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Description:
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The Mt. Antero Trail is located a little over 12 miles Southwest of Buena Vista, CO (which is on US Hwy 285, about 70 miles West of Colorado Springs). To get to the trailhead from Buena Vista, take US 285 South 8 miles. Turn right (West) on CO 162 and go 12 miles, towards St. Elmo. There’s a sign on the side of the road that points to the trailhead to the left. Ranging in elevation from 10,000 feet to nearly 14,000 feet, Mt. Antero is one of Colorado 14er’s (with a peak elevation of 14,269 feet). Mt. Antero is named for Chief "Graceful Walker" Antero of the Unitah band of the Ute Indians. Antero was a force for peace during the period of very problematic relations between the Ute and the whites in the late 1860s and 1870s. While gold and silver were being discovered all around the area, Mt. Antero offered a fortune in gemstones. It has proved extraordinarily rich in aquamarines, topaz, and clear and smoky quartz crystals. The most recent mining on Mt. Antero has been for beryllium, a lightweight, corrosion-resistant, rigid, steel-gray metallic element that melts only at extremely high temperatures. Beryllium is prized as an aerospace structural material, as a moderator and reflector in nuclear reactors, and in a copper alloy used for springs, electrical contacts, and non-sparking tools. You could spend a really long day on this trail because there are 4 other trails that branch off at various locations along the main trail, including the Boulder Mountain Trail, Baldwin Lakes Trail, Browns Lake Trail, and Mt. White Trail. The Mt. Antero Trail is easy and very scenic, but requires attention and caution. The first 2 miles of the trail is a rough, rocky shelf road through the pine and aspen forest. The track is narrow and has some steep drop-offs. However, during this portion of the trail, the forest is lush and scenic, especially where it closely follows Baldwin Creek. At the 2.7 mile point, you cross Baldwin Creek, which is normally only about a foot deep. After Waypoint MA11, the trail really starts to climb. There are several narrow switchback shelf roads with steep drop-offs, but the road is very solid with little or no off-camber sections. However, most portions of this section provide NO place to turn around or to pass, so it pays to watch for on-coming vehicles and plan ahead. At Waypoint MA23, take the right fork and head south back down below the tree line. A little over 3 miles is Brown’s Lake; a nice open, shaded space to stop for lunch. Back on the main trail, from Waypoint MA25 to the top is again a steep, rocky ascent. The highest you can drive is 13,900 feet, which is higher than you might think. Expect the weather to be cold, windy, and probably rainy at this location. The Mt. Antero Trail is just over 6 miles one way and takes between 2 hours to 2.5 hours to reach the peak.
More info on Mt. Antero Trail Buena Vista, CO
http://www.webejeepin.com/Trails/Colorado/Mt_Antero.htm
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