Less traveled trail on Pikes Peak

Found this cabin ruin while exploring an obscure trail on the slopes of Pikes Peak yesterday. Sheep Creek runs in between the Barr Trail and the Cog Railway. I reached it by finding an obscure trail that leaves the Barr Trail at the saddle about half a mile past the 7.8 mile-to-go (to the summit) sign, about five miles up the Barr Trail from my home in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

The trail disappeared after about 400 yards. I bushwacked across two small streams, then mistakenly went downstream thinking I was on Sheep Creek. When it got too difficult due to excessive brush I cut up a slope on the opposite side of the stream. Once up high enough to see the forest for the trees there was a deep valley about 300 feet below me. I found an obscure trail that traversed down the valley and found the trail again alongside the real Sheep Creek. Continuing down the trail I came on the cabin ruin. The cog railway is just beyond this cabin. I ran down the cog railway for about 50 yards to where I knew there is an old road leading back to the Barr Trail completing my circuit.