Exploring the Vastness of the Deep Rampart Range

This past Monday was my first planned long adventure run of the year! Winter has been long; I can't believe it is almost June and this was just my first time to run in the true mountains since October. 

Spring has sprung in the Rockies!

I had a general idea of where I wanted to go and what I was looking for out of this run, but I set out with an open mind and anticipation of a little bit of unplanned exploring as well. What I ended up doing was a roughly 24 mile trail loop within the heart of the vast, deep Rampart Range. 

I started out from the south end of Greenland Open Space, using the New Santa Fe connector trail to pass through Palmer Lake, and connect to the Palmer Reservoir Trail.

The sun was just rising over Greenland Open Space as I started. The town of Palmer Lake lay ahead, and the mountains that I was heading towards. 

I entered the Palmer Reservoir Trail from the pedestrian-only gate, and began a gentle, smooth climb on a wide, gradual trail. This part of the trail reminded me of the beginning of the Cog tracks - the trail is actually fairly steep, but due to its even surface and wide appearance, it is relatively quick to ascend to the first reservoir.

The pedestrian gate and entrance to Palmer Reservoir Trail. 

Right after the first reservoir, after only about a mile from the pedestrian gate, I made the hairpin turn onto the Ice Cave Creek Trail. This trail was super fun!!

Palmer Reservoir #1

The Palmer Reservoir Trail is down on the left. When headed uphill, it's easy to miss the hairpin turn for the Ice Cave Creek Trail. 

The Ice Cave Creek Trail impressed me right from the start. Whoever established this trail did a great job. After a short but fairly steep segment that only lasts a tenth of a mile or so, the trail becomes very flat and feels almost slightly down hill. And in this part, the cool breeze blowing felt amazing! The temperature difference was stunning. It reminded me of Refrigerator Gultch in the Lost Creek Wilderness, which I ran through couple of summers back. It was cool and shady and had awesome stacked rocks (which would become a theme for the day.)

Creek crossing and stacked rocks on the Ice Cave Creek Trail.

Soon after a small creek crossing, I joined the Swank Trail, which immediately became a fairly steep single-track climb for the next mile. Important - if you are trying to stay on the Swank Trail, keep left at the Y-split with the Sundance Mountain Trail.

Keep left to stay on the Swank Trail; the right fork goes up Sundance Mountain Trail.

After approximately a mile of climbing, I came to another junction. I wasn't quite sure which way to turn at this point, so I decided to turn west and continue going uphill. This ended up being a great decision! I was on the Ice Cave Cliffs trail.

The trail became even steeper, about a class 2 climb. The views began to open up immediately. And the forest was decorated with these interesting flowers - purple and hairy on the outside of the petals, they opened up to be white flowers with yellow centers. If anyone has any information about what kind of wildflower this is, I'd be interested to know.

Interesting wildflowers, rocks, and open views at the beginning of the Ice Cave Cliffs Trail.

The Ice Cave Cliffs Trail was a short but steep segment that led up to a large rock formation. I climbed a small flat rock on the south side of the formation and found a jar with a hiker's logbook... and the view was STUNNING! 😍 

I sat atop the rock, in the bright Colorado sunlit day, and took in the vastness of the forest around me. Here I was, maybe four miles away from town, but deep in the heart of the Rampart Range. Stacked rock formations created small spiked summits all around me. I felt at peace in the wilderness. This is exactly what I was looking for!

Ice Cave Cliffs overlook panorama. 

Beyond the neat rock towers, I could see the aspen-filled valley on the back side of Mount Herman, where I had run through on my adventure last October, and on several previous runs as well. 

Even further beyond that, I had a picturesque panorama of Pikes Peak and Almagre, both still snow-capped.

Sights from the Ice Cave Cliffs Trail: twisted logs, bright green moss, and soaring overlooks.

Rock formations at Ice Cave Cliffs overlook.

Summit log in a jar, with the Mt. Herman aspen valley beyond (upper right hand corner).

Sharp rocks with Pikes Peak in the background. 

When I'd had my fill of views, I retreated back down the half-mile trail from the overlook and rejoined the Swank Trail. The descent from the overlook was steep in a couple of segments, reminding me of clambering around on Blodgett Peak. However, the steep parts didn't last long and were quite manageable. 

