Six people, three Scouts and three adults, made the trip. Three other Scouts would have gone but had conflicts. The numbers were a little low, but not unprecedented. The 2001 high adventure trip, on the Colorado Trail from Tennessee Pass to Half Moon trailhead (with a side trip up Mount Massive) had eight people, and one of the two trips last summer, in the Weimenuche Wilderness, had eight people. On the trip this year, we had Daniel, 13, who had been on the troop's week-long trip on the hut-to-hut system last summer, Josh, 13, and his dad, Bruce, who had never backpacked before but had hiked a lot, my son, Greg, 15 and an Eagle Scout, my daughter, Teresa, 18, and so now a registered assistant scoutmaster for the troop, and me. For the three of us, it was our fourth 50+ mile backpacking trip.

BSA has a 50-Mile award. Requirements for the award include traveling at least 50 miles, without motorized assistance, in five or more days, and doing 10 hours apiece of trail work. Friends of the Peak had a work weekend scheduled for July 17-18. So the troop scheduled the Ring trip for July 19-23. The Scouts could work with the Friends, then hike the trail, and so earn the 50-Mile patch. Josh, Bruce, Greg, Teresa, and Carol all worked with the Friends on the Raspberry connection. Another Scout, Jeremy, 14, who had planned to join us for the backpacking trip but had unexpected out-of-state relatives visiting that week, and his dad, Bob, joined us for the trail work even though Jeremy couldn't make the trip. So we had 7 people from BSA helping the Friends that weekend.

Then Monday through Friday we hiked the Ring trail, going (according to the Friends' GPS unit, adjusted a little to account for lack of satellites) 8.8, 10.5, 12.2, 11.9, and 12.0, for a total of 55.4 miles. The daily mileage was longer than the troop typically does. Usually, the troop takes six or seven days to cover the fifty or so miles. But considerations of where to camp, mainly along the more urban stretch through Section 16, Manitou Springs, Cascade, and Chipita Park, somewhat forced a more aggressive schedule.

Day One - Almagre

Monday we were dropped on Gold Camp Road at the road leading north to Frosty's Park. The sign installation crew had warned that that road was rough, so we decided to hike the 1.75 miles to the actual Ring trail. There, we went clockwise, to the road to the reservoirs. We set up camp up the hill over the creek there. We had planned to go on to the next creek, about a third of a mile farther, but rain was starting to fall, around 12:30 p.m. So we all set up tents in the rain and holed up for a while. We had planned, bodies and weather permitting, to continue clockwise to Bull Park, after dropping packs, about two more miles. The rain stopped enough that we could come out and cook dinner, etc., but not enough that we were confident going on a four mile hike. Monday gave Thursday some stiff competition for rainiest day, but I'd say that Thursday won. The trail that day was all jeep road, but we met only three vehicles between the two days that we hiked this part. The water road was busier (I wanted to camp at the next creek over), but calmed down in the evening. The hike up to the actual Ring trail at Frosty's park was somewhat steep. Then the trail was up and down after that. Deer Park offered some nice views. The only really steep part of the trail was the final descent down to the creek, which we had to go up again the next morning.

The GPS information for Monday was: trip computer: 7.5 miles, 3:15 travel time (out of 5 hours, 10 minutes or so clock time) 2.3 mph average speed. The one track log said 8.8 miles. The GPS unit said that it had bad satellite coverage one time when I looked at it. I don't know how long it didn't have coverage. The original estimate was 8 miles, if we had gone to the second creek. The elevation gain estimate was: for a gross elevation gain of 1600 feet (according to contour lines crossed on the Pikes Peak Atlas), and a net change of +1000 feet, 9800 to 10800.

Day Two - Almagre (cont.)

Tuesday we backtracked the Ring that we had hiked Monday, and continued on to Jones Park. We started hiking at 7:30, after packing up wet gear, and were back at Frosty's Park at 11:10. Gary, a Friend of the Peak and sign installer, had recommended that at Nelson's Camp, we take the north route instead of the south route. They had signed the south route, because it was better for bikes and horses, but the north route had an easier creek crossing for hikers. Unfamiliar with the trail, I had the map out, watching for the intersection where we would go against the signs. We came to one intersection that seemed to be the right distance, but didn't match the features on the map. Josh said, "You know, if we go 200 feet, we'll probably find it." So we went 200 feet, and came to another intersection, which did match the map. So we took it, rejoined the signed trail in about half a mile, and continued on to Jones Park, where we set up camp, at the first stream crossing, near an existing fire ring. We arrived at Jones Park at 2:00. The rain was more considerate on Tuesday. We set up camp and had time for lunch before the rain started, around 3:45. The four under 20s even had time to attempt to build a fire. It was the only chance we had the entire week. Things were fairly wet from the previous day and didn't burn well. When the rain started to fall, I poured the bucket of water on the fire, such as it was, and that was that. Each day, except Friday, was a typical Colorado summer day: sky begins cloudless, clouds build, then, early afternoon, rain falls. Around 5 p.m., when we were all holed up in our tents, a lost biker came by and called out. Neither Bruce nor I were enthused about going out into the rain, but did. We pulled out the map and pointed out some trails to the biker, who was wet, muddy, and trying to return to his car. The rain had let up considerably by then, and actually started to clear around 6 p.m.

