Saturday July 27 - somewhere (Bill Moore Lake, Coney Flats, MSV?)

[open_circuit]

According to alltrails (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/bill-moore-lake-trail), Bill Moore Lake trail is now passable all the way to the lake. I also saw newracer post that MSV / Coney Flats opened this past weekend.


I'd like to spend Saturday, July 27 on the trails. Where should we go? Who else is looking to wheel?

[Tom]

I am and could be up for either.

If we had an early start one could do Bill Moore and take the empire loop back out to exit.

[open_circuit]

I've never run the Empire Loop. Always fun to run a new trail. I'll look it up.

[Tom]

Its the loop in blue.

[speedkills]

I just did MSV/Coney Flats last week but would be up for the other trails.

[open_circuit]

Sounds like maybe Bill Moore Lake + Empire Loop is a good choice, then

[Tom]

Sounds like maybe Bill Moore Lake + Empire Loop is a good choice, then
There’s a good air down location at the trailhead. I have had the meetup there a couple of times.

[FINOCJ]

FWIW...The empire loop is also known as mill creek on some trail guides when searching for info.

[FINOCJ]

Not sure how my schedule will evolve after getting home this weekend, but keeping an eye on this. Would you consider going up red elephant to access bill Moore. Do the empire/mill creek loop on the way?

[open_circuit]

Interested in (reasonable) adventure for this trip. I haven't run red elephant, but I have the impression it is a challenging trail. Not sure specifically why I think that. Can you provide any insight, James?

[FINOCJ]

I ran it last year with Louis and Tyler. Louis was in his 4runner with 32s and no problems. It was quite wet when we ran it and that made it a bit chunkier. When dry, its quite a bit easier. I'd put it in the same category as MSV-Coney without the water crossing...others are welcome to correct my memory...

[Tom]

Interested in (reasonable) adventure for this trip. I haven't run red elephant, but I have the impression it is a challenging trail. Not sure specifically why I think that. Can you provide any insight, James?fyi. I wasn’t thinking Red Elephant

[Getaklu]

I have the impression it is a challenging trail. Not sure specifically why I think that.

You might read through the following report, this might be where some of the impression came from: http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?27054-Red-Elephant-Mill-Creek-Bill-Moore-Empire-and-Tech-Report

[Java]

I'd skip Red Elephant personally and hit the Empire loop off of Bill Moore. I ran it with Matt last year and had that thought after going up Red Elephant and coming down Bill Moore. Bill Moore is incredibly scenic, Red Elephant is just a lot of banging in the trees, no significant obstacles just constant rocks. Not that Red Elephant is a bad trail, just IMO a little dull.

[open_circuit]

Getaklu's link to the thread from Alan's run last year (which I apparently read and commented on) is enough. I'll pass on Red Elephant this week -- Empire loop + Bill Moore will be on the calendar later today.

[FINOCJ]

sounds good...

[open_circuit]

Tom, where's a good meeting place for this run? Start at Bill Moore lake and end at Empire Loop?

The only time I've run Bill Moore lake, we met in a big dirt lot just south of Empire, then drove back through empire to get on the trail.

[Tom]

Tom, where's a good meeting place for this run? Start at Bill Moore lake and end at Empire Loop?

The only time I've run Bill Moore lake, we met in a big dirt lot just south of Empire, then drove back through empire to get on the trail.
I have always met right at the trailhead.
https://goo.gl/maps/fDDZiPufhsi9eeDe9


Trail Damage meets at
the Starbucks next to the gas station at Downieville, exit 234 off of I-70.

[Java]

Just FYI Kingston opened yesterday...

[open_circuit]

Just FYI Kingston opened yesterday...

All the way through?

[Java]

It says "gates" plural, so I'd guess so... https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5339508