Winiger Ridge, FS 359.1 to Gross Reservoir

[Java]

Thanks again to Paul and Rob for the Forest Service maps at the Pickle Gulch trail run, I've been looking them over and found this area that I've never seen before. If you take 72 west from Arvada, go north on 97 and west / north on 132 (Magnolia) you turn right on68, then again on FS 359.1 which goes to Gross Reservoir from the west side. It looks like a great area to go solo, the trails are short, heavily used and from the looks of it, pretty easy. I think my wife and I my try these and bring our inflatable kayaks for the reservoir.

here's the FS page: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/r...28368&actid=34

[Java]

looks like there's a little hill on the way in this clip... anyone know anything about this trail?

[Brad]

Nice!

[Tom]

ColoDisco previously posted:

[Rob]

I know about the trail, but haven't done it yet. Might be a good one to tag onto a West Mag run.

[Chris]

x2!

[Java]

any idea when West Magnolia might open? I want to try this one, it would be great if trails so close to Denver ended up being good ones!

[glacierpaul]

You are most welcome for the map Paul! I have not done this trail, or West Magnolia, I would have an interest in running it with you!

[Rob]

glacierpaul previously posted:

[Chris]

Is this where I say "If I had 35's and a locker" Rob?

Or where you say "listen to your spotter!"

[Rob]

Chris previously posted:

[Java]

thinking about checking these trails out Friday late afternoon or early evening. it's so close to Denver and looks like a great place for a night run, although it stays light so late this time of year it might just be a dusk run.

here's the FS page: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/r...28368&actid=34

the video from the original post shows a much mellower run, this one shows some cool obstacles. from what I've read there are a few spurs, all different:



anyone interested?

[Hypoid]

Java previously posted:

[Java]

these are the trails I want to do, they go to the west side of Gross Reservoir, it's the far side in the pics. Friday sometime after 3pm (and that is totally flexible, I'm into a night run if anyone wants to) I'll leave Denver- I should be sure tommorow, I'll post it then.

[Minnesota]

glacierpaul previously posted:

[Java]

found this, looks like it's easy, probably too easy to post as a run. I'm going to check it out Friday.

4x4Trails.Net

[Java]

Got shut down on Friday, but I'm going up there tommorow late morning. We drove by the reservoir today and could see the trails from the other side, they look great, but we were in my wife's Subaru so... I looked at it on google earth, they look like fun trails. You can see where they end by the water in the pics; the first picture is a close up of the clearing across the reservoir in the second picture, that is where FS 359.1 ends. there is a rock in the water in both pictures that makes a good land mark, it's in the lower left of the top one and infront of the bright section of shoreline in the center of the lower one.

[Java]

It's awesome. To get there I took 72w to 97n to 68e; 97 and 68 are both graded dirt roads that are a lot of fun to drive. the turn to 359.1 is not marked, but there is a yield sign and a real estate sign at the intersection, and it is where is seems like it should be so we guessed right the first time. The trailhead has a big parking area, vault toilet and lots of signage. We got a late start (friggin work) and decided to do the hiking trail first, which was sort of a mistake as we got rained out and soaked, didn't get to take the 4x4 road very far this time. As soon as we got to the reservoir it really started raining hard- the 5th picture shows where it meets the reservoir, you can see the rain on the surface. The hiking trail is one of the most beautiful I've done in a while, and it's pretty easy with only a +/- of 200' over the course of about 1.5 miles to the reservoir. I'll do it again, and I'd recommend it. The 3rd picture shows the 4x4 trail straight ahead and the hiking trail to the left. It looks like a Colorado Pine Forest from 10 years ago, very lush and healthy. The trail seems to be pretty low use as it was overgrown in quite a few places. It follows a stream that feeds the reservoir and felt a lot like hiking Negro Bill Canyon in Moab. By the time we hiked back we were soaked, we went about 1/2mile down the 4x4 trail and decided to call it a day. It is a cool road as far as I saw, not just a dirt road. Can't wait to get back there and take it all the way to the reservoir!! On the way out we saw a fire starting, the 2nd to last pic shows it. The rain stopped it pretty quickly, just a few minutes later there was no more smoke.

[BillAllenJKU]

nice!