The Sheepwagon Loop follows in the wagon tracks that have carried sheepmen from the eastern Utah border, to the lush mountain grazing sites scattered across the western slope of Colorado. Known for it’s massive aspen groves and historic arborglyphs, north Routt County straddles the continental divide and hosts some of the largest elk herds in the state. This year the loop will take us over three passes, extend to two nights, and is a little more challenging than prior editions of the SCC. 

• Steamboat Springs to Trailhead: 6.1mi
• Day 1 Distance: ~ 78mi
• Day 2 Distance: ~ 26.1mi
• Day 3 Distance to Steamboat: ~27mi
• Total Mileage: 121.1mi*

Nearby Camping:
Steamboat Springs KOA 
Buffalo Pass
Rabbit Ears Pass
Stagecoach reservoir

Provisions:
City Market – Steamboat
Safeway – Steamboat

Fuel:
Kum & Go – Steamboat
Conoco – Steamboat

*this route may change due to conditions/closures/fire

Sleeping Giant – aka Elk MountainThere’s no mountain in the Yampa Valley as steeped in lore as what the local’s call “The Sleeping Giant”. Known to most as Elk Mountain, legend abounds as to just how this prominent hill rising to the northwest of town got its name. One variation of the tale goes something like this:

“Many years ago there lived a gentle friendly giant. He loved life and the people of the Yampa Valley and was always ready to protect anyone who lived here from any danger. The people knew he was their friend and would always take care of them. As the story goes, the giant was told that he would be granted eternal life and always be allowed to live in the Yampa Valley as long as he never harmed another living thing. One day a bad giant ogre came to the Valley and started to terrorize the people. The Giant was very worried about their safety and lured the Ogre up to Steamboat Lake where he fell into the quicksand. The people were relieved and happy that the Bad Ogre was gone and the Giant had saved them. But – because the Giant had broken his oath not to hurt anyone, even though it was a very bad Ogre, he had to be put to sleep. The whole valley came out for a ceremony to put the Gentle Giant to rest. They surrounded the base of the giant with rattlesnakes so that he would not be disturbed. To this day, the giant rests and the rattlesnakes protect his peace. “

Sand Mountain

Sand Mountain rises from the western shore of Steamboat Lake to 10,947 feet. Long the terrain of sheepherders moving sheep between ranches to the west, and the aspen groves to the east in the Elkheads, we’ll traverse the pass from California park and drop down towards the lake before making our way north for an overnight in Big Red Park.

Farwell Mountain

From 4x4explore: During the mining boom around Hahns Peak one of the large companies, the Purdy Mining Company, got the interest of J. W. Farwell of Chicago in 1875. He invested $60,000 to construct a twenty seven mile ditch to bring water from the Elk River to the area for hydrolic mining. Sending Robert McIntosh from Chicago to over see the work, International Camp was developed as a Company town. Farwell’s camp was in Way Gulch, often referred to as “Bug Town” by the miners because all of the big bugs from back east lived there when they visited. It was northeast of the town of Hahns Peak. Farwell’s properties were on String Ridge. After the flume fed the “giants” that washed the gravel from String Ridge the sluices were checked for the gold that would be lodged in the riffles, but no gold was found. Other areas on String ridge were washed out, and still no gold. Farwell cut his losses. After spending $150,000 on the camp and hydrolics, in 1879 he sold the whole investment to a Rawlins, Wyoming banker named James France for $60,000 and headed back to Chicago

Zirkel Wilderness

Named after the celebrated german geologist Ferdinand Zirkel (discovered Zirkelite, has a mountain on the moon named after him, etc), the Zirkel Wilderness was first protected as part of the 1964 Wilderness Act. Providing critical snowpack for three different rivers, Zirkel Mountain is the highest point in Routt county and straddles the continental divide as part of this 160,648 acre preserve.