チャフィー郡のおすすめランニングルート

The switchbacks going up Mount Belford start just after breaking treeline, and they don't stop until right before you get to the summit. It can be easy to get discouraged moving up this steep section, but the trail has wide open views the whole way with only better views at the top. Please don't cut the switchbacks when running downhill. The trail is so steep that erosion happens easily.

Midland Hill is the highest point on the ridge towering above the town of Buena Vista. The summit is 9,556 feet, and the trail is usually accessed from just outside of downtown. The peak offers views of the Collegiate Peaks and Buffalo Peaks (and Pikes Peak on clear days). The final mile up to the summit gains over 1,000 feet and is really rocky. The run usually turns into a power hike for those upper sections.

The upper trails in the Midland Hill area are the two Broken Boyfriend Trails (north and south). These trails definitely have mountain bike features, but they are still fun to run. There are large boulders and rocks in areas and then smooth sections with just dirt.

Ptarmigan Lake is a very popular alpine lake in San Isabel National Forest. Because the lake sits above 12,100 feet, it often stays snowed in and frozen until June or July. The main trailhead used to access the lake is located just off of Cottonwood Pass Road, making it a popular spot among locals and visitors.

The main Mount Princeton parking lot is here just before the Mount Princeton Heliport. Some high clearance vehicles can drive further up the road from here to where the single track begins, but there is very limited parking at the pull-off.

It could be argued that the majority of the trail leading up to Mount Princeton is a boulder field, but this section of the trail is especially full of talus hopping. The upper part of the trail is slightly less rocky, but it becomes much steeper and sandier. This is a slow-going part of the trail; look for big rocks with lichen and stick to the known paths. Aim to keep close to the ridge proper for the best footing, and check to make sure you are not straying onto a spur trail too far into the basin.

Mount Princeton is an often underrated 14er in terms of difficulty. At 14,196 feet, Mount Princeton is located in the heart of the Sawatch Range and is one of the rockiest peaks in the range. The final two miles up to the peak heavily consists of talus hopping and steep scree hiking. There is not much exposure, but making progress on this peak is tedious. The views from the top are great, like any other Colorado 14er. Don't plan to make up a lot of time on the initial downhill from the peak (or along the ridge until you hit the road). The talus and scree move underfoot a bit, and it's easy to fall through some of the cracks.

Almost as soon as you break treeline, you can see the summit you are going to climb. You can also see other 14ers and high peaks in all directions. The trail becomes much rockier after this point, but the grades are runnable when the terrain allows.