Ft. Collins Area in October?

[Heather]

Is anyone interested in doing a run up North, some time in October, preferably on a Saturday? Nothing higher difficulty than stock Cherokee (he did MSV/Coney Flats no problem), unless there's bypasses...?

[mattzj98]

Strip mall? Ill be on the bypass :)

[Heather]

Strip mall? Ill be on the bypass
Ha ha, sorry - I edited my post too much. Up north near Ft. Collins because I want to get my brother (at CSU) to come with. Not so much into malls. Ew.

[Jackie]

Not North - but West! We're going to be up in Grand Lake again in the middle of October (dates TBD). We're actually going to be shopping for a cabin, but might fit in a trail or two. There are some very easy trails there. I'll let you know once we figure out what we're doing...

Here's an example: http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=321 - then click on the surrounding trails for options...

[mattzj98]

Yeah, was just giving you crap Heather =P if you go on the stillwater pass, I might be able to take the bmw! (If I finish all the work to that..)


Weren't there any trails close to kelly flats there? It sure was pretty up there.. really regret not going on the 2nd trail

[Heather]

Weren't there any trails close to kelly flats there? It sure was pretty up there.. really regret not going on the 2nd trail
Yeah, that second trail made up for the touch of monotony of Kelly Flats. You totally shoulda been there!

The relevant list in the book is:

Montgomery Pass
Baker Pass (sounds like they might be run together?? Both rated "Medium")
Green Ridge Road (4/4, hmmmm!)
Kelly Flats (noooooo)
Old Flowers Road (3/3)
Moody Hill (3/8 - but 8 is rock quarry - we were there last year in F150 - so fun and OMG if we can play in there...sooo fun)
Storm Mountain (4/6, but there's a gate?)
Pole Hill (3/4 too far from CSU?)
Pierson Park Road (3/3)

Being new and all, I have no idea what those trails have going on in October in terms of snow, openness, etc...

[Jackie]

I might be able to take the bmw!
Yep! You could!

But there are other options that might require a bit more than you want to put a BMW through! And the visual pay-off is awesome regardless of what you drive!:thumb:

[mattzj98]

Don't really want to put dust on it, the jeep does better job at being dirty haha

Heather, how bad are the rocks at moody hill?

[Jim]

I'm interested (and live about a mile south of CSU on Shields). Can't 10/1 & 2 but otherwise nothing set.

[Heather]

Heather, how bad are the rocks at moody hill?
The trail itself is easy (we did it in Chris's super crew F150 a year ago) - but the rock quarry is it's own separate, next-to-the-trail play area. When we went last year, it was with a friend with a Cherokee. She could do some of it, but not much at all. YOU, on the other hand, could give it a go!! http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=72 They have pix of the rock quarry in there ("Monica in the rock quarry" 1-8, and "Rock Quarry" 1-5). Your sister could totally do the trail in her rig, and we could play at the quarry!

[mattzj98]

I'm down

[Heather]

I'm interested (and live about a mile south of CSU on Shields). Can't 10/1 & 2 but otherwise nothing set.

Sweet!!! My husband is drilling this weekend anyway, so that's out - it'll be the following weekends at some point!


I'm down

YES!! How about Katey??

[Andrew]

What's wrong with Kelly Flats?

And I'm up here too.

[mattzj98]

Katie goes wherever I go..

Kelly flats isn't really much of a trail. Heart Attack hill was awesome, chutes were awesome, but rest of the trail is good enough for a RTD bus to pass.. long and boring

[Andrew]

Really? I haven't ever done it.

[Heather]

Really? I haven't ever done it.
It was pretty....just underwhelming. Even the bypass to heart attack hill was very cool - took the rest of us (Matt and Jeff are the only two that took on the Hill that day) about 15 minutes to do it...but the rest of the trail...not so much. If it were a trail that we didn't drive so far to get to, it would be okay (in my opinion).

[Kory]

I would have to agree with Matt and Heather. Besides heart attack hill and the chutes Kelly Flats is nothing special..

[Brody]

Surprised a little. Yeah, what Matt said pretty much sums it up. A lot of rather boring flat driving with Heart Attack Hill, the bypass for the same and The Chutes being the hardest parts. I don't know how many times I had driven that trail, along with some other stuff in the area, before I even felt inclined to 'conquer the Chutes'. I usually never bothered to air down and the thought of 'airing down' for what amounts to a 12' section of rock has always struck me as pretty ******* stupid. I finally didn't that 12' wonder and wasn't disappointed. It was pretty ******* stupid. Kind of like doing a 600' easy rock climb for a 12' section of classic hard moves.

I remember the first time running the trail, being psyched to do The Chutes. When I finally saw The Chutes, it was "Come on. You have to be kidding me." Same kind of thing you experience driving down to do Dakan Mountain Road or FS 211, or Stoney Pass, all listed as 4x "trails" in Well's book. Someone new to the area is going to get all wound up to do one of those '4x trails' then find that they are sharing the road with a lot of 2WD drive passenger cars.

Good camping off the sides of Kelly Flats as well as some 'hidden' harder spurs that are harder than anything else on Kelly, but you have to hunt them down.

[Andrew]

It was pretty....just underwhelming. Even the bypass to heart attack hill was very cool - took the rest of us (Matt and Jeff are the only two that took on the Hill that day) about 15 minutes to do it...but the rest of the trail...not so much. If it were a trail that we didn't drive so far to get to, it would be okay (in my opinion).

Interesting. Well the Poudre Canyon is not that much of a drive for me since I'm on the Northwest side of FoCo.

[Heather]

Poudre Canyon is not that much of a drive for me
You should totally do it! It's certainly beautiful. I recommend the (fun!) bypass, as opposed to Heart Attack Hill, though...:eek:

[ColoRaider]

I would be in for a NOCO run in Oct, any weekend but this weekend.

[Jim]

What say ye regarding Sat 10/8 ? Any plans stirring or are you thinking later in the month?

[Heather]

What say ye regarding Sat 10/8 ? Anything plans stirring or are you thinking later in the month?

Was thinking Saturday October 22 (I guess that's after mid-terms?) - what's the consensus on that date??

[Jim]

22nd is "likely" available for me. My sister & family are planning a Georgetown railroad trip one of these weekends (that would trump a trail ride) - but likely not on the 22nd as they have a late afternoon appointment in Aurora that day..

[Heather]

How about October 29th or 30th?

[Heather]

I was thinking Moody Hill (with optional Rock Quarry): http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=72 and maybe a little Crystal Mountain, depending on the weather, since it's higher?

[Jim]

Looks like I'm available any weekend this month!

Sat's & Sun's, maybe even a weekday.

Moody Hill Crystal Mountain - never`been and would like to view! Game for any trail (higher scenery ratings the better).

[95tacoma]

Meghan and I could make it on the 29th or the 30th:thumb:

[Heather]

Sweet! We should plan it.

[95tacoma]

moody hill or storm mountain :) thursday, friday, or saturday pretty please :P

Saturday works best for us!

[Brody]

Post it as a run...

[95tacoma]

Post it as a run...

Done!:thumb: