OTHER Trip Report 10/25/2012

Peak(s):	Conundrum Hotsprings - 11200
Date Posted:	10/25/2012
Date Climbed:	10/20/2012
Author:	zoriloco

31st Birthday at the Hotsprings
Whats up everyone, Although its not a 14er I still wanted to share this trip report since I had a really hard time finding them online when I was preping for this trip. I would see a lot of pictures of the actual hotsprings but not from the route itself. We left Denver after work on Friday and got to the TH around 10pm. My friend Adrial and I slept in the Xterra and Virgil just pulled out his sleeping back and slept outside. The next morning we started walking by 7:20am. The weather was pretty nice. Around 30 degrees. The begining of the trail is pretty forgiving with gradual climbs and nice open areas with lots of Aspens. No more leaves on the trees though. The 1st Water crossing, we were doing good time about 1hr for the 1st 2.3miles. Virgil and I had spoken about taking our fishing rods to do some fishing, we both forgot them but did notice fish in several of the ponds on the trail. After a while the trail started to get a bit steeper. At that point a group of about 6 ladies just blazed passed us. They were going to just run the 18 miles in a one day trip. Frozen creek crossing Once the sun hit the valley's floor the tempetures got much better. We then got to the second major water crossing. Virgil suggested I do the crossing ninja style........ Lol We were now at mile 7.5 Third pond on our way to the Hot Springs More crossings Founds a bunch of Beaver Ponds in the area too We had decided we would camp 0.5 miles from the designated campsites and tha way we could light a fire at night. well we got to the damn designated sites and we had passed the area where we could have a fire. So we take our packs off and go scout out the location. We find a decent spot and go back for our gear. Originally I wanted to bring my dog to this trip but I read it was not allowed to do so. So I was pretty suprised when I kept on seeing dog tracks all the way on the trail. Go figure when we get to the springs one of the couples completely ignored all the signs and brought theirs. Ohh yeah and we saw one of the dead cows We were setting up camp around 2pm. After getting done setting up camp, knocking down a dead tree for firewood and eating something we were on our way to the hot springs. When we get there we find there was some people already there. Two couples one of them being in the nude. After a while a couple of hippies showed up (later on they were telling us about their Comunal in Boulder) as well as two other guys that had done the trip over the pass coming from Crested Butte. Everyone was really nice. We all started talking and pulling out beers (yeah I hauled 6 beers up the trail) Virgil pulls out a pint of whiskey and another guy takes out a pint of Rum. views from the Springs It was probably the drinks talking but we had decided with the rest of people there that we would meet up at the pool again at 1am to check out the meteor shower. We figured we would leave our swimming trunks and towels at the pool for our meetup later on. We make our way back down to camp in the dark and half buzzed, when we find some bones of the dead cow. We got back to the campsite and started a fire, ohh which by the way we forgot a lighter, so luckily I had a flicker and used that to start one up. We decided to take a "nap" from which we never woke up. Didnt feel a thing until the next morning. Got up and headed back up to the hotsprings for one last soak. We found our swimming trunks frozen to the rocks that we had put on them in case the wind got to crazy, which it did. We soaked for about another 2hrs and headed back to camp for some breakfast. We also wanted to go check out some cool cliffs we had seen the day before. thats right... rockin those long johns! hehehehe After some lunch we packed up and started to walk back around 12:30pm. We stopped to do some shooting and got back to the car around 4:15pm. We were back in Denver around 8pm.

31st Birthday at the Hotsprings

Whats up everyone, Although its not a 14er I still wanted to share this trip report since I had a really hard time finding them online when I was preping for this trip. I would see a lot of pictures of the actual hotsprings but not from the route itself.

We left Denver after work on Friday and got to the TH around 10pm. My friend Adrial and I slept in the Xterra and Virgil just pulled out his sleeping back and slept outside.

The next morning we started walking by 7:20am. The weather was pretty nice. Around 30 degrees.

The begining of the trail is pretty forgiving with gradual climbs and nice open areas with lots of Aspens. No more leaves on the trees though.

The 1st Water crossing, we were doing good time about 1hr for the 1st 2.3miles.

Virgil and I had spoken about taking our fishing rods to do some fishing, we both forgot them but did notice fish in several of the ponds on the trail.

After a while the trail started to get a bit steeper. At that point a group of about 6 ladies just blazed passed us. They were going to just run the 18 miles in a one day trip.

Frozen creek crossing

Once the sun hit the valley's floor the tempetures got much better.

We then got to the second major water crossing. Virgil suggested I do the crossing ninja style........ Lol We were now at mile 7.5

Third pond on our way to the Hot Springs

More crossings

Founds a bunch of Beaver Ponds in the area too

We had decided we would camp 0.5 miles from the designated campsites and tha way we could light a fire at night. well we got to the damn designated sites and we had passed the area where we could have a fire. So we take our packs off and go scout out the location. We find a decent spot and go back for our gear.

Originally I wanted to bring my dog to this trip but I read it was not allowed to do so. So I was pretty suprised when I kept on seeing dog tracks all the way on the trail. Go figure when we get to the springs one of the couples completely ignored all the signs and brought theirs.

Ohh yeah and we saw one of the dead cows

We were setting up camp around 2pm. After getting done setting up camp, knocking down a dead tree for firewood and eating something we were on our way to the hot springs.

When we get there we find there was some people already there. Two couples one of them being in the nude. After a while a couple of hippies showed up (later on they were telling us about their Comunal in Boulder) as well as two other guys that had done the trip over the pass coming from Crested Butte.

Everyone was really nice. We all started talking and pulling out beers (yeah I hauled 6 beers up the trail) Virgil pulls out a pint of whiskey and another guy takes out a pint of Rum.

views from the Springs

It was probably the drinks talking but we had decided with the rest of people there that we would meet up at the pool again at 1am to check out the meteor shower. We figured we would leave our swimming trunks and towels at the pool for our meetup later on.

We make our way back down to camp in the dark and half buzzed, when we find some bones of the dead cow.

We got back to the campsite and started a fire, ohh which by the way we forgot a lighter, so luckily I had a flicker and used that to start one up. We decided to take a "nap" from which we never woke up.

Didnt feel a thing until the next morning. Got up and headed back up to the hotsprings for one last soak.

We found our swimming trunks frozen to the rocks that we had put on them in case the wind got to crazy, which it did.

We soaked for about another 2hrs and headed back to camp for some breakfast. We also wanted to go check out some cool cliffs we had seen the day before.

thats right... rockin those long johns! hehehehe

After some lunch we packed up and started to walk back around 12:30pm. We stopped to do some shooting and got back to the car around 4:15pm. We were back in Denver around 8pm.

Comments or Questions

ThuChad	Nice! 10/25/2012 6:51pm It would seem that the guy may not be too happy about you taking a picture if his nude female partner. Maybe it's a bad angle. I think I'll put this on my places to go next in CO!
zoriloco	It was all good. 10/25/2012 7:10pm I actually asked if they were ok with me taking the picture before doing it and where fine with it. Hippies are cool like that
ThuChad	Ha. 10/25/2012 7:32pm Then he just felt like flipping you the bird.
zoriloco	Lol.. 10/25/2012 8:23pm OHh you're talking about my friend giving the finger?? hahahaha Thats our hello sign, pretty much all our group pictures show all of us giving the finger.
Billy the Kid	Very cool trip report! 10/27/2012 6:50am I'm sure it was a good time!...
FireOnTheMountain	nice photos 10/29/2012 3:03am Cool documentation of your trip. Congrats.

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