Re: #315 - 06/21; finding "Russo's Rock" (Corrected)

Happy to share directions - just as Roger has shared with me - and presuming you know how to find Sublette. (Also provided I have first dibs on "Russo's Rock" the next time #315 makes an afternoon or evening run from Antonito to Osier ... )

1) On the road to Osier, take the road toward the curves near mp 305 and 303 (the last road to the left BEFORE the left turn to Sublette).
2) Just before getting to After passing the curve near mp 305 (where the gravel pile is currently located), continue over the hill and about halfway down the other side; take the road up to the left, toward Bighorn. IIRC, there is a small Forest Service sign for "Road 75". It's only steep for the first few yards, but it's pretty rough in spots later on. No problem for my AWD Ford Escape, but I wouldn't recommend trying it in a 2WD sedan ... (If you come to the grade crossing near mp 303, you have missed the left turn.)
3) Continue past Bighorn on "Road 75" about 1/4 to 1/3 mile, past the cattle guard at the state line. Eventually you will see a pair of ruts off to the right.
4) Follow the ruts until you see a grassy strip going off to the right which seems to be relatively free of sagebrush and rocks (at least compared to the surrounding hillside).
5) After about 1/3 mile, there is an even fainter grassy strip off to the right which leads to a place where you can see the Whiplash trestle below and to the northeast.
6) Continue on the original grassy strip about 1/4 to 1/3 of a mile until you see a small signpost off to the right, near a thick but not too tall ponderosa pine. I was able to follow a very faint grassy swath little way past the sign, but had to stop near the tree due to some rocks. If I still had my 4-Runner I would have gone around them and continued on, but the Escape doesn't have as much ground clearance.
7) From the pine near the sign, walk northeast southeast about 1/8 mile toward a round juniper tree. From this juniper you should be able to see down the hillside to "Russo's Rock". This overlooks all three levels of the Whiplash, with good views of the top level to both the east and the west.

In lieu of #3-#7 above, park near the east switch at Bighorn and walk eastward along the roadbed about two miles. "Russo's Rock" is above the track about .4 mile east of mp 298, but there are several similar spots along the upper track of the Whiplash.

GOOD LUCK!

- Russo Loco



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/22/2009 09:01AM by Russo Loco.