Hiking – Ben Tyler Trail

Meet at the Morrison Park & Ride (at the intersection of Morrison Road and Rooney Road, in front of the Phillips 66 gas station) at 6:00am so we can form carpools for the drive to the trailhead, and have a departure no later than 6:15am.  Here’s a Google Maps link to the Morrison PnR: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Dh8krPrDnCJBK5Y76

On the way, we will leave car(s) at the Ben Tyler Trailhead for the car shuttle.  Then we will proceed to the Kenosha East Campground, where we will start our hike.  Here is a Google Maps link to the trailhead at the Kenosha Pass east campground:  https://goo.gl/maps/jAQsEuoKMNhwNMPXA

This hike is intended to enjoy the amazing fall foliage in the Kenosha Pass area, as well as along the Ben Tyler Trail, with some great views from the ridgeline along the way.  This is a LONG thru-hike (one-way with a car shuttle).  While there is some scrambling on Mt Blaine, most of this trip is on a 4WD road, off trail on tundra above timberline, then on the Ben Tyler trail.  Due to the long distance of this hike, it is important that we maintain aa average moving speed of at least 2 mph

From Kenosha Pass, we will follow the 4WD road up to N Twin Cone Peak.  From there we will hike off trail on the tundra to Mt Blaine, where some class 2 scrambling will take us to its summit.  From Mt Blaine, we will proceed southeast to the Foster Benchmark, then continue southeast to the intersection with the Ben Tyler Trail.  We will then follow the Ben Tyler trail down from the ridge, past some additional great fall foliage, then on to the Ben Tyler Trailhead along US285. 

The elevation gain on this hike is 3100 ft, but the elevation loss (downhill sections) is 4800 ft.