parking at trailheads for multi-day thru hikes

[pnolans]

This is more about hiking , say , the Gore Range trail or Colorado trail... if this is inappropriate for 14ers.com, please let me know; or remove it.

Since I've lived in Colorado... I have not done a multi-day hike in Colorado , or anywhere else, for that matter.

I'm interested in experiences regarding the "safety" of leaving my Jeep parked at a trailhead for , say, 4 days ... and what is likely to happen to it.
I've mostly done day hikes, or camped near my car to get an early morning start and then return to camp later than day.

I've done one overnight at the trailhead that goes to Lake Griffith ... along part of the Gore Range trail. My car was fine the next day. So many places in Colorado that SEEM remote, are just a few miles from those "5-acre plot subdivisions"

I appreciate anyone sharing their experiences similar to this...

Thanks in advance,

Wanderin Pat

[pnolans]

additional info:

I was thinking about parking at Kenosha Pass, hike 2 days in and 2 days back... So I would be leaving my jeep at that trailhead for 3 or 4 nights... That sits right on US 285 ...
My initial reaction is that it would be more likely to be vandalized since it's right on a heavily-traveled highway.

Thanks for any help,

Wanderin Pat

[San Juan Ron]

I know of several CT hikers that have left vehicles at Kenosha or up to a week without incident. The only areas that are of concern on the CT have been near Waterton. Ron

[Turtle Boy]

This is pretty much an unanswerable question. In all my time hiking, climbing and backpacking I've only been broken into once. That was on an unusually bitterly cold backpack in the San Gabriels in California (hard to believe bitterly cold but it was). This was not vandalism per se; they broke in to steal. There was nothing to steal so the effort was wasted.

Given how much time I spend in the back country hiking, climbing and backpacking this comes out to about 0.001% or less that I've had a problem. That makes it a risk I'm willing to take.

I'm not sure what the stats are but just from observation the ratio of break ins to parks has to be ridiculously low. You are right though, areas close to cities (Boulder Open Space) and high traffic areas see more of this problem mostly due to ease of access and the larger numbers of people.

Keep valuable stuff out of the car and leave the glove box and/or center console open to lower the odds of a break in. Why break in if there's nothing to steal. Of course nothing can defend against gratuitous vandalism. However gratuitous vandalism is an even smaller percentage of car damage at trail heads. Among my friends and I, damage has come from hail, marmots, squirrels and once a tree branch broke off and impaled itself between my fender and hood. So far I'm the only one that has had a "people" problem. And.... this is after a ridiculously high number of trail parks by all of these folk.

This is a lot of words for go where you want to go, have fun and if luck runs against you figure it's over for a lifetime.

[pnolans]

This is pretty much an unanswerable question. .

And yet, you DID answer it... quite informatively, I might add. Thanks to you and San Juan Ron.

[pnolans]

I have had gratuitous vandalism occur on the road north of Lake George that heads to US 285 ... I've had 2 flat tires... I've been told that the local ranchers don't really appreciate
hikers in the area... that even though it's mostly federal land, they have issues with "non-locals" .. .how true that is, I don't know. Once it was a screw in my sidewall ... that was pretty deliberate. At least , that's been my experience.

In truth, I am attempting to gather experiences from other folks , much like what San Juan Ron added.

Again, thanks to both of you.

[bigredmachine]

Once it was a screw in my sidewall ...

I'd remove the "Vote for Hilary" bumper sticker next time you're in that area.

[pnolans]

Once it was a screw in my sidewall ...

I'd remove the "Vote for Hilary" bumper sticker next time you're in that area.

Agreed... If I put one on my car, please feel free to shoot me. Just sayin.
Cause I done LOST MY MIND!

Wait, did this thread just take a RIGHT turn?
if the moderator thinks this is inappropriate, please feel free to remove it.

[justiner]

Given how much time I spend in the back country hiking, climbing and backpacking this comes out to about 0.001% or less that I've had a problem. That makes it a risk I'm willing to take.

That's once out of 100,000 instances, or one day in ~273 years. I know turtles live long, but when do turtle boys become turtle men?

[wineguy]

I prefer day-hikes to overnights, but have left my vehicle for overnight trips at the Missouri Gulch TH (Iowa & Emerald), Capitol TH, Snowmass TH, South Colony Lake TH (twice), Lake Como TH (twice), and Rock of Ages TH. I never worried and have never had problems.

[pnolans]

Thanks, wineguy. I also generally prefer day-hikes... but I will be retiring at the end of this year, and will have a lot more time on my hands.
I have always preferred my comfy bed at home than sleeping in a tent .

But my future career is to live up to my nickname, "Wanderin Pat"... I've lived in Colorado for 20 years, and have not seen anywhere near enough of it.
I'll be spending most of my time car camping , but have long wanted to hike the Colorado Trail and the Pacific Coast Trail (or parts of them). I've done plenty
of the Appalachian Trail (most of it in the South).

edit..added the following:

So , with me retiring, this is my chance to do multi-night backpacking trips...and see more of the beauty of the mountains and the desert. Which I"ve wanted to do since I was 9.. but something was always in the way.

[Turtle Boy]

Given how much time I spend in the back country hiking, climbing and backpacking this comes out to about 0.001% or less that I've had a problem. That makes it a risk I'm willing to take.

That's once out of 100,000 instances, or one day in ~273 years. I know turtles live long, but when do turtle boys become turtle men?

Yep, forgot to multiply by 100 (needed more coffee). It's still a great percentage (math error notwithstanding) even with the very conservative number I used for my parking days.

Turtle Man in body but hopefully Turtle Boy in mind and spirit until they toss dirt on me