Trying a New Route: Hiking Battle Mountain [Rocky Mountain National Park]

[@johnconroy4002]

There's an old trail about 0.2 mile below Granite Pass that goes down along the drainage to Jim's Grove that I used to take to come down from Longs Peak. The trail intersection isn't obvious, but there used to be an old post that once had a sign on it about 30 feet off the trail. There are some old timbered steps built into the trail. There's also an old trail that goes past the toilet at Chasm Junction down Mills Moraine to the main trail. That one does a hairpin turn at an old post that's leaning in the crook of a tree. It connects to the main trail a couple of hundred yards above the sign near the creek just below Jim's Grove. They both save a few minutes, and very few people ever walk them, so they're kind of fun.

[@laurenbouchie2394]

Great hike !

[@michaelborn3318]

Good thinking on taking the ridge.

[@ericcomp7032]

Often I feel like the squirrels are laughing at me. How rude 😂

[@michaelborn3318]

FYI, the Storm Pass trail goes all the way to the YMCA facility.

[@Miderguy_]

Nice hike. I'd enjoy that one. Those feathers were from a Northern Flicker.

[@nicksangetta8874]

@Miderguy_ Thanks for the clarification on the feathers! It looked like that bird didn't survive. I didn't see a body but there were feathers everywhere.