Bill Moore Lake / Empire Loop Sunday July 26

[open_circuit]

Meet at the trail head near Empire at 9, hit the trail at 9:15? Trailhead - https://www.google.com/maps/place/Empire,+CO/@39.7722074,-105.6839266,191m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x876bb18152ba9587:0x70597 e890bc46e0!8m2!3d39.7613763!4d-105.6844479

I believe this trail has been open all the way to the lake for a few weeks now.

[xaza]

The most efficient way to run the loop is to start in Downieville with Red elephant to mill creek and finish up with Bill Moore and out to Empire.

[open_circuit]

I've never run Red Elephant. Certainly can consider it instead of a loop from the trail head if anyone is interested in joining.

[FINOCJ]

Red Elephant is definitely worth doing if going to bill moore....I am on post rubicon jeep repair so no go for me....

[speedkills]

I'm interested, will figure out if I can make it or not Friday evening. I think red elephant is the one I wanted to run last year, but heard some talk of needing a winch in places. Or was that red cone?

[Jim]

Winching - Red Cone vs. Red Elephant - likely Red Elephant. One or two spots come to mind - all depending upon trail conditions (dug out) and if things are wet or dry. It's been a few years since my last visit to R.E. though.

[Java]

I doubt you'll have to winch anywhere there, maybe some rock stacking. Red elephant is about the same as Coney flats for difficulty, Bill Moore is easier than that. Bring bug spray for the lake!! Bill Moore trail is really dramatic in both directions, I'd do it last just for the "bang" factor. Great trails, wish I was free. :thumb:

[open_circuit]

I remember discussing red elephant as the return route (downhill) and we decided not to since it is narrow and we would have to yield right of way constantly. We can run it up hill to start this year.

[FINOCJ]

One good plan is to go up Red Elephant, run the mill creek loop, and end by going to bill Moore lake before heading down bill Moore to get out. Can skip mill creek if time is a concern.

[open_circuit]

I think that's what xaza suggested as well. I imagine that's what we'll run if it's just us two vehicles.

[FINOCJ]

Winching - Red Cone vs. Red Elephant - likely Red Elephant. One or two spots come to mind - all depending upon trail conditions (dug out) and if things are wet or dry. It's been a few years since my last visit to R.E. though.

Jim is correct - there is a big difference if its wet or dry. Dry, no problem, cruise right up. If its wet, its gets a bit more difficult and a tow strap may get used somewhere.

[speedkills]

I'm in.

[TyTheJeepGuy]

I'll join, also I've been to Bill Moore already this summer. We can get through, there was a small snow drift at the end that had me stuck up on the diffs until I tried another line, that's probably gone by now. Also I dragged a Kayak through parts of Red Elephant and Mill Creek and those seemed fine as well, although I can't speak for the whole trails :)

[open_circuit]

Great. I'll post the run on the calendar shortly. I'd like to keep the group small based on what I know of Red Elephant. If we get a big group, we'll split up to run the elephant in shifts. Ignore the meeting place in the original post, and let's meet at the Starbucks / Sinclair parking lot in Downieville.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Downieville,+Downieville-Lawson-Dumont,+CO+80436/@39.7659511,-105.6135192,100m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x876bb06651701415:0x1cbdc 38215dd98ad!8m2!3d39.7666543!4d-105.6144452

Is 9 am good for everyone?

[TyTheJeepGuy]

If the group gets too large, since I've already been this summer I'll leave the fun for someone else and go to Lomond and maybe you guys can wave from Kingston peak :). Haven't been up since it opened and its one of my favorite spots.

[open_circuit]

If the group gets too large, since I've already been this summer I'll leave the fun for someone else and go to Lomond and maybe you guys can wave from Kingston peak :). Haven't been up since it opened and its one of my favorite spots.

There wasn't much interest in this run thread, so I suspect the 3 of us will be all that show up. 3 is a good size.

Kingston peak is a great trail as well. My wife and kids haven't been up Bill Moore lake before, so I chose that instead of Kingston for this run to get them out somewhere new-to-them.

[TyTheJeepGuy]

There wasn't much interest in this run thread, so I suspect the 3 of us will be all that show up. 3 is a good size.

Kingston peak is a great trail as well. My wife and kids haven't been up Bill Moore lake before, so I chose that instead of Kingston for this run to get them out somewhere new-to-them.

Oh right I misread that. I haven't done Kingston yet, I might try to plan that for sometime next month.

[open_circuit]

Oh right I misread that. I haven't done Kingston yet, I might try to plan that for sometime next month.

I'd like to hike James Peak lake sometime (from near the high point of Kingston). It's a several hour hike and requires a early start, though.

[open_circuit]

Posted on calendar

[Tom]

Oh right I misread that. I haven't done Kingston yet, I might try to plan that for sometime next month.
I have tentatively planned a run of kingston - yankee on Aug 7 or 8. I know I am running them next Tues, but want to take my son and grandsons up there before school starts.

[TyTheJeepGuy]

Sorry for the last minute change but I won't be able to make this run tomorrow