Route: Rampart Range Traverse (CO)

Location
Colorado, US
Distance
86.3 mi
Description

Russ Iverson posted the route:

I plan on Hiking the Rampart Range, from North to South. Far as I know, I don’t think anyone has done it…or recorded it on the web at least. Anyway, what I believe is to be the furthest North of RR is the where the S. Platte river meets Chatfield State Park. On the southern end, I would think it is where the RR runs into Ute Pass… or HWY 24. In theory, that could be anywhere along that border. But the most southern part of RR, and where it hits Hwy 24, is where Rampart Range Rd. Spills into Manitou Springs.

So I will say this now, This is just a hike. By no means will this be ‘fast’. I will have my Garmin Fenix 3 and put it in ‘Ultra mode’ to record this. Here’s my itinerary:

- Have my buddy Kevin drive me to Waterton Canyon TH in Chatfield State Park on Sunday, June 18tth for an early afternoon start.
- Take the CT, connecting trails, FS roads south in unsupported fashion (aprx 70-ish miles).
- Arrive at Schryver Park in Manitou Springs in the early evening of Thursday, June 22nd ( I told you it was not going to be fast!)
- Eat, drink beer.

Again, Just recording this for fun…but also hoping a few Ultra running folks get a hold of this and hammer this into a true ‘FKT’ in the future.

Russ Iverson
C/S, CO

So unfortunately this a two-part file as I accidently hit 'save' 1/3 through it. I, of course, immediately started another one once I realized what I did for the last 2/3 of this.

I had my watch in 'hiking mode- Ultra trac'… to save the battery but it seems to have really missed the mark totaling things up concerning miles/time on feet. Here are my two Garmin Fenix 3 Files ( Part I and Part II).

connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1813450431

connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1813452023

That adds up to only 53.42 miles between both. Before I conjured this up I used MapMyRun to research this. I included those files below & it comes up with a much larger figure of 73.94M. Now with Map my run, if you look at the “view full screen” hyperlink you may notice I had to ‘pencil in’ a section @ mile 9 & 10 & 20 -22 of the first file. I did the best I could with the second file also at mile 5-8 as the app just didn’t capture the trail at those points.

www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/1402951435
www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/1642683170

Why such the disparity? The watch would go ‘pause’…then in a little bit synch up & gather data again. Why does it not “connect-the-dots” after all is said and done?
So I started this at 3:16pm Sunday afternoon. I then finished at 2:45PM on Thursday. I will do a trip report with more detail if anyone would like to see. With finding my next source of water to trail conditions (like 690) in general, this was surprisingly not a slam dunk ( at least looking at in on a map) in regards to the most efficient route. On that note, feel free to hit me up for the details that can make it go quicker for the next guy/gal!

-Russ Iverson

 

GPS Track
Rampart.gpx363.79 KB