Guide updates & corrections

The most current version (v4) of the Pfiffner Traverse Guide was released in June 2018. This page contains updates and corrections to that edition.

To submit additional updates and corrections, post a comment at the bottom of this page, or email me.

Spelling & grammar

The Guide has a few spelling and grammar mistakes, which I expected of a 23,000-word product despite multiple rounds of editing. Unless they’re consequential, they’re not mentioned here.

Guidebook: Part 1 — Before you go

The Arapaho Valley Ranch, located at the eastern tip of Lake Granby, has a quaint bar and a threadbare store, plus cabins and campsites. It’s unknown if it would hold a package for you. The ranch is a significant detour if you remain on the Primary Route, but it’s only 2.5 miles ( 5 miles round-trip) from the Northeast Gully + Piute Pass Bypasses. Leave the route at the eastern edge of Monarch Lake.

Guidebook: Part 2 — As you go

• Page 4. “After rounding Point 12277” should be, “After rounding the base of Ptarmigan Point to its south side…”
• Page 4. Taylor Peak is a very worthy side summit.
• Page 6. Section-hike: Rocky Mountain West. “Turn west/left on the use trail” should be, “Turn west/right on the use trail…”
• Page 18. A more direct route between Arapaho Pass and Mt. Neva scrambles up the north ridge of Mt. Neva from above Lake Dorothy. It’s Class 3/4, and considered beyond the technical scope of the Pfiffner Traverse.

Mapset

• The Long Meadows Trail intersects the Timber Lake Trail at the point, “Long Mdw Tr jct may be here,” not at TIMB-1.  From the Timber Lake Trailhead, it’s 3.4 miles to this junction, and another 1.2 miles to the dogleg at 10,880 feet.

Section-hike: Rocky Mountain West

Guidebook

I hiked through Long Meadows in late-June 2018, and the route is mostly as I expected, with a few edits:

• The junction of Tonahutu Creek Trail with the Onahu Creek Connector at the north edge of Big Meadows is about 300 yards southwest of its mapped location.
• The Connector Trail joins naturally with the Onahu Creek Trail at about the 9,600-foot contour. The Long Meadows Trail is a sharp east turn, on the south side of Onahu Creek.
• After following Long Meadows Trail for a few minutes, jump to the north side of Onahu Creek. The trail is very difficult to follow after this point — it crosses some wet meadows and has been obliterated by spruce blowdowns. In lieu of the trail, use the Long Meadows outlet stream as a handrail until reaching the south edge of the meadow at 10,200 feet.
• There is no semblance of a trail along the meadow, and paralleling it inside the forest is impractical due to blowdowns. If the meadow is wet, your feet will be wet.
• Between the north edge of Long Meadows and the Timber Lake Trail, the trail is in much better condition and is easy to follow.

Maps

• Page 1. The “Old rd + water pipe” is located just south of Harbison Ditch, not north.
• Page 2. The map below better depicts the trail layout at the junction of Onahu Creek Trail and Long Meadows Trail.

• Page 2. The Long Meadow Trail intersects the Timber Lake Trail at 10,200 feet, not at MDW-6. It’s another 1.2 miles from the junction to the dogleg at 10,880 feet.
• Page 6. Slickrock and Solitaire camps are located near each other. Gray Jay Group is further downhill.