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.

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.

Mount Yale is 14,200 feet tall and is one of the highest mountains towering over the town of Buena Vista. The summit can be tackled from multiple directions, but the southwest route offers the most runnable terrain without sacrificing the fun class 2 scramble at the top.

At 14,203 feet tall, Mount Belford is one of three 14ers attainable from the Missouri Gulch Trailhead. The mountain is infamous for its steep switchbacks traveling up it's northwest slopes. It is the 19th highest peak in Colorado, and the views from the top are special, sharing the high elevation with many nearby high peaks. It's easy for this "run" to turn into a slow walk as you come up the switchbacks, but it's almost impossible not to run down the mountain with how steep the trail gets.

There is a bit of up and down on the trail, but this connector trail is more of just a ridge hike between Mount Belford and Mount Oxford. The initial descents off of both of the peaks are sandy and washed out dirt, but the middle of the trail is sturdy talus and packed dirt. There isn't a lot of running to be had on this ridge, but you can pick up some speed on the downhill portions.