Wanted to see how weak I was from a winter of not hiking. This trail is hot one with mostly south facing slope, so it is a great winter trail. Started late afternoon, closer to 1 o’clock. Started up the trail and I was trying to make up some time. I did ok at first and then the trail got stepper and I was starting to fatigue. Feeling my lack of exercise, I was slowing way down. Up at the closed mine tunnels, I looked around the mine tailings for a bit. There was some chrysocolla on the tailing nothing too special. After hiking up the top of the rise above the mines, I had thoughts of just stopping there. Bumped a nice whitetail Coues buck and doe at the upper mine and they ran straight up the mountain. The deer were quite impressive and suddenly I had the energy to go up the trail again. The trail suddenly seemed much easier and less steep. I could see I was almost to the top. It was really blowing on the crest of the mountain. I was down to my t-shirt and I was feeling the chill of the wind. Once over the top the view of ash canyon opened up. The wind relented on the other side of the crest. There was a nice campsite on the lee side of the mountain. I noticed the camp site, because the crest trail is narrower than one might think. Good campsites are few and far between on the Crest. I saw some remnants of the winter snow. It was 3 o’clock by then and time to turned around and go back to the truck parked up on Montezuma pass. I was close to where Lutz trail comes in the crest trail and once on the top the hiking is easy and views are outstanding.
By this time, I had met about 4 hikers on the trail, it seems this trail is popular this time of year. I would love to go back soon and go farther. I met one hiker staying the night on the trail and I told her about the campsite on the other side of the mountain crest in ash canyon. It is a perfect time of year to stay overnight and I would like to do that as well.
I wasted no time in my descent and was back at Montezuma pass by 4:30. The total assent distance was about 3 miles and the same back. I was surprised on how fast I made to the top. The trail starts at 6600 ft, so that helps one get up to the pines in no time. I can’t wait to go back.
