Mancos, Colorado Area

The road to Rush Basin

Helmet Peak

Steam engine at Rush Basin

 

• Mancos has a Family Dollar and small supermarket but it's only 20 miles to the Walmart at Cortez. The USFS topo maps on apps such as peakbagger are essential to see hiking trails and road numbers. A map of motorized routes can be downloaded by searching " san jaun national forest mvum". That map also shows private land. Posted 2022.
• SPILLER PEAK el 13123 has a class 2 route out of Rush Basin. FR567 is miles and miles of rocky road. It's risky to drive a jeep in the last few miles because turnarounds can get scarce. The road ends at el 11800 then a trail goes up to the left to two lakes. It's easy from there to the south saddle el 12500 then up. ALTERNATE - a jeep road goes to el 11700 on the west side of peak 12201 as the USFS topo shows. I wouldn't take a jeep past the last switchback at N37 25454, W108 06725 el 11700. A mine trail goes on up to the top of the ridge to a T. Right can be used to run the ridge to Helmet Peak. Left runs along the south side of peak 12201 to Rush Basin lakes. It fades but but resumes at 25489, 06517 and goes on down. Or go over peak 12201 and down to the lakes. It's obvious from there to the south saddle of Spiller. Backpackers could use the trail to get to the lakes. The big one had a good outflow and all snow was gone in late July.SECOND ALTERNATE - drive part way on FR567 then walk on up to Spiller then walk back down to the lakes and follow the mine trail under peak 12201 and on to a junction at 25240, 06918 which is a few feet NE of point 11522. Either drop down on a trail there to FR567 or go on to Helmet then try going down the south ridge. Posted 2022.
• HELMET PEAK el 11969 has a 4wd road to el 11200 on the south ridge. FR322 runs past point 10951 then crosses a talus field. It forks there and the left fork goes to the south ridge and levels off. Turnarounds get scarce beyond there. Posted 2022.
• MADDEN PEAK el 11972 has an easy SW ridge with a trail to point 11455. FR316 starts out smooth then it's high clearance to el 10200 where it's closed a bit over 8 miles in from the highway. I just walked the closed road and ignored right forks and it took me up the ridge. On the descent, I retraced to el 11500 and dropped down a grassy slope to Starvation Creek. Springs are gushing out of the talus el 11200. I walked on down to FR316 shown on the topo at el 11100 and walked it back. 3 hours, nearly 2000 gain, all easy. The closed road is open to pedal bikes but steep. Posted 2022.
• CENTENNIAL PEAK el 13062 has trails all the way. Roads are graded to FR346 then it's high clearance and mtn bikeable for a mile and a half to the Sharkstooth TH el 10900. The USFS topo shows the trail going up to the north ridge el 11936 then hiker trails go from there. Just above 11200 on the trail is a big spring gushing out of the talus. 4 hours, 2200 gain. This is a wuss 13er. Posted 2022.
• HESPERUS MOUNTAIN el 13232 has an easy route up the long NW ridge. Ebikes and cycles can ride up from Transfer Campground on ATV trail #631 to a fork near point 10331. Stay right on #175 then left on #169 to the creek crossing and park at el 10100. Walk across the creek then left on #621 to a clearing at N37 27635, W108 06394. Walk that to another clearing at 27573, 06463 then go up on high ground for 300 feet then bend right for 250 feet to timberline. Zigzag up talus to get on the back side of the NW ridge where it's an easy forest. Stroll on up to the steep part at el 12000 where a class 2 hiker trail goes right of center then back to center and up to the summit. At 26687, 05554 there is an option to take a less steep right fork. 5 and a half hours, 3100 gain. High powered ebikes can come down trail #631 from FR350 but will have to walk down rubble from 10500 to 10400. ATVs can't go beyond trail #175. The USFS topo shows all.Posted 2022.
• WEST MANCOS TRAIL #621 - I did an 11 mile one way hike down from the Sharkstooth TH to Transfer Campground. I followed graded roads to FR346 then parked and walked a mile and a half on that road to the TH then followed signs all the way. I had one shin deep wade at el 9300. Near the end I filled at a spring at N37 27702, W108 10449. Crystal Creek comes after that and was the last good water. Then comes a good view at 27988, 11338. That took 5 hours, 10 minutes with noticeable gain of less than 500, mostly near the end. The USFS topo shows the trails. SHORT VERSION - walk up the trail from Transfer to trail #173 then up that to the rim and back on ATV trail #631. All trails are open to pedal bikes but way too bumpy for me. Posted 2022.
• BURRO MOUNTAIN el 11560 has an easy ridge from Windy Gap. Deadfall is a minor nuisance and that thins out as it goes. I descended by way of FR350.G but it has trees across it too. I could have drove a car in on FR350 except for the last mile. A 20 mile loop can be done around this mountain on an ebike. Starting where FR350 meets FR561, I would begin on the latter and go clockwise. Posted 2022.
• MENEFEE MOUNTAIN el 8867 has an easy 4wd road all the way. Turn off highway 160 at mp 61.4 and go nearly 3 miles to a fork. Right goes nearly a mile to the high point. Left goes 2 and a half miles to Menefee Peak el 8824. These roads are good for bikes when dry. Posted 2022. 
• WEBER MOUNTAIN el 8202 has access from the east. Take county road 41 out of Mancos to the end of pavement and go on nearly 5 more miles to a BLM display with sunny camping el 6550. A car could have made it. I walked the fence and crossed the creek to a road high on the far bank. It soon enters private land but not fenced or posted. I stayed far left on an overgrowing road then up a ridge at N37 15391, W108 18749 el 6600. At 15544, 19046 el 6900 I leveled off to the right and on to 15630, 19118 el 6900. I stayed on the high ground up to 15703, 19252 el 7050 then up a steep ridge to 15679, 19570 el 7400. From there I moved right then up to the crest at 15741, 19802 el 7900. I had an easy stroll to the summit cairn at 16647, 20014. No reg. 4 hours, 1700 gain, some light scrub oak. Not the cleanest pj forest but not bad. If the private land becomes an issue, then going staight up to peak 8135 would get around it but more gain. Posted 2022.
• CUMBERLAND MOUNTAIN el 12388 has a hiker trail up the NW ridge. CR 124 is paved to Mayday then cars can make the next 4 miles then it degrades and is 4wd by the time it gets to the saddle el 12000 next to Snowstorm Peak. There is a small turnaround at the saddle but the road is private beyond there. The trail leaves the road at the upper edge of brush el 11700. All but cycles have to park sooner at a main parking area el 11600. Short hike. Snowstorm is tough to go up unless walking the private land. Posted 2022