Just hung out for a few days in the Routt National Forest.
08/27/05 Gold Lake Trail (7 miles round trip):
This trail is 1/4 mile up the Solvonia Trailhead where it branches to the left while the Gilpin Lake Trail goes off to the right. Another 1/4 mile or so the trail crosses a bridge and follows the creek most of the way to the lake.
Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area is entered after a mile or so. A few glimpses of tall slopes with the upper areas burnt off can be seen to the right and a glimpse or two of high crags to the left. Another creek crossing at mile 2.0 with a couple of large logs to use 50 feet upstream.
Gold Lake shows up after 3.5 miles and a climb of 1200 feet. Pretty lake with forested slopes and some granite walls rising up in the distance.
I was actually following directions for the Red Dirt Pass Trail. It said I had another 500 feet to climb before the junction with the Gilpin Lake Trail and then another 700 feet in a mile on that trail. The Red Dirt Pass Trail continues from the junction and rises more than 1000 feet.
I continued past Gold Lake to see how much of that description was true. If I could get to the junction in a reasonable time frame and felt reasonable I might tackle the 700 foot section. That didn't work out though. I got a mile or so past the lake but saw no sign of the junction. I wasn't feeling great so I just turned back.