Starting at Pine Valley Ranch this 8 mile / 1300' gain hike has been described as a "hidden gem". There's a beautiful lake at the start and end of this forested loop consisting of the Buck Gulch and Strawberry Jack trails. Be prepared for a steady, 1.8 - 2 mph pace, with minimal stops - and with some moderately steep inclines. Estimated time to complete hike: 5 hours.
Time to put the tents away and gather for storytime! Join your fellow Backpacking School 2025 students, instructors, and trip leaders for an evening of stories, laughter, and well-earned beverages at New Terrain Brewing in Golden.
We will take advantage of the Wild Basin Road still being open and start from the Finch Lake Trailhead. Steady uphill for approx 4 miles to Finch Lake. On the return we will divert to the Allenspark Trail to Calypso Cascades and then head to Wild Basin TH. This is a lovely semi loop trail with beautiful views. Expect mostly dry trails with occasional ice.
With a nice weather forecast, we will hike from the Morrison parking lot to Walker Ranch along the main Castle trail with the option to go on to Mt Falcon, approximately another half mile and 250 foot elevation gain.
