This is the bridge you should look for, along Clear Creek.
Pine Creek is a lovely place to camp. The valley looked made of green velvet.
Despite all the climbing, this is a really pretty segment. Pine Creek is a sheltered valley so green it seems to glow, blessed with an abundance of fantastic camping sites. Near the end of the segment, I came across a guided string of teenagers on horseback. They were headed back the way I'd come, to the creek. I think it's great to see horses out doing what they were meant to do, rather than just standing around in fields like giant lawn ornaments. "You're going to love Pine Creek," I said, from off to the side of the trail, "it's just gorgeous this year!"
One boy, riding near the middle of the line, frowned unhappily. Though no older than twelve, he had to have been roughly my weight -- which is a lot. Too much, to judge by his horse, which was sway-backed and bug-eyed with the strain, its coat streaked with sweat. Saliva dripped from its mouth. "I've already been there before," the boy grumped.
How do you reply to that? Especially after two hundred miles on the trail. I scratched my head as his horse, wheezing, shuffled past me. "Well, then. Enjoy the journey, kid!" I called to his back.
Strawberries were ripening at higher elevations, when I passed by in late July. Mushrooms were plentiful, though sadly, I did not yet know which ones were good to eat -- I therefore didn't pick any. That's the single item I truly wish I'd brought: a mushroom identification guide for Colorado. 'Shrooms were fantastically abundant and delicious-looking along most of the trail -- it seemed a shame to be carrying dehydrated mushrooms for stroganoff but not be able to toss a few of the many wild edibles into the pot as well. Many mushrooms were sprouting inches from the trail, or even directly on it.
The latter half of this segment also hit me with the worst weather I'd experienced so far on the trail. Around mile ten, the skies rained down lightning that made my teeth rattle. Or possibly that was just from shivering, because there was plentiful hail as well, thumb-nail-sized, and interspersed with torrential rains. This was the day I learned never, ever, to stuff one's jacket in the very bottom of the pack, because the sleeping bag, food, and every other piece of gear will get soaked while you're trying to retrieve the thing.
Hm. Kinda seems an obvious lesson, now that I think about it. Sometimes, I guess, you just gotta enjoy the journey.
Pretty views from the summits.
Brave explorer, Hellbender uncovers the greatest treasure of all: the secret lost toilets of Cottonwood Creek.
Guidebook update suggestions:
0.2
If you jot down nothing else from this blog into your databook, make a note of this one. The markers here are abysmal, and the guidebook descriptions inadequate.
Shortly after you pass the little parking area with large stones, the trail disintegrates into a spaghetti tangle of paths near Clear Creek. Head left, along the creek, between metal posts, and into an enormous and dreary dirt parking lot, upon which squats an army of campers, camper-vans, pop-up campers, winnebagos, motor homes, and kindred vehicles. Thread your way through these, keeping as close as possible to the creek. The bridge across may be hard to spot if someone has set up camp directly in front of it. Oddly, there appeared to be no bathrooms in this area, despite the heavy-use camping.
0.5
Clear Creek. Make sure to pick up water here if it has been a dry summer.
1.8
There was water here, several days after a heavy rain. Check for small still pools, shortly before the trail turns left and heads uphill and out of the aspens.
4-9
Be careful crossing these saddles during thunderstorms. Simultaneous hail, high winds, and lightning in the middle of the summer are not uncommon.
6.4
After crossing Pine Creek on a nice bridge, the trail immediately splits. You want to head right, uphill. The left trail follows the creek downstream.
~12?
There may be a seasonal lake to your right in this area, with fantastic fishing if you brought dry flies. But it isn't Harvard lake. Sorry.
14.2
The old mine is down an unmarked and somewhat faint side trail to the left. You don't actually pass within view of the mine.
15.4
These are Harvard lakes. There's a shallow lake to your right, then a larger one a bit further along, to your left. Both have fish.
18.3
When you come to the dirt road, head right until you see bathrooms to your left. The trail continues just behind them.
The elevation profile is roughly correct, however, don't count on having a nice, constant, gentle downhill through the second half of the segment. There are lots of small uphills and steep sections, too small to show up on the profile.
----> Onward, to segment 13!
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