South Slope

Distance: 7.01 miles
Ascent:  702 feet
Directions: The convoy met at Red Rock Canyon and drove up H24 past Woodland Park to Divide.  Turned on H67 and then H81 toward Victor, turning onto Gold Camp and again on 376 to access the South Slope gate.
Route: Parked at McReynolds Reservoir (#5) and walked the road past Mason Reservoir (#4) to Boehmer Reservoir (#2) and back.

Description:  The guided group hike is a new experience for us, especially since the reason I hike is mostly to get away from people,  leaving behind the claustrophobia of town, to stretch both mentally and physically.  However, we also enjoy exploring our immediate area and have been dying to get a look at this fenced off zone of mystery.  Yes, it is supposed to open up in the near future, but just couldn't pass up an early look.  I had signed us up for one of the last toursof the season, thinking that would allow us to dodge any potential scheduling obstacles.  So of course the whole family got sick when the time came around and we had to cancel.  When I made the call I did request that we be put on the waiting list for the final hike of the year, the following weekend, thinking there was not a chance in hell, but had nothing to lose.  Obviously a bit surprised when I got the message saying we were on the roster, but also a bit frantic as we were already committed to Segment 5 of the Colorado Trail the day before. 

Neither Segment 5 or this tour of the South Slope turned out to be as difficult as we had imagined (hoped).  None of the new trail work is complete, so the hike was entirely along the road, from McReynolds Reservoir to Boehmer Reservoir.  While the "master plan" consists of several new sections of trail, there are some old stretches that will be opened up as well, primarily the connection between 667 (Jones Park) and 671 (Barr Camp) to Lake Moraine.  Unfortuantely, none of this will incorporate any new additions to the Ring The Peak.  Apparently there was some debate about this, but the Friends of the Peak dropped the issue rather than take the trail near some ecologically sensitive areas.

Once we reached Boehmer, our guide mentioned that this particular reservoir was responsible for the discovery of flouride in water levels having a positive impact on local health.  The only reference I have found relating to this is that a dentist, Frederick Sumner McKay, studied what was known as the Colorado brown stain, or mottled tooth enamel here in Colorado Springs. However, I have not found anything specifically mentioning Boehmer Reservoir.  Another interesting aspect to this area is that it is the eastern most territory of the bighorn sheep that lamb in the SWA on the other side of H67.  Apparently they spend a bit of time over here including one fairly steep precipice to avoid any other terrestrial predators.  The eagles however have found a method while they cannot pick up the lambs, that knocking them over the side is just as effective.

Happy to have had the opportunity to give this area a look, but would have been nice to explore a bit further up.  It will be interesting to see when this area actually opens what it will become.  Its slated to be a pay area, but there is not enough resources to post an employee here.  This could be unfortunate considering how trashed and abused the areas just east of here are, certainly hope it does not succumb to that treatment by those that regularly use this region.

Reference: Pikes Peak Atlas