Maroon Bells & Pyramid (CO)

Submitted by joseDeMoor on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 07:59pm
Description

You can do the peaks in any order.  Once underway, definitely stay on the trails or standard climbers routes. The other requirements:

1) start and finish at the Maroon Creek Trailhead; edge of the parking lot next to the bathroom. 

2) summit three peaks: Maroon Peak (14,156'), N. Maroon Peak (14,014'), and Pyramid Peak (14,018'). 

This Colorado 14er hat-trick has a mixture of runnable trail and technical terrain-particularly on the Bells Traverse-one of four "classic" 14er traverses in Colorado. Approximately 9,000' of vertical gain/loss and 12ish miles.

BearPen and Vly (NY)

Submitted by Mike Catskill on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 04:50pm
Description

This is an out and back "T" route to a pair of Catskill 3500 ft peaks.  The BearPen Summit is at the second clearing (with nice views) at the top of an old ski area from the 1950's.  Old trucks that were used for rope tows still exist up there.  The Vly ascent is technically trail-less but a strong herd path exists.  Vly's summit has a register on a tree to sign in to.  The time starts and stops at the end of pavement/beginning of gravel at a snowplow turn around at the end of CR 3 in Halcott Center.  These are the only 2 Catskill High Peaks that are technically outside the Catskill Park.

Great Western Trail, Entire Route & Road Connector (IL)

Submitted by Eric H on Tue, 08/04/2020 - 04:43pm
Description

The Great Western Trail in Illinois is a 30-mile multi-use trail that runs from Sycamore, IL at its western terminus to Villa Park, IL at its eastern terminus. It is divided into a Western Segment (17.5 miles) and an Eastern Segment (12.5 miles), which can be connected by surface roads (8 miles) for a total distance a bit longer than 38 miles. "The Great Western Trail crosses small streams and wetlands where duck, coot and the Great Blue Heron nest and raise their young. Shrubs, including Dogwood, Blackberry and Hazelnut mingle with the few remaining patches of native prairie.