Casey Akin Wrote:
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> If no one has been on this road before, CO 92
> branches off of Highway 50 on the west [EAST, right at Blue Mesa Dam, crosses over on the dam] side of the
> Curecanti needle. 92 runs back towards the needle
> on the opposite side of the river, and turns away
> from the canyon at the needle. [To go up and then back down the Curecanti Creek Valley, then it follows the North Rim another 10 miles or so]At this point is a
> lookout [Pioneer Point]that almost hangs over the canyon wall,
> and looks directly at the needle (pic below). This
> is an intense viewing spot as the river is 900
> feet below (according to the signs posted)!!!
> There is a trail that winds away from the needle,
> and comes back down to the river where you can get
> within 50 feet or so from the railroad grade[Nice walk, wear sturdy shoes. However it should be noted that at the end of the trail, where Curecanti Creek drowns, you are still not quite (30' away?) into the main canyon and can't see the Needle. See picture on pg 57 of 1989 "Trails Amoung the Columbine" for an (1886) picture of about where you'll be]. At
> this point the grade is only 10 - 20 feet below
> the water. We didn't do the trail this time as the
> signs said it was about a 3 hour round trip to
> walk it, and there was a storm threatening...
>
Also a sign that warns it is an extreme(Something like that, it's been a couple years) trail & don't do it if you have heart problems. Only "hard" strech is about 1/4 mile or so that is about like climbing a steep staircase, think 12 story building. Of course there is no law to say you can't take breaks...
This was a trail I'd wanted to hike for over 20 years but always either got there in somebody elses car or with people (ex-wife for example) who put the kibosh on it. Finally got down it in 2009.
Now to nail the other two trails off Hwy 92 down to the res farther west...
Oh, BTW, there are several other points between the Damn Dam & Pioneer Point where you can pull off the hwy and get a good view down into the Canyon.
hank
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2017 09:38AM by hank.
