Colorado Trail Cataract Ridge Reroute

Colorado Trail Cataract Ridge Reroute - Segments 23 & 24

The Colorado Trail has been rerouted to provide better views and eliminate sections that were motorized trail and jeep road. The 17-mile Cataract Ridge Reroute is in the San Juan Mountains and takes the place of 15 miles along Pole Creek and Beartown. Trail users have begun enjoying the new route by following the large rock cairns that mark the way. They have rave reviews, saying that the vistas are unmatched and elk herds impressive.

The new Cataract Ridge Reroute generally follows the Continental Divide and is entirely above tree line. Reports from scouts and users suggest that water has been available and that the high terrain undulates affording some lower ground that can give comfort in electrical storms.

This reroute does not appear in either The Colorado Trail Guidebook, 7th Edition, or the CT Databook, 3rd Edition.

The Cataract Ridge Reroute is relatively easy to find and follow. Users can download and print this map:

This 2-page map can be used with Guidebook and/or Databook and may well be all that users need to find and follow the new Cataract Ridge Reroute.

Segment 23 with the new reroute is now 15.9 miles long with a southern terminus of Stony Pass road. Elevation gain is now 4,355 feet and elevation loss is 4,352 feet, traveling from North to South.

Segment 24 with the new reroute is now 20.2 miles long with northern terminus of Stony Pass road. The new elevation gain is 3,880 feet and elevation loss is 5,224 feet, traveling from North to South.

Additional information is made available to CT users thanks to our volunteer Trail surveyor, Jerry Brown, on his business web site, www.bearcreeksurvey.com: Zoomed-in Maps and GPS Waypoint data for Cataract Ridge Reroute

Enjoy!!

Note: the old Pole Creek/Beartown route, at the time of this writing in Summer 2007, remains open to users as described in the 7th Edition Guidebook and 3rd Edition Databook.