Hiking – NCAR Trailhead

Let's go for a casual 10-mile hike… with no snowshoes! We will hike and climb at a comfortable pace for the group. Our speed on level trail will be 2.0 - 2.25 mph but I expect  to be a bit slower on the climbs. (This is intended to be more accessible than many of my other hikes.)

This trip is rated Challenging due to the elevation gain and the loose soil/rock we will find when descending from Green Mountain. Although the descent is not technical, it can be challenging due to rocks, sand, and roots. Many people find trekking poles helpful.

We will start hiking by 7:30AM, so please arrive about 15 minutes early to organize your gear and allow a brief for the hike. We will take breaks as needed, including a 20-25 minute lunch, but the plan is to keep moving at a steady pace. This should put us back to the Trailhead around 2:00. Here's a link to our route in Caltopo. I also will send a .gpx file to everyone registered for the trip.

Plan for temperatures in the low 40s at the start, rising into the low 60s later. There is a chance of afternoon rain. More info here. Also, this is a popular route so it is likely we will see other people on the trail.

Meet on the South side of the NCAR parking lot (the outer loop initially points East then swings around). We will start hiking at 7:30AM so please arrive about 15 minutes early to organize your gear and allow time for a briefing.