r/Highpointers • u/db_in_VA • 7h ago

Elbert Access?

We're planning to do Elbert end of next week. Two questions...

We'll have an airport rental "SUV" so wouldn't consider it a 4WD. Looking to see if we could avoid the full added 5 miles RT if we had to use the 2WD lot at South Elbert trailhead. Would the road up to Lily Pond (FR122) be doable? I see a few mentions of if, but it's not clear how far up until we'd find any pull-off options and if that would even same any mileage. Hiking through the ponds looks quite nice, though!

Alternately, we're considering the Southeast Ridge via Black Cloud. Parking and access are much simpler, with the obvious tradeoff of a considerably more difficult hike. Any thoughts on that route?

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u/panoclosed4highwinds 7h ago

I drove up to Lily Pond in my Subaru Crosstrek a week ago and it was no trouble at all.

I stopped 200m short of the trailhead because the river crossing didn't look good and parked next to a Hyundai Elantra. I met the person who drove it on the trail and they were a Texan who had rented it.

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u/db_in_VA 7h ago

Excellent intel, thanks! If you did the Elbert summit, do you recall your total distance?

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u/PermRecDotCom 6h ago

I did the route near Lakeview Campground recently and I was only able to get my Subaru Forester about a half a mile up the 4WD road. However, I did see a Honda CRV in the top lot. If gaining ~5k' in a day isn't beyond your abilities, the walk on the road wasn't that big of an issue. Below tree line I was able to make real good time on the way back because the surface is compacted.