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Mandell Trail, Flat Tops Wilderness, Colorado
By PK | November 13, 2008
Such untarnished beauty, a place of solitude and peacefulness, rugged and raw, untouched by human intervention. What place am I talking about? The Flat Top Wilderness, the place when hiking is mentioned that comes to my mind of the ultimate hike. The challenge I am preparing for myself. I’m jealous because Dalton has been there numerous times. A place I want to visit, but it’s not a casual stroll in the park. It’s not a normal hike, but one that takes courage, determination, and a will to succeed.
Up there on the top of this mountain is my goal, but not for today. It’ll have to be next year. I’ve heard it takes over a day’s hike to reach the top. You pack in, you pack out. Nothing is left behind.
These are some of the views as we neared the Flat Tops Wilderness area.
This area map displays all the trails throughout the Flat Tops Wilderness. I would not advice anyone to enter this area without a GPS, a map of the trails from the local forestry department, and hiking essentials. We entered the Flat Tops Wilderness from the east side at Yampa. Yampa is located on Hwy 131 south of Steamboat.
As we began our hike on Mandell Trail, we registered as requested. Colorado requires you purchase a state habitat stamp when hiking. During an emergency, this ensures that the cost of rescue efforts are not personally charged to you, which could be quite expensive. Remember to sign back out.
Mandell Trail, Trail #1121, seemed easy to moderate starting out with a good, wide path. It is located on the opposite side of Bear Creek Campground. The trail follows through a valley toward Slide Mandell Lake at 3 miles and further to Black Mandell Lake at 3.7 miles. Our goal was to reach the first lake.
As we climbed up the trail and broke into an opening, we captured a slightly elevated view of Bear Lake, behind us near the campground.
And it didn’t take us long to get closer to our goal, the Flat Tops.
At this point you enter the wilderness area. We wore orange vests and hats to insure our safety. It was rifle hunting season and we wanted area hunters, and there were a few, to easily see us.
The trail follows through numerous pastures and enables the hiker to view incredible scenery.
Lodgepole pine and other pine trees line the trail and provide shade and a resting spot if needed. Beware of trees that have not quite fell as you can see in this photo. You’d end up with quite a headache.
It was along this area of the trail, that we missed #1121 as it intersected with another trail, unmarked. We soon realized our mistake with the use of our GPS and backtracked. We then realized why we missed it as fallen trees had obscured it. We left a note on the registry when we got back.
More awesome views in which to feast your eyes…
Some new snow and a busy beaver. You can just barely see his dam in this creek on the left.
More views of Bear Lake as the trail continued along a sloped pasture. This would have been considered easy here, if it weren’t for small rivulets of snow melt off coming down the slope. The trail at times was extremely muddy and slippery crossing the rivulets. I also seen the tracks of a mountain lion. I was all ‘eyeballs’ after that.
That’s where I’d like to be, on top of the Flat Tops. That’s not a ridge you see, but the edge of a wide expanse of mountaintop.
More beautiful scenery to enjoy…
And the end of our hike. We didn’t make it to the first lake. You can see the trail, quite narrowed now, muddy and slippery. We hiked around this hillside and was faced with very cold winds coming down through the valley. The mist you see back towards the mountain was snow moving in. We had to turn around and this time it was my decision. In our estimation we were close to the first lake, having hiked more than half way back towards it. Perhaps if we hadn’t missed the trail at the intersection or stopped to talk to hunters, we may have made it. Then again, when that cold, icy wind hit me in the face, maybe not.
This will be a trail we will have to repeat, a first in our hiking experiences. Next time we’ll know the route, at least to around the bend.
My previous articles on Flat Tops are: Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway. This route is totally accessible by automotive vehicles, though you never actually enter the Flat Tops, it enables you scenic views of Flat Tops.
For a more informative post on other trails, area campgrounds just outside of the Flat Top Wilderness, and nearby reservoirs, read the article Back to Flat Tops Wilderness Area.
My first trip to Flat Tops, when the road past Bear Lake was still closed due to snow last June of 2008. You can read about my first experience in this area here, Hiking Bear Lake, Yampa.
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Topics: Colorado, Uncategorized |
November 14th, 2008 at 2:36 am
Another day, another adventure from a different angle in this wonderful land of nature. Hope you reach the summit next year with some more photographs and story behind it.
November 14th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Thanks for visiting, Martin. I almost decided not to publish this story since we didn’t even reach the first lake, but I thought it would give hikers some information about the trail itself. It is an easy trail, it was just unlucky for us so late in the year. I’m just glad the mountain lion didn’t make an appearance!! They were some BIG tracks!
November 14th, 2008 at 8:48 am
PK, Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on “Upside-down Christmas“. It is nice to meet you.
I really enjoy your blog especially the photographs. They are beautiful. I have been stopping by regularly over the last month or so and feel like I am getting to know Colorado. I have never visited your state but would love to some day. I was born in AZ, but have spent most of my life in PA. I love the outdoors - camping, hiking, and fly-fishing - and in some way I feel like I am satisfying my need and desire to be outdoors just by visiting your blog. If I ever get to spend any time in your state I will have to check out some of the beautiful scenery you have shown me.
thanks and God Bless,
brad
November 14th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Thanks Brad for visiting. You’re welcome anytime! Dalton and I just moved from PA this past June. He’s a native of PA, and I’m originally from TN. The scenery here just pulls you outside and there are so many trails and campgrounds it’s unbelievable. It will take me quite some time to document the trails just around Steamboat.
November 15th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Wow! What a small world. What part of PA? We are about 40 minutes outside of Philadelphia. Before that Lancaster area. We do a fair amount of camping around the state. I have been fly fishing Penn’s Creek, near State College, for many years.
November 15th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Dalton was born and raised in the State College/Lock Haven area and I lived near Altoona. He loves to hunt, fish, and both of his sons attended Penn State. It is a small world after all….