S. Colony 2WD TH - overnight no more?

[JChitwood]

Sure wish I’d done Columbia on one of my three trips to S Colony decades ago. And Jupiter on one of my trips to Chicago Basin. Hindsight is so much better.

[astranko]

One thing worth considering is that the Cottonwood Creek Trailhead on the other side of the range is not a high traffic trailhead.

The land for both the Spanish Creek and Cottonwood Creek Trailheads belongs to Shumei International and go along their private road. Spanish Creek can accommodate maybe 3 cars max and Cottonwood is probably 8. They have closed the trailheads in the past and seem to have no desire to increase the size or accommodate more traffic. Shumei is a... spiritual.. organization that seems to have little tolerance for crowds and disruption.

Irrespective of what's happening with South Colony, I don't think it's wise to divert traffic over to the west side or suggest Cottonwood as the "new standard".

[rmcpherson]

An obvious solution would be to grade the road for 2WD vehicles up to the current 4WD trailhead so that people can park on public land. Unlikely to happen due to increasingly dire USFS funding though. They'll build roads for resource extraction (maybe not in CO, for now) but improving recreational access does not seem to be a priority.

[seannunn]

"Park along the road rather than in the parking lot unless you can stay within 20 feet of the edge of the actual road."

I am confused about this. How wide is the road in the last 1/4 mile before the 2WD lot? Why can't we just park on the edge of the road prior to the lot? Unless there are signs specifically forbidding it, I can't imagine it would be illegal to park on the shoulder of a public road out in the "wilderness". What am I missing here?

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO

[markf]

An obvious solution would be to grade the road for 2WD vehicles up to the current 4WD trailhead so that people can park on public land. Unlikely to happen due to increasingly dire USFS funding though. They'll build roads for resource extraction (maybe not in CO, for now) but improving recreational access does not seem to be a priority.

The road would have to be graded over and over again, since steep dirt roads tend to deteriorate pretty quickly when they're used by more than a minimal amount of motor vehicle traffic. I'd be just as happy to park my 2WD vehicle at the lower trailhead and hike in to a camping spot, as long as log as I knew my vehicle wouldn't be towed or broken into.

[Monte Meals]

^" The road would have to be graded over and over again, since steep dirt roads tend to deteriorate "

Asphalt baby Asphalt.

If they can pave the road to the top of Pikes Peak or Blue Sky whith that stuff,
shirely (yeah I know , don't call me Shirely) they can make the road to upper trailhead
subaru-able (at least if it is green)

[jsf80238]

Would I be able to park at (37.95261, -105.66234) and approach Humboldt from the West?

I was thinking of using part of the Obstruction Peak route https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=201507270727503.

[astranko]

Would I be able to park at (37.95261, -105.66234) and approach Humboldt from the West?

I was thinking of using part of the Obstruction Peak route https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=201507270727503.

That is the Spanish Creek trailhead. Down low, expect the approach to be poorly maintained, especially given the time of year. Any trail crews in the area (almost all just local volunteers on their own initiative) likely wouldn't have done anything yet.

Up high expect Choose-Your-Own off trail travel. It's unlikely there's any sort of visible, continuous trail to Bear's Playground. If you do go, report back with some trail info. It would be nice to know what the status is there.

[jsf80238]

[/quote]

That is the Spanish Creek trailhead. Down low, expect the approach to be poorly maintained, especially given the time of year. Any trail crews in the area (almost all just local volunteers on their own initiative) likely wouldn't have done anything yet.

Up high expect Choose-Your-Own off trail travel. It's unlikely there's any sort of visible, continuous trail to Bear's Playground. If you do go, report back with some trail info. It would be nice to know what the status is there.
[/quote]

Thank you. This would be a September trip.

[emilypilk1]

Hey there! Because of these new rules on no overnight parking at 2WD lower lot.. is anyone able to give my husband and I a ride from westcliffe area up to the trailhead sometime tomorrow, July 4?? We just now realized that our plans are a tad ruined since we just realized we can’t park there! Planning on doing 3 day/2 night climbing expedition! Thank you!

[the_hare]

From the Custer County assessor, the parking lot and the ranch just north of it is owned by William J Sudmeier trust. The mailing address is listed not at this ranch address but as a Denver home address which is also owned by the trust. It looks like Sudmeier has been involved in real estate & renting in the Denver area as recently as 2024.

As it turns out, a Bill Sudmeier of Denver appears to be or have been an experienced 14er hiker according to a 2003 Aspen Times article detailing a traumatic rockfall incident. I'm not sure of the history of the lot there, but seeing as Sudmeier purchased the ranch property in 1999 his 14er hobby might have been why he was amenable to allowing the parking lot there in the first place. I haven't found any electronic communication means of getting a hold of Sudmeier outside of the physical Denver mailing address--he may have a profile on this very site tho!

[JROSKA]

One thing worth considering is that the Cottonwood Creek Trailhead on the other side of the range is not a high traffic trailhead.

Spanish Creek can accommodate maybe 3 cars max and Cottonwood is probably 8.

Irrespective of what's happening with South Colony, I don't think it's wise to divert traffic over to the west side or suggest Cottonwood as the "new standard".

On this note, now that we are into summer, does anyone know if these developments at the lower TH on the other side are indeed causing the masses to park at the Cottonwood TH? More specifically, is that trailhead quickly filling up on weekends now. I was planning to head down there in August.