Italian Creek
We ran this trail first before running Taylor Pass and Pearl Pass, based on the advice of a Crested Butte local. We wanted to run it in the most challenging direction. Though it ended up being challenging in this direction it would have been just about as challenging in the other direction, too.
We ended up finishing Pearl Pass in the dark so we were glad we had lots of daylight for Reno Divide. We definitely wouldn't have wanted to be on that in the dark!
The trail started out extremely dusty and everyone was covered in dirt by the time we got to the turnoff for Reno Divide. We followed the fence toward the optional section of trail, then took the rightmost fork when the trail split yet again.
Reno Divide started out a little tippy in spots but it was still pretty mellow. We were hoping it would have a little more to offer in the way of challenges and we weren't disappointed.
We found ourselves suddenly on a shelf road of rocks, then came around a corner and parked to check out the view. It was gorgeous. We started working our way down and immediately found ourselves in much bigger rocks in a very tippy section and we were pleasantly surprised.
You had to stay fairly close to the inside edge and come up on a big rock that tipped you out toward the edge. The fall would be a long way down on jagged rocks so we took it easy and slow. No one had any troubles, though everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they made it to the other side.
We joined the other trail again and then had lunch a bit further down the trail next to an old broken cabin. We couldn't have asked for a better lunch spot.
When we got to the turn off for American Flag Mountain we decided to skip it this trip in order to save time. It was already early afternoon and we were about halfway through our first trail.
The rest of the trail was pretty mellow. We got stuck behind an SUV with a trailer and it slowed us down a bit, but not too much. When we got to the end we turned left to go down a very, very dusty road to start Taylor Pass.
This trail was a blast -- especially Reno Divide!
Reports from Other Days: 2
Use the arrows or dots to flip through the previews of the other reports for Italian Creek. Click one of them to read more and see all of the photos from that day.
