Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winter?

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jsdratm
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by jsdratm »

When I did Culebra and Red this year (paying), some of the ranch hands were carrying guns. I don't think they would shoot you, but I recall incidents where people were met by the local police after their hike. Personally I think it is better to work with the ranch instead of against it. For a long time these peaks were completely closed and the CMC worked hard to get it opened to hikers, so don't blow it for the rest of us.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by 12ersRule »

Sean Nunn wrote:
Kiefer wrote:You do realize that MOST of the range is private....right? You do realize that asking questions that blatantly involve trespassing publically is stupid at best...right? And you do realize that if anyone DOES have suggestions or recommendations (of which I do), no one is going to share them publically....right?
You do realize that the word publicly is spelled "publicly", right? :-D

But I agree with what you are saying. Whether we agree with what people do with their privately owned land or not, it is their land. Which is why, someday, I will holler and complain and curse beneath my breath....and pay to climb Culebra.

Sean Nunn
Raytown MO

The position of land "ownership" is hilarious to me, considering we exist for maybe 100 years if we're lucky and the planet has been here for 4 billion years.

David Johnson
Ft Collins, CO
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by Doug Shaw »

12ersRule wrote:The position of land "ownership" is hilarious to me, considering we exist for maybe 100 years if we're lucky and the planet has been here for 4 billion years.
I find the concept of "land" hilarious. Matter is mostly empty space.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by justiner »

I find the concept of, "money" hilarious.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by TravelingMatt »

jsdratm wrote:When I did Culebra and Red this year (paying), some of the ranch hands were carrying guns. I don't think they would shoot you, but I recall incidents where people were met by the local police after their hike.
The rancher who led us on the Purgatoire/Alamosito/Vermejo outing this summer told us he was a certified cop. They don't need to call anyone, they can arrest you on the spot.

It costs a little money but you can get every 13er in the Culebra Range nowadays completely legally.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by geojed »

12ersRule wrote: The position of land "ownership" is hilarious to me, considering we exist for maybe 100 years if we're lucky and the planet has been here for 4 billion years.

David Johnson
Ft Collins, CO
:roll:
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by huffy13 »

Am I assuming correctly that from Trinchera to Maxwell is public? And anything south of Maxwell is on private land? Looking at maps, it seems like that is the case, and if so, is there a trail that runs from the Purgatoire Campground to the Blue Lakes/Bear Lake area?
Seems like the times that I need a mountain the most are the times that I can not get to them.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by Chicago Transplant »

TravelingMatt wrote:
jsdratm wrote:When I did Culebra and Red this year (paying), some of the ranch hands were carrying guns. I don't think they would shoot you, but I recall incidents where people were met by the local police after their hike.
The rancher who led us on the Purgatoire/Alamosito/Vermejo outing this summer told us he was a certified cop. They don't need to call anyone, they can arrest you on the spot.

It costs a little money but you can get every 13er in the Culebra Range nowadays completely legally.
I don't believe that is totally true, you can get everything on Cielo Vista legally (and I have) but Mariquita and DeAnza are not on their property and as far as I know the owner(s) of those have not given legal access. If they have, please post contact information as I would like to know more!

FYI, the Cielo Vista boundary is just north of Whiskey Pass.
huffy13 wrote:Am I assuming correctly that from Trinchera to Maxwell is public? And anything south of Maxwell is on private land? Looking at maps, it seems like that is the case, and if so, is there a trail that runs from the Purgatoire Campground to the Blue Lakes/Bear Lake area?
Yes, the summit of Maxwell starts the private property, so the north side is public, everything south of it is private. Only the EAST access to Trichera to Maxwell is public, the range crest is the property boundary and the west side is private.
Last edited by Chicago Transplant on Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by erics1234 »

The only reason I wouldnt do Culebra from the ranch is not because of the money, its because of the route. It only goes up one peak, and the route (at least to me) is not at all exciting compared to if I were to traverse the entire spine of the range. I dont do lists, so doing a non-exciting route would not be worth my time. I would gladly pay if it means I wouldnt get arrested, but besides the owners of the ranch who dictate Culebra, it is very difficult to find the landowners of other parts of the range. So with that being said, if I can get ahold of the landowner(s), I would gladly negotiate something, but if I cant, to the ridge it is!

The Sneak Peak Climbing Scale was originally meant to be satirical, but with all the private peaks in California (especially the Diablo Range which the rating system was originally designed for), many have began using it seriously. Popular hiking sites, such as Summitpost, have already implemented the rating system.

