, which will bring you through the spectacular valley as a finale. Follow the signs to Lyon's Overlook and enjoy the photogenic scene. Just coming in to the overlook area, you'll find a bench in shade north of the observation deck. The Fountain Grove Letterbox is 12 feet away in low oak scrub at 140 degrees. Now continue back to the main trail and continue around through Fountain Valley. As you climb out of the amazing red rock formations, your trail will rejoin the loop at the original intersection.  Now just hang a right at the intersection to return to the Visitor's Center. Favorite Colorado bumper sticker: "Getting this high in most other states would be illegal."