Sts John trail, 6-17-2006

[octoberist]

The marmots are whistling, the birds are chirping, and the heep is crying to climb a mountain. Another season of high country exploring is (almost) here.

I started from Montezuma expecting to get to Sts John and not much further. I made it past Sts John, beyond the Wild Irishman mine, and up the first couple switchbacks to the top. About half-way up a snow bank sits on the road. Crossing snow banks on a shelf road isn?t my thing so I turned around. Two more weeks and it might be gone.

Funky little Montezuma is blessed with great beauty and some fine trails. The epic vistas rival the BV and Ouray areas. We?re all fortunate to have someplace so cool, so close.

Be sure to get your signed letter to the post office tomorrow. It?s easy to do and it will make a difference.
http://www.cohvco.org/news/news.php?item=105

Passing through Saints John Creek on the spur trail to Grizzly Gulch.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-1.jpg

The mill at Sts John.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-2.jpg

Nearing the Wild Irishman mine.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-3.jpg

A cabin at Wild Irishman.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-4.jpg

Turn-around point near 12K ft.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-5.jpg

On the way back to Montezuma.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-6.jpg

Crossing the Sts John Creek on the way down.
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-7.jpg

Secret spot I found on the way home. Thanks Oshwego Jeepers for caring for it!
http://home.comcast.net/~octoberist/rubi/Picture-StsJohn-8.jpg

More pics at
http://community.webshots.com/album/551460670nvQXqp

[Rk Crlr]

That last pic is a real beauty!

[ArloGuthroJeep]

Nice pics, looks like a beautiful place...

[Oscar]

Looks great for us Noobs where is this located?

[otisdog]

Excellent pics. The trail starts in Montezuma which is a little town a few miles south of Keystone resort. It ends in the Summit County network of trails. You can go out towards Breckenridge or Webster Pass or come back down Deer Creek into Montezuma again.
Jim

[van7559]

Better directions? POssibly street names, I would like to go next week.

[octoberist]

I-70 west from Denver. Exit Hwy 6 before Eisenhower Tunnel. Drive over Loveland Pass on Hwy 6. At Keystone, turn left at the first turn lane (Keystone parking lot will be on the left), followed by an immediate left onto the secondary road between Hwy 6 and the Keystone parking lot. Follow the road to Montezuma. There is some signage to show the way. Montezuma is about 5 miles southeast of Keystone.

Sts John trail heads west from downtown Montezuma. Turn right at the intersection where the old machine sits on a concrete block. You'll know it when you see it. Sts John mine is a mile up the road. Wild Irishman is another 2+ miles up the gulch.

The Trails Illustrated map (#104, Idaho Springs) at REI (or someplace OHV friendly if you can find it) is a reliable guide. There are lots of historic/epic trails around Montezuma. Exposure is the biggest difficulty. Practically every trail puts you on top of the world. Great for Noobs who don't fear heights, have a reliable rig, excellent car control, and are prepared. Falling off a switchback would be disaster. Other than that, the area is lots of fun.

I saw numerous jeep/truck tracks off the trail through the wetlands near the top of one of the gulches. These stupid clueless as$hats are destroying an extremely fragile environment, and jeapordizing our continued enjoyment of it. Be sure to STAY THE TRAIL. Thanks.

[McCJ7]

Hello-
I have been up the Saints John trail many times, but never across the creek and up Grizzly Gulch. Could you tell me a little about what it is like, how far it goes, etc? I have never been able to find out any info about it.
Thanks!