Hefferman Gulch (Idaho Springs), CO: Colorado Front Range Chapter, XC Ski/Snowshoe Outing

The Colorado Front Range Chapter is returning to Hefferman Gulch for a cross-country ski / snowshoe outing! (Some years this is hiking boot or Yaktrax doable. But that won't be certain until event day.) Hefferman is a relative easy road that parallels South Chicago Creek and the tour will be about 3 miles round trip. This is relatively high altitude with the trailhead at 9,450 ft and the turnaround just short of 10,000. The trailhead is on the right about 8 ½ miles up CO-103 (the Mt. Evans Road) south of Idaho Springs. (Park on CO-103. Do not attempt to drive up Hefferman!) You should check your own travel time, but with no traffic the trailhead is just over an hour from central Denver.

Any who are interested could convene at The Buffalo in Idaho Springs afterward to recover. We can sort that out on event day.

This is a Colorado winter outing so you must come prepared! That would mean the 10 essentials plus whatever else you will need to be comfortable and safe. REI has several pertinent lists:
The 10 Essentials
Snowshoe Day-Hiking Checklist
What to Wear Cross-Country Skiing

We’ll suggest carpooling and a good place for most people to meet up is the Wooly Mammoth lot in the northwest quadrant of I-70 and CO-93, immediately west of the Point of Geological Interest road cut on I-70. And then at signpost AA. We’ll suggest meeting up there at 9:00, leaving for the trailhead at 9:15.

We’d like to hear from those who plan to attend but don’t let not contacting us prevent you from coming. E-mail us at ColoradoFrontRange@americanpilgrims.org. Event day contact will be Gene at 303-999-5179 but we’ll be out of mobile phone contact that morning after leaving I-70.

St. James, deliver us copious snow! No, wait! That's directed at Ullr!

What you need to know:
What: A snowshoe/XC ski outing
When: Friday, January 10th, 10: am at the trailhead or 9:00 - 9:15 at the Wooly Mammoth (post AA) parking lot
Where: Hefferman Gulch, 8 1/2 miles south of Idaho Springs up the Mount Evans Road (CO-103)
Cost: Whatever you order if we convene at The Buffalo in Idaho Springs afterward