<div>Jeff,</div><div>Great advice. It is nice to get some first hand knowledge.</div><div>Dropping into the Frying Pan Basin from Red Dirt Pass then heading NNW to the saddle at 11200ft does look like the perfect way to avoid the class4-5 north face of Mount Zirkel. The divide from there north does appear "relatively easy". On your north to south trek did you come from Seven Lakes to the divide? That seems like a logical place to reconnect with trail and get back to the CDT. </div>
<div>I did some mileage calculation for this detour and was surprised. It is about 22miles, the same length as walking the official CDT, though it does add several thousand more feet of elevation.</div><div>Thanks for your help,</div>
<div>Tony</div><div><br><br> </div><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 10:26 PM, Jeff Braun <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jbraun@vizsolutions.com" target="_blank">jbraun@vizsolutions.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;padding-left:1ex;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid" class="gmail_quote">Tony,<br>
<br>
Instead of going over Zirkel, you could dip from Red Dirt Pass east<br>
into Fryingpan Basin. (We did this route, but were going south). The<br>
map shows another trail that heads north out of the basin, but we<br>
never located it 30 years ago and I doubt it has ever been maintained.<br>
Even the Red Dirt Pass Trail #1127 still sounds like it does not<br>
really exist. See map and warning -<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.mountainjaymedia.com/pages/mountzirkelwilderness/fryingpan_basin_trail.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mountainjaymedia.com/pages/mountzirkelwilderness/fryingpan_basin_trail.htm</a><br>
<br>
If we did it again, we would use the pass at 11200' - so drop east<br>
from Red Dirt Pass, leave the "trail" near 11,000' and drop to<br>
~10,600' and continue NWN to pass at 11,200'. Following the Divide<br>
from there is relatively easy and beautiful.<br>
<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
Jeff<br>
</font></span><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><br>
<br>
On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 10:08 AM, Tony Mason <<a href="mailto:tony@greyrock.org">tony@greyrock.org</a>> wrote:<br>
> Trew,<br>
> Thanks for the help re- Mount Zirkel. I see that the west and east faces are<br>
> definitely class 5 descents. The north looked a little more gradual but<br>
> sounds like that was just wishful thinking.<br>
> Tony<br>
><br>
> On Mon, Mar 11, 2013 at 8:32 AM, Doug Carlson <<a href="mailto:doug-sue@centurylink.net">doug-sue@centurylink.net</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
>><br>
>> If you go to the summit of Mt Zirkel from Red Dirt Pass you will find that<br>
>> the back side (western side I believe) is a straight drop down, down,<br>
>> down.... You get the idea. Going over Red Dirt Pass is a very scenic<br>
>> hike. I have looked at my maps and contemplated the same route. That is a<br>
>> very nice area.<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> -Trew<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> From: <a href="mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net">cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net">cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net</a>]<br>
>> On Behalf Of Tony Mason<br>
>> Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 7:22 AM<br>
>> To: <a href="mailto:cdt-l@backcountry.net">cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br>
>> Subject: [Cdt-l] staying on the divide<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> As we all know the CDT at times strays far from the actual geographic<br>
>> divide. There are a couple of places on the section hike I am doing this<br>
>> summer that look like it would be fun to deviate from the official trail and<br>
>> stay on the divide itself:<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> North of Lost Ranger Peak in the Zirkel Wilderness. Stay east at the<br>
>> junction with North Lake trail. Go up Gold Creek to Red Dirt Pass. Cross<br>
>> country over Mount Zirkel along the ridge then down to 7 Lakes. Then take<br>
>> trail west back to the CDT. The crux looks like the north face of Mount<br>
>> Zirkel. Has anyone done this route (or something similar) and can give me<br>
>> some first hand knowledge?<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> The WInds. There appear to be lots of options for staying high. What ones<br>
>> would folks recommend?<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> I appreciate the wisdom of those who've gone before.<br>
>><br>
>> Looking forward to this summer,<br>
>><br>
>> Tony<br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>><br>
>> --<br>
>><br>
>> Robert Anthony Mason MD<br>
>><br>
>> Windsor Family Clinic PC<br>
>><br>
>> 4630 Royal Vista 7<br>
>><br>
>> Windsor, CO 80521<br>
>><br>
>> <a href="tel:970-530-0575" value="+19705300575">970-530-0575</a><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> --<br>
> Robert Anthony Mason MD<br>
> Windsor Family Clinic PC<br>
> 4630 Royal Vista 7<br>
> Windsor, CO 80521<br>
> <a href="tel:970-530-0575" value="+19705300575">970-530-0575</a><br>
><br>
</div></div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5">> _______________________________________________<br>
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><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div>Robert Anthony Mason MD</div><div>Windsor Family Clinic PC</div><div>4630 Royal Vista 7</div><div>Windsor, CO 80521</div><div>970-530-0575</div>