Segment 2: South Platte
South Platte to Little Scraggy TH (FS-550)
Pics of Segment 2: From the Back of the Pack
A Few Comments:
Just like Segment 1, in 2011 I suffered twice on Segment 2. And the suffering wasn’t much fun.
The first 5 miles are basically hike-a-bike. It’s straight up for 5 miles, but it’s really not bad, except for the heat. So start early. YOU DON’T want to be on Segment 2 in mid afternoon during the summer months. We probably hiked the 5 miles in less than 2 hours. It’s steep, but the Segment is at low altitude. So just put your head down and move.
After the hike-a-bike the trail meanders through the dead ruins of the forest that burned in 1996 – the huge Buffalo Creek fire. The trail is nice and the ride is fun. The scenery is interesting too – it’s amazing how destructive forest fires are. Just remember, avoid this section during the hot summer afternoons.
A Random Comment… or 2: If you want to rest a few minutes, shut the eyes – there is a perfect place at the top of the big climb. You’ll find it. And if you aren’t in a hurry, you’ll enjoy the break.
Water?There is a big river at the start of Segment 2, The South Platte. It’s a bit dirty. But it works if you are thirsty. Other than than the river, there is ZERO water on Segment 2. So plan ahead.
Camping? No way. Aside from at the start. There are plenty of places to take a short snooze. But if you want to camp keep going to Segment 3.
Just the Details:
Date: Aug 26, 2011
Total Distance: 11.0 mi
Hike-a-Bike: 2.8 mi
Total Time / Moving Time: 2 hrs 37 min / 2 hrs 24 min
Ascent: 2604 ft
Descent: 925 ft
some data… some files… no warranty
*the gpx file may download with a .xml extension attached, just rename the file to .gpx by removing the .xml from the filename
Single Speeding on The Colorado Trail 
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