The Crested Butte to Aspen Traverse

One popular hike (I hate popular hikes, and prefer to seek solitude in the backcountry, but my buddy loves things that are popular) is the traverse between Crested Butte and Aspen (or vice versa).  It actually goes from Schofield Pass to Maroon Lake, and much of it is part of the popular (there's that word again) Four Pass Loop.

The scenery and views are one major reason this hike is favored by so many.

Looking northwest from West Maroon Pass

Looking east from West Maroon Pass

Yule Creek

No matter how many photos I share of this place, it never gets spoiled.  Even last week, when there were a half dozen cars at the trailhead, we saw only one person on the trail (the trailhead serves two trails, and many take the less scenic one, for reasons that elude me).

a big ass panorama that you have to click to appreciate

old steam engine on the trail

Yule Creek...again

The Raggeds Wilderness area spreads out to the south of the upper Crystal River valley.  From Marble, Colorado, my favorite access is the Yule Creek trail.  Though smooth tent sites are scarce there, I hope to bring a backpack up and spend the night there once.  Until then, I'll have to be happy with my day hikes.

from the overlook above Thompson Flats

Yule Creek

Yule Creek in the Ragged Mountains

I know enough about this trail to avoid it early in the season.  It's north-facing and pretty shady, so it can hold a lot of snow well into June.  We were able to catch a glimpse of the mountains at the south end of the valley from about ten miles away last week, and could see they held lots of snow.  But after several days of warmth, I figured it was safe to try the hike.

stream or trail?

The beginning of the hike was wet.  What ought to have been a seasonal stream crossing the trail became a seasonal stream on the trail.  The top third of the hike alternated between shallow snow and easy hiking.  One place was deep and steep, and I prudently walked around it.

snow on the trail

Before too long I reached the overlook above Thompson Flats and was rewarded with one of my favorite views in Colorado:

the view 

Blogspot is very touchy lately, making photo uploads difficult (if not impossible), so you're seeing the black & white version instead of the color one, as that's the only one that would load.  Because it was mostly cloudy, I actually like the B&W landscape better.

The Yule Creek Valley in the Raggeds Wilderness

My home in the Crystal River valley is bordered to the northeast by the Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness and to the southeast by the Raggeds Wilderness.  There are many fantastic trails in this under-traveled area.  My favorite is easily Yule Creek.  From just below the top of the quarry road south of Marble, Colorado, the trail climbs about 1,500 feet in the first mile and a half.  At this point, you're on an overlook above a beautiful hanging valley.

I call those three peaks "the Baby Bells," because of their resemblance to the Maroon Bells - the most photographed feature in the state.  The taller one on the right is Mt. Justice.  The wide area below is Thompson Flats.

If you descend to Thompson Flats, there's a stream crossing (which is running very high and fast this year).  I recommend a pair of water shoes, as I try my best to keep my shoes and socks dry for my hiking comfort.

From here, the trail is relatively easy for the next mile or two as it winds through wildflower meadows and past rapids and small waterfalls.  Eventually it climbs to Yule Pass.  At this point, some hikers will do an about-face and traverse the slope to Yule Lakes, whose exit streams crossed the trail along the way up.

Marble, Colorado

Marble, Colorado is an unsightly little town nestled in one of the most beautiful valleys you'll ever see.  Sandwiched between the Raggeds and Snowmass-Maroon Bells wilderness areas, and with Lead King Basin to the east, Marble is a great jumping-off point for many backcountry trips.

The Marble airstrip is quiet for all but a couple weekends a year.

Backpacking and day-hikes, horseback trips, and fishing are just a few of the many things you can do in the Crystal River valley around Marble.

Some of my favorite hikes in the area are Carbonate Creek, North Lost Creek, Geneva Lake, and Yule Creek.  Backpackers will want to hike into Lead King Basin, where there are many campsites, and the scenery is unparalleled.

The Chair Mountain Ranch has cabins you can rent for any length of time.  Dave and Linda are great hosts, and will do all they can to ensure you have a great stay.

Marble is about twenty five miles south of Carbondale.  Take Highway 133 south to Gunnison County Road 3 (affectionately known as "the Marble road").

Snowshoeing on Huntsmans Ridge

Midway between Redstone and Marble, Colorado, in the Crystal River Valley, is the road to McClure Pass.  From the top of the pass, Forest Service roads run north and south.  The southern route is Ragged Mountain Road.  To the north is Huntsmans Ridge.  The latter offers great views of the Crystal River valley, Chair Mountain and the Raggeds (as well as Treasure Mountain, just outside of Marble), and continues around the south and west sides of the Coal Basin.

Most foot traffic, including skiers and snowshoers, follows the easier Ragged Mountain Road.  While pleasant enough of a hike, the views and experience, in my opinion, are superior on Huntsmans Ridge.  Climbing about 1,000 feet per mile, it's relatively steep, but that's just what my friend Dana calls "efficient."

Today, I was able to follow the tracks of backcountry skiers who had skinned up much of the way.  From then on, I was breaking trail, which wasn't too bad, because I didn't sink so much in the heavy snow that fell this past week.  The trees were blanketed in snow, which made for some interesting photos.  The views were spectacular.  I think I'll go back up there tomorrow.

Colorado's Yule Creek

Yule Creek, in the Raggeds Wilderness south of Marble, Colorado, is one of my favorite hikes. 

A relatively steep trail for the first mile, it moderates just before reaching an overlook above Thompson Flats.  The view there is one of the best you'll find.

The trail then descends a few hundred feet to cross the creek, and is quite easy to hike as it works its way up toward Yule Pass.  Many rapids and waterfalls along the way make it a very scenic hike with lots of photo opportunities

I had heard there was a trail from the quarry up to Thompson Flats, and so on our descent, we stayed on the east side of the creek and followed an easy trail down.  We didn't notice the crossing at first, and found ourselves bushwhacking around the willows and stinging nettle until we returned and crossed over to the west side for the rest of the descent.  When we reached the quarry, I recognized the area from taking visitors there.  Since I was last in the area, however, a private homeowner erected a barricade which we had to scale to get back on the quarry road and down to the car.