Some of you may find this statement by Bob Burd (who has written reports for just about every private peak in the Diablo Range) pretty interesting. They reflect the intentions of the average California sneak climber.
http://www.snwburd.com/dayhikes/text/private.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Last edited by erics1234 on Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by SoCool »

wineguy wrote:
Teresa Gergen wrote:
SPS Rating System:
•Class S1 = Private property but no fences, ranches, gates or signs (Mt. Harbin 2582')
•Class S2 = Private property but no signs. Maybe a fence or two (Santa Ana Mt. 3112')
•Class S3 = Private property signs, locked gate, fence or 2, but no ranch houses (Palo Escrito 4465')
•Class S4 = Signs, locked gates, many fences, ranch houses currently occupied (Weller Pk 2450')
•Class S5 = Signs, gates, many fences, ranch houses occupied, plus barking dogs (Mt. Boardman 3626')
•Class S6 = Signs, gates, fences, occupied houses, barking dogs, and the houses have clear view of the route (Sonoma Mt. 2463')
•Class S7 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, barking dogs, and active security patrol on duty (Mt. Black & Mt. Day)
•Class S8 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, dogs, patrol, plus county sheriff or local park ranger (Poverty Ridge)
•Class S9 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, dogs, patrol, sheriff, plus local owners threatening climbers with guns (Rose Peak 1974')
•Class S10 = All of the above plus climbers with guns (Mt. Isabel)
•Class S11 = Trespass on military bombing ranges (Copper Mtn. 2678')
Agree hilarious California rating system. From the TR, "Trip announcements will be spray painted on freeway underpasses near you." I drove the road east of Culebra recently, curious if there was access with permission from a less greedy landowner. Saw an amazing number of "No Trespassing" signs and rumor has it they will have you arrested to make an example. (Of course the OP is not suggesting this access point.) Now this thread will probably turn into an endless discussion/rant on Culebra and land ownership in general.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by TravelingMatt »

Chicago Transplant wrote:I don't believe that is totally true, you can get everything on Cielo Vista legally (and I have) but Mariquita and DeAnza are not on their property and as far as I know the owner(s) of those have not given legal access. If they have, please post contact information as I would like to know more!

FYI, the Cielo Vista boundary is just north of Whiskey Pass.
Sorry, I presumed Cielo Vista owned everything north of Culebra up to Maxwell. From doing the Trinchera to Cuatro run this summer, Mariquita and DeAnza do look pochable, and access up to Maxwell is pretty easy. I'd wait for a full moon in summer... guess I shouldn't say much more.
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Re: Culebra Range- best north & south access points in winte

Post by TravelingMatt »

wineguy wrote:I thought the "ranking" system was so hilarious I couldn't help but post it. Any partners interested in a Class S11 next weekend? Too bad that nuclear testing has stopped, or we could establish a Class S12.

SPS Rating System:
•Class S1 = Private property but no fences, ranches, gates or signs (Mt. Harbin 2582')
•Class S2 = Private property but no signs. Maybe a fence or two (Santa Ana Mt. 3112')
•Class S3 = Private property signs, locked gate, fence or 2, but no ranch houses (Palo Escrito 4465')
•Class S4 = Signs, locked gates, many fences, ranch houses currently occupied (Weller Pk 2450')
•Class S5 = Signs, gates, many fences, ranch houses occupied, plus barking dogs (Mt. Boardman 3626')
•Class S6 = Signs, gates, fences, occupied houses, barking dogs, and the houses have clear view of the route (Sonoma Mt. 2463')
•Class S7 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, barking dogs, and active security patrol on duty (Mt. Black & Mt. Day)
•Class S8 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, dogs, patrol, plus county sheriff or local park ranger (Poverty Ridge)
•Class S9 = Signs, gates, fences, houses, dogs, patrol, sheriff, plus local owners threatening climbers with guns (Rose Peak 1974')
•Class S10 = All of the above plus climbers with guns (Mt. Isabel)
•Class S11 = Trespass on military bombing ranges (Copper Mtn. 2678')
The county highpointers have a rating system too. It goes something like: public; private but unenforced (like Bross); private and permission required but freely given; private and specific arrangements must be made in advance (like Culebra); and forget about it. There may be one or two categories in between but that's the general idea. Interesting how one group starts from the premise of respecting property rights and the other says screw the barking dogs, I wanna climb something.
You never know what is enough until you know what is more than enough. -- William Blake
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