Hiking Challenge

So, I decided the burning desire to do another long trail is tearing me apart and I need to do something locally to quell that desire! Here is what I have in mind:

Golden Foothills Foot Tour!

On 16 September 2011, I will embark on my day long journey from my house and back! I know that sounds short; however, there is a large loop of ascents and descents in there!

Early on the 16th I will depart from my home (located near 6th ave & Simms street). From home I will head towards Colorado Mills Mall/Denver West. Behind Denver West is South Table Mountain. I will traverse that open space park in to Golden proper. Since that trail comes down to 19th street in Golden, I will then follow 19th across 6th avenue to begin my ascent of Lookout Mountain. Chimney Gulch Trail to Lookout Mountain Trail across the top to Apex trail where I will descend to Highway 40. I will carefully walk up Highway 40 to Mathews Winters Park where I will hike over the Morrison Slide Trail towards Red Rocks. That trail then joins up with the hogback which divides C470 from Red Rocks Amphitheater. In the middle of the hogback is the zorro trail which takes me over to the Rooney Road Parking lot for Green Mountain. My last ascent and descent of the day (other than the ascent up to my home) will be over Green Mountain. The total mileage I am assuming to be about 30+ miles. It should be a nice challenge to under take.

Currently, my training plan looks like this:
11 July; Monday - time/distance check south table, lookout, and apex. 15miles @ ~6hrs
3 August; Wednesday - time/distance check lookout, apex, mathews winters, hogback.


A couple weeks after the 3 August test, I will do a test of mathews winters, hogback, and green mountain. Then it will be time for all of it together. Once I have gotten a little more data from my tests, I will post estimated time and distance of loop! It will be pieced together by my readings from my Garmin, but they should be pretty decent!

The hiking makes me happy!