11 Mile Reservoir Backcountry Camping, Touring, and Hiking – Cancelled

Cancelled due to expected cold weather and low sign-up

11 Mile Reservoir is a state park in the South Park area, west of Colorado Springs.  It is fed by the South Platte River and sits at about 8400′ elevation.  1/4 of the lake is surrounded by nice rock formations and pine trees and includes  over 20 backcountry campsites.  They are free after September 10, but there are the usual state park fees.  The goal will be to camp there Saturday night, and optionally Sunday night, paddle around the scenic SW end of the lake, do some hiking and other activities.  It breaks down as follows:

1) Camp Friday eve (16th) on BLM land a few miles NE of the entrance to the park per directions Karen will give.

2) Get to the backcountry parking lot by 8:00am and be on the water by 8:45am on Saturday.

3) Paddle 1/3 mile to check availability of my 5 favored camps and pick a couple of them; dump gear and continue on a paddle toward the dam keeping a constant eye on any wind moving in.

4) Set up camps; various activities can include hiking, games, reading, cooking, and fishing.

5) If you cannot stay Sunday night, then best to pack up and paddle out early Sunday morning before the wind picks up.

6) If you can stay Sunday night then repeat paddling exploration of the pretty end of the lake along with more of the various activities; note that winds sometimes move in to the area as early as 10:30am, so the plan is keeping this in mind

7) Pack up and paddle out early Monday morning; some of us will get to work by noon.

For further information or to register for this family friendly trip, contact Karen Amundson by calling 303-734-0923 or by emailing her at canoekarena@msn.com