The GPS information for Tuesday was: trip computer: 9.53 miles, 3:59:41 travel time (out of 6 hours 30 minutes clock time), 2.4 mph average speed. Track logs, from camp to Frosty's Park, then Frosty's Park to Jones Park, were 7.2 miles and 3.5 miles, for a total of 10.7 miles. The GPS unit trip computer said 6.2 miles back to Frosty's Park, 2:22 travel time, which doesn't tally with the information from the previous day, which said the road up to Frosty's was 1.75 miles, with 7.5 miles total. The original estimate was 9 miles. The elevation gain estimate was a gross elevation gain of 600 feet, with a net change of -1700 feet, 10800 to 9100.

Day Three - Jones Park to Manitou Springs

Wednesday, we continued counterclockwise. Monday was our only clockwise day. We went down Bear Creek, across Palmer/Red Rocks to the Intemann Trail, then down Crystal Park Road. We left at 7:10, and were done hiking about 1:30. We met the sign installation crew around 8:30, just after we turned from High Drive onto the Red Rock Loop Trail. As the one who schedules days and locations for sign installation (sometimes with ulterior motive), I expected the sign crew to be there. When I saw the signs on High Drive, I knew that they were out. Backpackers and sign installers leap-frogged each other a few times, then they left us as we stopped to pump water at Hunter's Run. The trail had great views of mountains across valleys, and of the city, and of Red Rocks Canyon. We saw Sentinel Rock from many angles. It seemed that it was with us the entire day. The trail was hot and dusty and went through a lot of scrub oak. We went on to the Intemann Trail through Section 16. Gary had mentioned a turn to the waterfall, but recommended the main Intemann Trail. The turn was marked, so we stayed on the main trail. Around 11:30 we stopped for 15 minutes for some food. We didn't want to stop long because gray clouds were coming. When we reached Crystal Park Road on the Intemann Trail, we headed down the road into Manitou Springs. The group thought that the walk down the road was long. The car odometer had measured it at 1.5 miles. Rain fell as we went down the road, but not enough to pull rain gear out over. Light rain fell again that evening, but, again, nothing serious. That was all the rain that we had on Wednesday. We stayed at a commercial campground in Manitou Springs that night. This was the campsite that determined the others. The trail has a long stretch with no forest camping, so I had called commercial campgrounds and found one that allowed tents. Staying at a commercial campground had advantages. We were able to dump three days' worth of garbage. We all availed ourselves of the opportunity to shower (rain doesn't count). Everyone had family members drive over to visit, a parent for each Scout. Daniel's dad brought leavened bread items and ice cream bars, which were quite welcome, for everyone.

Ah, the GPS information for the day. When we started off down the Bear Creek Trail, the GPS unit said that it didn't have satellite coverage. I looked at it again half an hour later, and the trip computer showed zero miles traveled. We had been moving at a good pace, being fresh and going downhill. When we reached the trailhead, the mileage was off by 1.5 miles compared to the estimates I had made off the map. The average speed, by the GPS, was 2.9 miles per hour, so it made sense that the GPS unit had missed 1.5 miles in half an hour. So, the GPS information for the day was: trip computer: 8.96 miles, but plus 1.5 miles 3:40:00 travel time (but add 30 minutes for the half hour the GPS unit missed, out of 6 hours 15 minutes clock time), 2.4 mph average speed. Track logs were 5.6 miles and 5.1 miles, for a total of 10.7 miles, but add 1.5 for the half hour that it missed. The original estimate was 11 miles. The elevation gain estimate was a gross elevation gain of 1100 feet and a net change of -2900 feet, 9100 to 6200.

Day Four - Manitou Springs to Mt. Ester

Thursday was the hardest day, not the longest, but close, and almost all of it up. The gross elevation gain for the entire trip, estimated from the Pikes Peak Atlas, with contour lines at 100 foot intervals, and so no doubt low, was 8900 feet. 3400 feet of that came on Thursday. We were able to pack up a dry tent, a first (and only) occurrence. Everyone was ready at 6:50, a record (perhaps those two items are related).

