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| Hiking | 5.72 Miles |
1,551 AEG |
| | Hiking | 5.72 Miles | 4 Hrs 48 Mns | | 1.56 mph |
| 1,551 ft AEG | 1 Hour 8 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Several ideas were suggested. This original idea was supposed to be along an “old jeep road.” Maybe the road existed. Maybe it didn’t. Maybe we missed the actual road. We definitely didn’t reference a map. We saw the summit and went that way.
We started on the Mint Spring Trail. About 0.8 of a mile in, halfway to the big junction with Aspen, Marshall Gulch, Wilderness of Rocks, we took a right. There appeared to be a path and there appeared to be a quasi-cairn. We proceeded with 3 dogs in tow.
The path worked steadily up a ridge but eventually became so overgrown with New Mexican Locust trees that we had to reassess.
Reassess meant find the path of least resistance and continue on. We traversed through an old burn area with no vegetation, lots of large, loose rocks, and dusty soil sliding beneath each step.
At this point, I put Pug in her carrier and strapped her to my back. We made it over to a slight ravine. Worked our way to a gentle entry point and over to the next ridge.
We continued up a game trail until it became so choked with locust that we, again, had to reevaluate. We went around the wall of thorns and into some pine and aspen. Up and over and under and through deadfall. No trail whatsoever. Worked through one last locust grove and made it over to the official Aspen Trail.
We hiked to the summit, took a small break to drink the remainder of our water. Everyone loves seeing Pug in her carrier. I almost made it the whole way up with her on my back, but she’s a chonk so I had to switch out.
We let her walk on the way back and she cruised down the Aspen Draw Trail.
It was shaded the entire way. Eventually we took the Turkey Run Trail, which led us back to Summerhaven.
We finished with a stop to the general store for pickles and cokes and to compare battle wounds.
Solid type 2 day.
Note to self: “old jeep road” is code for sufferfest. |
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