When I returned to the junction with the Swank Trail, I turned north and continued my meandering adventure. At this point, the Swank Trail begins a long steady descent. It was one of many ups and downs that the day would bring.  Soon I'd reached the Sidney Harrison Connector Trail, and I turned west once again.

This next part of the trail reminded me of Elk Park Trail on Pikes Peak. There were pretty little meadows with soft single-track.

Soft sunlit meadows on the Sidney Harrison Connector Trail. 

Climbing towards the Sidney Harrison Trail.

The trail climbed gradually towards the Sidney Harrison Trail. Soon I'd reached the junction, and the Sidney Harrison plane crash appeared soon after. 

The somber sight of the plane crash.

Memorial sign for Captain Sidney Harrison.

Soon after seeing the plane crash site, the forest became deeper and darker. Dead trees with notably twisted trunks appeared with increasing frequency. It became apparent that this was an old, deep part of the forest. It felt a little mystical, like a connection to our past. This part of the forest felt untouched, like it had been allowed to grow wild for many centuries.

Aspens with eyes 👀 and candycane-striped dead tree trunks were the signature markings of this deep part of the forest.

Moss-covered rocks in the deep forest.

The Sidney Harrison Trail was about 3 miles long, until I connected with the forest road #324 in the Rampart Range. I was getting a bit tired by this point, and I was glad to be on a wide dirt road for a little while. The only downside was that it was an ATV/ 4-wheel drive road, and it undulated quite a bit. I was never certain whether I was going to be losing or gaining elevation.

Now that I was more than halfway through a large loop, I was confident in the remainder of my route for the day. I would continue on FR #324 until the junction with the Winding Stairs Trail, and use this to go back to Palmer Reservoir Trail.

However, I was worried that I would miss the connection for the Winding Stairs, so I turned around a couple times and backtracked on small segments to investigate if I'd missed the junction. In the end, my worrying was for naught (except for bonus mileage) because the junction was obviously marked by a sign that said "No Motor Vehicles."

A cool rock formation that looked like a marshmallow Peep along FR #324, and also the ONLY patch of snow that I saw all day!

The junction of FR #324 and Winding Stairs Trail, looking back at the road after just entering the trail.

The Winding Stairs Trail was exactly as named. It wound like a snake, gradually descending, but not without a fair number of short uphills thrown in for good measure.

At times, the trail was wide like a doubletrack dirt road. At other times, it was difficult to distinguish the trail from a steep downhill wash. I saw a few strange sights, like circular moss growths on a rock that looked like petroglyphs, and a dead tree trunk with spikes on the *inside.* I began to feel like maybe I'd been out in the woods a bit too long!

Strange sights on the Winding Stairs Trail: circular lichens or moss on a rock, and a tree trunk with weird spikes inside.

Finally, after a steep downhill that involved a little bit of pathfinding, a view of the upper Palmer Reservoir came through the trees. I rejoiced! Almost there!

Palmer Reservoir #2 through the trees.

I descended the final bit of the Winding Stairs Trail and came back to the Palmer Reservoir Trail. The easy, wide, smooth downhill felt like a relief after the steep descent I'd just completed. I even clocked my second-fastest mile of the day (after mile 1, which I started off fast 😅 from excitement.)

Palmer Reservoir was pretty in the afternoon sun.

Nearing Palmer Reservoir on the Winding Stairs Connector Trail.

Upper Palmer Reservoir. 

I descended the remainder of the Reservoir Trail and came back to town, passing by the outside of the tracks on the far side of Palmer Lake (and avoiding all pedestrians this way), rejoining the New Santa Fe connector back to Greenland Open Space. What a day!

New Santa Fe connector trail (top) and the south side of Greenland Open Space (bottom).

I took a peek back at the town of Palmer Lake and the mountains from where I'd just come, capping off my day just like I'd started it. 

From the early morning ascent into the deep wilderness, to the "naturally refrigerated" Ice Cave Creek Trail, to the sunlit wide views atop Ice Cave Cliffs overlook, to examining the site of the Sidney Harrison plane crash, to wandering through the untouched ancient forest - this was really an adventure to remember. It was food for my soul. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading and journeying along with me! ❤

View back at Palmer Lake from Greenland Open Space at the end of my day.

Now that it is almost summer, I can't wait for more adventures! See you all on the next one.