We went up the next street over, to the west, from Crystal Park Road, and found Plainview Place, the street to hike up to the cemetery. The walk on Plainview was much shorter than the walk on Crystal Park Road. We walked to the top of the cemetery and caught the Intemann Trail from there. The Intemann Trail had good views of Garden of the Gods and the city. We could also see the Manitou Incline at times, which helped us choose the correct path at least once, as we were headed toward the base of the Incline. I pointed out that we were going to the base of it. Josh's concerned response was, "We're going up that?" I assured him that we were going only to its base, then taking another trail from there. The trail dumped us onto Manitou Springs city streets a few times. We never became lost, and never had to backtrack, but we did have several moments of indecision. We eventually made it to Iron Spring, just downhill of where the Intemann Trail comes out on Ruxton Avenue. We stopped for a break there because I expected the Ute Indian Trail to have little shade. Iron Spring was running, so we all sampled the water.

Next we took the Ute Indian Trail, or Ute Pass Trail (some old signs along the trail said "UPT"). From the Intemann Trail, the trailhead is up Ruxton, just to the old Incline building, at the exit for the Cog parking lots. The trail was steep in spots, but good. It was hot, with little shade, going mostly through scrub oak. The drainages on the map did not have flowing water, but one had gross, standing water, which we didn't want to use. But just before the road to take down to US 24, Bruce heard running water. A small stream was flowing there. We pumped water.

We had some concern about access to water, not knowing if we'd be able to reach the creeks along US 24. But I pointed out to Bruce that we could always stop at one of the businesses along the frontage road. Some had forbidding signs, but a rock shop had a "Public Restrooms" sign. I'm sure they would have given us water.

Then went down Longs Ranch Road to US 24. When the trail continuing the way we had been going had a sign that said, "Longs Ranch; Cascade .75," we went down the road. At the bottom of the road, at US 24, was a gate which was a challenge to go through with packs. Those under 20 went through with packs on. Teresa went through feet first, limbo style. Bruce and I took our packs off to go through.

Then we started hiking along the shoulder of US 24. It is the part of US 24 with the sign that says 7% grade next 1 mile. The grade is fine for hiking. We walked along US 24 about 25 minutes until we reached a frontage road. Sometimes we could walk off the shoulder. Sometimes that was too soft, so we walked on the shoulder. We stayed single file and generally grouped together. Teresa said that walking along US 24 was the worst part of the trip. Once a frontage road appeared, we walked on that. It disappeared for a few hundred feet at one point.

At the left turn for North Pole and the Pikes Peak Highway, we started up Chipita Park Road looking for Picabo Road (not Picabo Street) to go up to the Mount Esther trailhead. The walk along Chipita Park Road seemed to never end. Traffic was light, as it had been on the frontage road. US 24 was busy, although we hiked it around 10 or 10:30 a.m., well after the weekday commuters.

We stopped, at noon, before the climb up Picabo Road and the Mount Esther trail switchbacks, to rest and eat, despite the dark gray clouds covering the sky.

Teresa and Josh led the way up the switchbacks, counting each one (fourteen). It took about 45 minutes, 12:25 until 1:10. That included talking with a family on the trail for a while. When we arrived at the top, Josh was on one of the rocks and Teresa had retrieved our two stashed bottles of water. Josh said that the highlight of the trip for him was climbing those rocks and looking out at the view of Ute Pass from there. The sky was dark and rain was threatening.

We planned to camp at an intermittent stream just above the switchbacks, which was the first available spot. This was another day with the hike determined by where we could camp. Before we reached the little stream, rain started to fall. The rain quickly became heavy. We hurried on, set up in a downpour, and holed up again.

Rain fell from about 1:15 until about 4 p.m. Around 4 p.m., we had a little blue sky. But it did not last. Around 5 p.m., the sky was gray again. Rain started falling again around 5:30 and lasted until about 7 p.m. After we went to bed, the sound of heavy rain hitting the tent woke me up around 11:00 p.m.

The campsite was in an area of tall grass. We had aspens around, and a steep ridge behind. Several people noted that aspens didn't provide much privacy. With the tall grass and the continual rain, anytime you walked anywhere, you got wet. The intermittent stream was flowing, about the same as it had been the previous week.

