CO > Hunter Creek/Woody Creek Trail > 10/17

**mcallaghan** · 10-13-2015, 14:36

Time to get my lazy butt out into the woods for the first time! Anyone in the area is free to join me. I am going to get out so will also post a post-hang summary as well, as the whole route will be new to me.

It looks like around 3 miles along the Hunter Creek Trail to the border of the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness, where the trail turns into the Woody Creek Trail. So add on another 5 miles or so along the Woody Creek Trail (all distances are great estimates). There is a spot on the map called the Hunter Flats (not that kind of hunter, I hope) so I will probably head down there and get near Hunter Creek (for water) and setup camp in that vicinity. Rain Showers are expected on Saturday night so that will be fun. May also try and summit 'Bald Knob' (can't hang up there...no trees for obvious reasons!) on the return trip (see how I am feeling).

I will hopefully get a ride to the trailhead around 10 AM or so. Plenty of time to hike and setup camp. Its full-on Fall here- higher elevation trees have no leaves. Trees in town are already half-naked. Morning temps in town get in the low-30's, even some frost the other day. I should be warm enough with my gear and quilts - my fire making abilities are yet to be tested!

**mcallaghan** · 10-13-2015, 14:37

The trails:

Hunter Creek #2194 http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5186872.pdf
Woody Creek #1994 http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5186963.pdf

I am planning on tracking down a proper map at the local outfitters in town this week as there is virtually nothing online (googlemaps or other) that show the route and the maps in the link above are terrible.

**Skeet** · 10-13-2015, 14:50

Would love to join you but have my folkes in town this weekend. Will definitely join you on another one though. I did Native Lake last Saturday and it was a great place to hang! Will be setting up a trip to Native Lake sometime next year. Have fun this weekend!

**mcallaghan** · 10-13-2015, 15:05

Given this Indian Summer we are having - can't believe its in the 70's here this time of year - there may be more opportunities to camp before it gets too cold. Have you even gone Winter Camping before? I did a solo winter camp last winter (or the one before) but was a little under-prepared and bailed in the middle of the night (couldn't get my baselayers dry...should have brought extras).

**Skeet** · 10-13-2015, 17:42

Although I've never gone winter camping, I did recently purchase a 0 degree bottom quilt and a 0 degree top quilt. Will definitely let you know!

**mcallaghan** · 10-14-2015, 14:06

Thats basically what I have. My one winter-camping trip I had to bail on, so I've learned a few lessons. If it is something that happens, I know a place in town where we can rent a Polk (pulk?) - you don't happen to Nordic Ski do you?

Going to do inventory on my gear (its been packed away for the last year) tonight to see what I may need to get. Preliminary list of gear:

Day hiking clothes (will wear both days) - hiking pants, wool shirt
Rain gear - will use my cycling rain gear. Lightweight and proven in heavy rain. Pants and jacket. Can also act as windproof layer as well.
Down jacket - for when it gets cold at night. Stuffs into its own pocket.
Marmot jacket - a midlayer, to go between shirt and down jacket if things get as cold as I think.
Wool hat - for night time.
Headlamp
Hand-shovel + TP
MSR Pocket-Rocket + Gas (though will try cooking using a real fire, if its not too wet)
Firestarter
Pot/Cup - dual purpose.
Spork
Dream Hammock + Tarp + Ground Sheet (latter especially for if it rains, so I have something dry to put gear/stand on.
UQ + TQ (probably the 0'F Incubator variety.)

Temps expected are mid-60's during the day, 30'f or so during the night. But that is temps for town. I will be approximately 1000'ft higher up in elevation so should expect it to be 5 - 10'f cooler up there.