Rainy Colorado hike suggestions

[juliachaos]

I'm going up to the Breck area for the next week or so. The plan was to hit Wetterhorn on the way up, but the weather isn't looking promising. Anyone have suggestions on cool/fun hikes that wouldn't be too affected by rain (as in, no summits, but totally doable in the rain)? Including ghost towns or other historical points of interest. I'll likely be going up through Buena Vista, but welcoming suggestions more to the west along I-70 as well.

[FOTG]

@juliachaos
We did this one and it meets most of your criteria, in fact, we chose it because we thought the wheather would not be favorable for a 14er that day...just outside of Salida and on way to B.V. as the locals say ;)

http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=20267

[FOTG]

@juliachaos Also around B.V. and Leadville area you have access to Collegiate Peaks west and some cool historical areas to stop by like Winfield, as well as tons of "lower elevation" day hikes in area...

http://hikearizona.com/dex2/igallery/im ... hp?id=5213

[juliachaos]

@friendofThundergod
Very awesome, thanks!

[big_load]

@juliachaos
We did this one and it meets most of your criteria, in fact, we chose it because we thought the wheather would not be favorable for a 14er that day...just outside of Salida and on way to B.V. as the locals say ;)

http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=20267

There's a cute little ghost town (St. Elmo ) near the pass. There's a campground nearby and an old cemetery, too.

[rwstorm]

I have camped near Winfield. Great little ghost town as FOTG said.

Also, a little ways south of BV by Nathrop, CR162 heads west toward Mt. Princeton Hot Springs and beyond. Great road that I drove to St. Elmo (highly recommended as noted by big_load) and beyond over Tincup Pass to Tincup. Also, at St. Elmo, you can take a road south to Hancock. From there it is about a 3 mile hike to the remains of the collapsed Alpine Tunnel, a great piece of railroad engineering (1700 feet tunnel bored under the Continental Divide by the Denver, South Park, and Pacific RR in 1880-81).

[FOTG]

@rwstorm
Oh shoot! I forgot about St. Elmo....good call, we thought about ourselves, but just had so much else to do..

[DallinW]

Lake Ann doesn't exactly meet your criteria for being completely in the trees, but it is so close to treeline you can run back down before trouble hits....if the weather looks good I'd go all the way up to the pass.

[FOTG]

@DallinW
That crossed my mind, but I know what she drives and I don't think they are making it into that TH man...Certainly possible, but prob. a tough little drive....

EDIT: Looked up drive to TH road is rated as easy 4WD High clearance recommended...

[DallinW]

@DallinW
That crossed my mind, but I know what she drives and I don't think they are making it into that TH man...Certainly possible, but prob. a tough little drive....

EDIT: Looked up drive to TH road is rated as easy 4WD High clearance recommended...

Ah yeah, I have no clue what that road looks like.

[FOTG]

@DallinW
@juliachaos

Not a bad suggestion though, most of the locals walk the road anyways, round trip without road was under 8, even with road walk, still probably only looking at about a 12-14 mile day I would guess...

http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=41277

[nonot]

Not sure how close to Breck you are considering. There are some good hikes on the Western side of Rocky Mtn Nationale Park: East Inlet and La Poudre Pass come to mind.

[Jim]

California, High Sierra, maybe Mount Whitney, Langley, or Death Valley NP and Telescope Peak. ;)

[juliachaos]

@Jim_H
if only!

@nonot @friendofThundergod @DallinW @rwstorm @big_load
thanks so much for your input! and what a cool little area. I'd love to go to Lake Ann, but not sure my car would make it, especially with all the rain. St Elmo and the other trails look like fun though!

[rwstorm]

@juliachaos
When in Buena Vista, stop in the Eddyline brewpub and have one of their Innerglow Red Chile Porters (if you dare). I tried one in their Socorro operation last month...pretty spicy!

[juliachaos]

@rwstorm
I ALWAYS stop there when I'm in town. Love that place! I may need to split that beer with others while I'm there, but I'll do it!

[RedRoxx44]

Forecast is looking awesome for the Wind Rivers, which I am headed toward this upcoming week.

[big_load]

Forecast is looking awesome for the Wind Rivers, which I am headed toward this upcoming week.

Ooh! Have fun, I need to get there before much longer.