In The Shadow of Longs Peak
Coney Flats Loop
04 December 2004 and 12 December 2004
This is a wonderful kick ‘n’ glide outing – quite rolling and with enough uphill to qualify as an excellent aerobic workout.
The trail starts at Beaver Reservoir, off the Peak-to-Peak Highway, between Peaceful Valley and Ward. Turn west where a sign indicates a Boy Scout camp. This is a pretty good gravel road, most always accessible by a passenger car but it does get icy so use caution…and there are a couple of steep spots, so good tires are recommended. You’ll travel west, probably 5 miles or so. Take note of a few other trailheads along the way: The South St. Vrain trail is just off the highway; The road leading to the Wapiti-Baptist trail (indicated by a gate on the map, which is closed in winter) and the Sourdough Trail. All there are for another day.
Once you approach the reservoir, continue along until you reach the sign for the Coney Flats 4-wheel drive road, which is closed in winter. This is our trailhead. Parking is tight…and limited to one side of the road.
Once parked, don those skis and get moving!
This is a wonderful loop, well suited to beginners who are looking to step things up a bit. The snow is consistently good and the trail is full of micro ups and downs and curves that are a pleasure to navigate. Being a road in summer, the trail is wide – thus no short tight turns. A spur of the Sourdough Trail (Coney Flats to the Camp Dick cutoff) is soon passed on the right. Continue on, always staying on the main trail. There are a couple of spots where this might be tricky but use your map and compass at those points to stay on the road.
It generally takes us an hour to get to the loop. There is a sign indicating that the Coney Flats Road is to the left. This is actually the connecting point of the loop. Take the road to the left and continue up hill. Before long, there is a dry lake/pond bed. You should be able to find this on your map. Continue upward…the road continues to climb upward gradually, turning and twisting ever so gradually.
On today’s trip, there were no tracks beyond the dry lake bed. I continued on breaking trail in 12 inches of snow with the wrong wax, but gave up after one-half hour and turned around. Purple wax and the skins will be in my pack next time! It took about 20 minutes to get back to the lake and 10 more to get back to the loop junction. From here, a fast return and I was back at the car.
Love this Trail!