Ironclads
It had been a while since we wandered around the Ironclads, and we knew things had changed since the last time. The spur out to the Window closed, of course, and then the 2013 flood closed the spur that went down to the other side of the Ironclads. So, it would just be a big loop. But it sure was a fun loop.
We started our day at the school on Bunce, so the Ironclads trailhead was something we came to early in the day. We started right up the trail, and then the ledge was in front of us. It seemed a bit more dug out than it used to be, making it even more challenging.
Monica went up first, and it was slippery and fun. Natalia followed her up and didn't have any issues at all. Dennis and Tim were in rental Jeeps and fairly new to Colorado wheeling, so they were taking the bypass. The rest of us encouraged them to back up and give it a try, so they did.
Their Jeeps didn't have lockers, so they had to choose their lines wisely. Dennis came up first, and picked a festive line. He got a nice wheelstand for his efforts, and lots of cheers from the rest of the group. Tim followed him up, picking a line that wasn't quite as dramatic. Still, he had to work for it a bit and he had a great time.
Adam brought up the rear and he was obviously used to Colorado obstacles. He walked right up it without any issues.
We cruised along the trail for a bit, and then stopped at one of the only wide spots. It would be a fantastic place for camping, with lots of flat spots for lots of tents. We had snacks and chatted for a bit before heading up the hill.
The loop was a blast, with ledges, loose rocks, and hill climbs. It was a bummer to see the spur closed, and we hoped it would be reopened someday. That meant we just did the loop, and we were soon heading downhill. The last ledge before completing the loop was fun, though no one had any issues.
When we got back to the big ledge, everyone chose to go down it instead of taking the bypass. That meant we were all flexing our way down the obstacle. It was a great time, and the rest of the trail was uneventful. We were soon back at Bunce where we kept going to the T-33A Plane Crash.
Reports from Other Days: 3
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