You can view the Caltopo Map at home on your computer, or anywhere using your phone. In the Caltopo app, save and download this map to use to navigate while on the route itself:
Or, export the tracks in GPX to view them on a GPS device of your choosing. Just double-check that tracks are completely visible before venturing out as some GPS devices have limits on track size.
https://caltopo.com/m/62P1D
Caltopo Folder Key
00 Ridge Traverse Route (magenta)
Holds the Sangre de Cristo Range Traverse Route that follows the main ridge over all named peaks found therein.
It’s split into five segments.
01 High Route (purple)
Holds the Sangre de Cristo Range High Route that closely follows the main ridge, but drops down into the basins below to avoid most of the scrambling and technical climbing, while also delivering perhaps more of a “backpacking” experience and less of a “mountaineering” one.
It’s split into five segments.
Both the Ridge Traverse and High Route overlap considerably in some places. Segment 2 of both routes are the same. If the track for a route seems to have disappeared, it’s most likely a shared section. Uncheck one of the caltopo folders to confirm.
02 Supplemental Routes
Holds other routes, both on-trail and off-trail that are useful supplements to the main routes. These include bailouts, routes to water/bivvy sites, and ways to avoid the ridge/peaks.
To keep the map looking less cluttered, this folder isn’t visible by default.
03 Beta
Beta holds specific information about the terrain near the marker and may help you link the narrative with the location on the map. Bivy spots and water sources aren’t saved in this folder, but this important information is found in their own folders.
These include more difficult areas of the ridge, location of blowdown, directions, and other pieces of advice.
Some of the beta is direction specific (northbound, southbound). This guide currently only covers going northbound, but may cover southbound in future updates.
04 Bivvy Sites
Saved here are suggestions of places to rest. “Marginal” is used on many bivvy sites to highlight that these are not great places to camp for extended periods time, mostly because they’re dry or extremely exposed to the elements, or both. Bivvy spots on the ridge itself are especially prone to wind and weather and are only suggested to use in perfect weather conditions.
05 Water Sources
Water Sources marks places where water “may” be found. “Marginal”, “Seasonal”, “Undependable”, “Potential”, “Unreliable”, are adjectives used that should not be ignored, and highlight that water may not be found at places marked. Most of the water sources found on the ridge are found in seasonal and ephemeral patches of snow, and should only be counted on if they can be visually spotted well beforehand.
More dependable water sources are found in the larger creeks, and in lakes.
06 Peaks
Peaks mark the summits found on the route (or perhaps slightly off). Peaks just off the main ridgeline are known as ”bonus” peaks.
Peaks that are on the main ridge but are grey are unofficial peaks that have less than 300 feet of prominence.
07 Passes
Passes give access to the ridge using both hiking and motor vehicle routes.
To keep the map looking less cluttered, this folder isn’t visible by default. We usually mark the high point of a pass with an icon that’s visible, which lives in the, “beta” folder.