The GPS information for the day was: trip computer: 11.00 miles, 4:23 travel time (out of 6 hours 40 minutes clock time), 2.5 mph average speed. Track logs, from camp to road off Ute Trail, then road off Ute Trail to camp, were 5.8 miles and 5.5 miles, for a total of 11.3 miles. But the GPS unit showed only about half a mile for the switchbacks up Mount Esther, which Mary had said was a mile, and also showed less than the map for the steep road, so add .6 miles. The original estimate was 12 miles. The elevation gain estimate was a gross elevation gain of 3400 feet, and a net change of +2700 feet, from 6200 to 8900.

Day Five - Mt. Ester to Craig's

Friday, when we woke up, the sky was overcast and fog hung all around us. But, it was the last day, and if we ended up soaked, we would simply go home, dry off, and change clothes. We started out at 7:10. Amazingly, no rain fell while we were hiking (but, just so we could have rain every day, rain did fall as we rode in the car back to town). The sun was even almost out when we arrived at the Raspberry Mountain trailhead at 12:15.

Hiking, we didn't have much for views, but occasionally, when the land dropped off sharply from the trail, it was like looking into a lake of fog. Aspens, along with other plants, were trying to overrun the section of trail that the Friends built in 2002 and 2003 to bypass the city utility shed. We went through the roads around the reservoirs on the north side of Pikes Peak, encountering a few more vehicles than we had Monday and Tuesday, but still not many. The roads were steep in spots, but good for hiking, although Teresa commented that it was boring. Once we were through the roads, we all were eager to reach the section of trail that we had helped build (this bore no relationship to the fact that that was also the end of the trip). Hiking over trail that we had helped build, only five days earlier, was one of the cooler aspects of the trip. Going down the last part of the new trail, we met two hikers coming up. I commented, "Good trail, ey?" They agreed. Teresa and I happened to be walking together then (Josh was way ahead of everybody), with Teresa a bit ahead. She remarked over her shoulder, "We helped build it." You could see in their faces that the two hikers didn't know what to think. The new trail, in its fifth day of existence, also had horse hoof prints. So we ended the trip hiking the good trail that we helped build, then waited in the parking lot for a ride. Everyone enjoyed the trip.

The GPS information for the day was: trip computer: 11.3 miles, 4:13 travel time (out of 5 hours 5 minutes clock time), 2.7 mph average speed. Track logs, from camp to end of Limber Pine Trail, then end of Limber Pine Trail to Raspberry Mountain trailhead, were 7.8 miles and 4.2 miles, for a total of 12.0 miles. The original estimate was 13 miles, but that was assuming that we went down the road to the Crags Campground, a known location, to be picked up, about a mile to a mile and a half down the road. The elevation gain estimate was a gross elevation gain of 2200 feet, and a net change of +1200 feet, 8900 to 10100. I had remembered that the highest points were 10,100 feet, so Teresa kept checking the altitude reading on the GPS unit, and several times saw 10,100 feet.

The new signs marking the Ring the Peak trail were quite helpful. Monday and Tuesday, all the parts that we hiked were signed. Wednesday morning, as we met the signers, we lost the signs, and didn't have any again until the end of the day Thursday, at the Mount Esther trailhead. Then the rest of the trail to the trailhead at Raspberry Mountain was signed. We never had any trouble with the signed sections. We had some moments of indecision on the unsigned sections, but never became lost and never had to backtrack (this gains significance when you're each carrying over thirty pounds). All the signs that I saw had the colors facing the correct direction (brown clockwise, green counterclockwise). Only one sign was damaged, at the Mount Esther trailhead. Since the troop hiked the Ring, more signs have been installed.

I carried the GPS unit, that REI donated to Friends of the Peak, to obtain track logs for the Ring map. The GPS unit had (at least) two features that gave mileage, the trip odometer and the track logs. Monday, the track log mileage was about 15% higher than the trip odometer, although I had thought that I had reset both at the beginning of the hike. So Tuesday, I was careful to reset both at the beginning of the day, and, again, the track logs' mileage was about 15% higher than the trip odometer, and Wednesday, likewise. Thursday and Friday, the two mileage reports were closer, although the track logs' were still higher. I had estimated mileage off the Pikes Peak Atlas, using both the thumb and the string methods. Interestingly, my estimates were lower than both measurements from the GPS unit on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but close on Thursday and Friday, when those two also converged.

mileages for the trip: original GPS GPS day estimate trip tracks

Mon             8        7.5         8.8
Tues             9        9.5         10.5 (7.2+3.5)
Wed            11       9.0         10.7 (5.6+5.1) +1.5 +1.5 (no sat coverage first half hour)
Thur            12     11.0         11.3 (5.8+5.5) +.6 (switchbacks)
Fri               13     11.3         12.0 (7.8+4.2) (original included hiking to Crags CG)
-- ---- ----  53     49.8         55.4