Switzerland Trail Saturday 5/24/2014 (1 Viewer)

[karas]

So the family and I will be camping again. So who is in for this one. The trail is pretty much a gravel road so I might just take the jeep on this one. I think it might be able to handle it, if not I am sure I can get one of you Toyota's to pull me around. Anyone ever been to the area?

Here is the trail damage information.
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=20

We will meet at the
North Location - McDonald's, 8120 Voyager Pkwy, Colorado Springs

Time to be determined

People going

Karas
Fitzgerald
Blazefighter95
Cohunter
Maybe Sam

 

[Fitzgerald]

I'm coming and probably bringing my 6 & 3 year olds as well.

Basil & Rob ran it last week and said it was in pretty good condition (Some from the group were worried the the floods might have damaged the trails).

I bought the Wells "Northern Colorado Trails" book and it mentions that there are some moderate/difficult trails nearby.


MATT: (do not read this if you are not Matt ) Would you be so kind as to add the trail info ( http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=20 ) and meeting place info to your first post. Also, a list of who's coming if you want to deal with all that. If not, I can add it here. Thanks man.

 

[karas]

Are you thinking of camping or just for the day trip? Why don't you go ahead and post all that stuff up on your side. I will most likely mess it all up and just be redoing it constantly.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Are you thinking of camping or just for the day trip? Why don't you go ahead and post all that stuff up on your side. I will most likely mess it all up and just be redoing it constantly.

We'll most likely be camping. Just bought my 3 year old her first real sleeping bag. She's very excited about it.

 

[karas]

My kids had a great time camping and they both got new sleeping bags for that trip. The loved it so much they were asking to take Friday off this week and go camping even longer then last time. It makes it a lot easier when they are having fun

 

[Stokes]

We plan on coming, the whole family. We fly back in to Denver some time that Friday so we will have to figure where to meet you guys up in the Denver area. Was anyone planning on camping friday night?

 

[karas]

As of now I am planning on camping Friday and Saturday night. I will just need to find a good place to camp.

 

[Fitzgerald]

We'll be camping Friday night and possibly Saturday night as well.

My Wells book doesn't show any camping along the Switzerland Trail, but "Gordon Gulch" shoots off of Switzerland trail and has a ton of camping sites along it (it's rated blue/red, but mostly do to some mud holes). Maybe we can camp on "Gordon Gulch", run it, then Switzerland (both are relatively short trails).

There is also "Pennsylvania Gulch" (rated a blue) which is also in the Switzerland area.

Here's a thought... Camp along "Gordon Gulch", run Gordon, run Switzerland out, then on the way back in... run Pennsylvania Gulch. I'm looking at a map, so this all probably makes more sense to me than to you guys.

I'll bring my Wells book to the meeting (and maybe pick up a map for that area too).

 

[Fitzgerald]

(#32) Switzerland Trail: http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=20

(#34) Gordon Gulch: http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=317

(#33) Pennsylvania Gulch: http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=190

 

[karas]

That sounds like a good plan. I looked at those trails on trail damage and they seem like fun trails. Very beautiful up there.

 

[Stokes]

Sweet, depending on what time i get in Friday i may just camp instead of getting a hotel room for the night.

 

[Fitzgerald]

WOW!!! BREAKING NEWS!!!

My wonderful wife (who grew up vacationing in condos, not tents like so many of us) has decided to go camping with us. She has spent a grand total of one night in a tent (our backyard a few years ago), but really thinks this trip sounds like fun. So, it looks like the whole Fitzgerald crew will be out in force.

Looking forward to this trip!!!

 

[karas]

That is great. I alway try to make things easier if I can for the wife so she enjoys it and wants to go again.

 

[black95]

Travis, just make sure you get her a good sleeping pad and a very warm sleeping bag. A miserable, cold night of sleep will make newbie campers not come back.

 

[Fitzgerald]

That is great. I always try to make things easier if I can for the wife so she enjoys it and wants to go again.

Travis, just make sure you get her a good sleeping pad and a very warm sleeping bag. A miserable, cold night of sleep will make newbie campers not come back.

Yeah, I feel a trip to Sportsman's coming on.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Just some thoughts I had while pushing the kids on the swings for countless hours this morning...

Option 1: Original route… Camp along "Gordon Gulch", run Gordon, run Switzerland out, then on the way back in... run Pennsylvania Gulch.

Option 2: Camp along "Gordon Gulch", run Pennsylvania (lunch), head back on Switzerland, return to campsite, those who want to can run Gordon Gulch.

Option 3: Camp along "Gordon Gulch", we run Switzerland first, (lunch somewhere about this point) come back Pennsylvania, ending at the campsite, then those who want to can run Gordon Gulch. This also gives the option for those wanting to run just Switzerland a nice drive back on it (bypassing Pennsylvania & Gordon Gulch).​

These are just some ideas, I’d be happy to scrap them all if anyone has any better ones. I like the last two options, because I like the idea of bringing the family along for Switzerland (&/or) Pennsylvania, then dropping them off to play as we hit Gordon Gulch. ???

Switzerland is on the schedule because it was something Leon was wanting to do, so I’d also be very interested in what he has to say.

Leon, what say you?

 

[Fitzgerald]

Estimated Time per Charles Wells:

Pennsylvania Gulch: Less than an hour.

Switzerland Trail: 1½ to 2 hours.

Gordon Gulch: 1 to 2 hours.

So.... looks like we'll have plenty of time to chew the fat.

 

[CO_Hunter]

I don't know if it is on the schedule because of me. It is a trail we tried to run several years ago but didn't. If I recall correctly we thought there may be a closure due to all the snow that year. Anyhow, it just seemed like something different in a different area, I have zero knowledge of the area.

One thing to consider, the 24th is Memorial Day weekend, we generally don't plan trips around the big Holidays. When we were setting things up earlier this year I don't think we realized what weekend we picked. I would suggest moving it up one weekend to the 17th. I could probably make the 17th work but not sure about 24th.

Travis, I think it is great you are getting the whole clan out there. Depending on who goes from our group I might be able to let you borrow my trailer. Also, we do have some extra gear if you want to borrow rather than buy for the trip. Call or shoot me a text and we can talk.

 

[Fitzgerald]

Travis, I think it is great you are getting the whole clan out there. Depending on who goes from our group I might be able to let you borrow my trailer. Also, we do have some extra gear if you want to borrow rather than buy for the trip. Call or shoot me a text and we can talk.

Yeah, we're excited about all camping together. Thanks for the offer, I'll have to see how everything works out. Might just take you up on it.

One thing to consider, the 24th is Memorial Day weekend, we generally don't plan trips around the big Holidays. When we were setting things up earlier this year I don't think we realized what weekend we picked. I would suggest moving it up one weekend to the 17th. I could probably make the 17th work but not sure about 24th.

Wow, great point. Didn't even think about it being a holiday. I have read that the area I was thinking we should camping in is a popular spot due to easy access from the highway, would probably be pretty crowded on memorial weekend.

I'll have to talk with Jess to see if she wants to rerwrite her May calendar to be off the weekend of the 17th.

What about the rest of you? Should we switch weekends?

 

[karas]

If it's better for everyone you should change it, but I can only go on the scheduled weekend as my wife makes her schedule months in advance.