(Moderate, 8 miles roundtrip; bring water shoes)
Venture into the West Elk Wilderness, via Swampy Pass trail, through areas proposed for wilderness designation by the Gunnison Public Lands Initiative and GORP Act. Views of the extremely photogenic Castles are our reward, along with an overview of the 2023 Lowline Fire area.
All hikes require suitable capability and acclimation, as well as water, hat, rain-gear, sunscreen, lunch, hiking boots and sense of adventure. All distances are round-trip and approximate.
Registered hikers meet at the Crested Butte Visitors Center parking lot at 8:30 AM and carpool to trailheads. Please bring vehicles—some destinations depend on suitable clearance. Return times will vary.
We will continue to abide by Forest Service regulations and environmental ethics, limiting our group size to a maximum of 15 people each week. Please, no pets. We encourage you to register early and bring your friends to introduce to these majestic mountains and to High Country Conservation Advocates.
We look forward to sharing our magnificent public lands and trails with our members, and with new folks from diverse segments of the public, to whom our public lands belong. Our hikes are open to people of all races, ethnicities and persuasions. HCCA’s conservation work is multi-faceted, and we will share updates on Public Lands, Water, Stewardship and Red Lady as we enjoy our vast domain.