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| Hiking | 13.00 Miles |
1,000 AEG |
| | Hiking | 13.00 Miles | | | |
| 1,000 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | This is a beautiful trail. In several of the other 8 triplogs, the people who wrote them did not actually hike this trail at all (including my other triplog, but I did say that it wasn't this trail, and I think I titled it differently, but it ended up on here, anyway.) This trail starts almost at the deadend of 373, at the "end of Greer" or "Road to Nowhere." There is a noticeable trailhead sign on the left, just past the last giant log home on 373. It says East Fork Trail, Gabaldon Campground 7. It might say "Mt. Baldy" also. The original hike write-up is correct. This is trail #95 and it becomes East Baldy Trail after 7 miles.
I waded across the Little Colorado at the beginning of the hike with bare feet because I had forgotten my Tevas. The current is swift, the bottom rocky, and the depth just below my knees. (This is at a bit over 8400 feet elev.) Then I started up the switchbacks. There is some deadfall left from last winter, but it is not too bad. It is easy to lose the trail within a quarter mile, though, because at one major switchback which has deadfall over it there is an unsigned junction with the trail that goes down to the OTHER east fork trail. So if you end up in Greer Valley again, you are not on the right trail! At that junction you have to bear a hard right up yet another switchback.
Once you top over the rim at around 9100' (1.18 miles), it is easy going. After about 3 miles you start getting into some meadows. I saw 5 elk and a turkey while passing through the meadows.
I hiked as far as Colter Reservoir, where I could see 273, and good view of Baldy, with snow all over the ridge. I am pretty sure where this trail crosses 273 it goes to the Gabaldon horse campground, and then jogs from there over to the East Baldy Trail, which is also Trail #95. I saw no one. Also, FYI, at Colter Reservoir, the East Fork Trail intersects with the Railroad Grade Trail, unsigned. This end of the RR grade trail has not seen much maintenance in recent years.
Elevation gain I gave is approximate. Where I turned around I was above 9400'. |
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There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life. |
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