![\"Saint](\"http:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Trail-2.jpg\")
<\/a>To climb Saint Vrain Mountain<\/a>, first drive along the Peak to Peak Highway 7 to the town of Allenspark. Turn south at the big hilltop, drive south a couple of blocks past some houses, and find dirt road USFS 107. Follow 107 about 1.5 miles south up the valley of Rock Creek. At about 8700 feet the road splits \u2013 take the right fork, USFS 116.1, uphill about 1\/2 mile to about 9000 feet, where the road dead-ends at the trailhead. There is very limited parking, and access is free, so get up there early!<\/p>\n The beautiful trail climbs steeply up through the forest through aspen groves along a pretty creek.<\/p>\n After about 3 miles the trail reaches a scenic alpine saddle just south of Meadow Mountain at 11,200 feet. Follow the trail south about a half mile through the sub-alpine forest and across the tundra to a point just east of Saint Vrain Mountain. Leave the trail and climb 800 vertical feet up the moderate east side of Saint Vrain. Depending on the season, this will either be snow fields or grassy slopes and rock. The route follows the marked National Park boundary.<\/p>\n The hike is 4.4 miles and about 3200 vertical feet from the trail-head to the summit. Views from the peak are spectacular in all directions, and many SOTA Peaks are visible.<\/p>\n The rocky summit has plenty of room to share with other visitors. It may be better to set up just below the peak to escape people or wind. Saint Vrain is an excellent radio site for HF and VHF\/UHF \u2013 it is east of the Divide, and it has a wide view across the Eastern Plains, as well as the east side of the Front Range.<\/p>\n The region around Saint Vrain Mountain forms many thunderstorms in summer. Small cumulus clouds can turn into dark-bottomed monsters in a short time. Get an early start, and don\u2019t push your luck.<\/p>\n George Carey Fuller![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Trail-3.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Trail-Creek.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Trail.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Mtn.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Snow.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-SW.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Longs.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-1st-Activation.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-1sr-Activation-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-2nd-Act.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\nKX0R<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Longs-21.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Audubon.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Copeland.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Paintbrush-Garden.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Colorado-Columbines.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Indian-Paintbrush.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Saint-Vrain-Longs-2.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.schnizer.com\/SOTAblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/KX0R-on-Saint-Vrain-Mountain.jpg\")
<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t![\"ATTENTION\"](\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/dd\/Achtung.svg\/877px-Achtung.svg.png\")
\n\n!! WARNING !! There are old<\/b> mountaineers, and \nbold<\/b> mountaineers... there are no old-bold mountaineers. \nHiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required - enjoy!\n<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"