I had some time ago determined that I would go back to Signal Butte and hike to the top. Well, no better time thatn today since the weather was going to be very acceptable, no planned noon or afternoon showers, thunder or lightening… I gathered up a few things, mostly water and my small pack with radio gear. Then out of here. I picked up a small sandwich and some more iced tea for the return from the hike and got to the base trail head about 11am. It didni’t look like a very long hike, short trail but supprisingly it was over 500 ft elevation gain in a very short distance. Not being in the best shape I did slow and stop several times. Some of the “steps” were pretty tall too but I made the top by 12am and it was pretty cool. Great vies in all directions..
On my way up I had to stop and picture this fence that is almost not a fence anymore… not sure why it was set back from the wire fence near the road but it was.
Tat was my goal to get to the top and you can faintly see the trail spiral up and around the mountain. (Butte)…
starting up the trail was not too bad this is a look back and pretty normal type trail.. Great view of Pikes Peak that way as well.
A little further up I found some “Trail Intelligence Pills”… a larger variety of the yard variety of “smart pills”. I was pretty sure I didn’t need any so just stepped over them and left it for later travelers…
This is proof I got to the top… I took some pictures on the way up but took more on the way down. Much easier…
The rocks near the top are a bit “pot-holed”…
At the top others have placed cairns, several in various places. seems to be a thing to do?
One the other way…It is on a pretty big boulder…
From the top nothing in the way of Pikes Peak… pretty massive view from here.
Aaaah Lunch with a view.
Started back down and made a last shot of the top from a bend in the trail…
Looking back and zoomed in a bit the cairn on the big boulder… some one did a lot of work to get them up there as that was about 6 ft above the surrounding ground level…
The trees even show the scars of the fire for years ago, those that have not been blown over.
Hard to get a picture of just how steep that trail was… most of it had been layed in as steps but some of the steps are missing so yu have to do a “double step” from one to the next some times. I tried to hold the camera level here..
Back at the trail head. got things put away, took on some hydration… and took a slow road back out down FS 364 to Divide. Got home about 4pm. Nice day in the country, hiking all alone. Didn’t se anyone else other than two bikes on the 364 trail f rom the top and two 4 wheelers over on the FS 3 road… now there were several campers and others a bit further down but no one came or went while I was there at the trail.
Now I need to find and hike a few more trails. Short ones as I am in pretty poor shape for long hikes with a lot of altitude up and down… ha!
WD0AJG